Collectively known as the Four Great Classical Novels (四大名著, sì dà míng zhù), Journey to the West, Outlaws of the Marsh, Dream of the Red Chamber, and Romance of Three Kingdoms are cornerstones of classical Chinese literature, and have enthralled and delighted readers for centuries. They are considered must-read texts for scholars, and really anyone that is interested in better understanding Chinese culture and language.

However, the language in the books, which is mostly classical Chinese (文言文, wén yán wén), requires very strong reading skills and can be challenging even for some native speakers, let alone those learning it as a foreign language.

So what's a xué shēng to do? Luckily, all four of these classics have been adapted into cartoon versions aimed at a younger audience, with simplified and relatively easy-to-understand dialogue. Whether you're a child or just a child-at-heart, watching these cartoons is a great way for Mandarin learners to access these Chinese classics in a fun, entertaining way.

Journey to the West (《西游記》, Xī yóu jì)

Journey to the West tells the story of the legendary pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang as he travels westward from China into to central Asia and India. Set during the Tang dynasty (唐朝, táng cháo) (618-907), the story is filled with trials and tribulations, which Xuanzang – accompanied by his three protectors, including the most famous of all, 'Monkey King' – must overcome. The book has been adapted into numerous movies and TV series (電視連續(xù)劇, diàn shì lián xù jù). This cartoon has 52 episodes in total, each of which lasts for 20 minutes.