D0151 - The Monkey King

Upper-Intermediate - The Monkey King (D0151)
A: 我们周末去打羽毛球吧。
Wǒmen zhōumò qù dǎ yǔmáoqiú ba.
Let’s go and play badminton this weekend.
B: 不行，我有很重要的事。
Bùxı́ng, wǒ yǒu hěn zhòngyào de shı̀.
Can’t do. I have something very important planned.
A: 有约会？
Yǒu yuēhuı̀?
You have a date?
B: 我要看《西游记》。
Wǒ yào kàn Xı̄yóujı̀ .
I am going to watch ”Journey to the West”.
A: 天哪！都重播过几百遍了。你还要看！
Tiānna! Dōu chóngbō guo jı̌bǎi biàn le. Nı̌ háiyào kàn!
My goodness! It’s been rerun hundreds of times. And you
still want to watch it!
Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

c Praxis Language Ltd.
1
B: 我最喜欢《西游记》了。小时候，我还不识
字，就迷上了《西游记》连环画。那个时候，
我的梦想就是跟唐僧、孙悟空他们一起去西天
取经。
Wǒ zuı̀ xı̌huan Xı̄yóujı̀ le. Xiǎoshı́hou, wǒ hái bù shı́zı̀,
jiù mı́shàng le Xı̄yóujı̀ liánhuánhuà. Nàge shı́hou, wǒ de
mèngxiǎng jiùshı̀ gēn Táng sēng, Sūn Wùkōng tāmen yı̄qı̌
qù xı̄tiān qǔjı̄ng.
‘Journey to the West’ is my favorite. When I was a kid
and couldn’t read yet, I loved looking at the picture book
version. Back then, my dream was to go with Tang Seng
and Sun Wukong on a pilgrimage to the Western Par-
adise.
A: 那倒是。每个人都喜欢这种天马行空的故事。
唐僧，孙悟空，沙和尚，猪八戒经过妖魔鬼
怪设计的八十一难，最后终于到西天取到了经
书。故事不但刺激，而且还激励人。
Nà dàoshı̀. Měigerén dōu xı̌huan zhèzhǒng tiānmǎxı́ng-
kōng de gùshi. Táng Sēng, Sūn Wùkōng, Shā héshang,
Zhū Bājiè jı̄ngguò yāomóguı̌guài shèjı̀ de bāshı́ yı̄ nàn,
zuı̀hòu zhōngyú dào xı̄tiān qǔdào le jı̄ngshū. Gùshi bù-
dàn cı̀jı̄, érqiě hái jı̄lı̀ rén.
True. Everyone is drawn to this kind of fantasy. Tang
Seng, Sun Wu Kong, Sha Heshang and Zhubajie over-
came 81 traps set by ghosts and demons to finally reach
the Western Paradise and acquire the sacred scripture.
Not only is the story fascinating, it’s inspiring too.

2
B: 还很搞笑呢。比如女儿国国王向唐僧逼婚的情
节。
Hái hěn gǎoxiào ne. Bı̌rú Nü
ǔérguó guówáng xiàng Táng
Sēng bı̄hūn de qı́ngjié.
It’s also pretty funny, like the plot where the Queen of the
Country of Woman forced Tang Seng to marry her.
A: 说到唐僧，我最不喜欢的就是他。孙悟空对他
忠心耿耿，他却老是不领情，还冤枉他，念紧
箍咒，让孙悟空吃了这么多苦。其实没有孙悟
空打妖怪，保护大家，他们四个人早“上西天
”了。
Shuōdào Táng sēng, wǒ zuı̀ bù xı̌huan de jiùshı̀ tā. Sūn
Wùkōng duı̀ tā zhōngxı̄ngěnggěng, tā què lǎoshi bù lı̌ng-
qı́ng, hái yuānwang tā, niàn jı̌ngūzhòu, ràng Sūn Wùkōng
chı̄ le zhème duō kǔ. Qı́shı́ méiyǒu Sūn Wùkōng dǎ yāo-
guài, bǎohù dàjiā, tāmen sı̀ ge rén zǎo”shàng xı̄tiān”le.
Speaking of Tang Seng, I hate him the most. Sun Wu
Kong treated him with complete loyalty. But Tang Seng
never acknowledged him. He always did him wrong and
recited the curse that would squeeze Sun Wu Kong’s
head in a metal vice. He put him through so much pain
and grief. If it weren’t for Su Wu Kong fighting the ghosts
and demons, the four of them would have died early on.

3
B: 完全同意。小时候，一到假期，电视台就会播
《西游记》的电视剧。虽然现在看，戏里的特
效简直可笑，但是它完全把原著的感觉拍出来
了。戏里每个演员都演活了，特别是六小龄童
扮演的孙悟空，没人能超越他。
Wánquán tóngyı̀. Xiǎoshı́hou, yı̄ dào jiàqı̄, diànshı̀tái jiù
huı̀ bō Xı̄yóujı̀ de diànshı̀jù. Suı̄rán xiànzài kàn, xı̀ lı̌ de
tèxiào jiǎnzhı́ kěxiào, dànshı̀ tā wánquán bǎ yuánzhù de
gǎnjué pāi chūlai le. Xı̀ lı̌ měige yǎnyuán dōu yǎn huó le,
tèbiéshı̀ Liùxiǎolı́ngtóng bànyǎn de Sūn Wùkōng, méirén
néng chāoyuè tā.
Totally agree. When I was young, every holiday, TV sta-
tions would air the TV series ’Journey to the West’. Al-
though the special effects seem laughable now, it re-
ally brought the original novel to life. Plus all the actors
played their parts brilliantly, especially Liu Xiaolingtong’s
Sun Wukong. He is unsurpassable.
A: 嗯，我也最喜欢他。孙悟空这个人物本身就是
最精彩的，幽默、聪明、而且特别讲义气。
Ng, wǒ yě zuı̀ xı̌huan tā. Sūn Wùkōng zhège rénwù běn-
shēn jiùshı̀ zuı̀ jı̄ngcǎi de, yōumò, cōngming, érqiě tèbié
jiǎngyı̀qi.
Yeah, he is my favorite too. Sun Wukong really stands out
from the rest of the characters in the story. He’s funny,
smart, and incredibly loyal.
B: 是啊，他是猴子和人最完美的结合。说到幽
默，你觉得周星驰的《大话西游》怎么样？

4
Shı̀ a, tā shı̀ hóuzi hé rén zuı̀ wánměi de jiéhé. Shuōdào
yōumò, nı̌ juéde Zhōu Xı̄ngchı́ de Dàhuàxı̄yóu zěnme-
yàng?
Totally. He is the perfect combination of monkey and hu-
man. Speaking of funny, do you like Stephen Chow’s
movie ’A Chinese Odyssey’?
A: 这部电影纯粹就是无厘头搞笑，没什么内容。
真不懂为什么这么多人喜欢。
Zhè bù diànyı̌ng chúncuı̀ jiùshı̀ wúlı́tóu gǎoxiào, méi
shénme nèiróng. Zhēn bù dǒng wèishénme zhème duō
rén xı̌huan.
The film is pure slapstick without much content. I really
don’t understand why so many people like it so much.
B: 周星驰的电影当然无厘头啦。我倒觉得这种颠
覆挺创新的。可以让年轻人了解、喜欢古典名
著。
Zhōu Xı̄ngchı́ de diànyı̌ng dāngrán wúlı́tóu la. wǒ dào jué-
de zhèzhǒng diānfù tı̌ng chuàngxı̄n de. Kěyı̌ ràng nián-
qı̄ngrén liǎojiě, xı̌huan gǔdiǎn mı́ngzhù.
It is a Stephen Chow film. Of course it is slapstick. But I
think this kind of spoof is quite innovative. It also allows
the young generation to get to know and fall in love with
literary classics.
A: 啊？了解、喜欢？明明是糟蹋。
Á? Liǎojiě, xı̌huan? Mı́ngmı́ng shı̀ zāota.

5
What? ’Get to know and fall in love with’? It is clearly
ruining them.
Key Vocabulary
台词 táicı́ dialogue script
取经 qǔjı̄ng to obtain the sacred texts
天马行空 tiānmǎxı́ngkōng powerful and unconstrained

style
忠心耿耿 zhōngxı̄ngěng- loyal and devoted

gěng
讲义气 jiǎng yı̀qi to have personal loyalty
后悔莫及 hòuhuı̌ mòjı́ too late to regret
纯粹 chúncuı̀ pure
颠覆 diānfù to subvert
创新 chuàngxı̄n to innovate
Supplementary Vocabulary

6
四大名著 sı̀dà mı́ngzhù the Four Chinese Classical
Novels
红楼梦 Hónglóumèng Dream of the Red Chamber
三国演义 Sānguóyǎnyı̀ Romance of the Three King-

doms
水浒传 Shuı̌hǔzhuàn The Water Margin
西游记 Xı̄yóujı̀ Journey to the West


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Upper-Intermediate - The Monkey King (D0151)

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

台词 táicı́ dialogue script

取经 qǔjı̄ng to obtain the sacred texts

天马行空 tiānmǎxı́ngkōng powerful and unconstrained

忠心耿耿 zhōngxı̄ngěng- loyal and devoted

讲义气 jiǎng yı̀qi to have personal loyalty

后悔莫及 hòuhuı̌ mòjı́ too late to regret

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

红楼梦 Hónglóumèng Dream of the Red Chamber

三国演义 Sānguóyǎnyı̀ Romance of the Three King-

水浒传 Shuı̌hǔzhuàn The Water Margin

西游记 Xı̄yóujı̀ Journey to the West

Visit the Online Review and Discussion (text version). 2007

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