Overview
This adaptation of the late 16th-century classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, based on Anthony C. Yu’s translation, takes as its point of departure the true story of a 7th-century monk and his fabled pilgrimage from China to India in search of sacred texts. The original is the story of the mischievous Monkey and his physical and spiritual journey, encountering spirits, gods, demigods, demons, mythical creatures and more along the way to enlightenment. Mixing whimsy with spiritual weight, Zimmerman’s version combines comedy, adventure and satire in a moving allegory of human perseverance.