Famous novel written during the Ming Dynasty, first published in 1592
The original version has about the length of the "Ulysses".
Basically it is reporting a journey across ancient China to India to learn more about Buddha, to help the "northern people" to become peaceful and cultivated.
Here's a painting of the main characters during a sea voyage, from left to right:
孫悟空 Sun Wukong, the Monkey
King, serving and studying.
白龍馬 Bai Longma, the White Dragon Horse, serving.
唐三藏 Tang Sanzang or Tripitaka, the Monk, full of love.
沙悟浄 Sha Wujing or Sandy, very strong, serving.
豬八戒 Zhu Bajie or Pigsy, very hungry, serving.
Billy Connolly's beautiful BBC series from 1994
This work gave the initial spark for what now became "The Great Bet - a Roadmovie-Journey to the East". In between we tried a "World Tour of Wilmersdorf", music-video project in 1998 and a "World Tour of Transsylvania" in 2002. A lot of experimental takes, never published.
The story appeared for the first time during a ferry-ride on bord a rental car from Palma de Mallorca to Barcelona.
It had to rest for a while due to another three kids.
Sun Wukong, the monkey king: Trickster-hero of "Journey to the West". He's just as well-known in the eastern world as Superman and Pippi Longstocking are in the western world.
The monkey-god Hanuman (story "Ramayana" from India, around 2000 years old) as well as manga-hero Son Goku (story "Dragonball" from Japan, 1984) are very close relatives of Sun Wukong, just as well as King Louie (story "The Jungle Book" from GB 1894 / US 1967).
For a couple of reasons "Fado Do Cansaço" by wonderful Cuca Roseta is suggested as theme music for this project. Here's an English version fitting to the music.
