Journey to the West: The Podcast
108 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★ - 21 ratingsJoin us each week as we take listeners through one of China's most beloved novels. Meet Sun Wukong the Monkey King, his Buddhist master, Xuanzhang, the lustful monster Pigsy aka Zhu Bajie, and the reformed sand demon, Sha Wujing, and journey with them to India to acquire invaluable Buddhist scriptures.
This immortal tale has delighted billions of Asian children yet is relatively unknown here in the west. This podcast aims to change that!
Childhood friends Richard Tseng and James Young will read and review every single chapter of the Anthony C Yu translation of Wu Chen'en's epic book. Along the way, we'll bust myths (did the Sun Wukong really burst out of stone?) examine its impact (Which world-famous animes did this legend inspire?) and learn more about Asian culture and its myths overall (which Indian monkey god inspired our monkey king?)
So quit monkeying around Subscribe, and let's hit the silk road!
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Episodes
Episode 8: Guanyin's Quest
October 04, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 22.2 MBWhat’s Buddha going to do now that the monkey madness is over? Finish his magnum opus on how to get enlightened, that’s what. And how does an ancient ascended all-knowing awakened one launch a book series before social media and Amazon? By getting Guanyin (see episode 6) to find a worthy monk from the East capable of making the perilous journey to India to get them, that’s how. Now the trip to China’s capital, Chang’an, is no walk in the park even for immortals. So a human monk carryin...
Episode 7: Buddha's Wager
September 27, 2019 16:00 - 1 hour - 22.3 MBWith his forces finally defeated and the rebellious Sun Wukong himself brought to heel, one question remains: How do you punish an immortal when he’s made himself impossible to kill? Everyone from the executioner to the fire department will try to end this monkey’s life. Even history’s most famous Taoist, Lao Tzu tries out his Brazier for an old-fashioned Monkey King smoke out! But if public executions aren’t your thing—have no fear! This week’s episode promises more action, more...
Chapter 6: Monkey King Meets the John Wick of the Great Beyond
September 20, 2019 16:00 - 44 minutes - 16.6 MBAfter getting caught red-handed for stealing the Queen Mother's peaches, harassment and drinking on the job (but mainly for stealing those peaches), heaven’s forces give the Monkey King a choice: surrender, or war? Naturally, newly-fired peach guardian the Monkey King chooses open rebellion instead of accepting punishment. Is there nobody in the universe strong enough to bring ol’ Monkey to justice? While the Jade Emperor sends for a monster-subduing specialist, heaven’s ‘John Wick’, t...
Episode 5: Heaven Ain't No Retirement Home!
September 13, 2019 16:00 - 47 minutes - 86.9 MBHaving gotten everything he wanted by the end of last week's chapter, Sun Wukong starts to get a little too chummy with the officials in heaven. They're trying to do a job, and he's acting like a total bro! Thankfully, the legendary Xu Sun has a plan--put him in charge of the Immortal Peach Garden, but don't let him have any--what could possibly go wrong? Well, if heaven hasn't learned its lesson yet, we're all about to... give a monkey a job, and simian shenanigans are bound to ...
Episode 4: How a Monkey Millennial Gets a Job and a Promotion.
September 06, 2019 16:00 - 47 minutes - 86.8 MBAfter the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, literally sent Deus Ex Machina packing last week by thrashing the two minor gods sent to take his soul, we're introduced to heaven's favorite civil servant, the wily Gold Star of Venus. Who is this divine bureaucrat and will his plan to tame Wukong with a job working for the kingdom above work? What exactly is a BanHorse and what does he do? This week, Richard and James explore the heavenly kingdoms of ancient China, discover the nature of its ...
Episode 3: The OG Planet of the Apes + What is a Garuda?
August 30, 2019 16:00 - 47 minutes - 87.8 MBThis week Richard and James follow the Monkey King's rise to earthly power--and beyond! Having overcome the Monstrous King of Havoc, ol' Sun Wukong begins causing some havoc of his own. Realizing that the growing might of his primate forces are bound to attract attention from predators, Wukong knows he needs weapons faster than his opposable thumb-challenged compatriots can learn to make them. What's a monkey monarch to do? Will the newly-immortalized Monkey King ask nicely, or w...
Journey to the West Episode 2: Fully awoke to Bodhi’s wondrous truths; He cuts off Māra, returns to the root, and joins Primal Spirit.
August 23, 2019 16:00 - 44 minutes - 26.4 MBNow that ol' Sun Wukong has a teacher, he's well on his way to getting his masters in immortality. But who is this mysterious Patriarch that gave him his name? And what tests will his simian student have to pass to gain these secret instructions? Meanwhile, how are his simian subjects holding up without their king to rule over Flower Fruit Mountain? Cup a paw to your ears and listen up--the adventure continues in Journey to the West: The Podcast!
Journey to the West Ep 1: The divine root conceives, its source revealed; Mind and nature nurtured, the Great Dao is born.
August 13, 2019 19:50 - 45 minutes - 17 MBWelcome to our first episode! Join us each week as we take listeners through one of China's most beloved novels. Over 500 years old, this tale of four pilgrims' journey to India to acquire invaluable Buddhist scriptures has delighted billions of Asian children yet is relatively unknown here in the west. Well, this podcast aims to change that! Join childhood friends Richard Tseng and James Young as we embark on an adventure to read and review every single chapter of the Anthony C Yu ...