chinese culture, chinese film industry, chinese folklore, eerie tales, ghost stories, haunted locations, historical sites in china, journey to the west, out-of-body experience, paranormal experiences, qing xiling mausoleum, supernatural encounters, supernatural phenomena, yang jie

‘Journey to the West’ Director Yang Jie’s Paranormal Encounters

In the following account, renowned Chinese director Yang Jie shares her personal encounters with the supernatural, offering a rare glimpse into the mysterious and often unspoken world of ghostly phenomena. Yang Jie’s personal account On October 2, 1987, we were filming the final scene of Journey to the West at the Qing Xiling Mausoleum, where ...

Mikel Davis

Promotional poster for the 1986 Chinese TV series 'Journey to the West.'

‘Journey to the West’: How the Monkey King Was Enlightened

The classic Chinese novel Journey to the West tells the tale of a Buddhist monk named Tang Sanzang who sets off for India in search of sacred Buddhist Scriptures. Along the way, he is joined by three disciples chosen to accompany and protect him. The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong, was the first ...

Tatiana Denning

The Monkey King jumping up to the moon.

The 4 Greatest Classic Novels of Chinese Literature

There are four classic novels of Chinese literature. Known collectively as the Four Great Classical Novels (四大名著 sì dà míng zhù), the influence of these four stories has spawned countless plays, movies, and legends, and permeated the culture in so many ways. To better understand Chinese civilization, a good grasp of the stories in these novels ...

Emma Lu

China's four great classic novels.

Do You Remember the Classic TV Series ‘Monkey’?

Everyone has their favorite television show while growing up, mine was a Japanese TV series called Monkey or Saiyûki. My family always called it “Monkey Magic” because of the song in the opening sequence. The show was an adaptation of a Chinese folktale about a pilgrimage to the West undertaken by a monk and his divine ...

Max Lu

The cast of the 'Monkey' TV show.

The Timeless Story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King

One of the most famous Chinese legends concerns the Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, known to the Chinese as a character from Journey to the West, one of China’s classic novels. The Monkey King created havoc in Heaven, and even the celestial warriors couldn’t subdue him. With the help of Lord Lao Zi and the God Erlang Sheng, the best ...

Jessica Kneipp

The Monkey King Sun Wukong.

Actress Develops a Belief in Buddhism After Playing Bodhisattva Guanyin

Published in the 16th century, the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West may well be the most popular book in all of East Asia. Based on historical events and influenced by Chinese mythology and folktales, it has won the hearts of those who know the story that features Bodhisattva Guanyin. The book’s 100 chapters ...

Jessica Kneipp

The Monkey King.

Visiting the Xuanzang Buddhist Temple

The Xuanzang Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Nantou County, Taiwan. It was established in 1965 by the local government to honor the famous monk Xuanzang, who is renowned for his 17-year journey to India during the 7th century. The temple Xuanzang Temple is located close to Sun Moon Lake, one of the most ...

Emma Lu

The Xuanzang Temple.

The Monkey King Is a Superhero!

Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King, is a household name in Asia. Even a 3-year-old knows the story of this supernormal monkey being imprisoned under a mountain by the Buddha. Likewise, how he is later given a divine mission to accompany a Buddhist monk on a journey to retrieve Buddhist sutras from India. Journey to ...

Nspirement Staff

Sun Wu Kung, the Monkey King.