Old Chinese novel making waves globally

“Wukong! My bro!” exclaimed Kalex Willzy when he saw Sun Wukong hiding his golden staff in his ear in an electronic game, which instantly reminded him of the famous scene from the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West.

Once, Sun Wukong’s fame in the West could be attributed to the Japanese anime Dragon Ball, in which he goes by the name Son Goku. Now the name Wukong is attracting a huge number of eyeballs on YouTube, and online communities dedicated to Journey to the West have appeared on social media platforms.

Willzy, a radio host for a hip-hop channel in the UK and a YouTuber, began exploring Journey to the West last year through the 1986 Chinese TV series. His interest in Chinese mythology was sparked after seeing a preview of Black Myth: Wukong, a Chinese video game based on Journey to the West.

Online gamers can’t stop gushing about the game that was released in August. “I’ve been an assassin during the French Revolution, a cowboy on the American frontier and a tough guy in bustling cities, but now I want to be China’s Monkey King,” wrote one player on social media.

For Willzy, it’s as much about learning as about playing. “By playing as Wukong we learn much about him and Chinese culture because we have to if we want to be successful. We spend hours, days, weeks and even months playing, so naturally we often learn a lot from them.”

Cas, 35, a YouTuber in the United States, said: “I wanted to know more about Journey to the West once I began researching Black Myth: Wukong.” Cas, who runs Fextralife, a games review channel with more than a million followers, said he delved into Journey to the West by drawing on a variety of sources, including forums, TV shows, anime, manga and online encyclopedias.

Wukong’s story is “a gateway to Chinese culture”, Cas said, adding that Wukong is the “Frodo (of Lord of the Rings) of Asia”. He became acquainted with Sun Wukong many years ago from the games League of Legends and Dragon Ball.

“There is an under-representation of Chinese myths, literary works and fables in gaming,” Cas said. “I’m glad I managed to create a relatable overview for one of China’s biggest classic novels and received so much support for it.”

Black Myth: Wukong has become a top seller on Steam, a global digital distribution platform for games, and peak concurrent game players on Steam surpassed 2 million.

Li Tianfei, a writer and populariser of the epic, said the tale of Sun Wukong and his companions is not just a cultural treasure but a story with global and universal relevance.

“At its core, Journey to the West is about growth and freedom. This mirrors the journey of Marvel’s superheroes and is a key reason why the story is continuously reimagined abroad.”

The tale has been translated into more than a dozen languages, with more than 60 versions available worldwide. Digital media has further propelled international adaptations of the story.

“We need to move beyond the confines of the 400-year-old original to offer something new. The story’s core lies in its universal human themes,” Li said, adding, “Journey to the West is like a river, continuously taking in tributaries and creating ripples. The ripples are the essence of the tale.”

Duan Jichu contributed to this story.