I had read another book by Hesse before this - Knulp. The present book under review shares the same trait as the earlier one. Namely, the book is rather 'dull'. I mean the plot isn't that captivating to keep the reader on tenterhooks. Instead, the plot progresses at its own rhythm and Hesse desires the reader to read between the lines.

Consequently, a reader can gain many insights from it. I have gained one and by sharing it, I will conclude my review.

Hesse must have been tormented by a question: What is the meaning of life? In Knulp, Hesse simply stated that one must discover the meaning of one's life before it ends and that would be salvation. Here in The Journey To The East, Hesse endeavors even further to objectively determine the meaning of human life. He enlists the spiritual traditions of both the East and the West. And the answer归结到Genesis的第一卷（至少在我看来）。Genesis 1: 27 reads thus: "And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Man is called to live up to that calling. That is, he must recognize that he is created in the image of God and live accordingly. As God loves everyone, he must love God and everyone. For everyone is an image of God. This seemingly simple calling may be impeded by our own image (ego). The ego seeks its own satisfaction, which is not lasting. To be willing to transcend our image (ego) and to be willing to be the image of God is the source of our true happiness. God must increase and we must decrease.

If one interprets it from the Indian perspective, it would be like saying the following: the Atman should realize that it is the Brahman. Hesse might have been influenced by Vedanta philosophy.

The book was good.

However, it was one of those books that required 100% of the reader's attention.

It had a complex plot and deep characters that demanded careful consideration.

The author's writing style was engaging, but it also required the reader to think deeply about the themes and ideas presented.

Despite the challenges, reading this book was a rewarding experience.

It made me think about things in a new way and expanded my understanding of the world.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking read.

The book was amazing and wonderful.

While reading it, I felt a kind of excitement and enthusiasm within myself!

It was something like a presence without presence :))))

It was as if the words on the pages were alive, breathing, and pulling me into their world.

The story was so captivating that I couldn't put the book down.

Every turn of the page brought new surprises and emotions.

I was completely immersed in the narrative, experiencing the characters' joys and sorrows as if they were my own.

This book truly had a magical charm that left a lasting impression on me.

I can't wait to share this wonderful reading experience with others.

In 1946, the Nobel laureate in literature, Hermann Hesse, was a novelist. His novel "Journey to the East" is like that. Hesse had a kind of fetish for the East. Here, Hesse heard about the capture of a religious group, whose members included Plato, Mozart, Pythagoras, Don Quixote, Boots in the Boots, Tristram Shandy (the central character in Laurence Sterne's novel), the French poet Baudelaire... and many more. There are also some of Hesse's own fictional characters. That is to say, it can be said that it is a "intellectual" league of extraordinary gentlemen. So this whole café (of the world?) has started a journey in the eastern part of the world in search of the "ultimate truth". If a poor man's horse gets sick, does a rich man get lice? If not, why did Hesse, who was accustomed to the comfortable and luxurious life in the well-arranged and well-decorated Western rich countries, think that to achieve liberation of the soul, one has to go to the East, where people have known since ancient times that the eastern part of the world (especially our subcontinent region, which is very likely the destination of Hesse's pilgrimage) has always been extremely disaster-prone and has a historically higher number of stomachs compared to food supplies, so the area is full of beggars, cheats and extremely intolerant people religiously? In the 1970s and 1980s, many Indian fake gurus, mysticism, spirituality, Indian yoga, etc. were sold by the thousands to white people's minds with empty words, and most of their names are now involved in multiple frauds and exploitation cases (one of the top gurus of these fake spiritual people who sold snake oil is Osho, and there is still a business of crores of rupees in his name today). After several decades have passed and after paying a much higher price, the happy white people in Western countries have now realized that the main quality of these dark-skinned people in the East is not spirituality, but small-mindedness, cheating and the business of fraud. A decade before writing this book, Hesse had written another famous bullshit novel "Siddhartha". "Siddhartha" is in itself a very low-quality book, but when compared with "Journey to the East", it will be considered the best book in the world! It seems that during the ten-year period between writing "Siddhartha" and "Journey to the East", Hesse's obsession with the East has turned into a regular mental illness. We do not always believe that the brains of Nobel laureates play a few times more than our common people. Hesse, who is completely immersed in the East fetish, seems to be like ten semi-educated and culturally backward ghosts to us; we cannot find the special difference between him and us barbaric subcontinent people. Maybe many people, knowing the plot of Hesse's book or reading the whole book, can call it nonsense, but I can't say that. I respect many of those who enjoy marijuana as my gurus! Among my favorite people who are on the list of famous marijuana smokers are Carl Sagan, Snoop Dogg, Brad Pitt, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Richard Feynman, Shakespeare, Philip K. Dick, Keith Richards, David Bowie, George Harrison, Quentin Tarantino, Matthew McConaughey... If we call Hesse's novel nonsense, it will be an insult to marijuana, or maybe our favorite people can't be sure about that!

I have delved into numerous books penned by many great minds. There are Sartre, Camus, Dostoevsky, Nabokov, Ayn Rand and others. In their writings, I encounter an inner struggle as I strive to uncover the diverse aspects of truth. Their works both disturb and inspire us. They confound us about ourselves and make us question. Moreover, they impel us on a journey of self-exploration.

However, reading Hesse is a distinct experience. When I engage with his works, I don't feel as if I'm reading a literary virtuoso or a philosopher. Instead, I feel as if I'm in the company of a saint. A man who has personally experienced the truth. For me, he reveals the disparity between intellectualism and sainthood.

My initial encounter with Hesse was through the book "Siddhartha", which I firmly believe is a must-read for everyone. With "Demian" (his debut novel), I discerned his intention of self-discovery. "Narcissus and Goldmund" offers a perfect illustration of his profundity regarding the subject of the mind and heart.

"Journey to the East" showcases his perspective on oriental philosophy. This book is more of a metaphysical symbolism rather than a spiritual adventure. The plot involves a group of highly intellectual individuals embarking on a journey through both space and time. That's why you'll find Plato, Mozart, and Don Quixote in the same league as the protagonist, who goes by the name HH (could it be Hermann Hesse?). As they journey towards the East in search of the ultimate truth, the team gradually disintegrates due to individual differences. Towards the end, when the self-deprecating HH discovers the truth, he is more than just amazed....

This book should not be regarded as an introduction to Hesse (even though its small size might be tempting to take the risk).

There can be many philosophical comments related to the book as it has become a very suitable book for this. Human psychology, the feeling of alienation, error, denial, acceptance... All of them come out in front of the reader on this journey and as the reader tries to interpret what they have read in their own way... Such a "ending" comes that at that moment, you understand how skillful an author you have read. The associations made with the things in the text are wonderful in the end, and the end of each book has not given me pleasure in the same way. Frankly, I couldn't prevent my hair from standing on end when reading that ending. "I'm glad I read it." is what I said.

The book seems to have a profound impact on the reader, delving into various aspects of the human psyche and emotions. It takes the reader on a journey where they encounter different themes and try to make sense of them. The ending, in particular, seems to be a powerful moment that leaves a lasting impression. It makes the reader realize the skill of the author and the beauty of the associations made within the text. Overall, the experience of reading this book seems to be a memorable one, filled with moments of reflection and emotional response.

Seeking Enlightenment does not come with participation trophies. This is an unwavering fact that underlies the seemingly tragic events in "The Journey to the East."

People may abandon the pursuit of that journey for numerous reasons.

Even when I read this novel in 1968, this aspect of spiritual life made sense to me. Now, as an Enlightenment teacher, my understanding has become more refined.

Ever since 1968, Hermann Hesse has been my favorite novelist. Among his works, "Magister Ludi," also known as "The Glass Bead Game," is my absolute favorite. However, "The Journey to the East" is a close second.

Other Goodreaders who have read "Magister Ludi" may remember how Hesse frequently references the Journey to the East. Personally, I like to think of it as "East Meets West." (This could be a topic for future discussions, perhaps even on my personal blog.)

Bottom Line

I渴望更深入地了解这两本伟大的书籍。今天，为了纪念这段旅程，我要为自己在Goodreads上创建一个新的书架：重读之书。

P.S. 作为一名精神导师，我坚信寻求启蒙并非轻而易举。然而，需要注意的是：

由于精神进化的旅程贯穿于每个灵魂的多次转世，所以，嘿！无论何时，我们都可以不断成长。

在每个灵魂精神进化的迭代和累积过程中，我们每个人都可以在每一生中获胜。

As the fourth book that I read from Herman Hesse, unfortunately, it didn't touch my heart as expected.

The book has a good and straightforward story, but the text of the book and its translation are so complicated and difficult to read. As one of my friends said, it confuses the reader from the storyline and sometimes makes one's heart heavy.

Of course, I knew this book better than Siddhartha, and I was able to establish a better connection with it and had more focus when reading it.

However, in terms of complexity and the layers of the story, Siddhartha was a deeper book. This book, on the other hand, didn't have much depth and could be read with relatively less focus.

Overall, I don't know at what level I want to give a negative critique. In the end, I can only say that I didn't like it, but the book is not a bad one.

The main score of the book is two and a half out of five, but due to a short story added at the end of the book, I increase the score to three stars.

*Besides the main story, a short story of about twenty-something pages is also placed at the end of the book, which may or may not be related to the main story! All in all, Herman Hesse's works are like this, and I can't write about them with certainty! :))

Go and read it yourself! That's all. :))

Books are a kind of step in the path of tariqat and sharia. He clearly started it in his mind along with personalities like Mozart and naming them might initially be an indication of his charisma and his own connection with the circle also speaks of it. And after a while, with the departure of one of the important members of the circle, despite the mathematics they had drawn towards expansion, differences and dispersions occurred. And while they had not yet completed the path, they found themselves numbered and tried to explain and reveal the events of the circle. But they were not successful and even lost their own connection with the circle.

They again made efforts to join the circle for a long time and faced many difficulties. And finally, with the events that took place between them and the circle members on the path, they reached the belief that the path of tariqat is only by sacrificing oneself and dissolving in the circle. And when they purified themselves of their existence, they gained vision. And in the last chapter, it shows how this purified council of circle members sees others in comparison to before purification and how they perceive new colors, sounds, beauties, etc. and shows that there were other existences and they reached them.

Perhaps for us Easterners who have an ocean of theoretical and practical knowledge, it may not be very deep and advanced. But the gaze of the circle from the Western perspective is not empty of grace.

"Stanę wtedy na raz ze słońcem twarzą w twarz" by Maanam

This phrase holds a profound meaning for me. It seems to capture the essence and idea of a particular book with great accuracy.

When I read this line, it creates a vivid image in my mind. I can envision a moment when one stands directly in front of the sun, facing it without any hesitation or fear.

Perhaps it symbolizes a moment of confrontation, a time when one must face the truth or a difficult situation head-on.

The simplicity of the words belies the depth of the concept they convey. It makes me wonder what the author was trying to express through this powerful imagery.

Overall, this phrase has left a lasting impression on me and has made me eager to explore the book further to understand the full context and significance of this idea.

**Die Morgenlandfahrt = The Journey to the East, Hermann Hesse**

Journey to the East is a captivating short novel by the renowned German author Hermann Hesse. First published in German in 1932 as "Die Morgenlandfahrt", it followed closely after his highly successful international work, Narcissus and Goldmund.

The story is told from the perspective of a man named "H. H." who becomes a member of "The League", a timeless religious sect. The members of this sect include a diverse range of famous fictional and real characters such as Plato, Mozart, Pythagoras, Paul Klee, Don Quixote, Puss in Boots, Tristram Shandy, Baudelaire, Goldmund (from Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund), the artist Klingsor (from Hesse's Klingsor's Last Summer), and the ferryman Vasudeva (from Hesse's Siddhartha).
A branch of the group undertakes a pilgrimage to "the East" in search of the "ultimate Truth". The narrator describes traveling through both time and space, across both imaginary and real geographies. This journey is a fascinating exploration that takes the reader from the real world to the imaginary world, delving into the subtleties of the human soul.
Presented in the form of "Romanticism", the main focus of this story is the discovery of the subtleties of the human soul. However, it cannot be simply considered a philosophical work. The mystical search within the story is not based on reason and logic due to its instability. In fact, the story ends by reminding us that in the pursuit of truth, without a proper guide or reason, one cannot reach the goal, and all efforts may be in vain.
The evidence of this can be found in Iranian mysticism, which is reminiscent of the accepted rules of discipleship in the world of mysticism. Journey to the East is truly a remarkable and imaginative novel that offers a unique perspective on the human experience and the search for truth.

It has been published in Iran under various titles such as "The Journey to the East", "The Roads of the Colorful and Bright East Region", "The Journey Towards the East", and "The Journey Towards the Morning".

It has been translated by different translators and published by various publishers in Iran over the years, with different page numbers and ISBNs.

Overall, it is a work that continues to intrigue and inspire readers with its rich themes and imaginative narrative.

This probably shouldn't have been my introduction to Hermann Hesse's work, but what can you do?

I saw the modest little volume at the library and thought: “Gee, I should probably read Steppenwolf or Demian first, but why not whet my appetite with this? One book by the Nobel Prize winner should give me a taste of his genius, right?”

Well, not quite. It's an opaque, confounding book about a man named H.H. (I'm assuming it's partly autobiographical) who looks back on his time in a mysterious group called “the League.” Their purpose was to journey to the East – which I assume is both a geographical and a spiritual destination involving enlightenment.

Here's a quote about the group's journey:

… we not only wandered through Space, but also through Time. We moved towards the East, but we also travelled into the Middle ages and the Golden Age; we roamed through Italy or Switzerland, but at times we also spent the night in the tenth century and dwelt with the patriarchs or the fairies.

Um, okay, H.H. If you say so.

H.H. also tells us that members of this League included real people (Plato, Mozart, Paul Klee) and fictional ones (Don Quixote, Tristram Shandy, characters from Hesse's books). Perhaps the book should have been called The Journey To Self-Aggrandizement.

Anyhow, for some reason the group splintered after a simple, humble servant named Leo abruptly disappeared. Years later, H.H. meets a person who instantly makes him recall the League, and eventually, after some weird sort of trial, he learns a valuable lesson. Which presumably he's passing on to us in this book.

I suppose if you're heavily into Eastern religion, this book will have meaning for you. Two of my grandparents were Buddhists, and I find it a very soothing, non-judgemental religion. Parts of this book reminded me of what Salinger's Franny experienced as a pilgrim.

Beyond that, I can't say. But then again, I've never travelled to the Middle Ages, so what do I know?