Monkey King obsession ruins family

Wang Huaijian is prepared to pay almost any price to turn his favorite fictional character into a motion picture, even if it causes his family financial hardship.

The peasant from East China's Shandong province has made six films about the Monkey King, an iconic character from the Chinese classic novel Journey To The West, without the backing and support of investors to cover his filming expenses.

His wife has worked two part-time jobs to help make ends meet as Wang has indulged his fantasy.

Wang's obsession began at the age of 16 when he met Zhang Jinlai, the actor who immortalized the role of the Monkey King in a TV series. The show, first aired in 1982, sparked a fad and has been replayed many times since.

Wang, donning his Monkey King costume, adjusts a video camera, Nov 3, 2014. [Photo/CFP]