'Journey to the West'comic book series inks English co-publishing deal

An ongoing book fair in Beijing has seen a surge in copyright deals between Chinese publishers and their international counterparts, underscoring a concerted push to bring Chinese literature to global readers – and the world's stories to China.

Among the deals inked by the Hebei Publishing & Media Group with publishers from Pakistan, Uzbekistan and beyond, one stood out: Earlier this week, the group's Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House signed a co-publishing agreement for the English edition of its acclaimed comic-book adaptation of Journey to the West, one of China's most cherished literary classics.

The English translation is led by Professor Peng Ping of Beijing Foreign Studies University. According to Peng, the translation has undergone multiple rounds of refinement to ensure both linguistic accuracy and cultural authenticity. She noted that Journey to the West embodies important Chinese values, including Confucian concepts such as benevolence, propriety, loyalty and trustworthiness, while also depicting traditional customs and festivals, including Lantern Festival, temple fairs, and dragon boat races.

Peng said the English edition will not only help overseas readers better understand Chinese literature and culture, but also serve as a valuable resource for Chinese readers seeking to improve their English language skills.

The comic-book version of Journey to the West traces its origins to a national publishing project launched in the 1950s to adapt China's Four Great Classical Novels into illustrated stories. Hebei People's Fine Arts Publishing House, now the Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House, was entrusted with creating the Journey to the West series. Refined and passed down over more than seven decades, the work has been hailed as one of the finest illustrated adaptations of the classic ever produced.

The project marks another major step in the international journey of the series, following the successful release of its French edition in Europe.

The 32nd Beijing International Book Fair runs through June 21.