《续西游记》《后西游记》《西游补》三部《西游记》续书集中出现于明末清初，不同于其他借《西游记》名气牟利的肤浅之作，三大续书牺牲小说的可读性，勇敢地将深受读者喜爱的孙悟空进行了改造，并寓修心哲理于其中，构成了一个独特的续书群体。在进一步发展分化的阳明心学影响下，三大续书对《西游记》的主旨进行了片面截取，极力论证“心生魔生，心灭魔灭”的观点，直接导致续书中孙悟空形象在能力、性格、情感等不同侧面均发生了趋近降格与矮化的变异。在改造孙悟空形象的过程中，三大续书对古代小说惯常使用的主弱从强模式做出了突破，并为能力增强的新妖魔群体赋予了丰富的象征意义。此外，变异的孙悟空形象是续作者针砭时弊的代言人，三大续书中均存在着修心与讽世两重交缠纠葛的主旨，通过孙悟空形象的变异研究，能够窥得明末文人介入小说创作后呈现出的独特精神风貌，续作者真切体会到兼济天下与独善其身之间不可调和的矛盾，通过改造孙悟空形象为小说笼罩上一层悲观气息。

The three sequels of Xiyou ji, namely Xu Xiyou ji, Hou Xiyou ji, Xiyou Bu, appeared in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Unlike other superficial works that profited from the fame of Xiyou ji, the three major sequels sacrificed the readability of the novel and bravely transformed the beloved Sun Wukong, incorporating the philosophy of cultivating inner self, forming a unique group of sequels. Under the influence of the further development and differentiation of the Yangming’s psychology, the three major sequels made a one-sided cut of the main idea of Xiyou ji, vigorously arguing for the viewpoint that "the mind generates demons, and the mind destroys demons." This directly led to the variation of Sun Wukong's image in different aspects such as ability, personality, and emotion, which tended to be degraded and dwarfed. In the process of transforming the image of Sun Wukong, the three major sequels made a breakthrough in the commonly used “main weak and subordinate strong” mode in ancient novels, and gave rich symbolic significance to the new demon group with enhanced abilities. In addition, the mutated image of Sun Wukong is the spokesperson for the sequel's criticism of the current situation. The three major sequels all have a dual entanglement of cultivating the inner self and satirizing the world. Through the study of the mutated image of Sun Wukong, we can glimpse the unique spiritual style presented by literati in the late Ming Dynasty after their intervention in novel creation. The sequel truly understands the irreconcilable contradiction between balancing the world and being self-centered, and by transforming the image of Sun Wukong, the novel is shrouded in a layer of pessimism.