吴承恩

Wu Cheng'en (c. 1500–1582) was a Chinese novelist and poet of the Ming dynasty, born in Huai'an, Jiangsu. He spent much of his life as a scholar-official, though he never achieved high rank. His enduring fame rests on the novel Journey to the West, which he is credited with writing. The novel, a fictionalized account of the Tang monk Xuanzang's pilgrimage to India, features the mischievous Monkey King Sun Wukong and blends adventure, satire, and Buddhist allegory. Journey to the West became one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, influencing countless adaptations in opera, film, and television. Wu's other writings, including poetry and short stories, are less known, but his masterpiece has secured his place as a foundational figure in Chinese fiction.