Tang Sanzang and his disciples, with the help of the dragon prince, successfully crossed the Black Water River. Along the way, they encountered snowstorms and gazed at the starry sky. Despite the long journey, the journey was quite spectacular. It was early spring, and everything was beginning to revive, presenting a vibrant scene everywhere. The willows by the roadside were sprouting new buds, and the spring rain brought a carpet of blooming flowers.
As everyone was slowly riding their horses and enjoying the beautiful spring scenery, suddenly, a loud shout was heard, sounding like thousands of troops shouting simultaneously. Tang Sanzang was so frightened that he quickly reined in his horse and anxiously asked Sun Wukong, "Wukong, where is this loud noise coming from?" Zhu Bajie thought it sounded like the earth splitting and mountains collapsing, while Sha Wujing thought it was thunder. Tang Sanzang, however, believed it was the noise of people and horses. Sun Wukong smiled and said, "You are all wrong. Let me go up and take a look."
Sun Wukong leaped onto the clouds and looked towards the source of the sound. He saw a city in the distance, which showed no signs of war and seemed very peaceful. He wondered how such a peaceful city could produce such a loud noise. Just then, he saw a group of monks outside the city gate, pulling a cart with great effort. They were shouting "Great Power Bodhisattva" together, which caused the loud noise.
Sun Wukong noticed the monks were pulling carts filled with bricks, tiles, and wood, presumably for temple construction. At that moment, two well-dressed young Taoists came out from the city gate. The monks seemed even more nervous upon seeing them. Sun Wukong guessed that the monks might be afraid of these two Taoists. Knowing that there were places in the west where Taoists were respected and monks were persecuted, he thought this might be one of those places. He wanted to go back and inform his master but decided to understand the situation better first.
Thus, Sun Wukong transformed into a wandering Taoist, knocking a fish drum and singing Taoist hymns as he approached the two young Taoists. He politely greeted them, "Taoist brothers, I pay my respects." The Taoists returned the greeting and asked him where he was from. Sun Wukong replied that he had been traveling and had come here today hoping to find a kind family to provide alms. One Taoist laughed and said, "Sir, why speak of such disheartening things?" Sun Wukong, puzzled, asked why, and the Taoist explained that it was common for monks to seek alms and it should not be considered disheartening.
The Taoist continued, saying that not only officials and the wealthy in this city liked Taoists, but even the king held them in high regard. Pretending ignorance, Sun Wukong asked the Taoist to tell him more about the place. The Taoist revealed that this was the Kingdom of Chechi, where the king was their kin. Surprised, Sun Wukong asked if the Taoist himself had become the emperor. The Taoist explained that wasn't the case, but twenty years ago, when a severe drought hit the area, three revered immortals arrived and helped save the people.
Sun Wukong inquired, "Who were those three immortals?" The Taoist replied, "They are our masters." Wukong further asked, "What are their names?" The Taoist told him, "Our eldest master is Tiger Strength Immortal, the second is Deer Strength Immortal, and the youngest is Sheep Strength Immortal." Curious, Wukong asked, "How powerful are they?" Proudly, the Taoist said, "Our masters can summon wind and rain effortlessly, turn water into oil, and transform stones into gold. Their magical powers are so great that they can manipulate nature and celestial phenomena at will. Therefore, both the monarch and his ministers respect them deeply and have established a close relationship with us."
Wukong remarked, "The emperor is indeed fortunate! As the saying goes, those with skills naturally hold high positions. Having such masters, it is fitting to form kinship. Ah, I wonder if I am lucky enough to meet your masters?" The Taoist laughed and said, "Meeting my masters is not difficult at all! We are their direct disciples, and they love to meet virtuous people interested in Taoism. If we introduce you, it would be very easy."
Wukong expressed his gratitude, but the Taoist said, "Wait here for a moment. Sit for a while as we finish some official duties, and then we'll take you inside." Curious, Wukong asked, "Monks should be free and unburdened; what official duties do you have?" The Taoist pointed to the monks busy on the sandy beach and explained, "They are doing our chores; we need to check on them to make sure they are not slacking off."
Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Taoist brother, you are mistaken! Monks and Taoists are both ascetics, so why should they be doing labor for us and why do we need to check on them?" The Taoist explained, "You don't know, the year we successfully prayed for rain, it was because the monks' chanting was ineffective, while our Taoist magic worked. Therefore, the court became angry, thinking the monks were useless, so they demolished their monastic gates, destroyed their Buddha statues, and didn't allow them to return home. Instead, they made them work for us like household servants. Now they are responsible for tasks like lighting fires, sweeping, carrying water, and even transporting materials for building, because they might be lazy, so we need to check on them."
Sun Wukong felt deeply moved and shed tears, "I said I was not destined, and indeed I am not, it seems I won't meet your esteemed masters!" The Taoist asked, "Why won't you meet them?" Wukong explained, "I travel around for cultivation and also to find an uncle of mine. He became a monk when he was young and later went out to beg for alms, and I haven't seen him for several years. I think he might be trapped here, unable to leave freely."
The Taoist said, "That's easy to solve. First, go to the beach and check on those monks for us; just count to see if there are five hundred of them. See if your uncle is among them. If you find him, we can consider letting him go, and then we can enter the city together." Wukong was very grateful, tapped his fish drum, and headed straight for the beach. When he arrived, all the monks knelt down and kowtowed, "Master, we haven't been lazy, not one of the five hundred is missing, we are all here pulling the carts."
Watching this scene, Wukong chuckled inwardly, "These monks are terrified by the Taoists, and they are so scared even seeing me, a fake Taoist. If a real Taoist came, they might die of fright." He waved his hand to reassure them, "Don't kneel, don't be afraid. I'm not here to supervise; I'm here to find a relative." Hearing it was a family search, the monks immediately crowded around, each hoping to be recognized.
Wukong watched for a while, then suddenly burst into laughter. The monks, puzzled, asked, "Master, why do you laugh?" Wukong replied, "Do you know why I laugh? I laugh because you monks are not handsome at all! Your parents gave birth to you because it was destined that you would face misfortune, which is why they sent you out to become monks. Why don't you properly practice and respect the Buddhist teachings instead of doing hard labor for the Taoists?" The monks said with grievance, "Master, you are shaming us! You are a foreigner and do not know the hardships here."
Wukong said, "Indeed, I am from elsewhere and don't know what hardships you have here." The monks, with tears, said, "Our king is biased, only likes Taoists, and dislikes us Buddhists." Wukong asked, "Why?" The monks explained, "Because those three immortals can summon wind and rain. They came here, deceived the king, and made him demolish our temples, revoke our ordination certificates, not allowing us to return home or take up other duties but made us do hard labor for the immortals."
Wukong asked, "Do those Taoists have any special magic that has bewitched the king?" The monks said, "They practice alchemy, meditate, can turn water into oil, and stones into gold. Now they are building the Three Purities Temple, praying to heaven and earth all day, hoping the king will live forever, thus bewitching the king's heart." Wukong said, "I see, then it would be good for you to leave." The monks said, "Master, we can't leave! Those immortals have already got the king's approval to create portraits of us and hang them everywhere in Chechi Kingdom. This kingdom is vast, and every place has our portraits with the king's personal inscription. If an official catches a monk, he gets promoted three ranks; if a commoner catches one, he receives fifty taels of silver, so we cannot escape. Not only monks, but anyone with a shaved head, bald, or with thinning hair, cannot escape either. There are many officials here, and the scrutiny is extensive, we can't escape no matter what. We have no choice but to endure the hardships here."
Wukong said, "If that's the case, you might as well be dead." The monks said, "Master, some have already died. Over two thousand monks were brought here, unable to bear the hardships, endure the torment, withstand the cold, or adapt to the local water and soil. Already six to seven hundred have died, and seven to eight hundred have committed suicide, leaving only these five hundred of us still alive." Wukong asked, "Why haven't you died yet?" The monks said, "We've tried hanging, slashing our wrists, jumping into rivers, taking poison, but none worked. The ropes would break, the knives didn't hurt, those who jumped into rivers floated up, and those who took poison ended up unharmed."
Sun Wukong said, "You truly have great fortune, heaven has granted you long life!" The monks replied, "Master, you are mistaken, it should be said that heaven has granted us enduring suffering! Every day we can only eat coarse rice porridge, and at night we have to sleep on the beach. Just as we fall asleep, divine spirits come to protect us." Wukong asked, "Is it because you are too tired, so you see ghosts?" The monks said, "They are not ghosts, but protective deities of our faith. They come every night to protect us. Whenever someone wishes to die, they protect that person and prevent them from dying."
Wukong asked, "Why don't these deities let you die sooner, to ascend to heaven, instead of protecting you?" The monks explained, "They appear in our dreams and urge us not to seek death but to endure and wait for the holy monk Sun Wukong from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land who is journeying to the Western Heavens to obtain sacred scriptures. He has a disciple, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who possesses vast magical powers and specializes in resolving injustices in the human world, aiding those in difficulty, and helping the weak. As long as we wait for him to come and display his powers, he will eliminate those Taoists and restore the tranquility of our Buddhist order."
Hearing this, Sun Wukong inwardly chuckled, "Although Old Sun usually keeps a low profile, my reputation has indeed spread far and wide." He immediately tapped his fish drum, bid farewell to the monks, and went straight to the city gate to find the two Taoists. Upon seeing him, the Taoists asked, "Sir, did you find your relative?" Sun Wukong replied, "I recognized all five hundred monks." The two Taoists, puzzled, asked, "How could you possibly have so many relatives?" Wukong replied, "One hundred are from my left side, one hundred from my right side, one hundred are my paternal relatives, one hundred are my maternal relatives, and one hundred are my close friends. If you are willing to release these five hundred people, I will enter the city with you; if not, I will not go."
After hearing this, the Taoists said, "You are talking nonsense. These monks are bestowed by the king, and even if we were to release one or two, it would still require our master's approval. How could we possibly release five hundred all at once? That's unreasonable!"
The Taoists continued, "Moreover, even if we don't need these monks, the imperial court would have objections. They would send officials to inspect, and even the emperor himself might come to check. How could we dare release them just like that?" Sun Wukong asked, "Really not releasing them?" The Taoists firmly answered, "No release!" Wukong asked three times, and finally, in a rage, he pulled out his iron staff from his ear, twirled it to make it grow thicker and longer, swung it, and struck the two Taoists, causing them to fall to the ground with bloody heads.
The monks in the distance saw this scene and panicked, running up shouting, "Disaster! Disaster! The royal kin have been killed!" Wukong asked, "Which one is the royal kin?" The monks gathered around and explained, "The master of the two Taoists you killed is a great national advisor with a very high position in the court. You are looking for trouble! They were just supervising the work and had nothing to do with you; how could you kill them? What do we do now? Let's go into the city together to resolve this matter." The Traveler laughed and said, "Everyone, don't panic. I'm not an ordinary Taoist; I'm here to save you."
The monks didn't believe him, saying, "You killed someone; how is that saving us? Isn't this just causing us more trouble?" The Traveler explained, "I am a disciple of the holy monk of the Great Tang, Sun Wukong, specifically here to save you." The monks still expressed doubt, "Impossible, we know him." Wukong curiously asked, "How do you know him?" The monks said, "We once saw an old man in our dreams, who claimed to be Taibai Jinxing, telling us to be alert and recognize Sun Wukong's appearance."
Wukong asked with amusement, "How did he describe me?" The monks replied, "He said the Great Sage has a forehead shining with golden light, a round head and furry face, no cheekbones, sharp teeth, a pointed mouth, and a quirky personality, somewhat resembling the Thunder God, skilled in using the golden cudgel, and once opened the gates of heaven. Now he has converted to the righteous path, specifically coming to save the people from disasters." Hearing this, Wukong was both angry and pleased; pleased that his reputation had spread widely, and angry that Taibai Jinxing had revealed his true appearance to mortals. He suddenly said loudly, "Actually, you are mistaken; I am not Sun Wukong, I am his disciple, specifically here to learn how to create chaos." Saying this, he pointed to the east, tricking the monks to look back, and Wukong took the opportunity to reveal his true form. The monks then realized and knelt down, "Great Sage! We are mere mortals and did not recognize you. Please help us resolve our difficulties and quickly subdue the evil paths."
Sun Wukong led the monks to the beach, displayed his magical powers, and pulled all the carts together. He lifted them up and instantly shattered them, throwing the bricks, tiles, and wood down the slope. He shouted to the monks, "Scatter! Don't block me. Once I meet the emperor tomorrow, I will deal with those Taoists!" The monks worriedly said, "Great Sage, we dare not go far, fearing being caught by the officials and fined, and then suffering more calamities." Wukong replied, "Then I will give you some protection." He plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them up, and gave each monk a piece, instructing them, "Place it under the nail of your ring finger, clench your fist, and you can walk safely. If no one bothers you, fine; if someone tries to grab you, just clench your fist and shout 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven,' and I will come to protect you."
The monks asked, "Great Sage, what if we walk too far and can't see you, and you don't respond when we call?" Wukong answered, "Don't worry, even if you are thousands of miles away, I can still ensure your safety." A few braver monks tried clenching their fists and softly called out "Great Sage Equal to Heaven." Immediately, a figure resembling the Thunder God appeared before them, wielding an iron staff, impervious to thousands of troops. At this moment, several hundred monks shouted together, creating a spectacular scene, with a Great Sage protecting each person. The monks knelt and said, "Great Sage, truly effective!"
Wukong then instructed them, "When needed, just say 'Silence,' and I will withdraw the protection." Following his instructions, the monks really said "Silence," and the hairs returned to their fingernails. The monks joyfully thanked the Great Sage and dispersed. Wukong cautioned them, "Don't go too far, wait for my news. If there's a decree calling for monks, come to the city and return these hairs to me." Thus, the five hundred monks scattered in different directions, some left and some stayed, and no more was mentioned.
Tang Sanzang was getting impatient waiting by the roadside, as Sun Wukong had been gone for a long time. He instructed Zhu Bajie to lead the White Dragon Horse and continue westward. Along the way, they encountered some monks hurrying along. Approaching the city edge, they saw Sun Wukong chatting with several monks. Tang Sanzang quickly reined in the horse and asked Wukong, "You went to gather information; why haven't you returned for so long?" Wukong, bringing the monks over to Tang Sanzang, bowed one by one and then recounted the events to him. Tang Sanzang was startled and anxiously asked, "What do we do now?" The monks reassured him, "Master, don't worry. Sun Wukong is a powerful celestial being sent from heaven, and he will surely protect your safety. We are monks from the Zhiyuan Temple in this city, a temple built by a former emperor, still housing the emperor's divine statue, hence it wasn't demolished. We suggest you quickly enter the city and settle down in our temple. Tomorrow morning, Sun Wukong will surely find a way to resolve the issue." Sun Wukong nodded in agreement, "That's right, let's go into the city now."
Thus, Tang Sanzang dismounted, and the group walked to the city gates. By this time, the sun had set. They crossed the drawbridge and entered through the triple gates. People on the streets, seeing the monks from Zhiyuan Temple, all stepped aside. When they reached the temple gates, they saw a large golden plaque hanging above, inscribed with the words "Imperial Zhiyuan Temple." The monks pushed open the doors, passed through the Vajra Hall, and opened the doors to the main hall. Tang Sanzang donned his kasaya and bowed to the golden Buddha statue before entering the temple. An elderly monk inside immediately knelt upon seeing Sun Wukong and exclaimed, "Grandfather, you've arrived?" Wukong asked, "How do you know which grandfather I am?" The old monk replied, "I recognize you as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Grandfather Sun. We see you every night in our dreams. Taibai Jinxing also frequently appears in dreams, telling us that only when you arrive can we preserve our lives. Today, we finally see you, just like in our dreams. Grandfather, your arrival is timely; a few days later and we might all have turned into ghosts!" Wukong smiled and told them to rise, "Don't worry, there will be a solution tomorrow." The monks arranged a vegetarian meal, and after the disciples had eaten and cleaned the abbot's quarters, they settled down for the night.
In the middle of the night, Sun Wukong found himself restless and unable to sleep, preoccupied with thoughts. Hearing some noises outside, he quietly got out of bed, dressed, and leapt into the air to investigate. It turned out that a Taoist ceremony was taking place at the Sanqing Temple to the south, brightly lit and bustling with activity. He saw the temple's high halls and true halls in the sacred area, resembling the abodes of immortals, grand and majestic. Taoist priests on either side were playing musical instruments, and in front, a high monk was reciting the Tao Te Ching, conducting a disaster-averting repentance ceremony. Incense swirled and candles flickered, lending the scene a solemn and dignified air. A couplet hung in front of the temple gate, reading, "May the weather be favorable and the Heavenly Venerable's law boundless; may the rivers be clear and the seas calm, praying for countless prosperous years." Wukong spotted three elderly Taoists in ceremonial robes, likely the celestial beings with the powers of the tiger, deer, and ram. Below them, seven or eight hundred Taoists were bustling about. Wukong thought, "I should stir things up a bit, but alone my power is limited; I'd better go back and fetch Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing for some fun."
Returning to the abbot's quarters, he found Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing sound asleep. He first woke Sha Wujing, who groggily asked, "Brother, haven't you slept yet?" Excited, Wukong replied, "Get up quickly, I'll take you to enjoy something." Sha Wujing, puzzled, asked, "What's there to enjoy in the middle of the night?" Wukong explained, "There's a Sanqing Temple in the city, where the Taoists are conducting a ceremony. There's plenty of food in the Sanqing Hall: steamed buns as big as tumblers, roasted fruits weighing fifty to sixty pounds each, and countless side dishes and fresh fruits. Let's go have a taste!" Zhu Bajie, overhearing the mention of food in his sleep, immediately woke up and hurriedly asked, "Brother, aren't you taking me along?" Wukong chuckled, "Brother, if you want to eat, don't shout and wake up Master. Come with me." They quickly dressed and quietly left, following Wukong as he rode the clouds. Reaching above Sanqing Temple, Zhu Bajie saw the lights and wanted to dive in, but Wukong quickly pulled him back, saying, "Don't rush; let's wait for them to disperse before we go down." Impatient, Bajie asked, "They are fervently chanting; how could they just disperse?" Wukong smiled, "Wait for me to work some magic, and they'll disperse immediately." With that, Wukong twirled his fingers, muttered some incantations, and with a breath in and out towards the south, immediately whipped up a fierce wind that swept into the Sanqing Hall, knocking over vases, candle stands, and merit plaques on the walls, instantly extinguishing all the lights. The Taoists were terrified, scattering their souls, and the celestial being with tiger power quickly told his disciples to disperse, "This divine wind has extinguished the candles and incense. Everyone go rest, and we'll make up for it by reciting more scriptures early tomorrow." Thus, all the Taoists retreated.
Sun Wukong, along with Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, flew straight into the Sanqing Hall. Zhu Bajie, caring little for consequences, immediately grabbed a roasted fruit and began to devour it. Seeing this, Wukong quickly pulled out his iron staff, pretending to strike. Zhu Bajie quickly withdrew his hand, protesting, "I haven't even tasted it yet, and you're hitting me!" Wukong scolded him, "Don't be so rude; first, sit down and pay respects before enjoying." Zhu Bajie grumbled, "Talking about manners while stealing food, that's a joke! What if someone really invited us to eat, what then?"
Curious, Wukong asked, "Who are these deities seated above?" Zhu Bajie laughed, "You can't even recognize the Three Pure Ones, and you think they are some other deities!" Wukong asked, "The Three Pure Ones?" Zhu Bajie explained, "The one in the middle is Yuanshi Tianzun, the one on the left is Lingbao Dajun, and the one on the right is Taishang Laojun." Wukong nodded, "It seems we need to transform into their likenesses to eat in peace."
Impatient and enticed by the aroma of the offerings, Zhu Bajie climbed onto the high platform and swiftly pushed Taishang Laojun down, exclaiming, "Old official, you've sat long enough; let this old pig have a seat." Thus, Zhu Bajie transformed into Taishang Laojun, Sun Wukong became Yuanshi Tianzun, and Sha Wujing took on the role of Lingbao Dajun, pushing the original statues aside. As soon as they sat down, Zhu Bajie began devouring a large steamed bun voraciously. Wukong cautioned him, "Don't rush!" Zhu Bajie, puzzled, asked, "Brother, now that we've transformed, what's there to wait for before eating?" Wukong explained, "Eating is a minor matter, but revealing heavenly secrets is major. These sacred statues are now on the ground; if a Taoist gets up early to ring the bell or sweep the floor and stumbles over them, won’t that give us away? You should hide them."
Zhu Bajie, feeling helpless, replied, "I'm not familiar with this place; I can't even find the door, where should I hide them?" Wukong pointed out, "When I came in, I saw a small door to the right, reeking terribly; it must be a toilet. Hide them there." Zhu Bajie, using brute strength, hoisted the three statues onto his shoulders and carried them over. Indeed, it was a large toilet. He laughed, "This Bi Mawen really knows how to talk big, even giving such a fancy name to a toilet, calling it the 'Place of Grain Cycle Reincarnation'!" While carrying the statues, Zhu Bajie didn't forget to mutter, "Three Pure Ones, listen to me: from afar you come, accustomed to extinguishing demons, desiring to enjoy offerings, finding no peace. I borrow your seats, just for a brief stop. You've sat long enough; now experience life in the toilet. You usually enjoy endless pleasures; today, enjoy the stench here!" After saying this, he threw them into the toilet, splashing himself with foul water, but he nonchalantly walked back to the hall.
Wukong asked, "How did the hiding go?" Zhu Bajie answered, "They're hidden well enough, but it splashed some water and dirtied my clothes, smells a bit, don’t mind it." Wukong laughed, "Alright, let's eat. I just hope we can leave cleanly afterward." Zhu Bajie, still in the guise of the Old Lord, along with the three, sat down and indulged themselves. They started with the large steamed buns, followed by clustered dishes, side rice, pastries, warmers, cakes, fried goods, and steamed pastries, disregarding hot and cold, thoroughly enjoying their feast. Sun Wukong, usually not one to eat mortal food, just had a few fruits to accompany them. They ate as swiftly as shooting stars chasing the moon, devouring everything like a whirlwind. After finishing, they didn't leave but stayed to chat and help digest.
Oh, what an interesting turn of events! It turns out that under the east corridor, a young Taoist had just gone to bed when he suddenly remembered, "I've left my handbell in the hall; if it's lost, my master will scold me tomorrow." He told his companion, "You keep sleeping; I'll go look for it." In his rush, he didn't put on his undergarments, just threw on a straight robe, and headed straight for the main hall to find his handbell. Fumbling around, he finally found the bell, but just as he was about to turn back, he heard breathing sounds, which frightened him so much that he hurriedly ran outside. Somehow, he stepped on a lychee pit, slipped, and fell, breaking the bell. Zhu Bajie couldn't help but burst into laughter, scaring the young Taoist out of his wits; he stumbled all the way to the back of the abbot’s residence, shouting, "Master, it's terrible, something's happened!" The three old Taoists hadn't slept yet and immediately opened the door to ask, "What happened?" The young Taoist, trembling, said, "I forgot my handbell and went to the hall to look for it. I heard someone laughing, nearly scared me to death!" Hearing this, the old Taoist immediately commanded, "Light the lamps! See what evil creature it is!" Instantly, Taoists from both corridors got up, lit their lamps, and together headed to the main hall to see what was happening. What will happen next, let's find out in the next episode.
