Wu Cheng'en (c.1506-1582), courtesy name Ruzhong (汝忠), was a Chinese novelist and poet of the Huai'an, Ming Dynasty, and is considered by many to be the author of Journey to the West. He was born out of season and lived a turbulent life and has experienced many difficulties in the world. However, 400 years after he passed away, his graveyard, bones and some of his inscriptions were found. Now, the former residence of Wu Chengen has been rebuilt in Dadong Lane, Hexia Town, Chuzhou District, Huai'an China, as well as the graveyard. When he was young, Wu was fond of listening to stories about the water goblin of the Huaihe River and Sangha. After middle age, he began to compose hundreds of novel Journey to the West by combining stories of monk Tang Sanzang with legends, Buddhist and Taoist classics, folk stories and local anecdotes of Huai'an. When it came out, it was praised as one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature and also a treasure in the world. He took the imperial examinations several times in attempt to become a mandarin, or imperial official, but never passed, and did not gain entry into the imperial university in Nanjing until middle age; after that he did become an official and had postings in both Beijing and Changxing County, but he did not enjoy his work, and eventually resigned. Wu Fengmao--Wu Cheng'en's first wife, with her, they had a son. Owing to Feng Mao's premature death, Wu finally married Ms. Niu.
The head sculpture in the middle of the hall was restored by Jia Lanpo, a renowned expert of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology Chinese Academy of Sciences, that is, the expert who joined excavations of Peking Man, according to Wu Cheng'en's skull and the dress of Ming Dynasty, scientifically reproduced the appearance of Wu Cheng'en in his lifetime and the statues of cultural celebrities in many ancient China history. And only Wu was created on the basis of the restoration of the skull of the deceased rather than imagination.
Look at Wu, his facial muscles are slackness, but his spirit is bright. A thoughtful and solemn mien shows his stubborn and a spirit of fighting with the secular world; The way he focus, as if he has entered the fantasy world, roaming with his characters.
