Once upon a time, Tang Seng listened to the Bodhisattva's teachings, accepted Sun Wukong, and, along with Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng, cut off their doubts, working together as they headed westward. Time flew by, and before they knew it, summer had passed and autumn had arrived. One day, with thin clouds drifting and the western wind howling, they heard cranes calling in the distance, making the scenery seem desolate. As they traveled far and wide, just when they were sweating from the heat, Tang Seng stopped his horse and said, puzzled, “It’s autumn now; why is it so hot?”
Upon hearing this, Bajie immediately explained, “You see, there’s a country called Sihali in the west, which is where the sun sets, commonly known as the end of the earth. When it’s time for Shen and You, the king sends people to beat drums and blow horns, making quite a commotion. The sunlight reflects off the Western Sea like boiling water, and the noise is deafening, causing all the kids in the city to cry.” Hearing this, the Great Sage couldn’t help but laugh, “You silly fool, that’s a funny thing to say! Sihali is far away! It’s like eating tofu in the morning and it turning into bean sprouts by night!”
At this moment, Sha Seng chimed in, “Maybe the weather is off; it’s autumn, but it feels like summer.” Just as they were debating, a red-tiled house appeared by the roadside, with red brick walls and a red oil door, making it look like a red world. Tang Seng dismounted and said, “Wukong, go ask that family what’s going on with this heat.”
Sun Wukong put away his golden staff, tidied up his clothes, and assumed a scholarly demeanor as he approached the door. Suddenly, an old man stepped out, dressed in peculiar clothes, leaning on a bamboo staff, and wearing a pair of neither new nor old shoes. The old man was startled to see Wukong and asked, “Who are you, strange person? What are you doing here?”
Wukong quickly explained, “Old benefactor, don’t be afraid! I’m not a strange person; I’m an envoy from the Eastern Tang Dynasty, here to seek scriptures in the west. We four were just passing by, and it’s so hot; we wanted to ask you why.” The old man relaxed upon hearing this, smiled, and said, “Don’t blame me, I was a bit dazed and didn’t recognize you.”
The old man then asked, “Where is your master?” Wukong replied, “He’s just down the main road to the south!” The old man hurriedly invited them inside. Wukong waved, and Tang Seng, Bajie, and Sha Seng all led the white horse and carried their luggage over, bowing to the old man.
Seeing Tang Seng’s dignified appearance and Bajie and Sha Seng’s unique looks, the old man was pleasantly surprised and invited them in. He asked the children to brew tea while he prepared the meal. Tang Seng, seeing this, stood up to thank him: “May I ask why it’s still so hot here in autumn?”
The old man replied, “This place is called Fire Mountain, and it’s hot all year round.” Upon hearing this, Tang Seng’s heart sank: “Where is Fire Mountain? Will it block our way west?” The old man said, “Fire Mountain is sixty miles from here, right on your way westward, but the area around it is engulfed in flames for eight hundred miles, with not a blade of grass growing. If you try to pass, even bronze heads and iron bodies will melt!” Tang Seng turned pale upon hearing this and quickly stopped asking.
Outside the door, a young man was pushing a red cart, shouting, “Selling cakes!” Sun Wukong saw this and thought the cakes must be good, so he pulled out a hair and transformed it into a coin, asking the young man if he could buy some cakes. The young man took the coin without hesitation, lifted the cart cover, and handed out a steaming piece of cake. Wukong grabbed it and felt like he was holding a hot basin, exclaiming, “Hot! Hot! Hot! Tastes terrible!”
The young man laughed and said, “If you’re afraid of the heat, don’t come here; it’s always this hot.” Wukong was displeased, saying, “You’re really unreasonable! There’s a saying, ‘If it’s not cold or hot, grains won’t yield.’ Where did you get this cake flour?” The young man replied, “If you want to know, go find the Iron Fan Fairy.” Wukong asked curiously, “Who is the Iron Fan Fairy?” The young man explained, “He has a banana leaf fan that can extinguish fire, create wind, and bring rain, ensuring a good harvest. Otherwise, nothing will grow!”
Hearing this, Wukong hurriedly ran into the house and handed the cake to Tang Seng, saying, “Master, don’t worry! Eat this piece of cake, and I’ll tell you.” Tang Seng took the cake and asked the old man, “Sir, can we eat this cake?” The old man replied, “I haven’t prepared any tea or meals, how can I eat your cake?” Wukong smiled and said, “Old man, no need for tea or meals; I just want to ask where the Iron Fan Fairy is.”
The old man asked, “Why do you want to know?” Wukong answered, “I want to borrow his fan to extinguish the fire on Fire Mountain.”
The old man said, “You have no gifts; I’m afraid the fairy won’t come.” Tang Seng inquired, “What kind of gift does he want?” The old man replied, “People here can only ask once every ten years. You need to prepare four pigs, four sheep, fragrant fruits, fine wine, and bathe with sincerity to invite him.”
Wukong asked, “Where is that mountain? What’s it called?” The old man said, “That mountain is southwest of here, called Cuiling Mountain. There’s a banana leaf cave inside. Devotees who go to worship the fairy have to walk a month round trip, covering one thousand four hundred and fifty-six miles.”
Upon hearing this, Wukong laughed heartily, “No problem! I’ll go and be back soon!” The old man hurriedly said, “Wait! Eat something and take some provisions; the road can be dangerous!” Wukong waved his hand, “No need, I’ll go!” With that, he vanished in an instant. The old man exclaimed, “Oh, so he’s a divine being who rides the clouds!”
Without mentioning the family’s offerings to Tang Seng, our Wukong instantly arrived at Cuiling Mountain, searching for the cave entrance. Suddenly, he heard the sound of “ding ding,” realizing a woodcutter was chopping wood. Wukong approached and greeted, “Hello, woodcutter!” The woodcutter put down his axe and replied, “Elder, where are you headed?” Wukong asked, “Is this Cuiling Mountain?” The woodcutter nodded, “Indeed it is.”
Wukong hurriedly asked, “Where is the Iron Fan Fairy’s banana leaf cave?” The woodcutter smiled and said, “The cave is there, but the Iron Fan Fairy isn’t; only a female demon is present.” Upon hearing this, Wukong felt a tightness in his chest: “She is the wife of the Bull Demon King; I must be cautious!”
Seeing Wukong deep in thought, the woodcutter said with a smile, “Elder, don’t worry; just walk east for five or six miles, and you’ll reach the banana leaf cave.” Wukong replied, “Actually, I’m a disciple of the Tang Dynasty and had some acquaintance with the demon’s son; I’m afraid she might seek revenge.” The woodcutter encouraged him, “A true man can discern appearances; just ask for the fan without overthinking it.” Wukong gratefully said, “Thank you, woodcutter; I’ll go now!”
After bidding farewell to the woodcutter, Wukong went straight to the entrance of the banana leaf cave. He saw two tightly shut doors, and the scenery outside was picturesque—a truly beautiful place! The landscape here resembled the poetry described: mountains with stone as bones, clouds and mist swirling, ancient relics from a thousand years, traces of immortals for ten thousand years, making it hard to leave.
Wukong stepped forward and called out, “Brother Niu, open the door! Open the door!” Unexpectedly, the cave door opened with a creak, and a girl emerged, carrying a flower basket and a hoe, dressed in blue and looking spirited. Wukong quickly clasped his hands and said, “Little girl, please help me convey a message to the princess. I’m a monk going to the west to seek scriptures and would like to borrow the banana leaf fan to cross Fire Mountain.”
Upon hearing this, the girl immediately turned and entered the cave, kneeling before the female demon, saying, “Grandma, there’s a monk named Sun Wukong from the Eastern Land outside who wishes to see you and borrow the banana leaf fan.” When the female demon heard the name “Sun Wukong,” her anger flared up like adding fuel to fire, and she shouted, “That mischievous monkey! He’s finally come today!” She immediately ordered, “Maid, go get my armor and weapons!”
Before long, the female demon was fully dressed, with a flower handkerchief wrapped around her head, a brocade robe draped over her, and two sharp swords in her hands, striding out with an imposing presence. Seeing this, Wukong quickly bowed and greeted, “Sister-in-law, I’m here to pay my respects!” The female demon, upon hearing this, became furious, “Who is your sister-in-law? What do you want from me?” Wukong smiled and said, “The Bull Demon King is my sworn brother, and you are his wife, so naturally, I call you sister-in-law!”
The female demon angrily retorted, “You mischievous monkey! Since you’re brothers, how could you harm my son?” Wukong feigned innocence, “Who is your son?” The female demon gritted her teeth, “My son, the Red Boy, was beaten by you, and we were just planning to seek revenge!” Wukong quickly smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, you’ve misunderstood! The Red Boy captured my master, but fortunately, Guanyin Bodhisattva saved him. Now he’s with the Bodhisattva as a good fortune boy, living quite well!”
The female demon listened and still wouldn’t let it go, saying, “You have quite a sweet tongue! I want to see my son; how can I meet him?” Wukong slapped his forehead and said, “Sister-in-law, lend me your fan. I’ll use it to extinguish the fire on Fire Mountain and send my master over. Then I’ll go to the South Sea to bring him to see you, and I’ll return the fan. How does that sound?” The female demon coldly laughed, “You mischievous monkey, that’s a nice thought! Come here, and I’ll give you a few sword strikes. If you can handle it, then I’ll lend you the fan!”
Wukong didn’t care and smiled, “Sister-in-law, come on! You can chop my bald head as much as you want; I won’t feel a thing.” Upon hearing this, the female demon immediately swung her sword and struck at him repeatedly, but Wukong acted as if nothing was wrong, completely unconcerned. The more the female demon attacked, the more anxious she became. She turned to leave, but Wukong shouted, “Sister-in-law, don’t go! Quickly lend me the fan!”
The female demon coldly replied, “My treasure isn’t something I lend out casually.” Hearing this, Wukong felt a rush of urgency: “Then let me show you my strength!” With that, he grabbed the female demon with one hand and pulled out his golden staff with the other, shaking it. The staff was as thick as a bowl and looked imposing.
Seeing this, the female demon hurriedly raised her sword to fight back, and the two began to clash fiercely at the foot of Cuiling Mountain. Although they were relatives, their enmity was no joke. Wukong was focused on borrowing the fan, while the female demon was filled with hatred, resulting in a fierce battle that was quite a spectacle.
The fight continued intensely until the sun in the west slowly began to set. The female demon saw how heavy Wukong’s staff was and thought that if she didn’t take out the banana leaf fan, she would be at a disadvantage. Thus, she finally pulled out the fan and gave it a gentle wave. Instantly, a cold wind blew up, and Wukong was blown away, unable to pursue her any longer. The female demon, feeling triumphant, returned to the cave, truly savoring her victory!
As for the Great Sage Sun Wukong, he was quite unfortunate, tumbling and rolling like a leaf caught in a whirlwind, until he landed on a mountain after a whole night. He looked around and exclaimed, “Oh, isn’t this Little Xumi Mountain?” He couldn’t help but feel emotional: “What a powerful woman! She actually sent me here! I remember coming here to seek help from the Bodhisattva Lingji to defeat the Yellow Wind Monster and save my master.” He thought to himself that Fire Mountain was just to the south and not far from here, so he needed to ask Bodhisattva Lingji how to get back.
Just as he was deep in thought, he heard the sound of a bell ringing loudly. He hurried down the mountain, heading straight for the Zen temple. The Taoist at the entrance recognized him immediately and rushed inside to report, “The big-faced sage who came to ask for the Bodhisattva last year has come again!” Upon hearing this, Bodhisattva Lingji immediately descended from his throne to greet him, asking, “Wukong, have you come to fetch scriptures?” Wukong smiled and replied, “Not yet; it’s still early!”
Lingji asked, “Then how did you end up back in this desolate mountain?” Wukong sighed, “Ever since you helped me defeat the Yellow Wind Monster last time, I’ve faced many hardships along the way. Now I’ve reached Fire Mountain, but I can’t get past it. I heard that the Iron Fan Fairy has a banana leaf fan that can extinguish the flames, so I specifically came to find her. However, she is the wife of the Bull Demon King and the mother of the Red Boy, and she refused to lend me the fan. We ended up fighting, and she blew me all the way here!”
Bodhisattva Lingji laughed upon hearing this and said, “That woman is called the female demon, and the fan in her hand is a spiritual treasure that can extinguish flames. The reason you were able to stop here is because you possess the ability of cloud retention. If it were an ordinary person, they would have been blown away long ago!” Wukong exclaimed, “That’s incredible! But how will my master get past?”
Bodhisattva Lingji reassured him, “Don’t worry. This is Tang Seng’s destined fate; you are meant to succeed.” Wukong was curious, “How can I succeed?” Lingji replied, “I once obtained a Wind-Stabilizing Pill that can protect you from being affected. I’ll give it to you now, and with it, the fan won’t blow you away.” Wukong was immensely grateful and thanked him repeatedly.
Bodhisattva Lingji placed the Wind-Stabilizing Pill in a brocade bag, tied it up, and handed it to Wukong, saying, “Hurry and go; head northwest to reach the female demon’s mountain.” Wukong bid farewell to Lingji and flew back to Cuiling Mountain on his cloud. Arriving at the cave entrance, he knocked on the door and called out, “Open the door! Open the door! Old Sun is here to borrow the fan!”
Inside, the young girl hurried to report, “Grandma, the one borrowing the fan is back!” Upon hearing this, the female demon felt a tightening in her chest: “This mischievous monkey really has some skill! My fan can blow for eighty-four thousand miles; how could he come back so quickly?” She thought to herself that she needed to teach Wukong a good lesson, so she prepared herself, stepping out with her sword and fiercely declaring, “Sun Wukong! You’re not afraid of me and have come seeking death again!”
Wukong smiled and replied, “Sister-in-law, don’t be stingy. Quickly lend me the fan, and I promise to send Tang Seng over the mountain, then I’ll return it to you. I’m a man of my word, not someone who borrows things and doesn’t return them!” The female demon angrily retorted, “You mischievous monkey, you haven’t avenged the grudge of taking my son and want to borrow the fan? No way! Come, take a sword strike from me!”
Wukong was not afraid at all and raised his iron rod to fight back. The two fought fiercely, but when the female demon realized she was losing strength, she panicked and took out the fan, waving it at Wukong. Unexpectedly, Wukong stood firm and said with a smile, “This time it’s different! No matter how much you fan, if I move even a little, I’m not a man!” Seeing this, the female demon became flustered, quickly put away the fan, turned, and returned to her cave, thinking, “This mischievous monkey is really hard to deal with!”
When Wukong saw the female demon shut the door, he had an idea and quickly devised a little trick. He opened his collar, held the Wind-Stabilizing Pill in his mouth, and transformed into a small cricket, slipping through the crack of the door. Inside, the female demon called out, “I’m thirsty! I’m thirsty! Quickly bring me some tea!” At that moment, a young girl brought a pot of fragrant tea and poured a bowl full, with bubbles frothing over. Wukong saw this and was overjoyed, flying under the tea foam and quietly slipping inside.
The female demon, unable to bear her thirst, took the tea and drank several large gulps. Wukong seized the opportunity to burrow into her belly, revealing his true form, and shouted, “Sister-in-law, lend me the fan to use!” The female demon screamed in fright, “Little ones, quickly close the front door!” The young girls hurriedly replied, “It’s closed!” The female demon then asked, “Since the door is closed, how is Sun Wukong making noise inside?” The young girl replied, “He’s calling from inside your belly!” The female demon was shocked, “Sun Wukong, what kind of trick are you playing?” Wukong laughed, “I’m not playing tricks; this is real skill; I’m already having fun inside your belly!”
The female demon cried out in pain, and Wukong added, “Sister-in-law, let me give you a little seat to quench your thirst!” With that, he stomped down, causing the female demon to roll on the ground in agony, her face turning pale and her lips white, hurriedly pleading for mercy, “Uncle Sun, spare my life!” Only then did Wukong stop and laugh, saying, “You’re calling me uncle now? Considering the brotherly bond with Bull Demon King, I’ll spare your life, but quickly bring me the fan!” The female demon hurriedly said, “I have a fan! I have a fan! You come out and take it!”
Wukong replied, “Then I need to see the fan first.” The female demon called for a young girl to bring a banana leaf fan. Wukong poked his head out and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law, since I’ve spared your life, you need to open your mouth to let me out.” The female demon complied and opened her mouth three times. Seizing the opportunity, Wukong flew out, took the fan, and cheered, “Thanks for the loan! Thanks for the loan!” He then swaggered out of the cave, and the young girls hurriedly opened the door to let him pass.
The Great Sage flew back along the eastern road, landing under the red brick wall. Upon seeing him, Zhu Bajie joyfully shouted, “Master, the senior brother is back!” Tang Seng and Sha Seng also came out to greet him. Wukong leaned the fan against the side and asked the old man, “Is this the fan?” The old man nodded in affirmation. Tang Seng happily said, “My virtuous disciple has worked hard to obtain this treasure!” Wukong smiled and replied, “It wasn’t easy! That Iron Fan Fairy is actually the wife of the Bull Demon King and the mother of the Red Boy, named the female demon. She refused to lend me the fan and even fought with me, and I ended up blown to Little Xumi Mountain. Luckily, I met Bodhisattva Lingji, who gave me the Wind-Stabilizing Pill, allowing me to return.”
Tang Seng was deeply grateful after hearing this, and the disciples thanked the old man before continuing their journey westward. As they walked, the heat gradually became unbearable. Sha Seng exclaimed, “My feet are burning!” Zhu Bajie complained, “My claws are almost cooked!” The horse was also running quickly, and everyone felt uncomfortable. Wukong said, “Master, you dismount and rest. I’ll fan the fire, and once it’s a bit smaller, we can cross the mountain.” He raised the fan and headed straight for the fire, fanning it vigorously. The flames surged higher and higher, eventually reaching a height of a thousand feet, burning off two of his hairs.
Wukong hurriedly ran back to Tang Seng and shouted, “Quick, retreat! The fire is coming! The fire is coming!” Master, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Seng quickly ran back, stopping only after traveling twenty miles. Tang Seng anxiously asked, “Wukong, what happened?” Wukong, looking frustrated, replied, “I fanned it once, and the flames flared up; the second fan was even fiercer, and the third almost turned me into charcoal!”
Zhu Bajie laughed and said, “Didn’t you say that lightning can’t harm you and fire can’t burn you? Why are you afraid of fire now?” Wukong replied helplessly, “You fool, that was for defense; now I didn’t use any spells, and two of my hairs got burned!” Sha Seng frowned, “With such a fierce fire, how can we get past?” Zhu Bajie suggested, “Then let’s find a place without fire to walk through!” Tang Seng asked, “Where is there a place without fire?” Zhu Bajie said, “There’s no fire in the east, south, or north.” He then asked, “But where are the scriptures?” Zhu Bajie answered, “The scriptures are in the west.” Tang Seng firmly declared, “I want to go to the place with the scriptures!”
Sha Seng sighed, “The place with scriptures has fire, and the place without fire has no scriptures. It’s really a dilemma!” Just as they were discussing, they suddenly heard someone call out, “Great Sage, don’t worry! Come eat some vegetarian food first!” The four turned around to see an old man wearing a cloak, a crown on his head, and holding a dragon-headed staff, followed by a ghost carrying a copper basin filled with steamed buns and rice.
The land spirit said, “I am the land spirit of Fire Mountain. I know you can’t move forward, so I specially brought you some vegetarian food.” Wukong asked, “Eating vegetarian food is fine, but when will this fire be extinguished?” The land spirit replied, “To extinguish the fire, you need to ask the female demon for the banana leaf fan.” Wukong picked up the fan and said, “Isn’t this the fan? Why does it make the fire burn even more?” The land spirit laughed and said, “This fan isn’t the real one; it’s just a trick of hers.” Wukong asked, “Then how can we borrow the real fan?” The land spirit smiled slightly and said, “If you want to borrow the real fan, you need to find the Great Strength King.” As for who the Great Strength King is, stay tuned for the next part.
