The novel is considered one of the four great classic novels of China and is loosely based on the pilgrimage of the monk Xuanzang in the 7th century to India to seek Buddhist sutras, and includes stories of the Monkey King and his companionship with Xuanzang. These stories were part of Chinese folklore before being popularized into the 100-chapter novel that we know today. The novel has become a popular cultural icon in China and has been adapted into various forms, including novels, television shows, movies, comics, and games.

The authorship of Journey to the West is uncertain, as the novel was first published anonymously, but it has been popularly attributed to Wu Cheng'en since a local newsletter article in 1625 from Wu's hometown claims so. Wu Cheng'en allegedly went against the classical Chinese trend of the time by writing his novel in vernacular Chinese, which was against the cultural rules of literature, resulting in the novel being published anonymously. Regardless of authorship, Wu has been recognized as the author of Journey to the West, and his name has become inextricably linked with the novel.

"Journey to the West", is about Sun Wukong, an immortal monkey demon, who gains great power through spiritual cultivation and rebels against heaven. However, he is banished to an earthly prison by the Buddha but later repents and becomes a Buddhist monk. He agrees to protect a priest on his journey to collect sutras from India.

The story begins with the impregnation of a boulder on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, which eventually hatches into a simian shape. The Stone Monkey, as he is called, becomes the king of the mountain for nearly four centuries until he realizes the fear of death. He sets sail on a makeshift raft to find the secrets of eternal life and becomes a student of the Buddho-Daoist sage Subodhi, who teaches him magical skills and martial arts. Sun returns to his island home and acquires a weapon, the "As-You-Wish" Gold-Banded Cudgel, which responds to his touch and grows or shrinks to his whim. He shows off his power to the demon kings of the seventy-two caves, but is dragged to the Chinese underworld of Diyu in chains by two psychopomps, where he learns that he is subject to the laws of heaven and that it is his time to die.

However, he fights back and scares the denizens of Diyu, gaining the admiration of the rulers of the underworld. In the later chapters of the novel, Sun Wukong and the priest encounter many obstacles on their journey, including demons and monsters, but they eventually reach their destination and return to China with the sutras. The passage also briefly mentions a lesser-known literary sequel to "Journey to the West".