Once upon a time, the king was in the court, and all the civil and military officials were respectfully presenting their memorials, pleading, “Your Majesty, please forgive us for our rudeness.” The king looked puzzled and asked, “Everyone seems polite as usual. What rudeness are you talking about?” The officials shook their heads and hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, we don’t know what happened, but we’ve all lost our hair overnight!”
Upon hearing this, the king was startled and quickly sat up from his dragon bed. Looking down, he realized he was also completely bald, and he immediately burst into tears, crying, “It seems I really have killed a monk!” The officials also started to weep, saying, “We’ll never dare to kill a monk again!” The king regained his composure, sat back on the throne, and commanded, “Those with matters to report, come forward; those without, disperse.”
At that moment, the general of the city patrol and the commander of the eastern city stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Your servant discovered a cabinet of stolen goods while patrolling, along with a white horse. We request your decree on this matter!” The king was thrilled and said, “Bring the cabinet here!” The two officials quickly retreated, gathering soldiers to bring out the cabinet.
Inside the cabinet, Tang Seng was feeling anxious and uneasy: “What should we say when we meet the king?” Sun Wukong chuckled and said, “Don’t worry! I’ve already made arrangements. When the cabinet is opened, he will bow to us as his masters, as long as Zhu Bajie doesn’t fight for it.”
Zhu Bajie grinned and said, “To escape death is a blessing from heaven; how could I dare to fight for it?” Just then, the cabinet was brought to the Five Phoenix Tower and placed under the altar. The two officials invited the king to open the cabinet, and he immediately ordered it to be opened. As soon as the lid was lifted, Zhu Bajie couldn’t help but leap out, startling all the officials so much that they couldn’t even speak. Following that, Sun Wukong helped Tang Seng out, and Sha Wujing carried their luggage, making quite a lively scene.
Seeing the general holding the horse, Zhu Bajie rushed forward, shouting, “That horse is mine! Give it to me!” The officer was so frightened that he fell to the ground. The four monks stood on the steps, and when the king saw four monks, he quickly got down from his dragon bed, summoned the three palace consorts, and respectfully asked, “Elder, why have you come?”
Tang Seng replied, “We are from the Tang Dynasty, sent to the West to obtain scriptures.” The king was even happier upon hearing this: “How could such esteemed teachers rest in a cabinet after traveling so far?” Tang Seng sighed, “I heard that Your Majesty intended to kill monks, fearing I would be recognized, so I disguised myself as a commoner and stayed at the Baofang Inn at night. Unfortunately, I was stolen away by thieves, but fortunately, the general caught them, allowing me to see Your Majesty’s face, truly a ray of hope. I hope Your Majesty can forgive me!”
The king was deeply moved: “You are a high monk of the heavenly dynasty; I have been rude. For years I have intended to kill monks because they slandered me and vowed to kill ten thousand monks. I never expected to convert tonight and learn to become a monk myself. Now all the officials and concubines have shaved their heads, hoping to be your disciples.” Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie laughed heartily, “Since you want to be our disciples, what kind of greeting gift do you have?”
The king immediately replied, “If the master is willing, I am willing to offer the treasures of the kingdom.” Sun Wukong waved his hand and said, “Don’t mention treasures; we monks are virtuous. Just change the decree for us and let us leave the city, and we guarantee your reign will be stable and prosperous.” The king, upon hearing this, immediately set up a banquet at the Guanglu Temple, and the officials worked together, quickly changing the decree and asking Tang Seng to change the kingdom’s name.
Sun Wukong said, “Your Majesty, the name of the kingdom is good, but just remove the character for ‘destroy’ and change it to ‘Qin’ State, and I guarantee your realm will be peaceful and prosperous.” The king was immensely grateful and prepared a royal carriage to personally escort Tang Seng and his companions out of the city to the west. The officials, filled with gratitude, returned to the true path and no longer mentioned the past.
Tang Seng bid farewell to the king of the Qin State, happily riding his horse and saying, “Wukong, this plan is really good; we’ve made quite an achievement!” Sha Seng couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, where can we find so many cosmetic surgeons at night to shave our heads?” Wukong chuckled and recounted how the transformation occurred, making the master and disciples laugh heartily.
Just as they were enjoying the moment, a tall mountain suddenly appeared ahead, blocking their way. Tang Seng pulled the reins and frowned, saying, “Disciples, look how high this mountain is; we must be careful!” Wukong laughed and said, “Don’t worry! With me here, nothing will happen!” Tang Seng shook his head: “It’s not about being fine. I feel this mountain is a bit ominous; from afar, the clouds are rolling, making me uneasy and restless.”
Wukong teased, “Have you forgotten the ‘Heart Sutra’ of Master Wucao?” Tang Seng hurriedly replied, “I remember!” Wukong continued, “You remember, but what about those four lines of verse?” Tang Seng asked curiously, “What four lines?” Wukong answered, “Buddha is not far in Ling Mountain; Ling Mountain is right in your heart. Everyone has their own Ling Mountain pagoda; it’s best to cultivate under the pagoda.” Tang Seng nodded, “I know, those four lines are about cultivating the heart!”
Wukong went on, “A pure heart shines brightly and illuminates; if your heart is filled with fear and panic, how can you succeed? As long as you are sincere, the Sound of Thunder is right before you. Don’t hesitate anymore; follow me!” After hearing this, Tang Seng felt much lighter, all worries dissipated.
The four continued on and soon reached the mountain top. Looking up, they were amazed by the breathtaking scenery: vibrant colors, swirling clouds, and swaying tree shadows. Birds soared in the sky, wild beasts ran in the woods, pines and bamboos intertwined, wolves and hungry tigers fought for food, monkeys chattered in the trees, and deer frolicked among the flowers. The wind gently blew, water flowed softly, and occasionally the calls of birds could be heard—truly a paradise on earth.
Just as they were admiring the beautiful scenery, a sudden gust of wind swept through. Tang Seng was frightened and said, “The wind is picking up!” Wukong, however, was unconcerned: “Spring winds, summer winds, autumn winds, winter winds—there’s wind in every season; what’s there to be afraid of?” Tang Seng replied, “This wind is too strong; it must not be an ordinary wind.” Wukong laughed, “Since ancient times, the wind rises from the ground, and clouds emerge from the mountains; where does the wind from the sky come from?”
Before he could finish speaking, a thick fog suddenly rolled in. The fog was so dense that it seemed to darken the sky and obscure the ground. The sunlight completely vanished, and the sounds of birds were silenced—everything was in chaos. Tang Seng grew even more anxious: “Wukong, the wind hasn’t stopped, and now the fog has come again!” Wukong comforted him, “Don’t worry, Master. You dismount first; Sha Seng and I will guard here while I go check the situation.”
Sun Wukong bent down and flew into the air, shielding his eyes with his hand and looking down with his fiery eyes. He indeed spotted a monster sitting at the edge of a cliff. Just look at its appearance: it was colorful and imposing, with hard teeth like steel nails, sharp claws hidden in its hooves, golden eyes wide open, frightening even the beasts. Its silver whiskers stood upright, making ghosts and spirits frown in distress. The monster opened its mouth and roared, creating a truly terrifying atmosphere, surrounded by three or four dozen little demons who were blowing wind and spraying mist.
Wukong chuckled to himself: “My master said it’s not the wind from the sky, and indeed it isn’t; it turns out this monster is causing trouble here. If I hit it with my iron rod, it would be like smashing garlic, killing it and ruining my reputation.” After thinking it over, he decided not to act just yet and returned to take care of Zhu Bajie, letting him meet this monster. If Bajie could defeat it, it would show his skill; if not, then I would save him, and I’d still gain fame. He thought to himself that while Bajie was a bit lazy, he could be easily coaxed, so he would give it a try.
Thus, Wukong descended from the clouds and approached Tang Seng. Tang Seng asked, “Wukong, what’s the situation with the wind and fog?” Wukong smiled and said, “It’s much clearer now; there’s no more wind or fog.” Tang Seng nodded, “Yes, it feels like it has receded a bit.” Wukong continued, “I misjudged earlier; I thought there were monsters in the fog, but it turns out there’s a village ahead. The villagers are kind-hearted, and the steamed rice and buns they make are for the monks; this fog is probably just the steam from their cooking.”
Upon hearing this, Bajie immediately leaned in close to Wukong and whispered, “Brother, did you eat their vegetarian food?” Wukong shook his head, “I didn’t eat much; the dishes were too salty for my taste.” Bajie replied, “So what if it’s salty? I’m going to eat my fill; I’m quite hungry!” Wukong quickly said, “Brother, don’t rush. The ancient texts say, when the father is present, the son cannot act independently. The master is here; who dares to go first?”
Bajie chuckled, “If you don’t say anything, I’ll go!” Wukong thought to himself, “This guy is really impatient.” So Bajie stepped forward and respectfully said to Tang Seng, “Master, my brother just mentioned that there are families in the nearby village serving vegetarian meals for monks. I’d like to go find some grass to feed the horse. I’ll look for some tender grass and then go for a meal.” Tang Seng happily said, “Great! Why are you so diligent today? Go quickly and come back soon!”
Bajie felt pleased and hurried off. However, Wukong held him back and said, “Brother, they only serve meals for handsome monks, not for ugly ones.” Bajie became anxious upon hearing this: “Are you saying I need to change my appearance again?” Wukong nodded, “Exactly, hurry and transform.” Bajie thought to himself that he also knew the thirty-six transformations, so he walked into a hollow in the mountain, made a gesture, recited a spell, and transformed into a short, plump monk, knocking a wooden fish in his hands and humming “A-heng,” unable to chant scriptures, only able to hum “Shang Daren.”
The monster, having dispelled the wind and fog, commanded a group of little demons to set up a circle at the road’s entrance, waiting for passersby to bump into it. Poor Zhu Bajie didn’t expect to be surrounded shortly after. Some grabbed his clothes, while others pulled at his strings, and they all rushed at him together. Bajie looked bewildered: “Don’t pull; let me eat my fill first!” The little demons asked, “Monk, what do you want to eat?” Bajie replied, “You have vegetarian meals here; I’m here for the vegetarian food!” The little demons burst into laughter: “Do you think this is prepared for monks? We are demons that specifically eat monks!”
Upon hearing this, Bajie’s heart sank, thinking, “This is bad; it really is a demon!” He angrily scolded Wukong: “That Bi Ma Wen is so lazy, tricking me into thinking there are vegetarian meals here, but it turns out to be demons!” Frustrated, he decided to reveal his true form, pulled out his nine-toothed rake, and began to fight back, driving the little demons away. The little demons hurried to report to the old monster: “Great King, there’s trouble!” The old monster asked, “What’s the matter?” The little demon said, “A monk came from the mountain, looking quite clean. I thought we could take him back to steam and eat, but it turns out he can transform!”
The old monster grew anxious: “Transform into what?” The little demon replied, “He transformed to look just like a person! With a big mouth, long ears, a mane on his back, and holding a rake, he scared us so much that we hurried back to report.” The old monster calmed down: “Don’t be afraid; I’ll go take a look.” He took an iron rod and approached, and indeed saw a grotesque figure: the mouth was over three feet long, with fangs like silver nails, eyes shining like lightning, ears flapping loudly, and covered in warts.
The demon gruffly asked, “Who are you? Quickly tell me your name, and I’ll spare your life!” Bajie laughed heartily: “You don’t even recognize your pig ancestor! Listen, I am the Marshal of the Heavenly River, in charge of eighty thousand soldiers. I was demoted to the mortal realm due to drunkenness, and now I’ve run into you demons.” After this self-introduction, the demon immediately became alert: “You’re Tang Seng’s disciple? I was just thinking of capturing you to eat; spare you? No way!”
Seeing this, Bajie teased, “You demon, why do you look like a dyeing master?” The demon retorted, “How am I a dyeing master?” Bajie laughed, “Otherwise, why would you use a stick to hit people?” The two then began to fight in the hollow of the mountain: one with a nine-toothed rake, the other with an iron rod, battling fiercely.
This struggle was truly spectacular, with Bajie fighting valiantly against the demon. The demon even commanded the little demons to surround Bajie, making the scene quite lively. The sounds of shouting and fighting echoed through the valley, truly shaking the heavens!
As the journey continued, the Monkey King couldn't help but chuckle quietly behind Tang Seng. Sha Seng curiously asked, “Brother, what are you laughing at?” The Monkey King, looking quite pleased, replied, “Look at Zhu Bajie; he’s such a fool! Hearing there are vegetarian meals, he fell for my trick and ran off. Now, he might not come back until morning. If he manages to scare off the demons with his rake, he’ll surely come back bragging; but if he gets captured, then I’ll be in trouble and get scolded thoroughly! Wujing, don’t say anything; I’ll go check it out!” With that, Wukong quietly plucked a hair from his body, blew it with his celestial breath, transformed back into his original form, and followed Sha Seng to find Tang Seng.
The Great Sage soared through the air and saw Bajie surrounded by demons, swinging his rake wildly but gradually starting to falter. Wukong felt anxious and landed on a cloud, shouting, “Bajie, don’t panic! I’m coming!” Hearing Wukong’s voice boosted Bajie’s confidence, and he swung his rake forward with all his might, frightening the demons into retreat: “How did this monk suddenly become so fierce?” Bajie angrily declared, “Don’t bully me; my family is here!” With that, he struck again. The demons couldn’t withstand it and retreated with their little minions. Seeing the demons flee, Wukong didn’t pursue them but turned back to his original spot, retracted his hair, and returned to his true form without Tang Seng noticing any change.
Before long, Bajie returned victorious, panting and looking disheveled as he called out, “Master!” Tang Seng was surprised and said, “Bajie, you went to gather horse feed, why do you look so rough? Was there someone on the mountain who wouldn’t let you gather grass?” Bajie felt even more wronged, dropped his rake, and pounded his chest, saying, “Master, don’t ask; just listen to me, it’s so embarrassing!” Tang Seng was curious: “Why is it embarrassing?” Bajie replied, “My brother played a trick on me! He said there were no demons in the fog, that it was the villagers being kind and steaming rice for us. I believed him, thinking I was hungry, so I went to eat, but ended up surrounded by a bunch of demons and fought for half the day! If it weren’t for my brother’s help, I wouldn’t have made it back at all!”
Wukong couldn’t help but laugh from the side: “This fool is really talking nonsense! I’ve been watching over the Master the whole time; how could I leave?” Tang Seng nodded, “Yes, Wukong didn’t leave me.” Bajie jumped up and said, “Master, you don’t know; he has a decoy!” Tang Seng asked, “Wukong, were there really demons?” Wukong, feeling a bit embarrassed, smiled and said, “There was a little demon, but it didn’t dare to provoke us. Bajie, come here; I’ll take care of you. Since we’re protecting the Master, we need to walk together through this treacherous mountain path, just like marching.” Bajie thought to himself, “What’s wrong with marching?” Wukong said, “You’ll act as the vanguard. If the demons don’t come, that’s fine; if they do, you’ll fight them. If you win, it’ll be your achievement!”
Bajie thought the demons’ tactics were similar to his own and felt a bit intimidated: “Then I’ll go ahead!” Wukong laughed, “This fool is such a pessimist; he never learns!” Bajie said, “Brother, you know, if you’re not drunk at a feast, you won’t feel full; a warrior going into battle might not die, but he’ll get injured. If you say something wrong, you’ll gain respect later!” Wukong found this hilarious and quickly saddled the horse for Tang Seng to ride, while Sha Seng carried the luggage, and Bajie led the way into the mountains as the story continued.
Meanwhile, the demon returned to its lair with a few defeated little demons, sitting on a rocky cliff with a frown, not saying a word. The little demons, seeing this, came forward to ask, “Great King, you usually leave with a smile, why are you frowning today?” The old demon sighed, “Little ones, today I went out to patrol the mountains. Usually, I can catch a few living humans to feed you, but today my luck was bad; I ran into a formidable opponent!” The little demons were curious, “Who is the opponent?” The old demon angrily replied, “It’s that monk, Tang Seng’s disciple, named Zhu Bajie! He forced me to flee after hitting me with his rake; I’m so furious! I heard that Tang Seng’s flesh can grant immortality, and today I wanted to capture him to steam and eat, but unexpectedly ran into this guy!”
Just then, a little demon jumped out from the bushes, crying and laughing. The old demon frowned and said, “What are you doing, crying and laughing?” The little demon knelt down and said, “Great King, you just mentioned wanting to eat Tang Seng’s flesh, but Tang Seng’s flesh isn’t tasty at all!” The old demon, puzzled, asked, “Why isn’t it tasty? I heard that eating a piece of his flesh can grant immortality; how can it not be good?” The little demon replied, “If it were really good, it would have been eaten by other demons long ago. He has three disciples under him.” The old demon inquired, “Who are those three disciples?” The little demon answered, “His eldest disciple is Sun Wukong, the third disciple is Sha Seng, and the second disciple is Zhu Bajie.”
The old demon asked again, “Is Sha Seng stronger than Zhu Bajie?” The little demon replied, “They’re about the same.” The old demon continued, “What about Sun Wukong?” The little demon stuck out his tongue and said, “I wouldn’t dare say! Sun Wukong is incredibly powerful, with vast abilities and endless transformations! Five hundred years ago, he caused havoc in Heaven, and even the gods didn’t dare provoke him. How could you think of eating Tang Seng?” Hearing this, the old demon was startled: “How do you know so much?” The little demon explained, “I used to live with the King at Shizhuo Ridge. I heard that the King wanted to eat Tang Seng, but was beaten by Sun Wukong with his golden staff and ended up with broken bones. I took the opportunity to escape through the back door, which is how I know about his strength.”
After listening, the old demon’s expression changed drastically, feeling somewhat afraid. At that moment, another little demon stepped forward and said, “Don’t be afraid, Great King. There’s an old saying: things take time. If you want to eat Tang Seng, I have a plan!” The old demon immediately perked up: “What good idea do you have?” The little demon proudly said, “I have a plan called the ‘Divided Plum Blossom Strategy!’” The old demon, curious, asked, “What kind of strategy is that?” The little demon explained, “We’ll gather all the demons in the cave, select a few hundred from thousands, then pick ten, and finally choose three capable ones to transform into your appearance, wearing your armor and holding your iron staff, to lie in ambush. One will deal with Zhu Bajie, another with Sun Wukong, and the last one with Sha Seng. This way, we can draw them away, and you can easily reach out from the sky to grab Tang Seng!”
Upon hearing this, the old demon’s heart soared: “Good idea! A brilliant strategy! If we can capture Tang Seng this time, I’ll reward you handsomely!” The little demon gratefully bowed and thanked him, then began to gather the little demons in the cave. They successfully selected three capable little demons, transformed them to look like the old demon, and prepared to lie in ambush for Tang Seng.
Meanwhile, Tang Seng was carefree, walking along the road with Bajie for quite some time. Suddenly, with a “whoosh,” a little demon jumped out from the bushes, heading straight for Tang Seng. Sun Wukong immediately shouted, “Bajie! A demon is coming; get ready!” But Bajie, unable to discern friend from foe, raised his rake and charged in to strike wildly. The demon, not to be outdone, raised its iron staff to meet him. The two fought fiercely on the hillside, and just then, another demon jumped out from the grass, making a beeline for Tang Seng.
Wukong saw this and panicked: “Master! This is bad! Bajie’s eyes are really clouded; he let the demon come to grab you! Let me go fight it!” Saying this, he brandished his staff and rushed forward, shouting, “Where do you think you’re going? Look at my staff!” The demon ignored him and charged straight ahead. The two collided fiercely on the grassy slope. At that moment, another demon jumped out from behind the mountain, also heading straight for Tang Seng. Sha Seng cried out, “Master! Both my elder brother and second brother are blinded; a demon is coming to grab you! Sit tight; I’ll deal with it!” Without discerning good from bad, this monk raised his staff and blocked the demon’s iron staff, fighting desperately.
The sounds of shouting and fighting grew fainter. Just then, the old demon, seeing Tang Seng alone on his horse from the air, extended his five-clawed steel hook and suddenly grabbed Tang Seng. Tang Seng was startled, causing the horse to stumble and the stirrups to come loose, and he was swept away by the demon in a gust of wind. Alas, it was indeed a calamity for the Zen master, encountering misfortune once again!
The old demon dragged Tang Seng into the cave and shouted, “Vanguard!” The little demon who had devised the plan earlier knelt down and said, “I dare not, I dare not!” The old demon angrily responded, “What do you mean by that? The general’s word is law; once a statement is made, it’s like being dyed white with soap. You said before that if we couldn’t catch Tang Seng, it would be fine, but now that we have him, how can we not reward you as the vanguard? You bring Tang Seng here, and we’ll feast together and extend our lives!”
However, the vanguard little demon said, “Great King, wait a moment; it’s best not to eat him.” The old demon was puzzled: “Why not eat him?” The vanguard replied, “It’s fine for you to eat him, but Zhu Bajie and Sha Seng will have feelings about it. Sun Wukong, on the other hand, is another matter. If he finds out we’ve eaten Tang Seng, he will definitely not let us off the hook. All he has to do is thrust his golden staff, and the mountain will be overturned; we won’t have anywhere to hide!”
Upon hearing this, the old demon felt some trepidation: “What do you suggest then?” The vanguard little demon said, “In my opinion, we should first send Tang Seng to the back garden and tie him to a tree, not giving him any food for a few days. This will clean out his stomach, and when Zhu Bajie and the others aren’t around, we can take him out and enjoy him without worry. Isn’t that better?”
The old demon, hearing this, was delighted: “Yes, the vanguard makes a lot of sense!” He then commanded that Tang Seng be dragged to the back garden and tied to a tree. The little demons all ran to the front to wait, thinking about the delicious Tang Seng meat. You could see that the elder was tightly bound, tears streaming down his face as he cried out, “Disciples! You’re out there catching demons in the mountains; why aren’t you coming to save me? I’ve been captured by this vile demon, suffering endlessly; when will we meet again? It’s truly painful!”
Just as he was frowning in despair, someone suddenly shouted from a tree across the way, “Elder, you’re here too!” Tang Seng was startled and asked, “Who are you?” The person replied, “I’m a woodcutter from this mountain. I was captured by the mountain lord a few days ago and tied here. It’s been three days already, and I’m probably going to be eaten soon.” Tang Seng, with tears in his eyes, said, “Woodcutter, if you die, so be it; it’s not a big deal. My life is not so simple.”
The woodcutter felt sad upon hearing this: “Elder, you are a monk, with no parents above and no wife below; dying isn’t a big concern for you.” Tang Seng replied, “I am on a mission from the Tang Dynasty’s Emperor Taizong to travel to the West to obtain scriptures and save those lonely souls and wandering ghosts. If I die, wouldn’t that betray the emperor and his ministers’ expectations? Those poor souls in the City of Grievance will never find release; how can that be clean?”
The woodcutter listened, tears welling up: “Elder, if you die, that’s one thing, but my situation is worse. I lost my father when I was young and have been living with my mother. She is eighty-three years old this year, and I’m the only one taking care of her. If I die, who will bury me? Who will take care of her?” Upon hearing this, Tang Seng cried out loudly, “How tragic! You still have family, but I only recite scriptures! Serving your lord and caring for your family are the same principle. You care for family ties, while I care for my duty to the emperor.” It was truly a scene of tearful eyes meeting tearful eyes, as two heartbroken people shared their grief!
While Tang Seng was suffering, Sun Wukong had fought off the little demons on the hillside and hurried back to find his master. However, looking around, he saw that his master was missing, with only the white horse and the luggage left. Sun Wukong panicked, leading the horse and carrying the load, searching the mountaintop. Alas, it was indeed a difficult time for the river, and even the demon-fighting Great Sage faced misfortune. Would Sun Wukong be able to find his master? We’ll talk about that next time!
