Journey to the West (1986 TV series)
| Journey to the West |
Promotional screenshot |
| Genre |
Chinese mythology
Fantasy
Adventure |
| Written by |
Wu Cheng'en (original story)
Dai Yinglu
Zou Yiqing
Yang Jie |
| Directed by |
Yang Jie |
| Starring |
Liu Xiao Ling Tong
Wang Yue
Xu Shaohua
Chi Chongrui
Ma Dehua
Yan Huaili
Cui Jingfu
Liu Dagang |
| Opening theme |
Ganwen Lu Zai Hefang (敢问路在何方) performed by Jiang Dawei |
| Composer(s) |
Xu Jingqing |
| Country of origin |
China |
| Language(s) |
Mandarin |
| No. of seasons |
2 |
| No. of episodes |
25 (season 1)
16 (season 2) |
| Production |
| Location(s) |
China |
| Broadcast |
| Original channel |
CCTV |
| Original run |
1 October 1982 – 1999 |
Journey to the West is a Chinese television series adaptation of Wu Cheng'en's Chinese classical novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CCTV in China on 1 October 1986.
The series became an instant classic in China and is still being praised as the best and most authentic interpretation of the novel. Unadapted portions of the original story were later covered in the second season, which was released in 1999.
List of episodes
Season 1
Season 1 has 25 episodes and covers 74 chapters of the novel. The first trial episode was aired on 1 October 1982, and filming lasted until 1987. It was aired as a whole series in 1988. With the limited but relatively new special effects, the series received a viewership rate of 89.4% in 1987.[1] The series has been rebroadcast every year since then.
| # |
Title |
Chinese title |
Based on
chapter(s) of novel |
Runtime in minutes |
| 1 |
Birth of the Monkey King |
猴王初問世 |
1-2 |
40 |
| 2 |
Put in charge of horses |
官封弼馬溫 |
2-4 |
44 |
| 3 |
The Great Sage wreaks havoc in Heaven |
大聖鬧天宮 |
4-7 |
57 |
| 4 |
Imprisoned at Five Elements Mountain |
困囚五行山 |
7-9, 12-13 |
41 |
| 5 |
The Monkey King becomes Tripitaka's bodyguard |
猴王保唐僧 |
13-15 |
51 |
| 6 |
Disaster in Guan Yin temple |
禍起觀音院 |
16-17 |
42 |
| 7 |
Getting Zhu Bajie by strategy |
計收豬八戒 |
18-19 |
51 |
| 8 |
Facing three adversities during the tough journey |
坎途逢三難 |
20-24 |
49 |
| 9 |
Stealing the ginseng fruit |
偷吃人蔘果 |
24-26 |
51 |
| 10 |
Three battles with the White Bone Demon |
三打白骨精 |
27 |
48 |
| 11 |
Cleverly instigating the Monkey King |
智激美猴王 |
28-31 |
52 |
| 12 |
Robbing treasure in the Lotus Cave |
奪寶蓮花洞 |
32-35 |
51 |
| 13 |
Slaying demons in Wuji country |
除妖烏雞國 |
36-39 |
58 |
| 14 |
Battling the Red Boy |
大戰紅孩兒 |
40-42 |
42 |
| 15 |
Defeating three demons in a magic power contest |
鬥法降三怪 |
44-46 |
59 |
| 16 |
Interesting encounter in Women's Kingdom |
趣經女兒國 |
53-55 |
59 |
| 17 |
Three attempts in taking the Palm-leaf Fan |
三調芭蕉扇 |
59-61 |
50 |
| 18 |
Cleaning the tower and redressing a grievance |
掃塔辨奇冤 |
62-63 |
54 |
| 19 |
Entering the Little Thunder Temple by mistake |
誤入小雷音 |
64-66 |
55 |
| 20 |
The Monkey King becomes a physician |
孫猴巧行醫 |
68-71 |
56 |
| 21 |
Falling into the Spiders' Cave by accident |
錯墜盤絲洞 |
72-73 |
57 |
| 22 |
Four visits to the abyss |
四探無底洞 |
80-83 |
62 |
| 23 |
Teaching in Yuhuazhou |
傳藝玉華州 |
84-85, 88-90 |
59 |
| 24 |
Getting the Jade Rabbit in India |
天竺收玉兔 |
93-95 |
46 |
| 25 |
Arrival in the Land of Pureness |
波生極樂天 |
98-100 |
50 |
Season 2
Season 2 has 16 episodes (covers another 25 chapters of the novel). Filming began in 1998 and finished in 1999. It was broadcast on CCTV in 2000. The internal story of the second season has the four protagonists relating to Emperor Taizong of Tang via flashbacks of their travels and adventures, (namely those episodes not depicted in the first series) upon their return to China. Season 2 differs from the format of the first season, as most episodes end on a cliffhanger, with conflicts being resolved and new ones encountered in the middle of episodes in a more fluid timeline.
| # |
Title |
Chinese title |
Based on chapter(s) of novel |
Runtime in minutes |
| 1 |
Dangerous crossing at the River of Heaven |
險渡通天河 |
47-48 |
43 |
| 2 |
A rift between master and disciples |
師徒生二心 |
49, 56-58 |
44 |
| 3 |
The real and fake Monkey King |
真假美猴王 |
58 |
44 |
| 4 |
Obstacle at Lion Camel Mountain |
受阻獅駝嶺 |
58, 74 |
44 |
| 5 |
Meeting immortals at Peacock Platform |
遇仙孔雀台 |
75-76 |
44 |
| 6 |
Buddha captures the Great Roc |
如來收大鵬 |
77, 43 |
44 |
| 7 |
Heartbreak at Black Water River |
情斷黑水河 |
43, 10 |
44 |
| 8 |
Capturing the Green Bull Demon |
收伏青牛怪 |
50-51 |
44 |
| 9 |
Praying for rain at Phoenix-immortal Prefecture |
祈雨鳳仙郡 |
52, 87 |
44 |
| 10 |
Wreaking havoc in Fragrance-covered Hall |
大鬧披香殿 |
87, 67 |
44 |
| 11 |
A dead end becomes the way |
絕域變通途 |
67, 86 |
44 |
| 12 |
Shedding tears on Mist-hidden Mountain |
淚灑隱霧山 |
86, 78 |
44 |
| 13 |
Rescue in the City of Children |
救難小兒城 |
78-79 |
44 |
| 14 |
Catching bandits in Bodhisattva City |
緝盜菩提城 |
79, 88, 96-97 |
44 |
| 15 |
Returning the soul of Benefactor Kou |
還魂寇善人 |
97, 91 |
44 |
| 16 |
Admiring the lanterns in Jinping Prefecture |
觀燈金平府 |
91-92 |
43 |
Cast
- Some of the actors played multiple roles while certain roles were played by multiple actors
Season 1
Main cast
Other cast
- Listed in order of appearance
- Guan Yunjie as Subhuti
- Xiang Han as Horse Monkey
- Ma Dehua as White-haired Monkey
- Xiong Ni as Monkey
- Zhang Yushan as Jade Emperor
- Yan Huaili as Thousand-li Eye
- Xiang Han as Wind-following Ear
- Li Yonggui as Old shopkeeper
- Li Lianyi as Official
- Wang Zhongxin as Great White Planet
- Wang Yuli as Li Jing
- Xiang Han as Fishmonger
- Yan Huaili as Old man
- Bai Chunxiang as Servant boy
- Li Xijing as Dragon King of the East Sea
- Liu Jiang as King Yama
- Wang Zhishan as Wuqu Xingjun
- Lin Zhiqian as Demon King of Chaos
- Han Shanxu as Single-horned Devil King
- Yan Huaili, Wang Futang as Bull Demon King
- Qian Yongkang as Juling Shen
- Yan Huaili as Official
- Zhang Jidie as Official
- Xiang Han and Li Jiancheng as Heibai Wuchang
- Ai Jinmei, Yang Bin as Nezha
- Zheng Rong, Yan Huaili as Taishang Laojun
- Lin Zhiqian as Erlang Shen
- Zhu Bingqian as Taiyi Zhenren
- Zuo Dafen as Guan Yin
- Guo Wei, Ren Fengpo as Lingji Bodhisattva
- Zhao Quan, Ye Yimeng as Manjusri
- Chi Zhaopeng, Guo Wei, Jin Genxu as Samantabhadra
- An Yunwu, Li Runsheng and Yang Yuzhang as Fu Lu Shou
- Wu Guiling as Zhenyuan Immortal
- Kong Rui, Xiang Han as Earth Deity
- Wang Xueqin, Zhang Yanyan as Seventh Fairy
- Zhang Jingdi as Immortal Crane
- Wan Fuxiang as Xi Wangmu
- Han Shanxu, Jin Genxu as Barefoot Immortal
- Xu Qing as Red Dress Boy
- Ma Ling as Dancing fairy
- Zhang Zhiming as Emperor Taizong of Tang
- Guo Jiaqing as Guan Yin's incarnation
- Xu Shaohua as Chen Guangrui
- Ma Lan as Miss Yin
- Han Shanxu as Liu Hong
- Li Jiancheng as Teahouse keeper
- Zhu Longguang as Gautama Buddha
- Qiu Peining as Chang'e
- Wang Bozhao as White Dragon Horse
- Yan Huaili as Dragon King of the West Sea
- Li Longbin, Yu Weijie as Nine-headed Bug
- Han Shanxu as Old man
- He Yi as Boy
- Xu Chuan as Liu Boqin
- Xiang Han, Ma Dehua, Yang Bin, He Yi, Li Runsheng, Li Lianyi as robbers
- Cheng Zhi as Jinchi Elder
- Li Yonggui as Monk Guangzhi
- Xiang Han as Black Wind Demon
- Lin Zhiqian as Virapaksa
- Cheng Weibing as Lingxuzi
- Kong Rui as Squire Gao
- Gao Yuqian as Mrs. Gao
|
- Wei Huili as Squire Gao's daughter
- Xiang Han as Gao Cai
- Zhang Jidie as Dibao
- Xiang Ling as Maid
- Sun Fengqin as Lishan Laomu
- Guo Jiaqing as Yellow Wind Demon
- Shen Huifen as Zhenzhen
- Yang Fengyi as Ai'ai
- He Jing as Lianlian
- Ren Fengpo as Lingji Bodhisattva
- Yang Bin as Muzha
- Xu Ye as Fairy
- Zhang Jidie as Tiger Vanguard
- Wang Yang as Qingfeng
- Cai Lin as Mingyue
- Yang Qingxia as White Bone Demoness
- Huang Fei as Old man
- Liu Huimin as Old woman
- Yang Jun as Village woman
- Qiu Bichang as Black Fox Demon
- Li Lianyi as Skeleton Demon
- Ren Fengpo as Yellow Robe Demon
- Gu Lan as King of Baoxiang
- Liu Bing as Baihuaxiu
- Han Fengxia, Li Hongchang as Black Fox Demon
- Yang Shubiao as Yellow Robe Demon (transformation)
- Ren Wenjian as White Dragon Horse (transformation)
- Yang Shubiao as Wood Wolf of Legs
- Che Xiaotong as Golden Horned King
- Guo Shouyang as Silver Horned King
- Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Priest
- Li Jiancheng as Meticulous Devil
- Ji Fuji as Intelligent Bug
- Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Nine-tailed Vixen
- Ma Dehua as Mountain Deity
- Lei Ming as King of Wuji
- Xiang Mei as Queen of Wuji
- Wang Haining as Crown prince of Wuji
- Zhao Guangshan as Monk
- Chi Chongrui as Dragon King of Jing
- Teng Teng as Servant boy
- Dong Honglin as Evil priest
- Li Jiancheng as Eunuch
- Zhao Xinpei as Red Boy
- Xiang Han and Xu Tinglei as Earth deities
- Li Jiancheng, Li Anjian, Zhang Ziyue as Mountain deities
- Xu Shaohua as Dragon King
- Zhao Yuxiu as King of Tarrycart
- Zhao Lirong as Queen of Tarrycart
- Liu Qin as Tiger Power Immortal
- Zeng Ge as Deer Power Immortal
- Cai Yuge as Antelope Power Immortal
- Jin Genxu and Xu Tinglei as Priests
- Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Yunshui Quanzhen
- Zhu Lin as Queen of Women's Kingdom
- Yang Guixiang as Royal Adviser of Women's Kingdom
- Li Yunjuan as Pipa Lady
- Wang Delin as Ruyi Immortal
- Xu Guanchun as Sun Rooster of Hairy Head
- Wang Fengxia as Princess Iron Fan
- Zheng Yiping as Jade-faced Vixen
- Ji You as Earth deity
- Zhang Qing as Princess of Jibao
|
- Zhao Baocai as Dragon King
- Jin Gang as King of Jibao
- Li Fengchun as Old monk
- Li Zhiyi as Old abbot
- Tian Jiangshui, Bai Jiancai and Gao Jifeng as Monks
- Li Jiancheng as Benbo Er'ba
- Gao Baozhong as Babo Er'ben
- Ma Dehua, Yu Hong as Ambassadors
- Cao Duo as Yellow Brows Buddha
- Wang Linghua as Almond Immortal
- Tie Niu as Maitreya
- Cao Duo as Guzhi Old Man
- Ye Bing as Jinjie Shiba Old Man
- Li Tiefeng as Fuyun Old Man
- Ye Yimeng as Lingkongzi
- Tie Niu as Kangua Laoren
- Li Jinshui as Ghost messenger
- Gong Ming as King of Zhuzi
- Zhan Pingping as Lady of Jinsheng Palace
- Wang Ren as Tai Sui Equivalent
- Zhou Caili as Youlai Youqu
- Shi Chongren as Old eunuch
- Han Tao as Ziyang Zhenren
- Ni Fuquan as Physician
- Li Jianliang as Minister
- Yao Jia as First Spider Demoness
- Liu Qian as Second Spider Demoness
- Du Xianghui as Third Spider Demoness
- Yang Su as Fourth Spider Demoness
- Azhi Shima as Fifth Spider Demoness
- Lü Haiyu as Sixth Spider Demoness
- Liu Lin as Seventh Spider Demoness
- Li Hongchang as Multiple Eyes Demon
- Yang Qimin as Vilamba Bodhisattva
- Li Enqi as Lishan Laomu incarnation
- Yang Bin as Priest
- Chang Qing as Rat Demon
- Wang Jie and Li Zhixiong as Lamas
- Wu Tang as Supervisor
- Yu Xuemei and Jiang Xiuhua as Demon girls
- Nige Mutu as King
- Zhang Yang as First Prince
- Ye Yimeng as Second Prince
- Yang Bin as Third Prince
- Gong Ming as Wang Xiao'er
- Qu Yinglian as Wang Xiao'er's wife
- Chen Qingping as Zhao's mother
- Yang Yumin as Queen
- Xiang Han as Tawny Lion Demon
- Li Jiancheng as Saint of Nine Spirits
- Sha Jie as Diaozhuan Guguai
- He Yi as Guguai Diaozhuan
- Zhu Bingqian as Taiyi Tianzun
- Xiang Han and Li Hongchang as Merchants
- Li Lingyu as Jade Rabbit
- Wang Tong as King of India
- Ren Fengpo as Old monk
- Yu Hong as Queen of India
- Xiang Han as Ananda
- Li Jiancheng as Mahākāśyapa
- Wang Xizhong as Golden Peak Immortal
- Li Hongchang as Boatman
- He Chengfu as Long Brows Arhat
- Li Yang as Dapeng Zunzhe
|
Season 2
Main cast
Other cast
- Listed in order of appearance
- Zhang Zhiming as Emperor Taizong of Tang
- Zheng Rong as Taishang Laojun
- Liu Jiang as King Yama
- Zhu Longguang as Gautama Buddha
- Wang Zhongxin as Great White Planet
- Zhang Wankun as Chen Qing
- Zhang Wenhui as Chen Qing's wife
- Li Qingyou as Housekeeper
- Liu Lifeng as Xiaoguanbao
- Hou Lei as Yipengjin
- Wang Limin as Spiritual-touch King
- Ji Yu as Fish Woman
- Lan Faqing as White Soft-shelled Turtle
- Zhang Fen as Muzha
- Zhang Ziqiang as Old man
- Zhang Xueqin as Old man's wife
- Guan Xiaoyu as Old man's son
- Yang Xingyi as Old man's daughter-in-law
- Jiang Baohong as Chief robber
- Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Fake Sun Wukong (Six-ear macaque)
- Jiang Hongbao as Horse Monkey
- Wang Weiguo as Jade Emperor
- Cui Jingfu, Wu Zhiyong as Dragon King of the East Sea
- Liu Dagang as Diting
- Jia Shitou as Azure Lion King
- Wang Weiguo as Yellow-toothed Elephant
- Guo Jun as Thousand-li travelling Peng
- Jin Qiaoqiao as Princess Peacock
- Lan Jiafu as Xiaozhuanfeng
- Zhu Dan as Xique
|
- Liu Dagang as Dragon King of the North Sea
- An Yaping as Water Dragon
- Yang Jing as Princess of Black River
- Cao Rong as Mo'ang Crown Prince
- Li Hongtao as Dragon King of Jing River
- Zhou Zheng as Yuan Shoucheng
- Chi Guodong as Dragon King of the West Sea
- Li Hongchang as Fisherman
- Ge Zhixing as Deity of Black River
- Ni Fuquan as Earth Deity of Mount Golden Bull
- Li Hongtao as Rhinoceros King
- Chen Zhongsheng as Li Jing
- Zhu Qin, Wang Wei as Nezha
- Ding Jian as Fire Star
- Ma Yongzeng as Water Star
- Wang Hui, Zhang Wei, Zhao Shunzeng and Sun Jifeng as Four Heavenly Masters
- Wen Xiang as Servant boy
- Tan Feiling as Marquis of Fengxian
- Ni Fuquan as Earth Deity of Fengxian
- Jin Liuyi as Old man from Fengxian
- Di Yuerong as Wife of Marquis of Fengxian
- Wu Suying as Village woman from Fengxian
- Xue Yongliang as Man from Fengxian
- Sha Lin as Wind Deity
- Zhang Dandan as Lightning Deity
- Yang Zichun as Old man Li
- Xue Chunyu as Old man Li's wife
- Zhang Pingsheng as Old man Li's son
- Bo Hong as Red-scaled Python
- Zheng Ying as Woodcutter's wife
|
- Wu Zhiyong as Leopard Demon
- Lan Faqing as Wolf Demon
- Yu Wanling as Old woman
- Li Hongchang as Official from Bhikkhus' Kingdom
- Wang Ying as King of Bhikkhus' Kingdom
- Yu Meng as Vixen spirit
- Liu Jin as Deer Spirit
- Qiu Yongli as Evil priest
- Xu Jiansheng as Guard from Bhikkhus' Kingdom
- Cai Guangqing as Squire Kou
- Wang Meihong as Second Madam
- Wang Xia as Zhu Liya
- Shu Xin as Wosi
- Chen Jian as Housekeeper
- Zhang Kunwu as Hui'er
- Huang Zongluo as Official of Tongtai
- Li Xiaobo as Civil official
- Zhong Changde as Abbot of Jinping
- Chen Dazhong as King of Cold Protection
- Zhao Yi as King of Heat Protection
- Cai Yuge as King of Dust Protection
- Liu Dan as Dragon Girl of the West Sea
- Lan Faqing as Wood Dragon of Horn
- Jiang Baohong as Wood Insect of Dipper
- Xu Jiansheng as Wood Wolf of Legs
- Li Canwen as Wood Dog of Well
|
Reshot version in high definition
The entire series was reshot in high definition in 2007, with a total of 45 episodes, each 45 minutes long and containing 10 minutes of 3-D effects. The original cast was recruited: Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Chi Chongrui and Ma Dehua. Sha Wujing was played by Liu Dagang as the original actor, Yan Huaili, died in April 2009. The production will be completed in November 2010.[2]
Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West
The main cast (Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Chi Chongrui, Ma Dehua and Liu Dagang) reprise their roles again in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West, a 2010 TV series about Wu Cheng'en, author of Journey to the West, and his inspiration for writing the novel. Liu Xiao Ling Tong simultaneously played Wu Cheng'en and the Monkey King.
Notes and references
External links
See also