The Journey to the West is the first romantic novel with chapters and sections in ancient China. There are hundreds of The Journey to the West published in Ming Dynasty, and there is no author's signature. Wu et al., a scholar in Qing Dynasty, first proposed that The Journey to the West was written by Wu Cheng'en in Ming Dynasty.
The book mainly describes the story that the Monkey King was born, met Tang Priest, Pig Bajie, Friar Sand and Bai Hou, went west to learn Buddhist scriptures, and after 81 difficulties, he finally arrived in the Western Heaven to visit the Tathagata, and finally the five saints realized their dreams.
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The Journey to the West is a classic of China's ghost novels, reaching the peak of ancient romance novels, and is called the four classical novels of China together with The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Water Margin and A Dream of Red Mansions.
Wu Cheng'en, the author of The Journey to the West, lived in the middle and late Ming Dynasty and experienced five periods: Hongzhi in Xiaozong, Zhengde in Wuzong, Jiajing in Sejong, Qin Long in Mu Zong and Wanli in Zongshen. The social situation in the middle and late Ming dynasty was very different from that in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Political class contradictions, ethnic contradictions and contradictions within the ruling class have intensified and become increasingly acute.
The ideological and cultural enlightenment rose, the trend of human liberation rose, civic literature became increasingly prosperous, novel and drama creation entered a period of all-round prosperity, and capitalism sprouted economically.
The Journey to the West is the most outstanding ghost novel full of fantastic ideas in the history of China literature. Wu Cheng'en, the author, used romanticism to soar with unparalleled imagination, portrayed a colorful, magical and magnificent fantasy world, created a series of fascinating fairy tales, and successfully shaped the idealized hero image of the Monkey King.
In the fantasy world, it reflects secular human feelings and feelings in a tortuous way, shows fresh human wisdom, and is full of realistic flesh and blood and rich flavor of life. The Journey to the West, with his unique thoughts and artistic charm, brought readers into the beautiful art palace and felt its artistic charm.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Wu Cheng'en
Baidu encyclopedia-journey to the west