The Monkey King Converts to Buddhism: The Irrepressible Monkey King 3

The Monkey King Converts to Buddhism, Wukong (Monkey King) has made a mess of the Jade Emperor’s throne room and tried to take the throne.

When Buddha Tathagata arrives to help the Emperor get rid of him, the Monkey King shows off his powers to impress the Buddha. But Wukong’s demonstration backfires and he is trapped with no hope of escape ever … unless a monk comes to his aid.

The Monkey King is no ordinary fellow. His personality is a unique blend of strengths and flaws. Monkey is brave, fun-loving, and clever, as well as unpredictable, reckless, and sometimes ferocious. 

 No matter where he goes, the Monkey King is an unforgettable character with a knack for getting himself into trouble.  

Stories in this series, The Irrepressible Monkey King, are based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en. The novel was inspired by the writings of a real 7th-century Buddhist monk who traveled from China to India and back. Mingling fantasy with historical accounts, Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Advisory: Though shortened from the original, these stories reflect life and perspectives from ancient China and other cultures. Some of the ideas and attitudes may be unfamiliar to an English-language audience.

Illustrator Liu Jikun
Chinese adapter Firethorn
Translator Li Chaoyuan 
English editor Rebecca Moesta
Review by Scott Huntsman

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-68057-483-8
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-68057-484-5
80 pages