active 1573 Wugenzi

Wugenzi is listed by Project Gutenberg as an author active in 1573, but very little biographical information appears to survive. That makes the work itself the main way readers meet this author today.

Wugenzi is associated with Haiyouji, a Chinese novel later described in modern library and book records as a text connected to the lore of Chen Jinggu, a historical shaman priestess who became an important goddess in Fujian tradition. Those records note that the version used for modern translation was a 1753 reprint of what may be a Ming-dynasty novel.

Because the historical record is so thin, it is safest to think of Wugenzi as a scarcely documented early author whose name remains attached to a work that blends popular storytelling and religious tradition. For many modern listeners and readers, Journey of a Goddess has helped bring that older narrative to new audiences.