Journey to the West is a seminal piece of literature. Not just for China, but for the world. A sixteenth-century story that has inspired countless artists since its publication and has seen its mythos be adapted to effectively every other medium of art. My only connection to this story up until now has been the late-great Akira Toriyama’s satirical adaptation of it, Dragon Ball. But having recently completed the novel myself, I now see just how far and wide the tendrils of this story have reached, and how much I’ve unbeknownstly interacted with it due to its DNA being embedded within modern fantasies across both the East and West.
My desire to pick up and read Journey to the West was twofold. One, I wanted to learn about this world that had inspired one of my favourite mangakas. And two, I wanted to be prepared before diving into one of the most anticipated games of the year, Black Myth: Wukong. Especially after reading the reviews of many Western critics who wrote how they felt somewhat at a loss with the game’s story due to it being tied to the lore of the novel and the game not holding your hand through its backstory; expecting instead that players have at least a surface-level understanding of the source material. What followed was me diving into a rabbit hole of trying to find the perfect translation and abridgement of Wu Cheng’En’s 2000-page saga. When at last I did, I found myself entranced by the words on the page. I’ve never read a book this fast. From the epic battles, crass humour, and delightful characters, to a wonderfully realized and fantastical world, Journey to the West was a joy to read.
Much of this was helped immensely by Julia Lovell’s snappily translated pros that weren’t weighed down by overly flowery verbiage. My wife has always told me that if I wanted to read a non-English book, finding the right translator is key. She was right, of course. A good translator not only accurately translates the words, but does so in a manner that keeps the narrative and tonal structure of the original intact. If a translator doesn’t understand the quick Spanish wits of Sancho Panza in Don Quixote, then some of the most memorable lines from Cervantes’ novel are lost. In the case of Journey to the West, there are three translators to consider: Arthur Waley, Anthony Yu, and Julia Lovell. All three have made abridgements of the full novel, with Yu being the only one who has, in addition to his abridgement, also done a full translation of the 2000-page novel and turned it into a four-volume series.
Waley’s abridged translation was, as far as I know, the first English translation to exist. Published in 1942, this was the version that I started the story with due to it being the most accessible. I read the first three chapters, and though I was enjoying my time with it, found the pace to be jarringly quick and the text to be a tad archaic. When transitioning to Yu’s abridgment, I found his words read far too scholarly and lost some of the humour that I’d found charming in Waley’s version. Though Yu’s is the most widely read version amongst English speakers since it was the most modern translation for quite some time and has been commended for its technical accuracy, I found the reading experience to be far more laborious and bereft of the levity and humour that I’d heard this story was known for–and what I’d shortly experienced with Waley.
This leaves me with the translator that I’ve completed the novel with: Julia Lovell. Released in 2021, Lovell’s abridgement makes it the most modern translation of this Chinese classic. Her passion for the original and appreciation for her fellow translators are easily seen through the pages. She manages to keep both the structural integrity of the original without the chapters ever feeling rushed, while also maintaining the endless charm and wit that the story is known for. While Waley focuses a little too much on Sun Wukong and not enough on the side characters, and Yu a bit too much on the Buddhist allegories, Lovell showcases every facet of this story in a way that feels complete and uncompromised.
It’s been a little over a week since Chinese developer Game Science’s much-anticipated third-person action RPG Black Myth: Wukong hit digital storefronts, and a couple of days since I first stepped into the shoes of The Destined One. I couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear as I saw Wukong cloud-surf through the heavens and once again mouth off to the pantheon of Gods in his high-pitched voice. Seeing him and Erlang once again take to a battle that shakes the Celestial City was a joy, and seeing the Temple of Guanyin in flames felt like Deja Vu. I can’t imagine someone playing this game without having read Journey to the West. Though the game’s narrative isn’t particularly “in your face,” there are a ton of subtle and overt references and symbols that are connected to Wu Cheng-En’s story that are crucial to understanding the characters and the history of this world. Even though the plot takes place five hundred years after the events of the novel, its story is intrinsically tied to those events and the game expects you to know those stories.
It goes beyond just a story, though. Journey to the West isn’t just an important piece of fiction that you need to read in order to understand Black Myth: Wukong, it’s a book you need to read in order to connect with a huge part of Chinese culture. A book whose characters, mythos, and messages are tattooed to the very fabric of China; culturally, religiously, and spiritually. It’s when you understand this massive influence that you realize it isn’t surprising at all that the game has sold over 10 million copies in just a few days, most of which have come from the Chinese populace.
Unfortunately, this success doesn’t come unblemished. IGN’s extensive report from last year outlines a history of sexism and misogyny from within Game Science, and the game’s publisher has also sent out a questionable list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for content creators that instruct them to – amongst other things – not include politics and feminist propaganda. These situations outline a darker underbelly that should be investigated further and give me pause before handing out unmitigated praise towards Game Science. Nevertheless, the game they’ve made should be commended for its beautiful audiovisuals, satisfying gameplay, and the love letter it sends to Wu Cheng’En’s masterpiece. There’s no doubting the immense impact this game will have in showcasing the rich culture of China and the stories of Journey to the West; a book that anyone considering jumping into Black Myth: Wukong should absolutely read.
