Journey 018: Going Hog Wild
The pilgrims spend the night with a family experiencing major buyer's remorse about their son-in-law.
Jun 30, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Chinese Lore Podcast
Classic Chinese novels and stories, retold in English and in a way that makes them more accessible to non-Chinese audiences. chineselore.com
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
Journey 017: Jagged Little Pill
The Black Bear Demon finds out that it doesn't feel so good to have a monkey swimming in your stomach.
Jun 23, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Journey 016: Burn It All Down
The wicked schemes of the monks at the Guanyin Monastery backfire calamitously.
Jun 16, 2025•25 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Journey 015: Shady Monks
The scripture pilgrims seek lodging at a monastery whose residents might need a refresher on the tenets preached by their patron deity.
Jun 02, 2025•27 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Journey 014: Acts of ... Compassion?
Sun Wukong returns to his master and finds a nasty little surprise waiting for him.
May 26, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Journey 013: I Shalt Not Kill?
Sun Wukong and his new master have a difference of opinion on when it's ok for a Buddhist monk to spill someone's brains and loot their clothes.
May 19, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Journey Supplemental 003: Body Snatchers
All's well that ends well, except for the princess whose soul gets dragged out of her mortal coil and hustled off to hell.
May 06, 2025•21 min
Journey 012: Demons, Tigers, Monkeys, Oh My
Everybody kept telling me how dangerous the journey to the West was, but seriously how bad can it possibly ... oh my god what are those things and what are they doing to my men?!!!
May 05, 2025•27 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Journey Supplemental 002: To Hell and Back
Somehow a trip to the underworld adds decades to the Tang emperor's life.
Apr 29, 2025•23 min
Journey 011: Divine Mission
Guanyin crashes the emperor's Buddhist party and tells all the monks of the East what she really thinks of their scriptures.
Apr 28, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Journey Supplemental 001: When It Rains
We embark on a three-episode mini-arc to find out why the Tang emperor was convening a big gathering of monks.
Apr 22, 2025•22 min
Journey 010: Miracle Worker
The blind regains sight, and the dead rises. Is it a miracle ... or a zombie apocalypse?
Apr 21, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Journey 009: Origin Story
The Buddha shows how far he would go (or make someone else go) to avoid paying to ship some scriptures to the East.
Apr 07, 2025•29 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Journey 008: Handover of Heaven
Sun Wukong makes a high-stakes wager with heaven's latest mediator.
Mar 31, 2025•27 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Journey 007: Crossover Clashes
Sun Wukong proves to be such a handful that heaven has to go get a hero from another novel to take him on.
Mar 24, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Journey 006: So Many Peaches ...
The Jade Emperor decides to take a different approach to try to keep Sun Wukong under control.
Mar 10, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Journey 005: Horsing Around
A trip to Hell nets Sun Wukong a visit to Heaven.
Mar 03, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Journey 004: Loot Thy Neighbor
Sun Wukong goes looking for a weapon befitting his newfound powers.
Feb 24, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Journey 003: Star Pupil
The Monkey King gets a name and some special treatment from his teacher.
Feb 10, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Journey 002: Birth of a Legend
An immaculate conception shakes heaven and earth, and an anarcho-syndicalist commune gives itself over to a king.
Feb 03, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Journey to the West 001: Introduction
A brief introduction to Journey to the West, the next novel we'll cover.
Feb 03, 2025•9 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Gods 087: Wrap-up: Investiture of the Gods
Some listener questions and closing thoughts on Investiture of the Gods.
Dec 23, 2024•18 min•Season 3Ep. 87
Gods Supplemental 004: Ji Chang and Ji Fa
A look at the real historical figures of the Zhou Dynasty's father-and-son founding duo.
Dec 16, 2024•19 min
Gods 086: How Gods Are Made
In one afternoon's work, Jiang Ziya expands the pantheon of Chinese folk religion, and he's not too particular about who makes the cut.
Dec 09, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 86
Gods Supplemental 003: Jiang Ziya
A quick look at Jiang Ziya the historical figure vs. Jiang Ziya the fictional character.
Dec 02, 2024•6 min
Gods 085: Homeward Bound
A new day dawns for the kingdom, which is good news to everyone except Jiang Ziya's ex-wife.
Nov 25, 2024•26 min•Season 3Ep. 85
Gods 084: Fiery Finish
With his back against the wall, King Zhou opts for a dramatic exit.
Nov 18, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 84
Gods 083: Litany of Crimes
The rebel forces come face to face with their chief enemy, and Jiang Ziya's got receipts.
Nov 11, 2024•28 min•Season 3Ep. 83
Gods 082: Desperate Measures
With the enemy closing in, King Zhou is reduced to putting out "Help Wanted" posters to find anyone willing to fight for him.
Oct 28, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 82
Gods 081: Monkey Madness
Yang Jian gets some divine assistance as he attempts to slay a slippery simian foe.
Oct 21, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 81
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android