Monkey King still weaving magic

Huai'an city has long been under the spell of the Monkey King. The historic city in northern Jiangsu province is the birthplace of Wu Cheng'en (1500-1582), author of the Chinese classic Journey to the West.

Earlier this month, Huai'an launched a six-month festival to celebrate Wu's life and works, an ambitious effort by the local government to put the city on the map as a tourist destination.

The events include a cultural workshop about Journey to the West, which will be attended by scholars from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, India and China; the premiere of Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West, the country's first 3-D TV serial; a national children's painting competition "My Monkey King"; and a variety of art exhibitions on Wu's life and works.