Jeff Pepper

The travelers arrive at a tall mountain. An old man warns them that it's infested with thousands of man-eating demons but Sun Wukong ignores the warning. Soon they meet the three demon leaders: a blue-haired lion, an old yellow-tusked elephant, and a huge terrifying bird called Great Peng. The demons trap Sun Wukong in a magic jar but he escapes. Later the three disciples try but fail to defeat the three demons. Finally, with nowhere else to turn, Sun Wukong goes to Spirit Mountain to beg help from the Buddha himself.This is the 25th book in the best-selling Journey to the West series of stories for students learning to read Chinese. It is based on the events in Chapters 74 through 77 of the epic 16th century novel of the same name by Wu Chen'en. That novel was inspired by an actual journey by the Buddhist monk Tangseng, who traveled from Chang'an westward to India in 629 A.D. and returned seventeen years later with priceless knowledge and spiritual texts. Over the course of the book the four travelers face the 81 tribulations that Tangseng had to endure to attain Buddhahood.The first 25 books in the Journey to the West series have used a total of about 2000 different Chinese words, but only 890 words are used in this book. We introduce 17 new words in the book, each one defined on the page where it is first used. The book uses Traditional Chinese characters and includes pinyin, an English translation, and a full glossary. A free audiobook is available on YouTube's Imagin8 Press channel and on www.imagin8press.com.

In the beginning, the King of Shang was a good man...China, 1057 B.C. The well-meaning but foolish king of the Shang Dynasty has gravely insulted a goddess. In revenge, the angry goddess sends a thousand-year-old fox demon to extinguish the soul of the beautiful young Daji, inhabit her body, and seduce the king into taking her as his chief concubine. Daji slowly gains control of the king and his kingdom, leading the Shang Dynasty towards chaos and disaster. But gods and demons are all watching closely and try to take matters into their own hands.This book is based on The Investiture of the Gods, one of the most famous novels in classic Chinese literature. It is a gripping tale of powerful gods, scheming mortals and epic battles, but it also explores the dilemma faced by loyal government officials who must choose between their country and its corrupt leader.The Investiture of the Gods was originally written in the 16th century by Xu Zhonglin but has never been translated in full by a native English speaker. Now best-selling author Jeff Pepper has retold the story in contemporary language for modern readers, making it readable while preserving all the core elements of this dramatic story.This book is not a literal translation of the 2,000-page original novel. It's a retelling of the story in contemporary language, including all key events and major characters and written in a style that makes it accessible to readers of all ages.=======================================A GUIDE TO DIFFERENT FORMATS=======================================Our Last King of Shang books, a retelling of the classic novel The Investiture of the Gods, are available in several different formats, depending on what you're looking for. They are listed below. You can find more information about each of these books at www.imagin8press.com.The Last King of Shang -- in EnglishAvailable in: paperback and ebookThe Last King of Shang -- in Simplified ChineseAvailable in: paperback and ebookThe Last King of Shang -- in Simplified Chinese, pinyin and EnglishAvailable in: oversized hardcover ("coffee table" size) and ebookThe Last King of Shang -- audiobook - in spoken ChineseThe Last King of Shang, Books 1 through 6 - a series of six paperbacks, in Simplified Chinese, pinyin and EnglishAvailable in: paperback and ebookInvestiture of the Gods, Books 1 and 2 - a series of two paperbacks, in EnglishAvailable in paperback and ebook

The Last King of Shang is a retelling, in modern Simplified Chinese, of the classic novel Investiture of the Gods. It's a gripping story set in ancient China, weaving together mythology, magic, and heroism. It is a story of the rise and fall of powerful gods and mortals amidst a backdrop of political intrigue and celestial conflict. Seduced by Daji, his beautiful fox demon concubine, the Shang king brings his kingdom to the brink of ruin through cruelty and neglect. A group of rebels led by the enigmatic Jiang Ziya seeks to restore balance and justice to the kingdom. With the help of nobles, warriors and immortals, they battle the king's forces while the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Alliances shift and destinies intertwine as the line between good and evil blurs. Will the rebels succeed in their quest to overthrow the corrupt tyrant and usher in a new era of peace? A rich tapestry of adventure and philosophy, The Last King of Shang explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness.This book covers all the events in the original 16th century novel but is written using a limited vocabulary suitable for people learning to reach Chinese. An audiobook version is available on Audible, YouTube, and the Imagin8 Press website.

The Last King of Shang is a retelling, in modern Simplified Chinese, of the classic novel Investiture of the Gods. It's a gripping story set in ancient China, weaving together mythology, magic, and heroism. It is a story of the rise and fall of powerful gods and mortals amidst a backdrop of political intrigue and celestial conflict. Seduced by Daji, his beautiful fox demon concubine, the Shang king brings his kingdom to the brink of ruin through cruelty and neglect. A group of rebels led by the enigmatic Jiang Ziya seeks to restore balance and justice to the kingdom. With the help of nobles, warriors and immortals, they battle the king's forces while the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Alliances shift and destinies intertwine as the line between good and evil blurs. Will the rebels succeed in their quest to overthrow the corrupt tyrant and usher in a new era of peace? A rich tapestry of adventure and philosophy, The Last King of Shang explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness.This book covers all the events in the original 16th century novel but is written using a limited vocabulary suitable for people learning to reach Chinese. An audiobook version is available on Audible.com, YouTube, and the Imagin8 Press website.

A long, long time ago, in a magical version of ancient China, an island called Aolai stood in the sea like a king in his palace. In the center of the island was Flower Fruit Mountain, and at the very top of the mountain was a large stone, as tall as six men. The stone was made pregnant by heaven and earth, and one day the wind blew over the egg and it cracked open. A little stone monkey emerged. He opened his eyes, and two beams of light shot up to heaven. The Jade Emperor on his throne saw the beams of light but he did not interfere.The little stone monkey grew up to be Sun Wukong, the Monkey King.Written in China over 400 years ago, Journey to the West is the ultimate tale of adventure, magic, and myth, perfect for fans of action-packed video games inspired by the story. Join the mischievous Monkey King, Sun Wukong, as he battles demons, gods, and mythical creatures using incredible powers and martial arts. Alongside his companions-the Buddhist monk Sanzang, the lustful pig-man Zhu Bajie, and the disgraced celestial general Sha Wujing-they embark on a perilous quest to retrieve sacred scriptures. Filled with epic battles, transformations, and divine interventions, Journey to the West delivers the same thrilling, immersive world you've experienced in the video game, but with deeper lore and timeless lessons.This book is not a literal translation of the 2,000-page original novel. It's a retelling of the story in contemporary language, including all key events and major characters and written in a style that makes it accessible to readers of all ages.Jeff Pepper has written dozens of books about Chinese language and culture, and has founded and led several successful software companies including one that became publicly traded. He has a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Carnegie-Mellon University, where he taught computer programming. He holds two U.S. patents.The authors and the publisher are not affiliated with Game Science, the publisher of the video game Black Myth: Wukong.

Jiang Ziya unites the Zhou rebels and leads them in a series of epic battles as they struggle to overthrow the corrupt Shang dynasty. Facing formidable foes, powerful magic and deadly traps, they find themselves allied with legendary immortals like Laozi, the founder of Daoism. Heaven and earth clash, and the fate of the human world hangs in the balance.This book, the fifth in the series, is based on chapters 68 through 84 of the legendary Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods. It is a compelling tale of honor, ambition, and divine struggles, with rich storytelling and vivid imagery. This high-stakes saga explores the clash between gods and humans, and the painful dilemmas of those who must choose between loyalty to the king and their own honor.Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang have retold this epic story to make it accessible to Chinese readers of all levels, using a limited vocabulary, simpler sentences, and fewer proper nouns. Each page of Simplified Chinese is also shown in phonetic pinyin. Words not included in the HSK4 list of commonly used words are defined where they first appear. A full English translation and glossary are included in the back of the book. A free audiobook is available on YouTube.Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang are co-authors of dozens of popular books for English-speaking people learning Chinese language and culture, including the 31-volume Journey to the West series, and innovative translations of the Dao De Jing, Art of War, and San Zi Jing. Their books are available at www.imagin8press.com and from most online booksellers.

The story of Mulan, the young girl who joins the army to save her family and her country, is at least 1500 years old. Over the centuries, it has inspired dozens of poems, plays, novels, songs, and more recently, graphic novels, TV shows and films. The details of the story vary, but the core is always the same: a young girl living with her family in a small Chinese village learns that the army requires each family to contribute one man to fight invaders from the North. To save her elderly father she disguises herself as a young man and enlists in the army; she excels at fighting, strategy and leadership and rises through the ranks; the war ends successfully; she is recognized as a hero and is offered rewards by the Emperor; she declines the rewards and humbly chooses to return to her family and take up the traditional life of a village woman.This wonderful little book consists of just 30 six-line verses, and lets beginning students enjoy a great story while also learning to read Simplified Chinese. It uses a minimal vocabulary of just 233 words, using fewer than 300 different characters. Proper nouns are underlined, and new words that are not in the HSK3 standard vocabulary are defined on the page where they first appear. Each page of Chinese also contains a pinyin (romanized spelling) version. This gives an assist to beginning readers by letting them sound out the words instead of having to recognize each character in the main text. The pinyin is also useful for looking up word definitions in the glossary. There is an English translation at the end, and a free audiobook is available on the YouTube Imagin8 Press channel and on www.imagin8press.com.Jeff Pepper is President and CEO of Imagin8 Press, and has written dozens of books about Chinese language and culture. Over his thirty-five year career he has founded and led several successful computer software firms, including one that became a publicly traded company. He's authored two software related books and was awarded three U.S. software patents.

The story of Mulan, the young girl who joins the army to save her family and her country, is at least 1500 years old. Over the centuries, it has inspired dozens of poems, plays, novels, songs, and more recently, graphic novels, TV shows and films. The details of the story vary, but the core is always the same: a young girl living with her family in a small Chinese village learns that the army requires each family to contribute one man to fight invaders from the North. To save her elderly father she disguises herself as a young man and enlists in the army; she excels at fighting, strategy and leadership and rises through the ranks; the war ends successfully; she is recognized as a hero and is offered rewards by the Emperor; she declines the rewards and humbly chooses to return to her family and take up the traditional life of a village woman.This wonderful little book consists of just 30 six-line verses, and lets beginning students enjoy a great story while also learning to read Traditional Chinese. It uses a minimal vocabulary of just 233 words, using fewer than 300 different characters. Proper nouns are underlined, and new words that are not in the HSK3 standard vocabulary are defined on the page where they first appear. Each page of Chinese also contains a pinyin (romanized spelling) version. This gives an assist to beginning readers by letting them sound out the words instead of having to recognize each character in the main text. The pinyin is also useful for looking up word definitions in the glossary. There is an English translation at the end, and a free audiobook is available on the YouTube Imagin8 Press channel and on www.imagin8press.com.

The corrupt king of Shang continues his siege of West Qi City. His forces camp outside the city gates and send powerful generals and terrifying sorcerers into battle. All are defeated by the rebel Zhou army led by Jiang Ziya. But then the two sons of the king arrive, tricked by a devious magician into fighting on their evil father's side.This book, the fourth in the series, is based on chapters 51 through 67 of the legendary Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods. It is a compelling tale of honor, ambition, and divine struggles, with rich storytelling and vivid imagery. This high-stakes saga explores the clash between gods and humans, and the painful dilemmas of those who must choose between loyalty to the king and their own honor.Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang have retold this epic story to make it accessible to Chinese readers of all levels, using a limited vocabulary, simpler sentences, and fewer proper nouns. Each page of Simplified Chinese is also shown in phonetic pinyin. Words not included in the HSK4 list of commonly used words are defined where they first appear. A full English translation and glossary are included in the back of the book. A free audiobook is available on YouTube.Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang are co-authors of dozens of popular books for English-speaking people learning Chinese language and culture, including the 31-volume Journey to the West series, and innovative translations of the Dao De Jing, Art of War, and San Zi Jing. Their books are available at www.imagin8press.com and from most online booksellers.

In the waning days of the Shang dynasty in ancient China, an epic battle begins between forces loyal to the corrupt Shang king and the rebels of West Qi. The leader of the Shang army, Grand Tutor Wen, desperately recruits a host of demons, immortals and Daoist magicians to his side. They build ten magic traps to ensnare the West Qi rebels. But the legendary Jiang Ziya, aided by Nezha and the immortals of Mount Kunlun, use deception, magic and raw strength to disable the traps and lead a counterattack against the king's forces.This book, the third in the series, is based on chapters 35 through 50 of The Investiture of the Gods. It is a compelling tale of honor, ambition, and divine struggles, with rich storytelling and vivid imagery. This high-stakes saga explores the clash between gods and humans, and the trials of those who must choose between loyalty to the king and their own honor.Best-selling authors Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang have retold this epic story to make it accessible to Chinese readers of all levels, using a limited vocabulary, simpler sentences, and fewer proper nouns. Each page of Simplified Chinese is also shown in phonetic pinyin. Words not included in the HSK4 list of commonly used words are defined where they first appear. A full English translation and glossary are included in the back of the book. A free audiobook is available on YouTube.Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang are co-authors of dozens of popular books for English-speaking people learning Chinese language and culture, including the 31-volume Journey to the West series, and innovative translations of the Dao De Jing, Art of War, and San Zi Jing. Their books are available at www.imagin8press.com and from most online booksellers.e waning