Wu Cheng’en

Also known as Ruzhong, Wu Cheng’en was a Chinese novelist, poet, and politician during the Ming Dynasty in the 1500s. He is widely considered to be the original author of the Journey to the West novel, although it was originally published anonymously in 1592. While he was known for some creative writing and poetry, fantasy fiction such as Journey was at the time considered “vulgar” and not true literature, unlike the classical works of previous dynasties. It wasn’t until centuries later that textual analysis of works from that period was studied, along with reports from his hometown, suggesting that he might in fact be the original author. His use of local vernacular instead of classical Chinese, as well as the familiar “defiant spirit” of his other writings, has led most scholars to conclude that he is the most likely author of this legendary classic.