Journey to the West is a Chinese television series adapted from Wu Cheng'en's 16th-century novel of the same name. It was directed by Yang Jie and stars Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Sun Wukong, Chi Chongrui as Tang Sanzang, Ma Dehua as Zhu Bajie, and Yan Huaili as Sha Wujing.

The pilot first aired in Mainland China in 1982. Eleven completed episodes were released on 1 October 1986 before all 25 episodes were collectively broadcast on CCTV in 1988. A second season totaling 16 episodes was filmed in 1998. The series concluded in 2000 with 41 episodes broadcast over two seasons.

Set in Tang-era China, Journey to the West follows the journey of Chinese Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang and his three disciples, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing on their pilgrimage to India. The series incorporates elements of Chinese mythology as well as Chinese Buddhism and Taoism.

Journey to the West attracted record viewership in China and gained national widespread popularity upon its release. It has been praised for staying faithful to the novel and its opening and ending themes have become iconic tunes in the public consciousness. In 1988, the show received a Feitian Award (Outstanding Artistry) and two Golden Eagle Awards (Best Television Series and Best Actor).

Premise Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang embarks on a holy pilgrimage to India seeking out and bringing back to China Buddhist scriptures. He is accompanied by three powerful disciples: Sun Wukong, a shapeshifting stone monkey and trickster who rebelled against Heaven; Zhu Bajie, a former Marshal Canopy of Heaven expelled for harassing the moon goddess Chang'e and subsequently reincarnated as a humanoid pig; and Sha Wujing, a former Curtain-Lifting General in Heaven expelled for breaking a valuable vase and reincarnated as a man-eating monster. Along their journey, the four pilgrims face 81 tribulations, some of which involve affairs of normal humans, whilst others consist of the disciples protecting their master from various demons and monsters who wish to consume Tang Sanzang's flesh in hopes of gaining immortality.

Episodes

Season 1 No. overallNo. in seriesEnglish TitleChinese TitleChapters CoveredRuntime (minutes)Original air date1 1 Birth of the Monkey King 猴王初问世 1-2 40February 9, 1986A monkey bursts from within a slab of stone and becomes the leader of a group of monkeys in Flower Fruit Mountain. When an old monkey dies, the stone monkey learns of mortality. He comes under the tutelage of the sage Puti Zushi, who christens him as Sun Wukong and passes onto him the secrets of immortality, 72 earthly transformations, and the Somersault Cloud. 2 2 Becoming a Horse-keeper 官封弼马温 2-4 44February 10, 1986Sun Wukong meets with the Dragon King from whom he acquires the weapon the Ruyi Jingu Bang. His happiness is short-lived however, as his soul is reaped by King Yama. Incensed, Wukong removes his name as well as all those belonging to primates from the Register of Life and Death. His actions are reported to the Jade Emperor, who has Taibai Jinxing trick Wukong into accepting the lowly rank of horse-keeper where he can be closely monitored by the Celestial Court. 3 3 Havoc in Heaven 大圣闹天宫 4-7 57February 11, 1986An army of heavenly soldiers led by Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li lays siege to Flower Fruit Mountain but are easily repelled by Wukong. He is convinced by Taibai Jinxing that Heaven has conceded and recognised his new rank, and he is placed in charge of the Immortal Peach Garden in preparation for the Immortal Peach Banquet. However, Wukong is enraged when he learns he has not been invited and consumes everything at the banquet before it begins. A furious Jade Emperor, aided by Guanyin and Erlang Shen, sends another army down to apprehend Wukong. 4 4 Imprisonment in Five Elements Mountain 困囚五行山 7-9, 12-13 41February 12, 1986Wukong is challenged by the Gautama Buddha to a bet that if he is able to somersault out of the Buddha's palm, the Jade Emperor's throne will be ceded to him. Wukong accepts but ultimately fails and is imprisoned beneath Buddha's hand, which turns into the Five Elements Mountain. 500 years later, Guanyin is tasked in searching for someone pure of heart in the Tang empire to embark on holy pilgrimage to retrieve Buddhist sutras. En route, she visits the imprisoned Wukong and tells him to await a monk who will soon arrive to free him and that in return, Wukong is to accompany him on his journey to India. Guanyin eventually selects the monk Tang Sanzang and bequeaths him with many holy artefacts, including a kasaya, on his journey west. 5 5 The Monkey King Guards Tang Sanzang 猴王保唐僧 13-15 51February 16, 1986Tang Sanzang frees the imprisoned Wukong and the two begin their pilgrimage to India. When Wukong kills a group of attacking bandits, he is admonished by his horrified master. To control Wukong, Guanyin has Tang Sanzang gift him a golden headband that tightens when he utters a sutra, causing Wukong immense pain and curbing his violent tendencies. 6 6 Trouble in Guanyin Temple 祸起观音院 16-17 42February 21, 1985Wukong and Tang Sanzang arrive at the Guanyin Temple where its vain and greedy abbot Jinchi, vying for their prized kasaya, conspires to burn them to death. When the kasaya is then stolen by a monster called the Black Wind Demon, Wukong is aided by Guanyin in retrieving it.7 7 The Recruitment of Zhu Bajie 计收猪八戒 18-19 51February 8, 1984Whilst on their journey, Wukong and Tang Sanzang meet Squire Gao from Gao Village whose daughter has been kidnapped by a pig demon. 8 8 Facing Three Adversities 坎途逢三难 20-24 49March 1, 1986The pilgrims are besieged by a creature called the Yellow Wind Demon whose Samadhi Wind blinds Wukong and can only be subdued by the Lingji bodhisattva. Then, while crossing the Flowing Sand River, Tang Sanzang is attacked by a ferocious man-eating demon. Efforts to subdue it appear futile until Guanyin's disciple Muzha appears and reveals the demon as the final disciple to accompany Tang on his journey. Finally, the pilgrims’ moral characters are tested when Lishan Laomu, Guanyin, Samantabhadra and Manjushri turn into beautiful women and propose the pilgrims marry them, promising a vast inheritance.  9 9 Stealing the Ginseng Fruit 偷吃人蔘果 24-26 51February 14, 1983At Longevity Mountain, the pilgrims are offered infant-shaped fruits from the Ginseng Tree which grant mortals 47,000 years of life, but a horrified Tang Sanzang refuses having mistaken them as real infants. When Wukong takes three and shares them with Bajie and Wujing, they are subsequently accused of stealing the fruits, causing an incensed Wukong to topple the tree.10 10 Three Battles with the White Bone Demon 三打白骨精 27 48February 8, 1984A demoness known as the White Bone Demon succeeds in driving a wedge between Wukong and Tang Sanzang by turning herself into an elderly couple and their daughter on three occasions under the guise of offering them food. Her true form is seen through by Wukong, who kills the demon but he is banished by his master in the belief he has murdered an innocent family. 11 11 Instigating the Handsome Monkey King 智激美猴王 28-31 52March 2, 1986Without Wukong, Tang Sanzang is captured by the Yellow Robe Demon whose underling reveals the truth behind the White Bone Demon's ploy. Unable to best the demon, a desperate Bajie goes to Flower Fruit Mountain to seek out Wukong and convince him to come to their master's aid.  12 12 Treasure Plundering Lotus Cave 夺宝莲花洞 32-35 51February 8, 1988The pilgrims face a pair of demon kings, Gold Horn and Silver Horn, revealed to be the attendants under Taishang Laojun but who have escaped to the mortal realm after stealing their master's sacred treasures.13 13 Slaying Demons in the Kingdom of Wuji 除妖乌鸡国 36-39 58October 1, 1982In Wuji Kingdom, Tang Sanzang sees an apparition claiming to be its true king and who was murdered and his identity stolen by a demon Daoist. Note: Original 1982 pilot.14 14 Battling Red Boy 大战红孩儿 40-42 42February 2, 1988On their journey, the pilgrims save a seemingly innocent child who turns out to be Red Boy, the son of the Bull Demon King and whose ability to use the inextinguishable Samadhi Flames makes him a deadly adversary for Wukong, Bajie and Wujing. 15 15 Defeating Three Demons in a Contest of Mystic Might 斗法降三怪 44-46 59February 20, 1988The pilgrims are challenged by three powerful Daoist masters in the kingdom of Chechi to determine which religion, Buddhism or Daoism, is the superior one. 16 16 Encounter in Women's Kingdom 趣经女儿国 53-55 59February 27, 1988The pilgrims arrive in a kingdom comprising completely of women where its queen falls in love with Tang Sanzang and offers him her hand in marriage. 17 17 Three Attempts in Taking the Palm Leaf Fan 三调芭蕉扇 59-61 50March 5, 1988While crossing the scorched deserts of the Flaming Mountains, Wukong learns its flames can only be extinguished by the Palm Leaf fan, a sacred treasure of Taishang Laojun. Unfortunately, its owners are the parents of Red Boy with whom Wukong's relations have soured after he subdued their son.   18 18 Cleaning the Tower and Redressing a Grievance 扫塔辨奇冤 62-63 54March 12, 1988When the Nine-headed Bug and dragon princess Wanshou steal the sacred Buddhist orb of Jisai Kingdom, the monks there are blamed and their brutal treatment by its king witnessed by the pilgrims. Wukong, with the aid of Bajie and the White Dragon Horse, vow to return the treasure and restore the monks’ innocence.19 19 Mistakenly Entering Little ThunderclapTemple 误入小雷音 64-66 55March 19, 1988Tang Sanzang believes their journey is at an end when he sees the Gautama Buddha and his five hundred Arhats at Little Thunderclap Temple. However, they are revealed to be demons masquerading as deities led by Yellow Brow, a former disciple of Maitreya.20 20 The Monkey King Becomes a Physician 孙猴巧行医 68-71 56March 26, 1988Whilst in Zhuzi Kingdom, the pilgrims learn its king has taken ill, prompting Wukong to take on the guise of a physician to cure him, much to the chagrin of his master.21 21 Ensnared in the Spiders' Cave 错坠盘丝洞 72-73 57April 2, 1988Tang Sanzang seeks alms from seven seemingly innocent young women, who are revealed to be seven spider demons and he is captured in their lair. 22 22 Four Visits to the Abyss Cave 四探无底洞 80-83 62April 9, 1988Upon freeing a captured young woman, Tang Sanzang allows her to temporarily join them and they seek shelter at a temple that night. When a series of gruesome murders occur, Wukong disguises himself as a young monk in hopes of luring out the culprit. 23 23 Teaching in Yuhua State 传艺玉华州 84-85, 88-90 59April 16, 1988The pilgrims disguise themselves in Yuhua State as its ruler has decreed that all monks be banished. Wukong shaves the heads of its king and his subjects, throwing the court into a panic that brings them to their senses. 24 24 Subduing the Jade Rabbit in India 天竺收玉兔 93-95 46April 23, 1988The pilgrims arrive at last in India whereupon they witness an elaborate entourage of its princess who selects Tang Sanzang to be her betrothed. 25 25 Arrival in Paradise 波生极乐天 98-100 50April 30, 1988The pilgrims reach Vulture Peak and their journey is seemingly at an end as they receive the Buddhist scriptures from the Gautama Buddha.

Season 2 Due to budgetary issues, five of the initially planned episodes were not filmed during the first season: Dangerous Crossing at Heaven Reaching River (险渡通天河), covering chapters 47-49 Capturing the Azure Bull Demon (收伏青牛怪), covering chapters 50-52 The Real and Imposter Handsome Monkey King (真假美猴王), covering chapters 56-58 Obstacle at Lion Camel Ridge (遇阻狮驼岭), covering chapters 74-77 Rescuing Children in Xiaoer City (救难小儿城), 86版《西游记》幕后故事：九九八十一难是戏也是生活 covering chapters 78–79