Xi You Ji comes to Nepal
After China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and different European nations, China’s popular 34-year-old television series Xi You Ji (Journey To The West) has reached Nepal. Translated and dubbed in Nepali, Xi You Ji premiered here on May 18 at Hotel Himalaya, Kupondole in the presence of Liu Xiao Ling Tong, who plays the lead Monkey King in the drama.
This is an initiation of the Arniko Society. “To showcase history, culture and current affairs of China, we have chosen Xi You Ji to be aired in Nepal. This drama was very popular in France, Italy, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and China. It is entertaining for children to old,” informed Dr Sarbottam Shrestha, President of Arniko Society.
As per him, the series will be broadcast soon and half of the drama has been dubbed. However, the station from which it will be aired has not been confirmed.
Xi You Ji has been directed by Yang Jie and produced by China Television Production Center and CCTV. The series is based on a novel attributed to Wu Cheng’en in 16th Century during the Ming dynasty. It chronicles a travelling account of the legendary pilgrimage of Buddhist monk Xuanzang of the Tang dynasty to the western regions — Central Asia and India to obtain Buddhist sacred texts.
Actor Liu shared, “This drama, which was made 34 years ago, has been shown 3,000 times in China and it is still being aired on television, while it is believed that at least six billion people have watched it.”
Liu, who comes from the family of actors, added, “We — great grandfather, grandfather, father, and I — have been playing the characters of Money King through generations. And we were 11 siblings but we had more monkeys than siblings at home. So, I learned monkey’s activities through them.”
In one of episodes screened at the event, Monkey King and his master Monk Xuanzang fall into a trap in a monastery while they are on the quest to search for Buddhist sacred texts. Moreover, the mischievousness of Monkey King and supernatural powers of the monk are evident in it.
At the event Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Ananda Prasad Pokharel, said, “The monk Xuanzang is the second important person after Buddha, because he introduced Buddhism to the world which started from Nepal,” adding, “In the upcoming Buddha Jayanti, the government is planning to install Xuanzang’s statue in Lumbini.”
