Note: My blog is not monetized, so I am not making any money from this post. My hope is that the PDFs will make this legendary story more accessible to a wider audience. If you enjoyed the digital versions, please, please, please support the official releases.
Last updated: 01-27-2026
I’m happy to host a number of foreign language translations of the noted Chinese classic Journey to the West (Xiyou ji, 西遊記, 1592 CE), as well as some later unofficial sequels.
The Original
- English
- French
- German
- Hungarian
Italian(see below)- Polish
- Romanian
- Russian
- Spanish
- Thai
- Turkish
- Vietnamese
As of this writing, I don’t yet have a modern Japanese translation. But you can read an original copy of the 1835 translation here.
Unofficial Sequels
- A Supplement to the Journey to the West (Xiyoubu, 西遊補, 1640)
- Later Journey to the West (Hou Xiyouji, 後西遊記, 17th-century)
I will add more languages to this archive as they become available. Please let me know if you have access to other editions.
1. The Original
1.1. Journey to the West (Xiyou ji)
A. English
A.1. Complete
1) This is a PDF for The Journey to the West (2012 Rev. ed.) translated by Anthony C. Yu.
Archive #11 – PDFs of the Journey to the West 2012 Revised Edition
2) This is a text PDF for Journey to the West (1993/2020) translated by W. J. F. Jenner.
PDF File
Click to access Wu-Chengen-Journey-to-the-West-4-Volume-Boxed-Set-2003.pdf
The four-volume box set in my collection (larger version).
A.2. Abridged
1) This is a PDF for Monkey (1942/1984) translated by Arthur Waley in 30 chapters (1 to 15, 18 and 19, 22, 37 to 39, 44 to 46, 47 to 49, and 98 to 100). See past book covers here.
PDF File
Click to access Wu-Chengen_-Arthur-Waley-Monkey-Grove-Press-1984.pdf
2) This is a PDF for The Monkey and the Monk (2006): An Abridgement of The Journey to the West translated by Anthony C. Yu in 31 chapters (1 to 15, 18 and 19, 22 and 23, 44 to 46, 53 to 55, 57 and 58, 84, and 98 to 100)
PDF File
The official cover (larger version)
A.3. Audiobook
1) I just learned of “The Fifth Monkey” and their Journey to the West – An Audio Drama Series, which presents a new English translation alongside the original Chinese. They explain:
One reason that led our team to start this audio drama project is to correct some of the mistranslations found in the Yu/Jenner translations. Most of them are very minor and we certainly understand what could have led to those mistakes, but we think it is worth exploring how we can help bring a more accurate presentation of the original text in the English language (source).
The official logo (larger version).
2) YouTuber Sondley has recorded himself reading all 100 chapters of the Jenner edition.
B. French
These are PDFs for La Pérégrination vers l’Ouest (Xiyou ji) (1991) translated by André Lévy in 100 chapters. I was told by one French academic that this edition “is one of the best available in Western languages.”
Thank you to arcanananas on Tumbler for volume one, and thank you to jyeet on the Journey to the West discord for volume two.
PDF Files
Vol. 1 – https://journeytothewestresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/La-peregrination-vers-lOuest-v.1.pdf
The original two-volume boxed edition (larger version). Image found here.
C. German
This is a PDF for Die Reise in den Westen. Ein klassischer chinesischer Roman (2016) translated by Eva Lüdi Kong in 100 chapters. It was awarded the Leipzig Book Fair prize in 2017. This version was converted from an ebook.
PDF File
Click to access German-JTTW-Die-Reise-in-den-Westen.pdf
The official cover (larger version)
D. Hungarian
These are text PDFs for Nyugati utazás: avagy a majomkirály története (1969/1980) translated by Barnabás Csongor in two volumes. While the work covers the full 100 chapters, I’ve been told that it deletes the poems and occasionally paraphrases long-winded sections of text.
Thank you to Twitter user Jakabfi Károly for locating the files.
PDF Files
The official covers for volumes one and two (larger version). Image found here.
E. Italian
[Note 10-19-23: I was asked by the publisher to remove the PDF from the archive. I’m leaving the title here so others will know that an Italian translation exists.]
The Italian text is called Viaggio in occidente (1998/2008). It was translated by Serafino Balduzzi and published in two volumes. It is based on the French edition published in 1991. The work covers all 100 chapters.
F. Polish
This is a PDF for Małpi bunt (1976) translated by Tadeusz Żbikowski. It is a 14 chapter abridgement of the first 20 chapters of the original.
Thank you to Twitter user Friend_Pretend for locating the file.
PDF File
Click to access Polish-JTTW-Malpi-bunt-1976.pdf
The official cover (larger version).
G. Romanian
This is a text PDF for Călătorie spre soare–apune (1971) translated by Corneliu Rudescu and Fănică N. Gheorghe. It appears to be an abridgment.
Thank you to greencicadarchivist on the Journey to the West discord for locating the file.
PDF File
Click to access Romanian-JTTW-U_Ceng_En_Calatorie_Spre_Soare_Apune_pdf.pdf
The official cover (larger version).
H. Russian
H.1. Complete
These are PDFs for Путеше́ствие на За́пад (1959) translated by A. Rogachev (vols. 1-2) and V. Kolokolov (vols. 3-4). It covers all 100 chapters.
PDF Files
The four-volume hardcover edition (larger version).
H.2. Abridged
This is a text PDF for Неприятность в небесах. Из китайской мифологии (1926) translated by Yakov Arakin. It is a poetic retelling of the first seven chapters of the novel.
Thank you to Adelar Eleramo for locating the file.
PDF File
Click to access Russian-JTTW-poem-Yakov-Arakin.pdf
The official cover (larger version).
I. Spanish
This is a text PDF for Viaje al Oeste: Las aventuras del Rey Mono (2022) translated by Enrique P. Gatón and Imelda Huang-Wang in 100 chapters.
PDF File
Click to access viaje-al-oeste-las-aventuras-del-rey-mono.pdf
The official cover (larger version)
J. Thai
This is a PDF for ไซอิ๋ว (2004/2010). It appears to be based on a four-volume edition translated by one Mr. Tin (นายติ่น) and published from 1906 to 1909. I believe it covers all 100 chapters.
Thank you again to greencicadarchivist for locating the file.
PDF File
Click to access Thai-JTTW-ไซอิ๋ว.pdf
The official cover (larger version)
K. Turkish
This is a PDF for Batı’ya Yolculuk (n.d.). I’m not sure who it was translated by. It appears to be all 100 chapters.
PDF File
Click to access Batiya-Yolculuk.pdf
The official cover (larger version)
L. Vietnamese
This is a text PDF for Tây Du Ký translated by Như Sơn, Mai Xuân Hải, and Phương Oanh. The 100 chapters were originally split between 10 volumes and published from 1982 to 1988. The volumes were later transcribed and combined to make a single eBook via an online community in 2013 (see here). I have converted it into a PDF.
PDF File
Click to access Vietnamese-JTTW-Tay-Du-Ky.pdf
The covers for the original ten volumes (larger version). Image found here.
2. Unofficial Sequels
2.1. A Supplement to the Journey to the West (Xiyoubu)
A. English
1) This is a PDF for Tower of Myriad Mirrors: A Supplement to Journey to the West (2000) translated by Shuen-fu Lin and Larry J. Schulz. This version was converted from Mobi.
See my previous article on the tale here.
PDF File
The official cover (larger version)
2) This is a PDF for Further Adventures on the Journey to the West – Master of Silent Whistle Studio (2020) translated by Qianchng Li and Robert E. Hegel.
PDF File
The official cover (larger version)
B. Hungarian
This is a text PDF for Ami a nyugati utazásból kimaradt (1957/1980) translated by Barnabás Csongor.
My thanks again to Twitter user Jakabfi Károly.
PDF File
Click to access Hungarian-Xiyoubu-tung_jue_ami_a_nyugati_utazasbol_kimaradt.pdf
The official cover (larger version).
2.2. Later Journey to the West (Hou Xiyouji, 後西遊記, 17th-century)
A. Chinese-English
This 41-chapter book has been translated into English with AI by the Chinese Text Project (Ctext). You can READ IT HERE (turn off your VPN for access). The novel does not yet have an official translation.
See my previous articles here, here, and here.
Update: 08-17-23
I forgot to mention that I have previously archived two other Chinese classics. The first is Creation of the Gods (Fengshen yanyi, 封神演義, c. 1620; a.k.a. Investiture of the Gods), a sort of prequel to JTTW.
The second is Journey to the South (Nanyouji, 南遊記, c. 1570s-1580s). This is NOT a direct sequel to JTTW. It instead follows the adventures of a martial god from Chinese folk religion. However, Sun Wukong makes a guest appearance in chapters one and seventeen.
Archive #40 – Journey to the South (Nanyouji) English Translation PDF
Happened to came across your blog. Can’t stop reading the posts. Love them. Please keep up the good work man.
Anyway, what do you think of the Lovell’s translation? Have you written about it?
I’m currently reading Jenner’s version. Enjoying so far. It is FAR more readable than Anthony Yu’s (which I tried and couldn’t finish for many reasons, I.e. footnotes are too distracting, clunky prose, namings that I don’t particulary prefer like ‘Eight Rules’ instead of just Bajie etc)
Thank you for the kind words. I actually haven’t read Lovell’s translation. But I do agree that Jenner’s version is more fun to read than Yu’s.
Has “The Later Journey to the West” been translated yet? If not, do you plan to translate it yourself or find someone to translate it for you? I’m interested in delving into this installment.
It has not been translated in full. But it has been discussed at length in the following book:
Liu, X. (1994). The Odyssey of the Buddhist Mind: The Allegory of the Later Journey to the West. Lanham, Md: University Press of America.
I don’t consider myself a translator, so I don’t have plans to translate it.
So dope to be included on your website! Thanks and I hope to provide more readings for other media related to JTTW, specifically A Supplement to Journey to the West.
Should you care to, once I upload the full book, you have my permission to archive it here if you like.
It’s my pleasure to have you listed. I really appreciate your work. I will certainly add any of your related future projects to this archive. Thank you for the permission.
That’s amazing! I just got to know the book because of the launch of the Black Myth: Wukong game and it was awesome to find the PDFs to the translations. Thank you!
You’re welcome
Thank you so much for your hard and genuine work! Finding your blog is like to have arrived in Shangri-la!
For decades I have searched an unabridged version of the Siyouki, after been mind blown by Waley’s “Jump to the West but quickly!”, and I was lucky enough to find the complete but unpublished version by S. Balduzzi. Italian publishers are reluctant to take any risk and it was confined on line, for free, for at least 15 years. In the end Luni Editrice, a publisher specialized in martial arts books and eastern classics went for it, and it has been a total failure. Not really because it is from Levy’s french translation, that I fear took already his liberties, but basically because it lacks a proper commentary, and the whole project is done very poorly. Typos, sudden changes in style, words unusual in italian. It has been a missed opportunity and something I feel ashamed of. The copy is in my hand and I love to read it to my girlfriend, but the strong feeling we’re not there yet obsesses me. I’ll follow your blog closely. Thanks again, man!