Monkey Subdues the White Bone Demon

Monkey Subdues the White Bone Demon 

Adapted by Wang Hsing-pei with drawings by Chao Hung-pen & Chien Hsiao-tai
(Foreign Languages Press, Peking 1976)
No ISBN

Although not strictly a graphic novel, this wonderful book is one of my favourite pieces of pictorial narrative. The Monkey King has been a popular figure in modern entertainment in the East and West almost since Wu Cheng-en’s epic mythological tale Pilgrimage to the West was first published, and he’s been given numerous celluloid and comic book outings too.

This particular version, from China itself, was first released in an English edition in 1964, with numerous reprintings since. I’m fairly certain that if I make any converts here, you could pick up a modern edition just by cruising your local Chinatown district. Stop off for a bite while you’re there, too, and impress the staff with your perspicacity by reading it at the table.

Told in beautiful, lavish black and white line drawings, in the manner of classical Chinese art, with one huge panel per page and a brief block of text underneath, much like Rupert Bear or Prince Valiant, the story involves Monkey, with his faithful companions Pigsy and Sandy, in an epic duel with the Queen of Demons as they escort their spiritual master, the Buddhist Monk Hsuan-tsang in a journey to discover lost Scriptures in the West.

This engrossing fantasy is spellbinding in its execution. The simplicity of the text allows the reader to be absorbed in the meticulous, yet airy line work, the magnificently stylish patterning and sheer expressionism of the characters, rendered familiar and exotic by the use of traditional Chinese operatic costuming and scene setting. This is a pretty, lovely, beautiful picture book. Go West, Young Fan, and see for yourself.

Presumably© 1964, 1973, 1976 – my computer can’t reproduce the Mandarin symbols, I’m sure they know who they are. If anyone can tell us we’ll happy correct this oversight. All Rights Reserved, I suspect.