Journey to the West 1986
“Four pilgrims. One epic.”
What is Journey to the West?
Journey to the West is a Chinese television series adapted from the classical novel of the same title. The program was first broadcast on CCTV in China on 1 October 1986.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1986
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 41
- Runtime
- 45 minutes
- First aired
- Feb 9, 1986
- Last aired
- Feb 23, 2000
- Original language
- ZH
- Origin
- CN
- Networks
- CCTV-1
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Drama
- Updated
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 41 episodes and an average 45-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Journey to the West is a Chinese television series adapted from the classical novel of the same title. The program was first broadcast on CCTV in China on 1 October 1986. Upon its release, the series became an instant classic within the country. It continues to be praised by viewers and critics as the most authentic interpretation of the original literary work. While the initial production covered a significant portion of the narrative, there were segments of the story that remained unadapted. These portions were later addressed in a second season of the series, which was released in 1999. The production remains a notable example of television adaptation in China, maintaining its reputation for faithfulness to its source material decades after its original debut. The provided sources regarding the American rock band Journey and the footwear retailer Journeys do not contain information related to this television production. Therefore, this overview is limited strictly to the details provided in the synopsis regarding the 1986 series.
Should you watch it?
“A classic Chinese television adaptation of a legendary novel follows a legendary journey.”
- highly regarded interpretation
- faithful to source material
- production spans many years
Watch it if you are interested in an authentic television adaptation of a classical Chinese novel.
The series is based on a classical novel and is widely considered a cultural classic in China.
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Episode guide
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Season 1 · 25 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 The Birth of Monkey King Mytharc Feb 9, 1986
- E2 Monkey King the Charge of Horses Core Feb 10, 1986
- E3 Monkey King Wreaks Havoc in the Palace of Heaven Core Feb 11, 1986
- E4 Monkey King Imprisoned in Wuhang Mountain Core Feb 12, 1986
- E5 Monkey King Becomes the Body Guard of Monk Tang Core Feb 13, 1986
- E6 Disaster in Kwan-yin Temple Core Feb 14, 1986
- E7 Getting Ba Jie with Strategy Core Feb 15, 1986
- E8 Facing Three Adversities during the Rough Journey Core Feb 16, 1986
- E9 Stealing the Ginseng Fruit Core Feb 17, 1986
- E10 Beating the Dead Bones Spirit Three Times Core Feb 18, 1986
- E11 Stimulating the Monkey King Wisely Core Feb 19, 1986
- E12 Seizing Treasures in Lotus Flower Cave Core Feb 20, 1986
- E13 Killing the Devils in the Wuji Country Core Feb 21, 1986
- E14 A Battle with the Red Boy Core Feb 22, 1986
- E15 Defeating the Three Monsters with Magic Core Feb 23, 1986
- E16 The Funny Advantage in the Women Nation Core Feb 24, 1986
- E17 Getting the Palm-leaf Fan for Three Times Core Feb 25, 1986
- E18 Cleaning the Tower and Clarifying the Injustice Core Feb 26, 1986
- E19 Getting in the Little Thunder Temple Accidentally Core Feb 27, 1986
- E20 Doctor Monkey King Core Feb 28, 1986
- E21 Falling in the Spider Silk Cave Accidentally Core Mar 1, 1986
- E22 Visiting the Abyss for Four Times Core Mar 2, 1986
- E23 Teaching in Yuhua Continent Core Mar 3, 1986
- E24 Getting the Rabbit Spirit in India Mytharc Mar 4, 1986
- E25 Arriving in the Pure Land Mytharc Mar 5, 1986
Season 2 · 16 episodes
- E1 Dangerous crossing at Heaven Reaching River Mytharc Feb 8, 2000
- E2 A rift between master and disciples Core Feb 9, 2000
- E3 The real and fake Monkey King Core Feb 10, 2000
- E4 Obstacle at Lion Camel Ridge Core Feb 11, 2000
- E5 Meeting immortals at Peacock Platform Core Feb 12, 2000
- E6 Buddha captures the Great Peng Core Feb 13, 2000
- E7 Heartbreak at Black Water River Core Feb 14, 2000
- E8 Capturing the Azure Bull Demon Core Feb 15, 2000
- E9 Praying for rain in Phoenix Immortal Prefecture Core Feb 16, 2000
- E10 Wreaking havoc in Fragrance Covered Hall Core Feb 17, 2000
- E11 A dead end becomes the way Core Feb 18, 2000
- E12 Shedding tears on Hidden Misty Mountain Core Feb 19, 2000
- E13 Rescuing children in a city Core Feb 20, 2000
- E14 Catching bandits in the land of bodhi Core Feb 21, 2000
- E15 Returning the soul of Benefactor Kou Mytharc Feb 22, 2000
- E16 Admiring lanterns in Jinping Prefecture Mytharc Feb 23, 2000
Frequently asked questions
What is the source material?
The series is adapted from a classical novel of the same title.
When was the series first broadcast?
The series was first broadcast on CCTV in China on 1 October 1986.
Are there multiple seasons?
Yes, the series includes a second season that was released in 1999.
What does the second season cover?
The second season covers portions of the original story that were not adapted in the first season.
How is the series viewed?
It is considered an instant classic in China and is praised as the most authentic interpretation of the novel.
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