Monkey King still weaving magic

Huai'an city has long been under the spell of the Monkey King. The historic city in northern Jiangsu province is the birthplace of Wu Cheng'en (1500-1582), author of the Chinese classic Journey to the West.

Journey to the West is a classical Chinese novel of gods and evil spirits.

Earlier this month, Huai'an launched a six-month festival to celebrate Wu's life and works, an ambitious effort by the local government to put the city on the map as a tourist destination.

The events include a cultural workshop about Journey to the West, which will be attended by scholars from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, India and China; the premiere of Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West, the country's first 3-D TV serial; a national children's painting competition "My Monkey King"; and a variety of art exhibitions on Wu's life and works.

"Wu Cheng'en and his Journey to the West has become an icon of Huai'an," said local official Zhao Hongquan at the opening ceremony. "The festival is a celebration of the lasting legacy of this Ming writer."

Born in Huai'an in 1500, Wu was known from a young age for his literary gifts. Although he wrote Journey to the West in the latter years of his life, he spent his life preparing for the novel.

Former Residence Wu Cheng'en's

When he was a child, he often traveled to the ancient temples and jungles around Huai'an with his father. The young Wu was fascinated by the local fairy tales his father told him about every place they visited. By the time he turned 30, he had collected so much material that he decided to produce his own stories. Yet, he did not finish the whole book until he resigned from his official position in his hometown.