Journey to the West: The Podcast

Join us each week as we take listeners through one of China's most beloved novels. Meet Sun Wukong the Monkey King, his Buddhist master, Xuanzhang, the lustful monster Pigsy aka Zhu Bajie, and the reformed sand demon, Sha Wujing, and journey with them to India to acquire invaluable Buddhist scriptures. This immortal tale has delighted billions of Asian children yet is relatively unknown here in the west. This podcast aims to change that! Childhood friends Richard Tseng and James Young will read and review every single chapter of the Anthony C Yu translation of Wu Chen'en's epic book. Along the way, we'll bust myths (did the Sun Wukong really burst out of stone?) examine its impact (Which world-famous animes did this legend inspire?) and learn more about Asian culture and its myths overall (which Indian monkey god inspired our monkey king?) So quit monkeying around Subscribe, and let's hit the silk road!

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Episodes

Chapter 14: Xuanzang and Wukong's First Fight

The Monkey King meets the king of monks in an encounter that's been a long time coming. And the Journey to the West is officially, finally, underway! Only, the two almost immediately get into a fight and Sun Wukong runs off to have tea with an old friend. How will Xuanzang keep his disciple loyal? Tune in to find out!

Nov 22, 2019•57 min•Season 1Ep. 15

Chapter 13: Some Monsters Invite Xuanzang for Dinner

This week the venerable Xuanzang, aka Tripitaka, begins his quest for the scriptures! And it goes... about as well as you'd expect from a few naive monks with no fighting or sorcery abilities. But just when all hope is lost, our old friend the Planet Venus makes a cameo, as does a friendly woodcutter and his family in the woods. So stop in for some game and find out why James and Richard call this the "Tom Bombadil" chapter.

Nov 15, 2019•51 min•Season 1Ep. 14

Chapter 12: Imperial Payback

In which the emperor's attempts to keep all the promises he made in the afterlife leads to the building of a grand temple and the commencement--once and for all--of the Journey to the West. If you were wondering what the hell was going on (pun intended) with this extended detour involving a Dragon King, royal brothers, that loan made out in the afterlife, this chapter gives you all the answers. It all had to happen so that Guan Yin could find the right disciple to get the scriptures. Join Richar...

Nov 08, 2019•45 min•Season 1Ep. 13

Chapter 11: The Emperor Goes to Hell

It's like Dante's Inferno meets a Christmas Carol in this week's Journey to the West podcast. One of the greatest emperors who's ever lived confronts the ghosts of political intrigue's past when he's forced to stand trial for failing to save the Dragon King and then confront his brothers who he killed to get to the throne. Talk about a mortifying family reunion! Join Richard and James in this very spooky Halloween episode!

Nov 01, 2019•55 min•Season 1Ep. 12

Chapter 10: Dragon King's Lament

We go from commoners and lords to emperors and gods in this week's chapter of Journey to the West. Starting with an Ancient Chinese rap battle and ending with one of China's greatest emperors passing away into the great beyond. A dragon head will roll in this week's episode. Don't miss it!

Oct 25, 2019•54 min•Season 1Ep. 11

Episode 10: Journey to the West Research's Jim McClanahan

We had a really great time sitting down with Jim McClanahan whose blog, Journey to the West Research is a wealth of information on all things Monkey King and his pals. Whether you’re just starting the book with us or you’ve spent more time ruminating on the book than Wukong has spent under Five Phase Mountain, there’s something new for everybody.

Oct 18, 2019•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 10

Chapter 9: A Sadder Origin Than Batman and Moses Combined

Guanyin’s ready to meet the monk who will retrieve Buddha’s scriptures, and so are we! If you thought Batman’s origin was sad, just wait until you read Xuanzhang’s. It’s got echoes of Moses and Bruce Wayne, with plenty of tragedy and divine intervention to boot. Plus, want an Ancient Chinese government job? Well, get your time machine ready because we’re about to tell you how! Just watch out for bandits and evil ferrymen because the relocation is fraught with peril. On a more serious note, we al...

Oct 11, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Episode 8: Guanyin's Quest

What’s Buddha going to do now that the monkey madness is over? Finish his magnum opus on how to get enlightened, that’s what. And how does an ancient ascended all-knowing awakened one launch a book series before social media and Amazon? By getting Guanyin (see episode 6) to find a worthy monk from the East capable of making the perilous journey to India to get them, that’s how. Now the trip to China’s capital, Chang’an, is no walk in the park even for immortals. So a human monk carrying priceles...

Oct 04, 2019•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 8

Episode 7: Buddha's Wager

With his forces finally defeated and the rebellious Sun Wukong himself brought to heel, one question remains: How do you punish an immortal when he’s made himself impossible to kill? Everyone from the executioner to the fire department will try to end this monkey’s life. Even history’s most famous Taoist, Lao Tzu tries out his Brazier for an old-fashioned Monkey King smoke out! But if public executions aren’t your thing—have no fear! This week’s episode promises more action, more simian hijinks,...

Sep 27, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Chapter 6: Monkey King Meets the John Wick of the Great Beyond

After getting caught red-handed for stealing the Queen Mother's peaches, harassment and drinking on the job (but mainly for stealing those peaches), heaven’s forces give the Monkey King a choice: surrender, or war? Naturally, newly-fired peach guardian the Monkey King chooses open rebellion instead of accepting punishment. Is there nobody in the universe strong enough to bring ol’ Monkey to justice? While the Jade Emperor sends for a monster-subduing specialist, heaven’s ‘John Wick’, the god Erl...

Sep 20, 2019•45 min•Season 1Ep. 6

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