The story goes that Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng fought with the monster for thirty rounds and surprisingly ended in a draw. You might wonder, why a draw? In terms of skill, not even twenty monks could necessarily defeat that monster. It's just that Tang Monk's fate wasn't meant to end there; he had deities secretly protecting him. In the sky, there were the Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Directional Revealing Truth, the Four Value Marshals, and eighteen Guardian Devas assisting Bajie and Sha Seng.
Let's set aside the fight for a moment and talk about Tang Monk. He was trapped in the cave, worrying about his disciples, tears streaming down his face as he thought, "Wuneng, have you found a good friend in some village and are unwilling to leave because of the vegetarian meals? Wujing, where are you looking for him, and can you find him? I've been so unlucky to encounter this monster, suffering so much. When can we reunite and continue to journey to the Spirit Mountain?" While he was deep in worry, he suddenly saw a woman approaching in the cave, leaning on a soul-stabilizing post, asking, "Master, where are you from, and how did you end up tied here?" Tang Monk, hearing this, discreetly looked at the woman through his tears. She appeared to be around thirty years old, so he said, "Dear lady, don't ask. I'm down on my luck and ended up at your doorstep. If you're going to eat me, just do it. Why ask?" The woman replied, "I'm not one to eat people. My home is over 300 miles west of here, in a city called Bao Xiang Kingdom. I'm the third princess of that kingdom, named Bai Hua Xiu. Thirteen years ago, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, I was swept here by this monster with a whirlwind and became his wife, bore children, and never returned home. Where are you from, captured by him?" Tang Monk replied, "I am a monk sent to retrieve scriptures from the Western Heaven, but I mistakenly ended up here. Now even my two disciples might be captured and eaten." The princess smiled and said, "Don't worry, Master. Since you're on a scripture quest, I'll help you. Bao Xiang Kingdom is on your way west. If you deliver a letter to my parents, I'll ensure he spares you." Tang Monk nodded and agreed, "Dear lady, if you can save my life, I am willing to be the messenger." The princess hurriedly turned around, wrote a letter home, sealed it, untied Tang Monk's ropes at the post, and handed him the letter. Tang Monk, holding the letter, said, "Dear lady, thank you for saving my life. I will definitely deliver the letter to the king of Bao Xiang Kingdom. I'm just worried that if too much time passes, your parents might not recognize me." The princess said, "Don't worry. My father has no sons, only us three sisters. When they see this letter, they will surely react." Tang Monk carefully stored the letter, thanked the princess, and prepared to leave, but the princess stopped him, saying, "You can't go out the front! The monsters are all outside, waving flags and shouting, helping the king fight your disciples. Go out the back door. If the king catches you, he might at least interrogate you; if the little monsters catch you, it could be troublesome and they might harm you. Let me talk to him. If the king lets you go, wait for your disciples to find you, and you can leave together." Tang Monk listened, bowed, and sneaked out the back door as instructed, hiding in the thorn bushes.
Meanwhile, the princess devised a plan and hurried to the front, parting the small and large monsters. She heard the clanging sounds of battle, as Bajie and Sha Seng were fighting the monster mid-air. The princess shouted, "Yellow Robe Lord!" The monster king, hearing the princess call, immediately dropped Bajie and Sha Seng, descended with his steel knife, and asked the princess, "My lady, what's the matter?" The princess said, "My lord, I was just sleeping and dreamt of a golden-armored deity." The monster asked, "Which golden-armored deity? Why come here?" The princess said, "When I was young, I made a vow to the gods in the palace: if I could marry a virtuous prince, I would visit sacred mountains, worship immortal abodes, and make offerings to monks. Since marrying you, I haven't mentioned it. The golden-armored deity came to demand the vow, waking me up—it was just a dream.
So I hurried to tell you. Unexpectedly, there's a monk tied up here. I plead with you, my lord, to show mercy and release him for my sake, as a vow offering to the monk. Would you be willing?" The monster said, "My lady, you worry too much! This is no big deal. If I want to eat people, I can catch some anywhere. Let this monk go." The princess said, "My lord, let him leave through the back door." The monster said, "Troublesome! If I let him go, why care about front or back door?" He then picked up his steel knife and shouted: "Zhu Bajie, come here. I'm not afraid of you, I just won't fight you. For my lady's sake, I'll spare your master. Go quickly to the back door to find him and head west. If you dare come here again, I won't spare you!"
Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng, upon hearing these words, felt as if they had been granted a reprieve from the gates of hell. They immediately led the horse and carried the luggage, quickly rushing to the back door of the Bo Yue Cave, shouting, "Master!"
Hearing their voices, Tang Monk responded from within the thorns. Sha Seng parted the thickets and supported his master, quickly helping him onto the horse. Thanks to Princess Bai Hua Xiu, Tang Monk was spared from disaster, like a fish escaping the hook, free to swim again.
Bajie led the way in front, with Sha Seng following behind. They exited the pine forest and got onto the main road. Along the way, the two of them chattered incessantly, full of complaints, while Tang Monk could only try to calm them. At night, they found a place to rest, and at the crack of dawn, they continued their journey, traveling mile after mile, from one resting pavilion to another, until they had unknowingly covered 299 miles. Suddenly looking up, they saw a beautiful city—Bao Xiang Kingdom. It was truly a splendid place: shrouded in mist and clouds, yet rich in scenery despite the distant location. Auspicious clouds enveloped the city, with gentle breezes and bright moons swaying.Distant mountains stood majestically like paintings, with flowing waters murmuring like jade. Fields stretched endlessly, crops flourished abundantly. A few fishermen cast their lines along three small streams, while woodcutters carried bundles of firewood between two mountain peaks. The city was fortified, with every household enjoying peace and prosperity. Tall pavilions rose like palaces, with tiered platforms standing high like banners. There were also the Taiji Hall, Huagai Hall, Incense Hall, Wen Hall, Xuanzheng Hall, and Yanying Hall, each one resplendent in gold and jade, with civil and military officials neatly lined up; there were also the Daming Palace, Zhaoyang Palace, Changle Palace, Huaqing Palace, Jianzhang Palace, and Weiyang Palace, each resonating with the sounds of bells and drums, echoing the thoughts of the women within the palaces. In the forbidden gardens, flowers bloomed as vividly as faces; beside the imperial moat, willow branches swayed like waists. On the main roads, people dressed in fine clothes rode five-horse carriages; in secluded spots, archers held bows and arrows, parting clouds to shoot twin eagles. In the alleys of flowers and willows, music filled the air, rivaling the charm of Luoyang Bridge. The monk on the scripture quest, looking back at the Tang dynasty, felt heartbroken; the disciples accompanying the master took a moment to rest, their dreams fading away. The beauty of Bao Xiang Kingdom was endless. The three of them, master and disciples, packed their luggage and horses, and rested at the official inn.
As the story goes, Tang Monk arrived outside the morning gate and said to the official there, "I am a monk from the Tang dynasty, here to see the king and request a new travel permit. Please announce my arrival." The yellow-gate officer quickly ran to the white jade steps and reported, "Your Majesty, a high monk from the Tang dynasty seeks an audience, wishing to exchange travel permits." The king, upon hearing that a monk from Tang, a renowned holy monk, had arrived, was particularly pleased and immediately ordered, "Summon him in." Thus, they invited Sanzang to the golden steps, where he performed his salutations. The civil and military officials on both sides praised, "Truly a distinguished person from a great nation, so graceful in demeanor!" The king asked, "Elder, what brings you to our kingdom?" Sanzang replied, "I am a monk from the Tang dynasty, sent by my emperor to retrieve scriptures from the West. I originally had a travel permit, and upon reaching Your Majesty's domain, I seek to exchange it, hence my intrusion." The king said, "Since you have a document from the Emperor of Tang, present it for review."
Sanzang respectfully presented the document, unfolding it on the imperial desk. The document read: "In the Great Tang of the Southern Jambu Continent, by the mandate of heaven, the Emperor of Tang issues this travel permit: I, aware of my limited talents and virtues, have inherited this great enterprise, serving the gods and governing the people with caution and diligence, worrying day and night. Previously, due to my failure to assist the old dragon of the Jing River, I was reprimanded by the august Empress Dowager, my three souls and seven spirits instantly reaching the underworld, becoming a guest of impermanence. As my earthly life had not ended, I am grateful to the underworld king for returning me to the world, to perform good deeds and establish offerings for the deceased. With the guidance of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, who manifested in golden form, I was directed to the West where there are Buddhas and scriptures, capable of redeeming the lost and transcending solitary souls. I hereby dispatch Master Xuanzang to traverse thousands of mountains in search of the scriptures. Upon reaching the western countries, may they not extinguish the good karma, and allow passage according to this document. This travel permit was issued before the imperial presence on an auspicious day in the autumn of the 13th year of the Zhenguan era of the Great Tang." (Bearing nine treasure seals) The king, having read it, took out his kingdom's jade seal, affixed it with a floral mark, and handed it to Sanzang.
Sanzang expressed his gratitude, secured the travel document, and then said, "Besides exchanging the travel document, I have a letter from home to deliver to Your Majesty." The king, hearing this, was overjoyed and asked, "What letter is this?" Sanzang replied, "Your Majesty's third princess was taken by a yellow-robed demon from Bo Yue Cave on Mount Bowl. I encountered her by chance, and she gave me this letter to bring to you." Upon hearing this, tears streamed down the king's face as he said, "Since the princess disappeared thirteen years ago, countless civil and military officials have been demoted or dismissed, and many maids and eunuchs inside and outside the palace have been punished severely. We thought she had wandered out of the palace and gotten lost, and despite searching the entire city, we found no trace. To think she was captured by a demon! Hearing this today, how can I not be heartbroken and shed tears?" Sanzang took the letter from his sleeve and presented it. The king received it, and upon seeing the words "safe and sound," his hands trembled, unable to open it. He quickly ordered a grand scholar from the Hanlin Academy to read the letter aloud. The scholar ascended the hall, with civil and military officials in front and empresses and palace maids behind, all listening intently. The scholar opened the letter and read aloud:
"Your unfilial daughter Bai Hua Xiu bows a hundred times before the great virtue of Father King at the Dragon Phoenix Hall, to the three palace mothers at Zhaoyang Palace, and to the worthy ministers of the court: Your humble daughter is fortunate to be entrusted to the palace, grateful for the myriad labors, yet unable to fully repay with filial service. On the auspicious night of August 15th thirteen years ago, by the grace of Father King, a banquet was held in the various palaces to enjoy the moonlight and celebrate the gathering. Amidst the joy, suddenly a fragrant breeze arose, and a demon king with golden eyes, a blue face, and green hair appeared, capturing me and taking me on a cloud to a remote and uninhabited place in the wilderness, where I could not distinguish direction. The demon, relying on its strength, took me as his wife.
In helplessness, I endured for thirteen years, giving birth to two demon children, all of demon lineage. It is truly a disgrace to human relations and customs, and I should not have written to tell you; but I fear that after my death, the truth would remain unknown. While longing for my parents, I happened to meet a holy monk from Tang, who was also captured by the demon. I wrote this letter with tears, risking much to have it delivered, expressing my heartfelt plea. I hope Father King will show mercy and send a general to capture the yellow-robed demon at Bo Yue Cave on Mount Bowl, rescuing me to return to the court. I would be eternally grateful. I apologize for any lack of decorum in this letter. Your unworthy daughter Bai Hua Xiu bows again and again."
After the scholar finished reading the letter, the king wept bitterly, the empresses shed tears, and the civil and military officials were deeply saddened, with sighs heard all around.
The king cried for a long while before asking the civil and military officials, "Who dares to lead an army to capture the demon and rescue Princess Bai Hua?" He asked several times, yet no one dared to respond—truly like wooden carved generals and clay modeled officials. The king, distressed and in tears, heard the officials collectively suggest, "Your Majesty, do not trouble yourself. The princess has been missing for thirteen years, and now, by chance, this holy monk from Tang brings a letter, yet we do not know its veracity. Moreover, we are mere mortals with ordinary horses, capable only of setting up camps and protecting the kingdom. The demon comes and goes without a trace, beyond our ability to confront. How can we rescue her? It seems that the monk on the scripture quest is a high monk, likely possessing the means to subdue demons. As the saying goes, those who speak of right and wrong are those who can handle right and wrong. Why not ask this elder to subdue the demon and rescue the princess? That would be the best course." The king, hearing this, quickly turned to Sanzang and said, "Elder, if you have the means, use your powers to capture the demon and bring my daughter back to court. You wouldn't need to travel west to worship Buddha; I would make you my brother, and we could share riches and honor together, what do you say?" Sanzang hastily replied, "I am but a humble monk with a limited understanding of Buddhist teachings and lack the skills to subdue demons." The king said, "If you cannot subdue demons, how dare you journey west to worship Buddha?" Unable to conceal the truth, the elder had to mention his two disciples, saying, "Your Majesty, I am indeed unable to come this far alone. I have two disciples who can open paths through mountains and build bridges over waters, escorting me here." The king exclaimed in surprise: "You, monk, are quite unreasonable. Since you have disciples, why didn't you bring them to see me? Even if there were no great rewards, at least they would have been offered a vegetarian meal." Sanzang explained, "My disciples have rather unusual appearances and dared not enter the court without permission, fearing they might alarm Your Majesty." The king laughed, "You speak amusingly, monk. Do you think I would be afraid of them?" Sanzang replied, "I wouldn't dare say so. My eldest disciple is surnamed Zhu, with the dharma name Wuneng Bajie. He has a long snout, tusks, bristly mane, flapping ears, a stout body, and a large belly, walking with the wind. My second disciple is surnamed Sha, with the dharma name Wujing. He stands twelve feet tall, with arms three spans wide, a face like indigo, a mouth like a blood basin, eyes gleaming, and teeth like nails. They all look like this, which is why I dared not bring them into court without permission." The king said, "Since you say so, what should I fear? Summon them in." He immediately sent someone with a gold token to invite them from the inn.
When Zhu Bajie heard that someone had come to invite them, he immediately said to Sha Seng, "Brother, you see, this is the benefit of sending a letter. Surely, Master wrote a letter, and the king, not wanting to neglect the messenger, has prepared a banquet to entertain us. He knows my stomach isn't the best and must be thinking of some good food, so he sent someone to invite us. Let's go and have a feast, so we can continue our journey tomorrow." Sha Seng replied, "Brother, stop dreaming. Let's just go and see what's happening." So they handed over their luggage and horse to the innkeeper, took their weapons, and followed the envoy with the golden token to the palace. Soon, they arrived at the white jade steps, stood on either side, saluted, and then remained still. The civil and military officials, seeing these two monks, whispered among themselves, "These monks are not only ugly but also lack manners! They don't kneel before the king, and after saluting, they just stand there. How strange!" Bajie, overhearing, said, "Gentlemen, don't worry. This is just how we are. At first glance, we may seem ugly, but after a while, we're quite charming."
The king, seeing their appearance, was already a bit frightened, and hearing Bajie speak made him so uneasy that he almost fell from his throne, saved only by the guards nearby. Tang Monk hurriedly knelt before the hall, kowtowing repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty, it's my fault! I mentioned earlier that my disciples are unattractive and dared not bring them to see you for fear of alarming you, and indeed, they have frightened you." The king, trembling, approached Tang Monk, helped him up, and said, "Elder, it's fortunate you warned me beforehand; otherwise, seeing them suddenly might have scared me to death!" After calming down, the king asked, "Elder Zhu, Elder Sha, which of you is skilled at subduing demons?" Bajie, not knowing better, eagerly replied, "Old Zhu here can subdue demons." The king asked, "How do you do it?" Bajie answered, "I was once Marshal Tianpeng, demoted to the mortal world for breaking heavenly laws, and now thankfully a monk. From the East to here, I've been the one handling the demon subduing." The king said, "Since you are a heavenly general, you must be adept at transformations." Bajie said, "Not to boast, but I know a bit about transformations." The king said, "Then transform into something for me to see." Bajie said, "Give me a suggestion, and I'll transform accordingly." The king said, "Transform into something big." Bajie, having thirty-six transformations, performed his magic at the steps, reciting an incantation, and with a shout, "Grow!" he bent his body and instantly grew to eight or nine feet tall, like a deity clearing the way. The civil and military officials were terrified, and the entire court was stunned. A general asked, "Elder, when you grow like this, how tall can you become before stopping?" Bajie foolishly replied, "Depends on the wind. The east wind is fine, the west wind too; but if a south wind blows, I might poke a big hole in the blue sky!" The king, greatly alarmed, said, "That's enough, I see you can transform like this." Bajie shrank back to his original form, standing at the steps. The king then asked, "Elder, what weapon do you use in battle?" Bajie drew out a rake from his waist and said, "Old Zhu uses a rake." The king laughed, "That's disappointing! I have various weapons here; feel free to choose one that suits you. What kind of weapon is a rake?" Bajie said, "Your Majesty may not know, but this rake, though crude, has been with me since childhood. As a marshal in the River of Heaven, commanding eighty thousand water soldiers, I relied on its power. Now on earth, protecting my master, I use it to clear paths through mountains and break dragons in water." The king, hearing this, was very pleased and believed him. He then ordered the nine empresses, "Bring my imperial wine, a whole bottle, to bid farewell to the elder." He poured a full cup and handed it to Bajie, saying, "Elder, this cup is a token of respect. Once you capture the demon and rescue my daughter, there will be a grand banquet and generous rewards." Bajie took the cup, and though rough in manner, he respectfully bowed to Sanzang, saying:
"Master, this wine should be yours first, but since the king gave it to me, I dare not refuse. Let old Zhu drink it first, for a bit of excitement, before going to capture the demon." Bajie drank it all in one gulp, poured another cup, and handed it to his master. Sanzang said, "I don't drink wine; you brothers enjoy it." Sha Seng stepped forward to take the cup. Bajie, stepping on clouds, rose straight into the sky. The king, seeing this, said, "Elder Zhu can ride the clouds!" With Bajie gone, Sha Seng also drank the wine in one gulp, saying, "Master, when the yellow-robed demon captured you, my brother and I fought him but only ended in a draw. Now my brother goes alone; I'm afraid he might not win." Sanzang said, "Exactly, disciple, you should go and help." Hearing this, Sha Seng also rode the clouds and left. The king, alarmed, held onto Tang Monk, saying, "Elder, stay with me; don't go riding the clouds too." Tang Monk said, "Rest assured, I won't take a single step!" With that, the two continued chatting in the hall, and we shall leave them there for now.
Then Sha Seng caught up with Bajie and said, "Brother, I'm here." Bajie asked, "Brother, why did you come?" Sha Seng replied, "Master sent me to help." Bajie was delighted and said, "That's right, you came at the right time. Together, we can capture that monster. Even if it's not much, we can make a name for ourselves in this kingdom." So they set off, surrounded by auspicious clouds, leaving the kingdom behind and flying out of the capital.
Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng, having received the king's orders, decided to work together to capture the demon. Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the demon's cave and descended from their clouds. Bajie took out his rake and smashed it against the door of Bo Yue Cave, creating a hole as big as a bushel. The little demons guarding the door were so frightened that they quickly opened it. Seeing the two of them, they hurried inside to report, "Great King, something's wrong! The long-snouted, big-eared monk and the black-faced monk are back, and they've broken the door!" The demon was shocked, "Isn't that Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng? I let their master go; how dare they come back and attack my door!" The little demon said, "Maybe they forgot something and came back to get it." The demon roared angrily, "Nonsense! If they forgot something, would they dare to break down my door? There must be a reason!" So he quickly donned his armor, grabbed his steel knife, and went out to confront them, demanding, "Monks, I already let your master go. How dare you come back and attack my door?" Bajie replied, "You wretched demon, you've done a fine thing!" The demon asked, "What have I done?" Bajie said, "You deceived the third princess of the Kingdom of Baoxiang, forcibly took her as your wife, and kept her for thirteen years. It's time to return her. By the king's order, I'm here to capture you. You'd better go inside, tie yourself up, and come out, so I don't have to do it myself!" The demon, hearing this, was infuriated. You could see him grinding his teeth, his eyes wide with rage; he raised his steel knife and charged at Bajie. Bajie dodged and faced him with his rake, while Sha Seng also raised his treasure staff to join the fight. This battle on the mountaintop was much more intense than before. Indeed: when words fail, anger rises; when pride is challenged, resentment grows. The demon's large steel knife came down with a mighty swing, and Bajie's nine-toothed rake met it head-on. Sha Seng wielded his treasure staff, and the demon blocked it with his divine weapon. One side was a fierce demon, and the other two were divine monks, engaging in a lively battle. Bajie said, "You deceived the princess, you deserve to die!" The demon retorted, "Mind your own business!" Bajie said, "You forcibly took the princess, disgracing the kingdom!" The demon replied, "It's none of your business, don't interfere!" As a result, due to that letter, the monks and the demon fought fiercely. They battled back and forth on the hillside for eight or nine rounds, and Bajie gradually couldn't hold on, struggling to lift his rake as his strength waned. Why couldn't they win? Because initially, during the fight, the guardian deities secretly assisted Bajie and Sha Seng, allowing them to hold their own; but now, the guardian deities were in the Kingdom of Baoxiang protecting Tang Monk, leaving the two struggling to cope. Bajie said, "Sha Seng, you keep fighting him; I need to take a break." With that, he abandoned Sha Seng and slipped into the tall grass, ignoring the thorns and brambles, diving headfirst into the undergrowth, letting the thorns scratch his scalp and face, rolling on the ground, and not daring to come out, leaving just one ear out to listen to the commotion outside. The demon, seeing Bajie flee, turned his attention to Sha Seng. Sha Seng, caught off guard, was seized by the demon and dragged into the cave, where the little demons tied him up tightly. As for what happens to Sha Seng, we'll find out next time.
