Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en (16th Century)

Journey to the West, traditionally attributed to Wu Cheng'en and published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty, is one of the great classics of Chinese literature. Blending myth, folklore, Buddhism, Taoism, and satire, the novel follows the monk Xuanzang on a perilous pilgrimage to India to obtain sacred scriptures, accompanied by the irrepressible Monkey King, Sun Wukong. On the surface it is a fantastical adventure filled with demons and magic, but beneath that it is a spiritual allegory about discipline, temptation, and enlightenment. At once comic, philosophical, and deeply imaginative, Journey to the West has shaped East Asian storytelling for centuries and remains a timeless exploration of the human quest for meaning.