HSI-YU CHI

(Chinese: Record of a Journey to the West), foremost Chinese comic novel, written by the long-anonymous Wu Ch'eng-en (1500c. 1582). Based on the actual 7th-century pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk Hsan-tsang (602664) to India in search of sacred texts, the story was already a part of Chinese folk and literary tradition in the form of colloquial stories, a poetic novelette, and a six-part drama when Wu Ch'eng-en formed it into his long and richly humorous novel. Composed of 100 chapters, the novel can be divided into three major sections: the first seven chapters dealing with the birth of a monkey from a stone egg and his acquisition of magic powers; five chapters relating the story of Hsan-tsang, known as Tripitaka, and the origin of his mission to the Western Paradise; and the bulk of the novel, recounting the 81 adventures that befall Tripitaka and his entourage of three animal spiritsthe magically gifted Monkey, the slow-witted and clumsy Pigsy, and the fish spirit Sandyon their journey to India, culminating in their attainment of the sacred scrolls. In addition to the novel's comedy and adventure, Hsi-yu chi has been enjoyed for its biting satire of society and Chinese bureaucracy, and for its allegorical presentation of human striving and perseverance. An English translation entitled Monkey was published in 1942.