Tang Seng happily bid farewell to the county lord, mounted his horse, and said to the Monkey King, “My dear disciple, the good deeds from this trip are far greater than those of the Bhikkhu Kingdom saving the children, all thanks to you!” Sha Seng chimed in, “The Bhikkhu Kingdom only saved a thousand one hundred and eleven children; how can that compare to this heavy rain that has nourished countless lives? I secretly admire your magical powers, Big Brother; your kindness is boundless!” At this moment, Ba Jie interjected with a laugh, “Brother, your kindness is noted, but we need to see what’s hidden in that heart of yours. I’d better be careful following you, Old Pig!”
The Monkey King was puzzled: “What have I done to you?” Ba Jie grumbled, “Don’t play innocent! You always look after me when I’m tied up, hung up, boiled, or steamed! This time, in Fengxian County, you should have stayed a few more days and treated me to a good meal, but you just rushed off!” Hearing this, Tang Seng immediately scolded, “This fool, why is he only thinking about food? Hurry up, let’s not argue anymore!”
Ba Jie dared not say more, covering his mouth, shouldering his bag, and the four of them walked along the road, chatting and laughing.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was deep autumn. The water marks had gradually receded, the mountains looked thin, red leaves were fluttering, and yellow flowers were in full bloom. The frosty, clear nights felt long, with moonlight spilling through the windows onto the ground. The smoke from every household looked warm under the sunset, and the lakes reflected the chilly waters. The fragrance of white reed flowers and the lushness of red smartweed filled the air, while oranges, tangerines, and willows swayed in the autumn breeze. A flock of geese settled on the withered reed flowers in the deserted village, and the crowing of roosters in the roadside inns gradually faded away. After walking for a long time, the four disciples suddenly spotted the shadow of a city wall. Tang Seng raised his whip and pointed, “Wukong, look over there! There’s another city; I wonder where it is?”
The Monkey King replied, “We’ve never been there, how would we know? Let’s walk over and ask someone.”
Before he finished speaking, an old man emerged from the bushes, holding a bamboo staff, dressed in light clothing and wearing brown shoes. Tang Seng hurriedly rolled off his horse and approached to greet him.
The old man leaned on his staff and returned the greeting, “Where does the elder come from?” Tang Seng clasped his hands and said, “I am a monk sent from the Tang Dynasty in the East to visit the Thunder Sound Temple to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Today, I arrived here and saw the city wall from afar. I didn’t know where this place was, so I came to ask you, good sir.” The old man replied, “This place is Yuhua County in the land of India. The city lord here is a relative of the Indian emperor, titled Prince Yuhua. This prince is very wise, respects monks and Daoists, and cares for the common people. If the elder visits him, you will surely be treated with importance.” Tang Seng thanked him repeatedly, and the old man walked away through the woods.
Tang Seng turned to tell his disciples what the old man had said, and the three of them were very happy, helping their master back onto the horse.
Tang Seng said, “It’s not far, no need to ride anymore.” So the four of them walked to the edge of the city to take a look. They found the marketplace bustling with activity, thriving businesses, and a lively crowd. The voices and appearances of the people were no different from those in China. Tang Seng cautioned, “Disciples, be careful, don’t act recklessly.” Ba Jie lowered his head, and Sha Seng covered his face, while only Sun Wukong supported their master. The onlookers gathered around, calling out, “We only have high monks who can subdue dragons and tigers here; we’ve never seen a monk who can subdue pigs and monkeys!” Unable to hold back, Ba Jie quickly replied, “Have you ever seen a monk who can subdue the Pig King?” As soon as he said this, the people on the street were startled and quickly moved aside.
The Monkey King couldn’t help but chuckle, “Fool, shut up and don’t show off, watch your step on the bridge!” Ba Jie lowered his head, grinning foolishly. After crossing the suspension bridge and entering the city gate, they were greeted by a bustling street filled with lively taverns and singing houses, truly a capital of the divine land. Someone composed a poem praising, “The golden city’s iron jar stands firm for ten thousand years, nestled by the water and mountains, colors bright and clear. Goods flow from the lake, boats enter the market, and a thousand families sell wine, curtains drawn.” Tang Seng felt a surge of joy in his heart: “People say the places in the Western Regions aren’t as good as this; looking closely, it’s so similar to my Great Tang! This is truly the paradise of the world!” He heard that rice was four coins per stone and sesame oil was eight pennies per pound; indeed, it was a land of abundance.
After a long journey, they finally arrived at the residence of Prince Yuhua. On either side of the entrance were the Longshi Hall, the Court of Justice, the Dining Hall, and the Guest House. Tang Seng said, “Disciples, this is the prince's residence; let’s go in and meet him to verify our identities.” Ba Jie asked, “Master, can we wait in front of the yamen?” Tang Seng replied, “Didn’t you see the sign that says ‘Guest House’? You can go there and sit down, see if there’s any fodder, and buy some to feed the horses. I’ll meet the prince, and if there’s a banquet, I’ll call you to join me.” The Monkey King said, “Master, don’t worry; I’ll handle it.” Sha Seng took the luggage to the guest house. There was a caretaker in the house who, seeing their ugly appearance, didn’t dare to ask or chase them away, so he had no choice but to let them sit down.
As Tang Seng changed into his robes and hat, holding the official document, he headed straight for the prince's residence. Upon arriving at the entrance, the etiquette officer came forward to ask, “Elder, where do you come from?” Tang Seng replied, “I am sent from the Tang Dynasty in the East, specifically to visit the Thunder Sound Temple to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Today I’ve come to your esteemed place and wish to exchange my document, hence I have come to pay my respects to Your Highness.” Upon hearing this, the etiquette officer immediately went to report, and the prince, being wise, quickly issued a decree for him to enter.
When Tang Seng arrived in the hall, he bowed, and the prince invited him to sit. Tang Seng presented the document, and the prince looked it over, noticing the seals of various countries on it. He was pleased and stamped it with the royal seal, then asked, “National Master, how far have you traveled from the Tang Dynasty to get here?” Tang Seng replied, “I don’t quite remember, but two years ago when Bodhisattva Guanyin manifested before me, she said it was eighty thousand miles to the west. I’ve been on the road for fourteen years.” The prince laughed and said, “Fourteen years? That’s quite a delay.”
Tang Seng sighed, “On this journey, I’ve faced countless demons and endured many hardships before finally arriving at this precious place!” The prince was very pleased to hear this and immediately instructed the dining officer to prepare a vegetarian feast for Tang Seng.
Tang Seng said, “Your Highness, I have three small disciples waiting outside and cannot partake in the feast, for I fear it might delay our journey.” The prince instructed, “Quickly invite the elder’s three disciples into the palace to dine together.” The palace officer immediately went out to search, but everyone said, “Haven’t seen them, haven’t seen them.” Someone mentioned, “There are three ugly monks sitting in the guest house; it must be them.” The palace officer and others went to the guest house and asked the caretaker, “Which one is the high disciple of the Tang monk? My master has decreed to invite them for a feast.”
At that moment, Ba Jie was dozing off, and upon hearing the word “feast,” he immediately jumped up and shouted, “That’s us! That’s us!” The palace officer was so frightened that he nearly lost his mind and stammered, “It’s a pig demon! A pig demon!” The Monkey King quickly pulled Ba Jie back, “Brother, don’t be so uncultured; don’t make a scene.” The officials, seeing the Monkey King, gasped, “It’s a monkey spirit! A monkey spirit!” Sha Seng clasped his hands and said, “Don’t be afraid, everyone; we are all disciples of Tang Seng.”
The officials shouted, “Kitchen God! Kitchen God!” Sun Wukong had Ba Jie hold the horse and Sha Seng carry the baggage as they followed the crowd into the residence of Prince Yuhua. The palace officer went in first to report. When the prince saw these ugly monks, he felt a bit scared. Tang Seng clasped his hands and reassured, “Your Highness, don’t worry; although these mischievous disciples are ugly, they have kind hearts.” Ba Jie greeted the prince, saying, “This poor monk sends his regards to you.” The prince felt even more alarmed.
Tang Seng explained, “These mischievous disciples were gathered from the mountains and fields and don’t understand etiquette; I hope you will forgive them.” Although the prince was frightened, he still instructed the dining officer to invite them to the Bao Sa Pavilion for the feast. Tang Seng thanked him and left the throne, following everyone to the pavilion, feeling dissatisfied and complaining to Ba Jie, “You, you don’t understand manners at all! If you had just kept quiet, that would have been fine, but why be so rude? One word from you could topple Mount Tai!”
The Monkey King laughed, “It’s better I don’t greet anyone; it saves effort.” Sha Seng added, “He didn’t wait for the right moment to greet; he called out too soon.” Ba Jie, feeling wronged, said, “How mischievous! How mischievous! Master taught me to greet people a few days ago, and now I’m being told that greeting is wrong; what am I supposed to do?” Tang Seng helplessly replied, “I taught you to greet people, but I didn’t teach you to act like this in front of the prince! As the saying goes, there are different ranks among things and people; how can you not distinguish between high and low?”
Just as they were speaking, the dining officer arrived with people to clear the tables and set up the vegetarian feast. The disciples began to eat, each one silent.
The prince returned to the palace after leaving the main hall. Inside the palace, there were three young princes who saw his pale face and quickly asked, “Father, why do you look so scared today?” The prince replied, “Just now, a monk from the Eastern Tang Dynasty came to exchange his document. He looked extraordinary. I invited him to a vegetarian meal, and he mentioned he had disciples waiting at the door, so I sent someone to invite them. After a while, they came in. Before I could pay my respects, I saw his disciples, each looking like monsters, which frightened me.”
These three young princes were not ordinary; each was skilled in martial arts. They rubbed their fists and said, “Could they be mountain demons disguised as humans? Let’s go get our weapons and check!” The eldest prince grabbed a staff, the second prince swung a nine-toothed rake, and the youngest prince brandished a dark stick, marching out of the palace with great momentum, shouting, “Where are those monks seeking scriptures?”
At that moment, a food officer knelt down and said, “Little princes, they are having a vegetarian meal at the Bao Sa Pavilion over there.” The young princes didn’t consider the consequences and rushed in, shouting, “Are you humans or monsters? Speak the truth, and we’ll spare you!” Startled, Tang Seng quickly put down his bowl and bowed, saying, “I am a monk from the Tang Dynasty here to seek scriptures; I am a human, not a monster.” The young prince replied, “You seem human enough, but those three ugly ones are definitely monsters!”
Ba Jie continued eating, too lazy to respond to them. Sha Seng and the Monkey King stood up and said, “We are all humans; we just have ugly faces but kind hearts, strong bodies, and good temperaments. Where do you come from to act so arrogantly?” The nearby officer quickly interjected, “These three are my king’s sons, little princes.”
Ba Jie put down his bowl and asked, “Little princes, do you want to fight us with those weapons?” The second prince immediately took a stance, swinging his rake to attack Ba Jie. Ba Jie laughed and said, “That rake is only fit for me to use as a grandson!” With that, he pulled out his own rake, waved it, and instantly it shone with golden light, radiating auspiciousness, making the prince’s hands go weak and unable to move.
Seeing the eldest prince jumping around with his staff, the Monkey King took out his golden rod from his ear, shook it, and it transformed to the thickness of a bowl and about ten feet long. He slammed it into the ground, creating a three-foot-deep pit, standing it upright, and laughed, “I’ll give you this rod!”
Upon hearing this, the prince immediately dropped his own staff and tried to pull out the golden rod, using all his strength but not moving it an inch. He tried to lift it again, shaking it as if it had taken root. The youngest prince, in a fit of rage, tried to strike with his dark stick, but Sha Seng easily split it apart, took out the Demon-Subduing Staff, and with a gentle flick, it radiated brilliance and filled the hall with light, leaving the officials dumbfounded and speechless. The three young princes bowed together and said, “Divine Master! Divine Master! We mortals do not recognize your greatness; we hope you can demonstrate your skills so we can pay our respects.”
The Monkey King stepped forward, gently picked up the staff, and said, “This place is small; I can’t show my full abilities here. I’ll jump into the air and perform a set for you.”
What a great sage! With a whistle, he somersaulted, stepping on five-colored clouds, rising into the air about three hundred steps high, tossing the golden rod around like a flower crown, spinning and flying in all directions. At first, it seemed like a beautiful addition to the scenery, but soon, the sky was filled with the shadows of the rod. Ba Jie cheered from below, unable to hold back, shouting, “Let old pig show off too!” The silly one, riding the wind, also flew into the air, tossing aside his rake and performing all sorts of moves, creating a whirlwind of sounds.
Just as things were getting lively, Sha Seng said to Tang Seng, “Master, let old Sha also show off.” The good monk jumped up, twirling his staff, and rose into the air. A sharp energy surrounded him, golden light shimmering, as he wielded the Demon-Subduing Staff, executing moves like a phoenix facing the sun and a hungry tiger pouncing, skillfully blocking and swiftly turning.
The three brothers displayed their powers together, showcasing their might in the air. This was truly: "The scene of true Zen is extraordinary, the great path fills the vast sky. Gold and wood exert their power throughout the realm, blades and staffs turn and merge with fluidity. Divine weapons appear at any moment, and treasures bloom everywhere." Although the heights of Tianzhu are lofty, the Prince of Yuhua remains central. The three young princes were so frightened that they knelt in the dust. The officials of the Bao Sa Pavilion, the old princes in the palace, and the military and civilians of the city—men and women, monks and laypeople—each chanted Buddha's name and bowed, lighting incense in worship. Indeed, it was: "Seeing the truth returns to the essence, delivering countless monks; in the human world, blessings are enjoyed in peace." From now on, the path to enlightenment is clear, filled with those who meditate and worship Buddha.
After showcasing their talents, the three of them landed on auspicious clouds, sheathed their weapons, and bowed to Tang Seng, thanking him for his guidance. They each sat down and did not mention it again.
The three young princes hurried back to the palace, excitedly telling the old king, “Father, today is truly a great day! Do you know? What we just saw in the air was simply marvelous!” The old king’s eyes lit up upon hearing this: “I was just in the courtyard with your mother, burning incense and worshipping Buddha, and I saw brilliant rays of light in the sky. I truly wondered which immortal had descended!” The young prince quickly explained, “It wasn’t an immortal; it was that monk seeking scriptures and his three disciples! One wielded a golden rod, another danced with a nine-toothed rake, and the last used a demon-subduing staff, making our weapons seem useless!”
He continued, “We tried to teach them how to use their weapons, but they felt the ground was too small to display their skills, so they flew into the air to perform. The clouds floated, and auspicious energy surrounded them, and when they landed, they were all seated in the Bao Sa Pavilion!” The young prince grew more excited as he spoke, wanting to take them as masters and learn skills to protect the country—what a great accomplishment! He turned to the old king and asked, “Father, what do you think?”
The old king was also pleased, feeling confident. So, the four of them walked directly to the Bao Sa Pavilion without any formalities. They happened to see Tang Seng and his disciples packing their belongings, preparing to enter the palace to thank them for the meal. The old king and the young princes quickly bowed, and Tang Seng was taken aback, hastily returning the gesture, while the Monkey King and others couldn’t help but chuckle nearby.
After everyone finished bowing, they invited Tang Seng and his disciples to sit in the palace. The old king stood up and said, “Master Tang, I have something I would like to ask, and I wonder if your three esteemed disciples can oblige?” Tang Seng quickly replied, “Please instruct us; my disciples will certainly comply.” The old king continued, “When I first met you, I thought you were just traveling monks from afar, but I didn’t expect you to be celestial beings! My three sons have loved martial arts since childhood and now wish to take you as their masters to learn some skills. I sincerely request you to impart your knowledge!”
Hearing this, the Monkey King couldn’t help but laugh heartily: “Your Highness, you are truly amusing! We, as monks, most hope to impart skills to disciples. Since your sons have this intention, let’s not talk about any benefits; just treat each other with sincerity!” The prince was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately ordered preparations for a grand banquet, setting it up in the main hall of the palace.
The banquet was bustling with excitement, colorful ribbons fluttering, incense smoke curling, and the golden tables adorned with exquisite decorations, dazzling the eyes. Colorful chairs were covered with brocade, looking particularly splendid. Fresh fruits and fragrant teas were plentiful, with a few sweet pastries and a variety of fluffy steamed buns, especially the exquisite honey-glazed ones, deliciously fried.
A few bottles of fragrant vegetarian wine were poured out, tasting better than nectar; Yixing tea was served, filling the air with its aroma—everything was delightful and surprising. There was also a lively performance of song and dance. The masters and princes enjoyed themselves until nightfall when the banquet concluded. Afterward, the princes prepared beds in the Bao Sa Pavilion, inviting their master to stay and preparing to burn incense and pray for martial arts teachings the next morning. Everyone followed the arrangements, preparing fragrant water for the master’s bath, and then returned to rest.
The next day, the old king and his sons came again, ready to meet the elder. Yesterday was a royal greeting, but today they were going to pay their respects as disciples! As soon as the three young princes entered, they immediately bowed to the Monkey King, Ba Jie, and Sha Seng, respectfully asking, “May we borrow your weapons to take a look?”
Upon hearing this, Ba Jie happily threw his rake to the ground, and Sha Seng leaned his staff against the wall. The second and third princes jumped up to grab them, but it was like a dragonfly trying to shake a stone pillar—they couldn’t move them at all! The eldest prince, seeing this, hurriedly shouted, “Brothers, don’t waste your strength! Master’s weapons are all divine, very heavy!” Ba Jie laughed heartily, “My rake isn’t that heavy; it’s only five thousand and forty-eight pounds!”
The third prince curiously asked Sha Seng, “Is Master’s staff heavy?” Sha Seng wouldn’t back down, replying, “It’s also five thousand and forty-eight pounds!” At this point, the eldest prince turned to the Monkey King and asked, “What about your golden rod?” The Monkey King pulled out a small needle from his ear, waved it in the wind, and it instantly transformed into a golden rod as thick as a bowl, standing upright before them. The royal family was startled, and the officials were equally astonished.
The three young princes quickly bowed and said, “Since Pig Master and Sha Master can carry their weapons, why is Sun Master’s rod taken from his ear and grows larger in the wind? What’s the reason behind that?” The Monkey King smiled and said, “You don’t know; this rod is not an ordinary object. It was forged by divine beings at the beginning of creation and was lost in the East during the time of opening mountains and controlling waters. My rod can change in size, big or small; it’s called the Golden Hoop, weighs thirteen thousand five hundred pounds, and can both create and destroy. It has helped me stir up trouble in Heaven and has followed me in battles on earth; it truly is an extraordinary magical tool!”
The princes listened in awe, bowing repeatedly and sincerely asking to be taught. The Monkey King laughed and asked, “What martial arts do you wish to learn?” The princes replied in unison, “Those who want to learn the staff can learn the staff, those who want to learn the rake can learn the rake, and those who want to use the rod can learn the rod!” The Monkey King shook his head: “It’s not difficult to teach you, but without strength, you won’t master our weapons. It would be like trying to paint a tiger but ending up with a dog. As the ancients said, if the teachings are not strict and the master is lazy, knowledge will not be achieved; that’s your responsibility.”
“Since you are sincere, go burn incense and worship heaven and earth. I will first impart some divine strength to you, and then I will teach you martial arts.” The three young princes were overjoyed upon hearing this, and they immediately set up the incense table, washed their hands, and burned incense, bowing to the heavens. After finishing their prayers, they asked their master to impart teachings. The Monkey King turned and bowed to Tang Seng: “Master, please forgive my transgressions. Many years ago, you saved me from great peril at the Two Worlds Mountain. Although I have not been able to repay your kindness, I have been diligently practicing. Now, encountering the sons of a wise king who wish to take us as masters to learn martial arts, since they are my disciples, they are naturally also your grand-disciples.”
Tang Seng was filled with joy upon hearing this. Ba Jie and Sha Seng, seeing the Monkey King bow, quickly turned to bow to Tang Seng as well: “Master, we are foolish and cannot speak well; we hope you will allow us to each take a disciple as a keepsake for our journey west!” Tang Seng happily agreed, feeling delighted.
After the Monkey King finished teaching the three princes, he took them to a small quiet room behind the Bao Sa Pavilion, drew a magical formation, and had them lie inside, close their eyes, and clear their minds. Then, he quietly recited mantras and incantations, sending celestial energy into their hearts, as if giving them new life and imparting secret teachings. As a result, the three young princes felt completely transformed, revitalized with newfound strength.
Once they completed a round of energy circulation, they finally awoke, got up, wiped their faces, and were all invigorated, full of energy. The eldest prince grabbed the golden rod, the second prince swung the nine-toothed rake, and the third prince raised the demon-subduing staff. The old king, seeing this, was overjoyed and immediately arranged a banquet to thank the four masters and disciples. At the banquet, everyone showcased their skills: those learning the staff demonstrated their techniques, those learning the rake showed their moves, and those learning the rod did the same. Although they spun around and executed a few moves, they still found it somewhat challenging; after a short while, they were panting, as these weapons had their own transformations, and mastering the attacks and defenses required skill that mortals couldn’t easily grasp. By the end of the banquet, everyone was exhausted.
The next day, the three princes came again, their faces full of gratitude. They said, “Thank you, Master, for granting us strength. Although we can hold our master’s divine weapons, using them is too difficult. We would like to ask a craftsman to create lighter versions that are identical to our master’s weapons. What do you think?” Upon hearing this, Ba Jie immediately agreed, “Good idea! Since you’re not used to our weapons, if you want to protect the law and subdue demons, you should have your own set!”
So, the princes gathered blacksmiths, bought ten thousand pounds of steel, and set up a foundry in the front courtyard of the royal palace to start refining the steel. On the first day, they melted the steel, and on the second day, they invited the Monkey King and his disciples to bring out the golden rod, the nine-toothed rake, and the demon-subduing staff to use as models, beginning a continuous day-and-night casting process.
Oh dear! These three weapons were their treasures, never leaving their sides, shining brilliantly. However, placed in the courtyard these days, they radiated with dazzling light and auspicious energy. At that moment, seventy miles outside the city, a demoness in the Tiger’s Mouth Cave of Leopard Head Mountain saw this brilliance and was intrigued. She flew over on her cloud. Upon seeing that the light was coming from these three weapons, she was overjoyed: “What a treasure! Whose weapons are these, left here? This must be my fate; I have to take them!”
The demoness, feeling mischievous, used her power to gather all three weapons at once and flew straight back to her cave. Unfortunately, once the divine weapons fell into emptiness, the cultivators’ efforts were in vain. As for how to retrieve these weapons, we will discuss that next time!
