Journey to the West translation

[Horse]

A while ago i bought and tried to read an English version of 'red mansions' but the translation was so dry and dull it proved to be unreadable. I really want to read 'Journey to the west' (and 'outlaws' and '3 kingdoms' as well for that matter) but fear the versions in my local Xinhua bookshop will be just as dull. Does anyone know of any particularly good translations available (in China or elsewhere)?

Cheers

[imron]

but the translation was so dry and dull it proved to be unreadable.

I've heard many Chinese say the same thing about the original language version

[Horse]

no but this was really bad like:

"the Lady Dowager asked for the 60 taels of silver to be brought to her. So Xi Feng said "i will go and fetch them". She then brought them to the Lady Dowager and saying: "here are the 60 taels of silver madam."

see what i mean?

[skylee]

Read the Chinese version, then.

[Horse]

yeah good one mate

[Lu]

For the Hong lou meng, try the translation by David Hawkes ('The story of the stone'). If you don't like that one, I think you just don't like the book in itself. Who translated your version then?

I'm afraid I don't have recommendations for the Xiyou ji. You could try reading a few pages before you buy a translation, this way at least you don't buy a book you don't want to read.

[rpday]

For the Journey to the West my recommendation is from the University of Chicago Press, by Anthony Yu. It is unabridged, four volumes, translated over 30 years. Reads well in English; I see it is still available from the publisher.

[pandaxiongmao]

Maybe you should look at Amazon.com ... many different versions there, and worth a lot more than the books at Xinhua. But you should really work on your Chinese so you can read the stories in their native language.

[Horse]

wow, thats a great idea, thanks...

[wushijiao]

Maybe you could just switch to Three Kingdoms. I started reading it recently (in Chinese, but with help from the website below). My goal is to try to finish it by the end of the year.

The Moss Roberts version is supposed to be the best. But you can read an online version for free at:

http://www.threekingdoms.com

One of the good things about that particular version is the website has a running commentary section for every paragraph of the book. I find it is easier to figure out what's happening when there are a group of "Mystery Science Theater 3000"-type nerdy fans cracking wise at all the details, and adding extra historical info.

[heifeng]

HaHaHa I use to love "Mystery Science Theater 3000" I have to check out that Three Kingdoms website to see how they commented on it....

ok, back to Journey to the West...( TV series since I haven't read the book...yet) Sun Wukong looks more realistic in the older version...in the newer version, that monkey costume isn't very good.....it seems that between the filming of the two series, the special effects improve yet the monkey costume making industry has apparently suffered a few setbacks.....

[roddy]

» deadboy -- Man the Cao family really sticks together.

» robert -- Yep. -- The Cao family really does stick together... save for the whole slaying of sworn brothers part.... and the indiscriminate killing of their family members due to misunderstandings they don't bother to investigate before making rash decisions. Aside from all that, the Cao family is a real happy Brady Bunch!

All literature should come with this kind of stuff. It's like making fun of a movie with your friends . . .

[Horse]

good man, top post.

I have now made the transition to the Moss Roberts version of 3 Kingdoms and the website is excellent. cheers