Once upon a time in Chen Family Village, the villagers were bustling about, carrying pigs, sheep, and fine wine straight to the Linggan Temple. They were making quite a racket as they set up the offerings of young boys and girls on the altar. The Monkey King turned around and saw that the altar was all set up with incense, flowers, and candles, right in the center hung a golden plaque that read, "Spirit of the Great Linggan King." Everyone knelt down and bowed, chanting in unison, "Grand King, today, on this day of this month, we, the village leaders Chen Cheng and others, offer one young boy named Chen Guanbao and one young girl named Chen Yichengjin, along with pigs, sheep, and wine, respectfully inviting the Great King to enjoy and bless us with favorable weather and abundant harvests." After they finished their prayers, they burned some paper horses and returned home.
At this moment, when the crowd dispersed, Bajie excitedly said to the Monkey King, "Let’s go to my house!" The Monkey King was taken aback, asking, "Where’s your house?" Bajie replied, "To Old Chen's place to sleep!" The Monkey King shook his head, "You fool, don’t talk nonsense. Since we promised, we must keep our word!" Bajie protested, "You’re not the fool, but you’re calling me one! It’s just a game, how can we take it seriously?" The Monkey King replied sternly, "Stop joking around. We need to be serious about this. Only after the Great King comes and eats the offerings can we consider it complete. Otherwise, it might bring disaster!"
Just then, a sudden howl of wind interrupted them. Bajie panicked, "Oh no! That wind means the monster is coming!" The Monkey King quickly commanded, "Don’t speak, let me handle this!" Before long, a monstrous figure appeared outside the temple, clad in golden armor and helmet, with a jeweled belt around its waist, eyes like stars, teeth like saw blades, surrounded by swirling smoke and warm mist. When it moved, a chilling wind followed; when it stood still, a menacing aura enveloped the area. The creature blocked the temple door and asked, "Which family is offering sacrifices this year?" The Monkey King grinned, "The village heads are Chen Cheng and Chen Qing."
The monster was puzzled, thinking, "This kid has some guts to speak like that. Usually, I'm the one who eats the boys and girls; why can this kid talk back this year?" It then asked, "What are the names of the young boy and girl?" The Monkey King replied with a smile, "The boy is named Chen Guanbao, and the girl is called Yichengjin." Upon hearing this, the monster became displeased, "The tradition says I eat the girl first this year!" Bajie panicked, "Great King, let’s stick to the old ways and not break the tradition!"
The monster ignored him and reached out to grab Bajie. Startled, Bajie jumped down, revealing his true form, brandishing his rake, and struck at the monster. The creature pulled back its hand, but as it stepped forward, there was a loud "clang." Bajie proudly exclaimed, "I broke its armor!" The Monkey King also revealed his true self, and it turned out they were two large fish scales, shouting, "Catch it!" The two leaped into action. The monster, unarmed, asked from the clouds, "Who are you to come bully me and ruin my offerings?"
The Monkey King sneered, "We are the disciples of the Holy Monk Tripitaka from the Tang Dynasty. We stayed at Chen's place last night and heard that a monster was impersonating the Linggan Spirit, demanding sacrifices of young boys and girls every year. We are here to save the living! You better comply quickly! How many boys and girls have you devoured over the years? Count them up, and I might spare your life!" The monster, hearing this, wanted to flee, but Bajie struck it again with his rake. It transformed into a whirlwind and dashed into the Tongtian River.
The Monkey King said, "No need to chase it; that monster is probably a river demon. Tomorrow, we’ll find a way to catch it and help my master cross the river." Bajie nodded and returned to the temple, moving the pigs and sheep offerings along with the table to the Chen family. At this time, Tang Seng and Sha Monk were waiting in the hall, and when they saw the two throw the offerings into the yard, Tripitaka approached and asked, "Wukong, how did the sacrifice go?" The Monkey King recounted how they had driven away the monster, and the two elders were very pleased. They immediately arranged to clean the guest rooms, prepare the beds, and invite the master and his disciples to rest.
The monster returned to the water, sitting in its palace with a frown. The little fish and shrimp in the water were puzzled and asked, "Great King, you always come back from the sacrifices in high spirits. Why are you so troubled today?" The monster sighed, "This time is truly terrible; I didn’t even get to eat anything myself. I ran into a formidable opponent and nearly lost my life!" The aquatic creatures curiously inquired, "Who is it?" The monster helplessly replied, "It's a disciple of the Holy Monk from the Tang Dynasty, disguised as a boy and girl, sitting in the temple. I was recognized by him and almost got killed! I heard that Tang Seng is a good person, and eating a piece of his flesh can extend life. I never expected this disciple to be so powerful, ruining my reputation and causing my offerings to vanish. Capturing Tang Seng won’t be easy now."
At this moment, a spotted fish woman emerged from the water, smiling broadly, and said, "Great King, is there really any difficulty in capturing Tang Seng? But I need to ask, if I catch him, will you reward me with wine and meat?" Upon hearing this, the monster immediately perked up: "If you have a way to capture Tang Seng, I will treat you like siblings and share everything!" The fish woman clapped her hands in delight: "I knew you had the power to summon the wind and rain. Can you make it snow?" The monster confidently replied, "Of course!" The fish woman then asked, "Can you freeze it?" The monster boasted, "Even better!" She laughed joyfully, "That’s too easy!"
She continued, "At the third watch tonight, the weather will be just right. Great King, why not use your magic early to summon a cold wind and make it snow, freezing the Tongtian River? We can transform into a few human forms, carry bags and umbrellas, and walk on the ice. When Tang Seng sees people walking, he will surely try to cross the ice. At that moment, when he steps on it, the ice will crack, and he and his disciples will all fall into the water. Ha ha, it’ll be an easy job!" The monster was overjoyed, thinking, "What a brilliant idea! I’ll do it right away!"
Meanwhile, Tang Seng and his disciples were resting at the Chen family’s home as dawn approached, and their bedding was freezing cold. Bajie coughed and said, "Brother, I’m cold!" The Monkey King scoffed, "You fool, monks aren’t afraid of cold or heat; why are you afraid of the cold?" Tripitaka also felt the chill: "Disciple, it really is cold. Look at this bedding; there’s no warmth at all; it feels like holding an ice block. The cold wind outside is bone-chilling, the trees are covered in frost, the ground is cracked, and the pond is frozen. Fishermen can’t find any fish, and the monks in the mountains can’t see anyone; it’s truly freezing!"
Unable to sleep, the disciples got up, dressed, and opened the door. Wow! Outside was a vast expanse of white; it was snowing! The Monkey King exclaimed, "No wonder you feel cold; it’s this heavy snow!" The four of them looked outside together, mesmerized by the swirling snowflakes, which were incredibly beautiful. The sky was filled with dark clouds, the cold wind howled, and the snow fell like jade, covering the trees and ground with a thick layer, resembling a beautiful painting.
The snow fell in flurries, truly like cutting jade dancing in the air. The disciples were captivated until the elder of the Chen family sent two servants to clear the snow and brought hot soup for washing their faces, followed by hot tea and milk cakes, even bringing in a charcoal fire, allowing the disciples to sit down and warm up. The elder asked, "Old benefactor, how are the seasons here? Can you distinguish between spring, summer, autumn, and winter?" Elder Chen replied with a smile, "Although this place is remote, the customs are similar to those in the great nations, and the growth of grains and livestock is the same. How could we not distinguish the four seasons?"
Tripitaka was curious: "Then why is there still such heavy snow and cold at this time?" Elder Chen explained, "Although it’s July now, we just passed the White Dew festival yesterday, and August is coming soon. Frost and snow often occur here in August." Tripitaka sighed, "It’s truly different from our Tang Dynasty, where it only snows during the winter solstice!"
At this time, the servants of the Chen family were busy setting the table to prepare porridge for everyone. After finishing the porridge, they noticed that the snow outside had become even heavier than in the morning, accumulating to a depth of two feet! Tripitaka was so anxious that he was almost in tears, but Elder Chen comforted him, saying, "Don’t worry, even if the snow is deep, it’s not a problem. I have several stones of grain at home, enough to sustain you for a while." Tripitaka sighed, "The old benefactor doesn’t understand my plight. I promised the Tang Emperor I would return in three years, but now it’s already seven or eight years, and I haven’t even seen the Buddha’s face. With demons running rampant, I’m truly anxious! Today, being able to stay at the Chen residence, and my disciples slightly repaying last night, I really hope to find a boat to cross the river. But with this heavy snow, the roads are blocked, and I have no idea when I can go back!"
Elder Chen smiled and said, "Rest assured, once the weather clears and the ice melts, I will spare no expense to send you across the river." Just then, another servant came in to invite everyone for breakfast. After finishing, they soon served lunch. Tripitaka looked at the abundant dishes and felt uneasy: "Since you’ve invited us to stay, let’s treat it like a family affair." Elder Chen replied, "My lord, you saved my life; even hosting a feast every day is hard to repay."
Finally, the heavy snow stopped, and people began to move outside. Seeing that Tripitaka was not very happy, Elder Chen decided to clean the garden, build a fire, and invite everyone to enjoy themselves in the snow cave. Bajie laughed, "This old man really isn’t calculating! It would be much better to enjoy the flowers in spring; what’s the point of admiring snow on such a cold day?" The Monkey King said, "You fool, you don’t understand! The snowy scenery is serene; it’s both enjoyable and can lift Master’s spirits." Elder Chen nodded repeatedly, "Exactly, exactly!"
So everyone was invited to the garden, and the sight before them was truly incredible: jade-like frost on the pines, silver flowers hanging from the willows, the moss on the steps resembling powdered sugar, and the bamboo by the window sprouting new shoots. On the rocky mountain top and in the fish pond, clear water flowed beneath the ice, while the hibiscus flowers by the shore were delicate, and the branches of the mallow hung down the cliff. The begonias and wintersweet trees also competed in beauty amidst the snow, while the pavilion was covered in snowflakes, making it a breathtaking scene.
Inside the snow cave, there was a bronze fire basin shaped like a beast’s face, with warm charcoal burning inside; around it were several soft tiger-skin chairs, and the paper windows were covered with warm fabric. On the walls hung several famous paintings depicting scenes of fishing alone on a cold river and the story of Su Wu bending plum blossoms, truly mesmerizing. Everyone sat in the snow cave, discussing their journey for scriptures while sipping fragrant tea, feeling warm.
Elder Chen asked, "Gentlemen, can you drink alcohol?" Tripitaka replied, "I don’t drink; my young disciple can have a few cups of vegetarian wine." Elder Chen was delighted and immediately ordered, "Go, bring some vegetarian fruits and warm wine!" Soon, the table was filled with hot soup and wine, and everyone gathered around the stove, enjoying the warmth.
Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was evening. They were invited to the hall for dinner. At this time, pedestrians outside were discussing, "It’s really cold today; the Tongtian River is frozen solid!" Upon hearing this, Tripitaka immediately became anxious: "Wukong, the river is frozen; what should we do?" Elder Chen said, "This weather fluctuates between cold and warm; it seems the shallow waters by the river have frozen." The pedestrians continued, "The entire area is frozen like a mirror, and there are still people walking at the intersections!" Tripitaka, hearing that people were moving, was eager to go see. Elder Chen advised, "My lord, don’t rush; it’s late; let’s go see tomorrow." So, everyone bid farewell to their neighbors, finished their evening meal, and returned to their rooms to rest.
The next morning, Bajie woke up and said to his senior brother, "Brother, it was really cold last night; I bet the river is frozen solid!" Tripitaka, while bowing towards the sky, silently thought, "O great protectors of the teachings, I have traveled west with a sincere heart, endured many hardships, and today being here is truly a blessing from heaven. The river is frozen, and I am deeply grateful. When I return, I will surely repay this kindness." After his prayers, he instructed Wujing to carry the horse, preparing to cross the river while the ice was still there.
Elder Chen said, "Don't rush; wait a few days for the snow to melt and the ice to thaw. I have a boat that can take you across." Sha Seng immediately countered, "That won't work! We can't stay any longer; words are just words, and hearing is not believing. We should go see for ourselves." Elder Chen nodded, "That makes sense." So he had the servants carry six horses, and everyone walked toward the riverbank together.
When they reached the riverbank, wow, the snow was piled up like little mountains. The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the cold wind was biting; the ice surface was as smooth as a mirror. The fish in the pond were resting against the water plants, and wild birds perched on the bare trees. The laborers outside were busy by the river, creating a scene of stark quietness. Tripitaka and the group reined in their horses and saw people walking on the ice at the intersection, feeling curious: "Where are those people going?" Elder Chen replied, "That way is the Western Liang Kingdom; many come here to trade. Our goods can fetch a fortune there, and theirs can double in value here, so everyone is willing to take the risk to cross the river."
Tripitaka sighed, "In this world, profit is paramount; there are indeed people who risk their lives for gain. My disciples are here on an imperial mission, but we are also seeking fame. How are we any different?" At this moment, Wukong said, "Quickly go back and pack your things; we should take advantage of this ice to head west!" The Monkey King smiled in response. But Sha Seng said, "Master, as the saying goes, 'A thousand days of eating requires a thousand measures of rice.' We’ve stayed at the Chen residence for a few days; it might be better to wait a few more days until the weather clears before leaving. Rushing might lead to mistakes." Tripitaka was displeased: "Wujing, what kind of foolish idea is that! It’s already August, and it’s getting colder by the day; how can we expect the ice to melt? If we delay further, won't we miss our journey?"
Seeing the argument, Bajie jumped off his horse: "Stop arguing, let Old Pig test the thickness of the ice." The Monkey King laughed, "You fool, the water was still throw-stone-able the night before; now that the ice is so thick, how can you test it?" Bajie refused to back down: "I'll use a spiked hoe to poke at it. If it breaks, that means the ice is thin; if it doesn’t budge, then the ice is thick, and we can go!" Tripitaka agreed, "That makes sense!"
So, Bajie lifted his clothes, walked to the riverbank, raised the spiked hoe with both hands, and poked it with all his might. With a "plop," he poked out nine white dots, and his wrist ached from the impact. He excitedly exclaimed, "It’s good! It’s good! It’s frozen solid underneath!"
Upon hearing this, Tripitaka's heart leaped with joy, and he immediately led everyone back to the Chen residence to prepare their belongings. Elder Chen and the neighbors couldn’t keep them and had to arrange some dry rations and baked cakes to send them off, truly a warm farewell!
That morning, the family knelt on the ground, bowing their heads, and presented a plate of gold and silver, respectfully saying, "Thanks to your lordship's grace, this is just a small token of our appreciation." Tripitaka quickly waved his hand, saying, "I am a monk; what use do I have for wealth? I only wish for some dry rations to get through this journey." The elderly couple insisted repeatedly, and Wukong couldn’t help but laugh. He pinched off a small piece of gold and handed it to Tripitaka, saying, "Master, consider this a small token of goodwill; don’t let the elders down." So everyone said their goodbyes and headed straight for the riverbank.
However, as soon as they stepped onto the ice, the horse slipped, almost throwing Tripitaka off. Sha Seng quickly reminded him, "Master, this path is difficult!" Bajie said, "Wait, I’ll ask Elder Chen for some straw; that way the horse's hooves won't slip." Wukong looked puzzled, "What good is straw?" Bajie replied seriously, "You lack experience. Wrapping straw around the horse's hooves will keep it steady, preventing Master from falling." Elder Chen, hearing this from the shore, immediately sent someone to fetch straw and invited Tripitaka to dismount.
Bajie wrapped the straw around the horse's hooves and then carefully stepped onto the ice. After walking three or four miles, Bajie handed the Nine-Sectioned Staff to Tripitaka, saying, "Master, hold this!" Wukong was unhappy, "You picked this staff; why should Master hold it?" Bajie replied earnestly, "You haven’t walked on ice before. There are hidden dangers; if you step wrong, it could be troublesome!" Wukong secretly laughed, thinking, "This fool is quite the ice expert!" Everyone listened to him; Tripitaka held the staff horizontally, while Wukong and Sha Seng carried their weapons, and Bajie carried the luggage, steadily continuing on their way.
They walked until dark, had some dry rations, and didn’t dare linger. Looking up at the stars and moon, the ice glittered under the moonlight, creating a truly beautiful night. The master and disciples pressed on without stopping, walking all night until dawn, when they had some more dry rations and continued heading west.
As they walked, they suddenly heard a splashing sound from beneath the ice, startling the white horse. Tripitaka exclaimed, "Disciple, what’s going on?" Bajie remained calm, saying, "The ice is solid; it’s probably just the water flowing beneath." Tripitaka was both surprised and delighted by this and quickly urged his horse forward to continue their journey.
However, the demons had long been waiting for them. Seizing the opportunity, they used their powers beneath the ice, causing it to crack suddenly. Seeing this, Sun Wukong quickly jumped up, but the white horse fell into the water, pulling Tripitaka and the others down with it. The demon seized Tripitaka and took him back to their underwater lair, shouting, "Gui Mei, come quickly!" Old Gui came forward, saying, "Your Majesty, I wouldn’t dare!"
The demon, looking smug, said, "I promised I would capture Tang Seng, and today I finally succeeded!" He ordered his subordinates, "Quickly, cut this monk open for me and Gui Mei to enjoy!" However, Old Gui advised, "Your Majesty, let’s wait a couple of days to act, lest his disciples come looking for trouble." The demon considered this and decided to hide Tripitaka in a stone box, quietly waiting for the show to unfold.
Bajie and Sha Seng were desperately trying to retrieve their belongings from the water. They finally managed to place everything back on the white horse and then began to part the waters, swimming through the waves. At that moment, Wukong saw them from the air and immediately asked, "Where's the master?" Bajie replied helplessly, "Master's last name is Chen, and his first name is 'Daodi' now; we can't find him right now. Let's get to shore first."
In fact, Bajie was originally Marshal Tianpeng, who once commanded the water soldiers of the Heavenly River; Sha Seng had emerged from the River of Flowing Sand, and the white horse was a descendant of the Dragon King of the West Sea, so their swimming skills were unquestionable! Wukong guided them from above, and before long, they returned to the Eastern Cliff. He let the horse dry in the sun, tidied up his clothes, and then dove down straight towards Chen's village.
By the time they arrived, someone had already come to report, "The four masters seeking scriptures are now down to three!" The elderly couple hurried out to greet them, and seeing their drenched appearance, they couldn't help but worry, "Why didn't you stay? And now look what happened. Where's the master?" Bajie pouted, "Master is no longer called Tripitaka; he’s now named Chen Daodi."
Upon hearing this, the elderly couple nearly shed tears, saying, "How tragic! I said I would wait until the snow melted to send you off, but it ended up costing a life!" Wukong comforted them, "Don't worry, old sir; my master is definitely fine. I know that the Spirit King is up to no good. Rest assured, once we dry our clothes and feed the white horse, my brothers and I will go find that guy, rescue the master, and deal with him at the same time, eliminating the threat to your village so you can live in peace!"
Hearing this, Elder Chen felt immensely relieved and immediately arranged a lavish vegetarian meal. The three brothers ate their fill, entrusted their horse and belongings to the Chen family for safekeeping, and readied their weapons, heading straight to the roadside to search for their master and the demon. Just like the old saying goes: "Stepping on thin ice can harm one's true nature; how can one be complete with a great elixir if it leaks?" Whether they could rescue Tripitaka, we’ll talk about it next time!
