Journey to the West (in 2 volumes)

The legendary novel “Journey to the West” is one of the most famous classic works of Chinese literature. Countless screen adaptations, theatrical productions, video games, anime series, and versions of this book have been created. One could write an entire volume on its influence on Eastern and Western cultures, and it would be not much smaller than the original work. The novel is based on legends of the journey to India of the Chinese monk Xuanzang and the Monkey King Sun Wukong in search of sacred scriptures. The heroes endure all kinds of incredible adventures! They fight demons and celestial forces, outwit dragons and evil spirits, travel to the heavens and underground, and overcome the most terrible traps and obstacles. At the same time, the book is an invaluable source of knowledge about ancient China: the reader learns about the lives and everyday existence of emperors, high officials, military commanders, monks, and artisans, and gains detailed insight into the flora and fauna, and, of course, the countless spirits, deities, and demons that inhabited every corner of the Middle Kingdom at that time. The text is published in its entirety based on the four-volume edition released in 1959 by the State Publishing House of Literary Fiction and is accompanied (for the first time in Russia!) by a complete set (200 engravings!) of original illustrations by two artists who lived during the Ming dynasty. This edition will adorn any bookshelf and can make an original gift for New Year’s, a birthday, February 14 and 23, March 8, and other holidays. It is suitable as a gift for a man or woman, a colleague, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a mother or father, a loved one, a brother or sister, a male or female friend.