Classic Chinese Stories, Retold in English
A PODCAST BY JOHN ZHU
There are Chinese novels, stories, myths, and legends that have been read, told, retold, and cherished by billions of people for centuries. Their influence on Chinese and other Eastern cultures is the equal of Shakespearean plays and Homeric epics in the West, yet large swaths of the world are unaware of these amazing works. I try to help change that by retelling these classic Chinese tales in podcast format, in English, and with the necessary background information to help non-Chinese audiences understand and appreciate them.
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Latest Episodes
Journey 013: I Shalt Not Kill?
Sun Wukong and his new master have a difference of opinion on when it’s ok for a Buddhist monk to spill someone’s brains and loot their clothes.
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Journey Supplemental 003: Body Snatchers
All’s well that ends well, except for the princess whose soul gets dragged out of her mortal coil and hustled off to hell.
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Journey 012: Demons, Tigers, Monkeys, Oh My
Everybody kept telling me how dangerous the journey to the West was, but seriously how bad can it possibly … oh my god what are those things and what are they doing to my men?!!!
Read moreStories I Have Covered
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
The most revered of China’s four great classic novels. Think “Game of Thrones” meets Homeric epic. (Completed, 2014-2018, 175 episodes)
Water Margin (Outlaws of the Marsh)
Another of the four great Chinese classic novels. Imagine Klingons run amok in 12th-century China. (Completed, 2019-2022, 141 episodes)
Investiture of the Gods
A leading work in the “gods and demons” genre of Chinese fiction. A tale of dynastic struggles and Daoist mafia wars. (Completed, 2022-2024, 91 episodes)
Journey to the West
A monkey, a pig, and a hairy guy walk into a bar … errrr, a Buddhist temple in this beloved tale where Zen wisdom meets simian shenanigans. (Ongoing, 2025-present)
What Listeners Are Saying
Reviews from Apple Podcasts
It’s partly an audiobook, partly a history lesson, and great in how it handles both.
This guy tells this story so well with just the right amount of western humor and sarcasm …
The beauty of John Zhu’s work here is that he explains in detail what warrants clarification, elides the extras, and brings his enthusiasm for the work right to the fore.
He has managed to light the same fire within me as when my father read me The Hobbit for the first time as a child.
The host is charismatic and entertaining while the story itself is engrossing.
The source material is wonderful, but the retelling for a contemporary Western audience is really just amazing …
He’s got a great storytelling style and his side commentary on the story is great and occasionally has me actually laugh out loud.
His podcasts are entertaining and true to the tone of the original story. He has a real talent for making Chinese stories accessible to a western audience.
Anyone from ages 6 to 600 would enjoy his retelling of this incredible story.
What a great way to dive into Chinese culture and history! A truly masterful presentation!
I love John Zhu’s infectious enthusiasm for the subject matter and his meticulous attention to detail.
His podcasts are entertaining and true to the tone of the original story. He has a real talent for making Chinese stories accessible to a western audience.
Support the Show
Buy a Three Kingdoms or Water Margin poster
I’ve designed posters that give quick overviews of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin. You can purchase print-quality PDFs in my Patreon store and use them to order prints from an online printshop.
Buy postersOther ways to support the show
Three Kingdoms poster
Water Margin poster
Lego legends
To accompany my podcast episodes, I’ve created Lego scenes depicting many of the memorable moments from the stories. Check them out.
Three Kingdoms Legos (PDF)Water Margin Legos (PDF)