HIST1931: The Monkey King and His Afterlives: Retelling the Story of A Chinese Novel

In this course, we will look at both the sources for and the afterlives of the great Chinese novel, Xiyouji, sometimes translated into English as Journey to the West, and sometimes as Monkey or The Monkey King. The novel traces the journey of four pilgrims?a hapless monk, a mischievous monkey, a gluttonous pig, and a sand spirt?from China to India to gain Buddhist scriptures. They have many humorous adventures (there is nothing quite like humor to demonstrate the impermanence of things). The story of the Monkey King has been beloved by Chinese readers, theater goers, movie patrons, and television audiences for centuries. We will begin by reading a modern abridgement of the novel. We will look at questions such as: What is the nature of the humor in the novel? Why has the Monkey King been such a beloved figure in Chinese popular culture? What can we learn about Chinese society from this novel and its adaptations? All reading will be in English; no prior knowledge of Chinese culture is assumed.

View on University Catalog