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Title: The Monkey and the Monk: An Abridgment of The Journey to the West
ISBN: 0226971562
Author:
Publicate Date: 2006-11-15
Publish: 2006-11-15
List Price: $20.00
Average Customer Rating: 3.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $12.89
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $9.47
Amazon Merchant Price: $13.60
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Poor translation, poor abridgement
1) The translation is poor. For example, when Sun Wukong ("Monkey") calls himself "lao3 sun1" in Chinese, Yu translates that into "old Monkey." This is just dumb. Something like a plain "I" or "this old monkey" would have worked better. There are many such examples. The translated English text almost requires you to know Chinese to understand. Definitely not for the masses.
2) I can't believe most of the stories in the 2nd half of the original novel are omitted. This abridged edition seems to focus on the first half of the Xiyouji ("Journey to the West") novel. Great stories like the Ox King and the nymphs are completely cut out. This is just absolutely terrible. On the other hand, the uninteresting, semi-religious side stories about the origin of Xuanzang (Tang Sanzang) are kept. What's more, all those poems in the chapters that are included here are retained -- you know, Chinese poems (shi and ci) that are extremely difficult to translate which should have been left out of an abridged edition.
In short, don't get this book. It's absolutely terrible and a waste of money. You might as well get the unabridged translation, by either Yu (expensive) or by Waley (old but affordable). But if you really want to appreciate the great novel, you should study Chinese (5-6 years full-time) and then read the original Chinese edition.
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2: Buddhism's Defeat of the Taoist Quest for Real Immortality
Interesting to note that Xuanzang's journey coincided with the Taoist
alchemist's failed attempt to create the elixir of life (immortality).
He blundered into gunpowder instead, thus sending mankind down the road
to Prometheus, Pandora, and perdition rather than up and over the fabled
hill of Sisyphus to the Shangri-la realm of Asklepios and Panacea.
The tamed Monkey controlled initially by a fillet and later by himself
represents the victory of Buddhism's metaphorical immortality over
Taoism's failed experiments in real immortality. Had Tony Yu made this
point in his preface, I'd have given him 5 stars.
Note: Joseph Needham is very good on Taoist alchemy and gunpowder.
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3: I love this book
This is the best translation you will find Anthony C Yu has really made this book shine, it displays all that only people who can read Chinese could only know until now ,previous books in English on the monkey king have been dry and lacking in spirit this book is beautifully descriptive and spiritually deep at the same time,but don't let the word spiritual throw you off this book is full of adventure and excitement, not a boring moment to be found. .P.S. this is the abridged version of the 3 volume full version.I usually don't bother with abridged books but got this one to read to my [...]son,not only does my son love this,but I love just as much as the whole set
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