Journey to the West (《西游记》, Xīyóujì) by Wu Cheng'en (吴承恩, Wú Chéng'ēn, 1506-1582) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels (Heroes of the Marshes, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Dream of the Red Chamber) of Chinese literature, originally published in the 1590s during the Ming Dynasty.

The novel is a fictionalized account of legends around a group's pilgrimage to India during the Tang Dynasty in order to obtain Buddhist religious texts. The task is given to the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (玄奘, Xuánzàng, 602-664) and his three protectors - Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, together with a dragon prince who acts as Xuanzang's horse. These four characters agree to help Xuanzang as compensation for their past sins. Sun Wukong (Monkey King) was the most popular figure, known to have incredible strength, being able to lift his 13,500 jin (6,750 kg) weapon Ruyi Jingu Bang with ease. He also has super speed, traveling 108,000 li (54,000 kilometers) in a single leap. Sun knows 72 transformations, which allows him to transform into various animals and objects.

The novel has a strong background in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and value systems. It is not only a first-rate adventure story but an extended story in which the group of pilgrims journeying toward India stands for the individual journeying toward enlightenment.