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A review by spaceisavacuum
Monkey by Wu Ch'eng-En
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Kenneth William’s transcript of Arthur Waley’s famous abridged English translation of Monkey is enthusiastic, exciting, with many hilarities and slapstick anecdotes, full of Chinese-Buddhist Lore and altogether the narrator’s performance is mighty enjoyable and Kenneth sounded like he had a good time with the recording. He really brought all of the characters to life. Although the recording comes in small chapters, the abridged translation by Waley condenses the epic novel to 30 chapters out of 100 episodes, mostly having cut out the poetic bits. Cordwainer Smith’s novel Norstrilia is inspired by Monkey, I have that book sitting around somewhere. Hmm. 🤔
Fire and thunderbolts don’t have to least affect on him. They survived the 3 calamities and the eight disasters. Monkey (Sun Wukong) is the great sage, and the equal of heaven, And has the impudence to seek immortality and angered very powerful deities. Finally, the Buddha contained the rambunctious simian in stone, and for 500 years Monkey remained plastered. Until a missionary was assigned the task given him by the holy Buddha to bring scriptures to India, and Tripitaka (Tang Sangzang) frees the onerous ape for assistance.
Along the way, the duo befriend Pigsy (Zhu Baije), and Sandy (Sha Wujing), and epic battles between Ogres and dragons, shenanigans with guards and Taoist servants, and controversy with an Emperor who demands the Monkey’s head. The wheel of incarnation turns, a beheading ensues, mysterious boddhisatva, The hermit is actually a buffalo spirit. And All of them are man-eating ogres! 🙈🙈🙈🙊🙉
The buddhists are threatened by the Taoists, because the Taoists are professing a secularity that imputes the existence of the Buddha; No Gods, No Idolatry. And the Buddhists need the great sage to rescue them from enslavement. Would you make bold to reply? #monkey #wuchêngên
Fire and thunderbolts don’t have to least affect on him. They survived the 3 calamities and the eight disasters. Monkey (Sun Wukong) is the great sage, and the equal of heaven, And has the impudence to seek immortality and angered very powerful deities. Finally, the Buddha contained the rambunctious simian in stone, and for 500 years Monkey remained plastered. Until a missionary was assigned the task given him by the holy Buddha to bring scriptures to India, and Tripitaka (Tang Sangzang) frees the onerous ape for assistance.
Along the way, the duo befriend Pigsy (Zhu Baije), and Sandy (Sha Wujing), and epic battles between Ogres and dragons, shenanigans with guards and Taoist servants, and controversy with an Emperor who demands the Monkey’s head. The wheel of incarnation turns, a beheading ensues, mysterious boddhisatva, The hermit is actually a buffalo spirit. And All of them are man-eating ogres! 🙈🙈🙈🙊🙉
The buddhists are threatened by the Taoists, because the Taoists are professing a secularity that imputes the existence of the Buddha; No Gods, No Idolatry. And the Buddhists need the great sage to rescue them from enslavement. Would you make bold to reply? #monkey #wuchêngên