Monkey King gets moving on paper

Havoc in Heaven, a pop-up book about the Monkey King. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Havoc in Heaven, the first large pop-up book inspired by Journey to the West, hits the shelves. Mei Jia reports.

A work that embodies the spirit of craftsmanship, Havoc in Heaven is the first large pop-up book that has the much-loved Monkey King story from an ancient Chinese classic going 3-D on paper.

The book, which has been on the market since November, is not only being appreciated by young Chinese readers who see the book at fairs or other events, but it is also gaining attention and copyright requests from publishers overseas.

Alizee Dabert, the foreign rights manager at Gallimard Jeunesse and the publisher of the pop-up Le Petit Prince, says she is very optimistic about the global market potential of the pop-up version of Journey to the West.

"It's a well-known and important story, popular among Chinese kids as well as adults. And its paper-art design is remarkable," says Dabert.

The book features six scenes from the story－including the birth of the Monkey King from a rock, his enthronement as the leader of the monkeys and his combat with the emperor of heaven.

The latest publication is based on an award-winning cartoon film released by Shanghai Animation Film Studio in 1964.