Post by Great Sage on Mar 23, 2016 4:09:25 GMT
Hello. I'm Great Sage, and I have a degree in anthropology and minors in Chinese and art history. I first learned about the novel through a roundabout way. I was a big fan of Greek, Norse, and Egyptian mythology when I was younger. This happened to coincide with a fiery passion for the show Dragon Ball Z. So, when I bought a book on world mythology, I was appalled to learn of Sun Wukong, a simian character with the same abilities as the Saiyan warrior Goku. In my youthful naivety, I honestly thought that this monkey was a ripoff of the humanoid alien. It never occurred to me that the flow of influence went upstream. Some years later--and I'm not exactly sure how--I learned of the novel's existence while serving in the military. I purchased the W.J.F. Jenner box set and never looked back. I'm currently reading the revised 2012 edition of Prof. Anthony Yu's 1980s translation. It is considered the most accurate English language version.
Anyway, I love reading about the historical and religious influences of the novel. My own research focuses on the origins of Monkey's staff. This seems to be a blind spot in Journey to the West-related studies. I hope to correct this. The weapon is after all one of the most recognizable elements of his iconography.
Anyway, I love reading about the historical and religious influences of the novel. My own research focuses on the origins of Monkey's staff. This seems to be a blind spot in Journey to the West-related studies. I hope to correct this. The weapon is after all one of the most recognizable elements of his iconography.