Huai'an: Birthplace of 'Journey to the West'
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E-mail CNTV, December 12, 2013
Huai'an has long been under the spell of the Monkey King. The historic city is the birthplace of Wu Cheng'en, the author of the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West", which is considered one of the "four great classical novels of Chinese literature".
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Huai'an: Birthplace of 'Journey to the West' |
In the year 1500, Wu was born in this residence, located at the end of Daguxiang Lane.
"You might have heard 'Journey to the West', but who would guess that this was the place that the author of this Chinese classic was born and raised," CCTV correspondent Julian Waghann said.
Wu was known for his literary gifts from a young age. He wrote "Journey to the West" in the latter years of his life, but he spent his life preparing for the novel.
When he was a child, Wu often traveled around Huai'an with his father. He was fascinated by the local fairy tales his father told him about every place they visited. And as Huai'an gathered vendors and salt merchants from around the country, he also heard many folk tales and stories. Among them, many were about the monk who traveled to the "western regions" during the Tang Dynasty.
"The folk tales about 'Journey to the West' had been passed on for hundreds of years before Wu Cheng'en finally wrote it down. He collected much material from the streets and was inspired by local fairy tales. For example, back in those days, people believed that there was a God of River in Hongze Lake near Huai'an. Inspired by that, Wu created the character 'Monkey King' Sun Wukong in his novel," said Xu Chaohong, curator of former residence of Wu Cheng'en.
"Journey to the West" has influenced generations of Chinese. The magical world Wu created in the novel is still the source of inspiration for a mountain of children's literature, movies, television shows and dramas today.
Wu's former residence is now a good place for fans of "Journey to the West" to explore. Since its renovation, the residence covers an area of 260 square meters, displaying relics unearthed from Wu's tomb. The relics, together with the residence, help visitors get a better understanding of the author's life and the birth of the classic novel.
But Wu Cheng'en is not the only great mind cultivated by the city and its waterway culture.
"Based on a real story that happened in Huai'an, Guan Hanqing, a famous playwright of the Yuan Dynasty, wrote his best known work 'Dou E Yuan', which translates as 'The Injustice to Dou E'. This play is considered to be one of the 'four great tragedies of the Yuan Drama' and was repeatedly used and modified by later dramatists. Another play set in Huai'an is 'The Peony Pavilion' by renowned Ming Dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu. The story itself has nothing to do with Huai'an, but Tang was impressed by the beautiful scenery of the city, so he set 9 out of the total 55 acts here in Huai'an," said Liu Huaiyu, former deputy director of Culture Bureau of Huai'an District.
Zhou Enlai, the founding premier of the People's Republic of China, was also born here. Zhou's name, photos, and statues can be found everywhere in the city. His former residence, and an exhibition hall and memorial hall dedicated to him, are popular tourist sites.
Meanwhile, Huai'an is also the cradle of many other significant historical figures, such as Han Xin, a great military leader more than 2,000 years ago in the Western Han Dynasty, and Peking Opera master Zhou Xinfang.
The rich cultural heritage left by the Grand Canal has long been a shimmering part of it, just like the water that flows in the canal and the Huaihe River.
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