First Japanese Translation of 'Journey to the West'

ghostexorcist · Dec 6, 2015

The great Chinese classic Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西游记, 1592) first came to the shores of Japan in the late 18th-century. It was translated in bits and pieces over the course of some seventy years. A complete translation was eventually issued in 1837, complete with woodblock prints by the noted artist Hokusai (1760-1849). I purchased a couple of antique booklets featuring this translation earlier this year. You can see them in this video. I apologize for the slow pacing, but I shot the video without any kind of script.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nICCn22AAKg

bananasinpajamas · Dec 6, 2015

And then later it became Dragonball

ghostexorcist · Dec 6, 2015

Yep, I believe it was this exact edition that influenced the manga.

StatelessInSapporo · Dec 6, 2015

This Chinese novel influenceed many JRPG of video game comapnies of Japan。

Moloc · Dec 6, 2015

You're been quite rough with the book. Are there any steps you're taking to prevent further degradation of the item?

Naomasa298 · Dec 7, 2015

I know Japan was a closed country at the time of the book's publication, but it does surprise me that it took over 200 years to arrive in Japan. I suppose the limited trade meant there were more important things to bring over than books.

ghostexorcist · Dec 7, 2015

Moloc said:
You're been quite rough with the book. Are there any steps you're taking to prevent further degradation of the item?

It's actually made of very durable materials. Prior to my ownership, the booklets must have been treated horribly to be in such condition. I keep them wrapped in cloth in a dark place.

Naomasa298 said:
I know Japan was a closed country at the time of the book's publication, but it does surprise me that it took over 200 years to arrive in Japan. I suppose the limited trade meant there were more important things to bring over than books.

I believe some Chinese novels started being translated in the 17-century. Only scholars had access to them, though. Journey to the West only became popular after the full translation became widely available.

heylouis · Dec 7, 2015

it appears the book went to japan for a long time, but nobody translated it until then. i guess the reason is many educated japanese can read and write chinese characters and they did not view it as a trouble. the translation happened when it went into common people.

it also reminds me something luxun wrote(he is actually an expert on novels), he discussed the publishing date of a book 三藏取经记(it is believed to be one of the references that Mr Wu used to compile and wrote the Journey to the West). the book is one of the collections of Tokutomi Soho. he got it with low price, but found it to be one book which had been stored in Kozanji. he believes the book was published in song dynasty, but luxun thought it could be yuan. i recent read once that it is possible that the book was in kozanji since 1250ad. it seems Tokutomi is correct in the end.

Naomasa298 · Dec 7, 2015

ghostexorcist said:
I believe some Chinese novels started being translated in the 17-century. Only scholars had access to them, though. Journey to the West only became popular after the full translation became widely available.

Do you happen to know when the other three great classical Chinese novels first made their way to Japan?

purakjelia · Dec 7, 2015

A book took two hundred years to arrive in Japan. This proves Japan wasn't really closely tied to China at all, unlike some people here have always assumed (and also the claim that the Yayoi are southern Chinese farmers really made me laugh).

I'm just tired of hearing that everything in East Asia originated from the so-called "ancient Han Chinese".

I always find the Japanese culture to be quite unique and interesting, very different from China (And in turn China is also very different from Japan).

ghostexorcist · Dec 7, 2015

heylouis said:
it appears the book went to japan for a long time, but nobody translated it until then. i guess the reason is many educated japanese can read and write chinese characters and they did not view it as a trouble. the translation happened when it went into common people.

it also reminds me something luxun wrote(he is actually an expert on novels), he discussed the publishing date of a book 三藏取经记(it is believed to be one of the references that Mr Wu used to compile and wrote the Journey to the West). the book is one of the collections of Tokutomi Soho. he got it with low price, but found it to be one book which had been stored in Kozanji. he believes the book was published in song dynasty, but luxun thought it could be yuan. i recent read once that it is possible that the book was in kozanji since 1250ad. it seems Tokutomi is correct in the end.

I've read about the Kozanji version and its history (I mention it in this article). As you probably know, the tale is much different than the final Ming Version. I've been meaning to post scans of an English translation so others interested in the novel can see what it's evolution was like.

Naomasa298 said:
Do you happen to know when the other three great classical Chinese novels first made their way to Japan?

This article may be of use.

http://www.chinajapan.org/articles/11.2/11.2pastreich39-49.pdf

This dissertation sounds interesting. I may get it.

Chinese Vernacular Fiction in 18th-c. Japan | Dissertation Reviews

heylouis · Dec 7, 2015

ghostexorcist said:
I've read about the Kozanji version and its history (I mention it in this article). As you probably know, the tale is much different than the final Ming Version. I've been meaning to post scans of an English translation so others interested in the novel can see what it's evolution was like

nice job!

OgreBattle · Dec 7, 2015

Great find! So are the illustrations in your copy by Hokusai?

ghostexorcist · Dec 8, 2015

OgreBattle said:
Great find! So are the illustrations in your copy by Hokusai?

Thanks. Yes, I believe they are by Hokusai.

Bard A Madsen · Dec 18, 2015

ghostexorcist said:
The great Chinese classic Journey to the West (Xiyouji, 西游记, 1592) first came to the shores of Japan in the late 18th-century. It was translated in bits and pieces over the course of some seventy years. A complete translation was eventually issued in 1837, complete with woodblock prints by the noted artist Hokusai (1760-1849). I purchased a couple of antique booklets featuring this translation earlier this year. You can see them in this video. I apologize for the slow pacing, but I shot the video without any kind of script.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nICCn22AAKg

That is really cool ! I don't know that story. I think it is the South Americans that say man was turned into monkeys after the Deluge. Watching the video I see the same type of story. The Water cave, the dragon, the seven maidens (the Pleiades), and time imprisoned. I'll have to find an English translation someday. Great find ! Fine rice paper maybe silk mix.. I'm just guessing.

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First Japanese Translation of 'Journey to the West'

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