Tang Seng and his companions bid farewell to the king of the Kingdom of Zhuzi and set off westward. They traveled through countless mountains and rivers, and before they knew it, autumn had passed, winter was nearly over, and the beautiful days of spring had arrived. The master and his disciples enjoyed the scenery along the way when suddenly they spotted a hermitage. Tang Seng rolled off his horse and stood by the roadside.
The Monkey King curiously asked, “Master, this road is so smooth; why not take it?” Pigsy chimed in, “Brother, you really don’t understand! The master must be tired sitting on the horse, so he wants to get down and get some fresh air.” Tang Seng shook his head, “It’s not just for fresh air; I see a house over there, and I want to go beg for some vegetarian food.”
The Monkey King laughed, “Master, that’s not right. If you want to eat vegetarian, I can go beg for you. As the saying goes, ‘A day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father.’ How can I let you beg?” Tang Seng explained, “It’s not like that. Usually, you go far away to beg, but today the people are right here, so of course I can go ask for some.”
Pigsy grumbled, “Master, that’s not a good idea. There’s a saying: ‘When three go out, the younger ones suffer.’ You are the elder, and we are the disciples. Ancient texts say that disciples must bear the burden; I can go instead.”
Tang Seng replied, “Disciples, today the weather is nice, unlike rainy days. Back then, you would definitely have to walk far, but today it’s close by. I’ll go beg for food, whether or not I get any, I’ll just come back.” Sandy laughed, “Brother, don’t say too much; the master is just like that. Don’t go against him. If you annoy him, you might not even be able to eat what he begs for.”
Upon hearing this, Pigsy obediently took out his bowl and helped Tang Seng change into his hat and clothes, then set off toward the village. The place was indeed lovely: a tall stone bridge, ancient trees, and a babbling stream connecting long creeks; under the shade of the trees, birds chirped happily. On the other side of the bridge stood a few thatched huts, elegant like a fairy’s abode, with a window that was bright and clear, almost like it was teasing the Taoist temple.
Suddenly, four young women appeared at the window, busy with embroidery. Seeing that there were no men in the house, only these four women, Tang Seng felt a bit nervous and dared not enter, so he hid under a tree to observe. The women were all beautiful and charming, like flowers attracting bees, making one feel a sense of pity just by looking at them. After a while, the surroundings fell silent, with not even the sound of chickens or dogs. Tang Seng thought to himself, “If I can’t even beg for some vegetarian food, wouldn’t that make my disciples laugh at me? How can I let them think their master can’t even beg for food?”
With no other choice, Tang Seng stepped onto the bridge. After walking a few steps, he saw a wooden pavilion in the thatched hut, where three young women were playing with a balloon. These three girls were completely different from the previous four; each of them was light on their feet, their skirts swaying like fairies descending to earth. They played joyfully, moving gracefully as if performing a splendid dance, causing Tang Seng to watch in a daze.
As Tang Seng became entranced, time flew by. Unable to resist, he walked to the edge of the bridge and called out loudly, “Ladies, I have a connection here; could you kindly offer some vegetarian food?” The girls heard him and, filled with joy, dropped their needles and balloons, laughing as they ran out, “Elder, forgive us! Today, since you’ve come to our place, we wouldn’t dare stop a monk; please come in and sit!” Tang Seng felt secretly delighted, “Good, good! The West truly is the land of Buddha! Even the women are so devout; the men must be even more devoted!”
Tang Seng followed the young women into the thatched hut, walking past the wooden pavilion. Oh! This place was truly remarkable: towering peaks, sprawling terrain, a winding stone bridge at the entrance, and rows of peach and plum trees in the garden, blooming vibrantly. From a distance, it looked like a hidden paradise, but up close, there were only a few girls busy with their tasks. One girl stepped forward, pushed open the stone door, and invited Tang Seng inside. Upon seeing the interior, Tang Seng's heart tightened; the room was filled with stone tables and benches, and it felt very cold. He thought to himself, “This place doesn’t seem auspicious; I must be cautious.”
The young women warmly invited him to sit down, and Tang Seng, with no other choice, complied, though he felt a chill run down his spine. The women curiously asked, “Elder, where do you come from? What are you begging for? Is it for repairing roads or building temples?” Tang Seng hurriedly explained, “I’m not a monk begging for alms; I’m from the Tang Dynasty in the East, traveling to the West to seek scriptures. I just passed through here and got hungry, so I came to ask for some vegetarian food.” Upon hearing this, the girls immediately cheered, “Great! A monk from afar has come to read scriptures; let’s prepare some food!”
At this moment, several girls began to get busy, with four heading to the kitchen to prepare the meal. But guess what they were cooking? It was dishes made with human fat and stir-fried human flesh, dark and greasy like gluten, and there were even tofu cubes made from human brains! Two plates of food were brought to the table, and the girls smiled, “Elder, please eat. We didn’t have time to prepare properly, so just make do with this.” Tang Seng immediately frowned upon smelling it, thinking, “This smells really foul; I can’t dare to eat.” He slightly bowed and clasped his hands together, saying, “Ladies, I am a vegetarian.”
The girls laughed, “Elder, this is vegetarian.” Tang Seng was even more distressed: “Amitabha! If this is considered vegetarian, if I eat it, I’m afraid I won’t be able to see the Buddha or obtain the scriptures!” The young women replied, “Elder, you are a monk; don’t be picky about the food offered.” Tang Seng quickly clarified, “I wouldn’t dare to be picky! I am on a mission to the West, to rescue those in suffering; how could I be picky about food?”
However, the girls were relentless: “Although the elder doesn’t mind, it’s not easy to have guests like this! If you leave, we won’t have any business.” Each of them was agile and skilled, and they quickly caught hold of Tang Seng, tossing him to the ground. They bound him up and hung him from the beam, calling it “The Immortal Points the Way.” Tang Seng felt distressed: “Why is my fate so bitter! I clearly came to beg for food, yet I fell into a pit of fire! Disciples, hurry and save me! If it takes any longer, I might lose my life!” Although he was anxious, he still tried to observe the girls.
Once the girls had him securely hung, they began to take off his clothes. Tang Seng was alarmed, thinking, “This is not a good omen; if they really take off my clothes, they must have some ill intentions, or they might even eat me!” In the end, the girls only removed his upper robe, exposing his belly, and each displayed their talents: fine ropes emerged from their waists, as thick as duck eggs, shining brightly, almost blocking the entrance to the village.
Meanwhile, the Monkey King, Pigsy, and Sandy were by the roadside. The two were busy tending to the horse, while the Monkey King, feeling bored, climbed a tree to pick fruits. Suddenly, he looked back and noticed a flash of light, quickly jumping down from the tree, shouting, “Not good! The master is in trouble!” The Monkey King pointed towards the courtyard, “Look at what’s happening over there!” Pigsy and Sandy came over to take a look and saw that the light was as bright as snow, dazzling like silver. Pigsy immediately exclaimed, “Oh no, the master has encountered a demon! We have to save him!” The Monkey King waved his hand, “Don’t rush; let me check it out first.” Sandy reminded, “Be careful, brother.” The Monkey King confidently replied, “I have a plan!”
Thus, the Great Sage tightened his tiger-skin skirt, pulled out his golden staff, and quickly ran ahead. He saw that the ropes were entangled thickly, feeling soft to the touch, almost like something sticky. He pondered, “This stuff isn’t easy to deal with; if I strike it, I might just alert them.” So, he decided to first inquire about the situation.
He recited a spell and summoned an old land deity, who began to walk in circles in the temple like a millstone. The land goddess, seeing this, asked in confusion, “What are you doing?” The land deity replied, “You don’t know! The Great Sage Equal to Heaven has come, and I didn’t receive him, so now I’m being held here!” The land goddess said, “Then you should go meet him quickly; why are you still here?”
The land deity said, “If I go to meet him, his staff is very heavy, and he won’t hold back when hitting people!” The land goddess laughed, “He sees you’re so old; how could he possibly hit you?”
After chatting for a while, the old land deity had no choice but to cautiously step outside, kneeling by the roadside: “Great Sage, I bow to you.” The Monkey King said, “Get up; don’t pretend to be busy, I won’t hit you. First, tell me, what place is this?” The land deity asked, “Where did the Great Sage come from?” The Monkey King replied, “I came from the East to the West.” The land deity inquired, “When you came from the East, did you pass through those mountains?”
The Monkey King nodded, “Yes, our luggage and horses are still resting there!” The land deity explained, “That ridge is called Pan Si Ridge, and there’s a cave at the foot called Pan Si Cave, where seven demons live.” The Monkey King asked, “Are they male demons or female demons?” The land deity replied, “They are female demons.” The Monkey King, curious, asked, “How powerful are they?” The land deity sighed, “I am a minor deity with little power; I haven’t seen their abilities. I only know there’s a hot spring to the south called Zuo Guo Spring, which is naturally hot water and was originally the bathing pool of the Seven Fairies. The demons have occupied this spring, and the fairies don’t fight back, simply giving it to them.”
The Monkey King asked, “What’s the use of occupying this spring?” The land deity said, “These demons bathe three times a day, and today’s time is almost up; it’s nearly noon.” After hearing this, the Monkey King decided, “Land deity, you can go back; I’ll handle this myself.” The old land deity bowed and cautiously returned to his temple.
This Great Sage truly had great powers; he transformed into a fly and perched on the grass by the roadside, waiting. Not long after, he heard a buzzing sound, like silkworms eating leaves, or the sound of waves crashing against the shore. After waiting for a while, the ropes finally snapped, and the village returned to normal. Then, he heard a “ya” sound as the gate creaked, and laughter and chatter emerged as seven young women walked out.
The Monkey King observed closely from the shadows and noticed they were holding hands and walking shoulder to shoulder, chatting and laughing as they crossed the bridge, each one more beautiful than the last! Their brows and eyes were more beautiful than willow leaves, their lips red like cherries, and their hairpins stood tall like jade. Their skirts shimmered, resembling celestial maidens descending to earth. The Monkey King felt delighted: “No wonder my master came to beg for food; it turns out it was for this benefit! These seven beauties, if they keep my master here, one meal wouldn’t be enough; just a little action could kill him!”
He thought to himself, “I need to listen to their plans first.” So, the Monkey King quietly flew to the top of the head of the leading girl. Just after they crossed the bridge, the girl behind called out, “Sister, we’ve finished bathing; let’s steam that fat monk to eat!” The Monkey King secretly laughed, “This creature really didn’t plan well! Boiling saves firewood; why do they insist on steaming him?”
The girls picked flowers and chatted as they walked south, soon arriving at the bathing pool. The gate was magnificently built, surrounded by fragrant flowers and lush orchids. One girl stepped forward, whistled, and pushed open the two doors, revealing a pool of hot water inside. This water had been there since the creation of the world; originally, there were ten suns, but nine were shot down by Yi, leaving only one golden crow, which was the true fire of the sun.
In the world, there are nine hot springs, all transformed from the crows. Among these nine sun springs, Zuo Guo Spring is the best. As the poem says: “One breath has no winter or summer, three autumns eternally flow into spring.” This water was as hot as boiling soup, clear enough to refresh the spirit, truly an excellent place to wash away troubles. The bathing pool was about fifty feet wide, one hundred feet long, four feet deep, crystal clear, and bubbles were rising from the bottom, like pearls floating in jade.
There were also three pavilions above the pool, with a bench with eight legs resting against the back wall of one pavilion, and two beautifully painted clothes racks on the mountain peaks on either side. The Monkey King was secretly delighted and flew over to the clothes rack, thinking, “This is truly a great place!”
The young women saw the water was both clear and hot, so they began to undress, hanging their clothes on the rack. The Monkey King watched in astonishment, secretly thinking, “This is truly a great opportunity!” He saw them unbuttoning and loosening their sashes, revealing their silvery chests and snow-white bodies, with arms like smooth fat and fragrant shoulders that made one want to pinch them. Their bellies were soft like sheep, their backs smooth and shiny, their knees rounded, and their tiny feet were three inches wide—truly a beautiful sight.
One by one, the girls jumped into the water, splashing and having a great time. The Monkey King thought, “If I make a move, all I need to do is stir my staff in the water, and it would be like cooking mice in soup, all of them would die! But what a shame it would be to kill them; wouldn’t that tarnish my reputation as the Great Sage? As the saying goes, a man shouldn’t fight with a woman. It wouldn’t be proper for me to kill a few girls. Forget it; I’ll use a strategy to keep them from moving and getting out of the water.”
So, the Great Sage made a gesture, recited a spell, and transformed into a hungry old eagle. The eagle’s feathers were as white as frost, its eyes sparkled like stars, scaring even the cunning foxes and making the clever rabbits tremble. The Monkey King flew forward, swiping his claws to snatch away the seven sets of clothes from their rack, then flew back to the ridge to reveal his true form before Pigsy and Sandy.
When Pigsy saw this, he couldn’t help but laugh, “Master, did you get these clothes from a pawn shop?” Sandy, curious, asked, “How do you know?” Pigsy pointed at the clothes and said, “Didn’t you see that our brother snatched them all?” The Monkey King set down the clothes and explained, “These are the demons' clothes.” Pigsy asked again, “How could there be so many?”
The Monkey King replied, “Seven sets!” Pigsy exclaimed, “That was too easy, wasn’t it?” The Monkey King said, “This place is called Pan Si Ridge, and that village is called Pan Si Cave, where seven female demons captured my master and hung him up, preparing to steam him after their bath! I followed them there, saw them undressing to bathe, and wanted to strike them, but I was afraid of dirtying my staff and lowering my reputation, so I didn’t act. I just transformed into an eagle and stole their clothes.”
“They’re too embarrassed to show themselves now, hiding in the water. Let’s hurry and rescue Master!” Pigsy said with a smile, “Brother, you should leave yourself a way out. Since you’ve seen the demons, why not kill them instead of rescuing Master? They’ll definitely come out at night, wearing their old clothes to find us; if they block us, it could get troublesome!” The Monkey King shook his head, “You have a point, but I won’t strike them. If anyone is to strike, it should be you.”
Pigsy, full of energy, happily raised his rake and headed straight for the pool. He pushed open the door and saw, hey! The seven girls were squatting in the water, angrily cursing, “That damn eagle! It stole all our clothes; it’s infuriating!” Pigsy couldn’t help but laugh, “Ladies, since you’re bathing here, why don’t you let this monk wash too?” Upon hearing this, the demons immediately became furious: “You monk, how rude! We are respectable women; how can a man like you bathe with us?”
Pigsy didn’t care; it was hot, and he thought, “No choice; I’ll just wash anyway.” With that, he dropped his rake, took off his robe, and jumped into the water with a splash. The demons, feeling irritated, rushed forward to hit him. But Pigsy was a skilled swimmer; he transformed into a catfish. The demons groped around but couldn’t catch him, flailing here and there, completely unable to grasp him, making them breathless.
After a while, Pigsy jumped back up to the surface, revealing his true form, putting on his robe, and raising his rake, shouting, “Did you think I was a catfish?” The demons were startled and quickly asked, “How did you become so strange, monk? Where did you come from?” Pigsy sneered, “I’m Tang Seng’s disciple, the Marshal of Heaven, Pigsy! You captured my master and planned to steam him; he’s quite easy to cook! Come out, let’s have a real fight!”
Hearing this, the demons were terrified, quickly kneeling down to plead for mercy: “Master, spare us! We mistakenly captured your master; although we hung him in the cave, we never dared to torture him. Please, show us mercy, and we’ll offer some tribute to your master!” Pigsy shook his head, “Don’t say that; as the saying goes, sweet words from the past cannot be trusted again. Come on, prepare to fight!”
The foolish Pigsy was determined to fight, completely disregarding the delicate nature of the situation. He charged forward with his rake raised. The demons, in a panic, flailed about, caring little for their shame; their lives were at stake. They quickly covered themselves and jumped out of the water, rushing to the pavilion to cast their spells. Unexpectedly, they used the silk ropes that emerged from their belly buttons to ensnare Pigsy tightly.
When Pigsy looked up, he realized he couldn’t see the sky at all. He hurriedly tried to run out, but found his feet tangled in the ropes, causing him to stumble and fall, landing on his back with his legs in the air, feeling numb and weak. In that moment, the demons took the opportunity to escape; they didn’t hit him or hurt him, but jumped out of the door, blocking the sunlight, and returned to their cave.
Inside the cave, as the demons changed their clothes, one called out, “Children, come quickly!” It turned out their children were all little bugs with various names, such as bees, wasps, and toads. They wanted to eat Pigsy but were thwarted by him. Feeling a wave of fear, the demons quickly sent the bugs out to drive Pigsy away, waiting for another opportunity. You could see the bugs, all eager and ready for a challenge!
After Pigsy fell and was disoriented, he suddenly looked up and found the silk canopy and ropes were gone. Slowly, he got up, enduring the pain as he groped his way back. Upon seeing the Monkey King, he hurriedly asked, “Brother, is my head swollen? Is my face bruised?” The Monkey King, curious, replied, “What happened to you?” Pigsy, looking wronged, said, “I was covered by those demons with silk ropes and fell countless times; my waist feels like it’s about to break, and I barely made it back!”
Sandy, seeing this, quickly said, “Forget it! This is your own mess! Those demons must have gone back to harm Master; we need to hurry and rescue him!” The Monkey King immediately moved forward, and Pigsy hurriedly followed with the horse. But when they reached the village, they found seven little demons blocking their way: “Stop, stop! We’re guarding here!”
The Monkey King couldn’t help but laugh, “These are just little ones, not even three feet tall and weighing less than ten pounds!”
The little demon angrily shouted, “I’m the son of the Seven Fairies! You bullied my mother; how dare you come here again!” Pigsy, hearing this, was furious, already boiling with anger, and raised his rake, ready to fight. However, the little demons, seeing this, immediately transformed and flew up, shouting, “Transform!” In an instant, one turned into ten, and ten turned into a hundred—there were countless little demons filling the sky.
Pigsy was flustered: “Brother, there are too many bugs; what do we do?” The Monkey King comforted him, “Don’t be afraid; go in and fight!” Pigsy, looking helpless, replied, “There are bugs all over me, stinging me to death; how can I fight?” The Monkey King patted his chest, “No worries, I have a plan!” Sandy was also anxious: “Hurry up and use it; otherwise, we’ll be stung all over!”
The Great Sage pulled out a handful of fine hairs, chewed them up, and spat them out, transforming them into various eagles: yellow eagles, sparrowhawks, white eagles… Pigsy was confused: “Brother, what kind of trick is this?” The Monkey King explained, “These eagles are specifically for dealing with bugs; don’t worry!” Sure enough, the eagles flew up, each targeting the bugs, catching them and sending them flying everywhere. Before long, the bugs were defeated, scattered all over the ground.
The three brothers finally crossed the bridge and rushed into the cave, seeing their master hanging there, moaning and crying. Pigsy hurried forward, “Master, are you just hanging around here? You have no idea how many times I fell!” Sandy quickly said, “Let’s get Master down first!” The Monkey King swiftly cut the ropes, and Tang Seng was finally freed.
Tang Seng asked, “Where did those demons go?” The Monkey King replied, “They all ran away naked to call their children.” Then, the Monkey King suggested, “Brothers, let’s go look for them!” Armed with their weapons, they searched the backyard, but found not a single shadow. Pigsy sighed, “They’re gone, gone!” Sandy said, “Stop looking; let’s help Master leave first.”
So, the brothers helped Tang Seng onto the horse, and he sighed, “Disciples, don’t act on your own in the future.” Pigsy mischievously said, “I need to smash this house with my rake so they have no place to hide!” The Monkey King laughed, “Why not gather some firewood and give it a thorough burning?” Pigsy busily found some dry wood, lit a fire, and burned everything clean.
The master and disciples finally felt at ease to leave. However, what ultimately happened to the demons, we shall discuss next time!
