Not in the original until you are advanced, and even then, read a children's edition first. Journey to the West is a classical novel whose language goes well beyond modern Chinese, though its characters are known to every Chinese speaker.
- Level
- Advanced
- Format
- Book
- Year
- 2000
Why it works for learners
Few works give you more cultural return. The Monkey King, Pigsy and their adventures come up constantly in Chinese films, jokes and everyday references, so knowing them helps you far beyond this book. Its episodic form suits learners: each adventure is largely self-contained, so you can read a few and stop. Moving from a simplified retelling to the original lets you compare modern and older Chinese on a story you already know well.
What makes it hard
The full novel uses premodern vernacular, Buddhist and Taoist terms, and passages of verse. It is extremely long. Few readers, even native ones, would read everything closely. Editions also vary widely in how much they simplify, so check what you are buying before you start.
How to use it
Begin with a children's or simplified edition and read the opening chapters on Sun Wukong. Then try one famous episode in the original, with notes. Skip the verse on a first pass and do not feel obliged to finish all hundred chapters.
More for Chinese learners: our Chinese guides.
Keep it where you'll see it
Save Journey to the West and log every episode or chapter toward your Chinese hours. Free for one language.
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