Once upon a time, Sun Wukong was accompanying Tang Sanzang on their journey westward. These past few days had been quite challenging for them. It was the depths of winter, with the icy north wind howling and the ground as slippery as an ice rink. The path they were traveling was treacherous, filled with cliffs and rugged mountain trails. Tang Sanzang was riding his horse when he suddenly heard the sound of water in the distance. He turned to ask, "Wukong, where is that sound of water coming from?" Wukong replied, "I remember this place is called Snake Coil Mountain and Eagle Sorrow Stream. It's probably the sound of the stream." Before he could finish, they had already reached the stream. Tang Sanzang reined in his horse and saw the crystal-clear water glistening under the sun, a truly beautiful sight.
As they were admiring the view, suddenly, with a splash, a dragon leapt out of the stream, creating waves and heading straight for Tang Sanzang. Wukong was startled and quickly dropped the luggage, grabbed his master off the horse, and ran for safety. The dragon, unable to catch them, turned around and swallowed the white horse, saddle and all, before diving back into the water. Wukong settled Tang Sanzang on higher ground and returned to find the luggage intact but the horse missing. He told Tang Sanzang, "Master, that wicked dragon is gone, but it scared our horse away." Tang Sanzang was anxious, "Disciple, where are we going to find the horse now?" Wukong reassured him, "Don't worry, I'll go check it out."
With a whistle, Wukong leapt into the air, scanning the surroundings with his sharp eyes, but he saw no sign of the horse. He descended from the clouds and reported, "Master, our horse must have been eaten by that dragon. There's no trace of it anywhere." Tang Sanzang was skeptical, "Disciple, how big could that dragon's mouth be to swallow the horse with its saddle and all? Maybe the horse got frightened and ran into a valley. Please, look again." Wukong replied, "You don't know my skills. These eyes of mine can see for miles in daylight. I could spot a dragonfly spreading its wings, let alone a big horse!"
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang was so worried he started to cry, "What are we going to do now? Without the horse, how can we traverse these endless mountains and rivers?" Seeing his master in tears, Wukong was also anxious and exclaimed, "Don't cry, Master! Stay here, and I'll go find that wicked dragon and make it return our horse!" Tang Sanzang held him back, "Disciple, where will you find it? What if it sneaks out and harms me? Then we'll lose both man and horse!" Wukong was even more frustrated and shouted, "This won't do, that won't do, are we just going to sit here and wait to grow old?" As he was fuming, a voice suddenly came from the sky.
"Great Sage Sun, don't be angry. Imperial Brother Tang, don't cry. We are deities sent by Guanyin Bodhisattva to secretly protect the pilgrims." Hearing this, Tang Sanzang quickly offered his thanks. Wukong asked, "Who are you? State your names so I can take attendance." The deities replied, "We are the Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Directional Revealing Saints, the Four Duty Gods, and the eighteen guardian deities, each taking turns to guard." Wukong asked, "Who's on duty today?" The Revealing Saints said, "The Ding and Jia, Duty Gods, and guardian deities are on rotation. We, the Five Directional Revealing Saints, and the Golden Head Revealing Saint guard day and night."
Wukong said, "In that case, those not on duty can step back. Let the Six Ding Generals, the Duty Gods of the day, and the Revealing Saints guard my master. I'll go find that wicked dragon in the stream and make it return our horse." The deities followed his orders. Tang Sanzang finally felt at ease and sat on the rock ledge, reminding Wukong to be careful. Wukong said, "Don't worry." The Monkey King adjusted his cotton robe, lifted his tiger-skin skirt, grabbed his golden-banded iron staff, and energetically approached the stream, shouting loudly through the mist and clouds, "You wretched eel, give me back my horse!"
Now, the dragon, having swallowed Tang Sanzang's white horse, was resting at the bottom of the stream. Hearing someone cursing and demanding the horse back, it became enraged, leapt out of the waves, and asked, "Who is making such a ruckus here?" Wukong, seeing this, shouted, "Don't run! Return my horse!" and swung his golden-banded staff. The dragon bared its teeth and claws, charging at him. The two of them fought fiercely by the stream, an intense battle indeed. The dragon displayed its sharp claws, while the monkey brandished his golden staff. One had whiskers like white jade threads, the other a robe like a red-gold canopy. One had pearls under its beard spraying colorful mist, the other wielded an iron staff stirring wild winds. One was a creature that deceived its parents, the other a demon that defied heavenly generals. Both were facing trials and tribulations, each showcasing their abilities to succeed. They fought for a long time until the dragon, exhausted and unable to resist, turned and dove back into the water, hiding at the bottom of the stream, refusing to show itself again. Wukong, left with no choice, could only return to Tang Sanzang and said, "Master, I managed to provoke that creature out, and we fought for a while, but it eventually fled back into the water, refusing to come out." Tang Sanzang asked, "So, was it really the one that ate my horse?" Wukong replied, "Think about it! If it wasn't the one, would it dare to come out and confront me?" Tang Sanzang continued, "Didn't you say you had the ability to subdue dragons and tigers before? Why can't you handle it today?"
Sun Wukong, being most averse to pressure, was immediately spurred into action by Tang Sanzang's words. "Enough! Enough! I'll go deal with it again!" With determined strides, the Monkey King marched to the edge of the stream and unleashed his powers to churn the waters, making Eagle Sorrow Stream resemble a flooded Yellow River. The wicked dragon, restless at the bottom of the deep stream, thought to itself, "Misfortunes never come singly. I just escaped heavenly punishment less than a year ago, and now this troublesome monkey is here to cause trouble!" Growing more furious, the dragon couldn't help but leap out and shout, "Who are you, you pesky monkey, to dare bully me?"
Wukong replied, "Never mind who I am. Just return my horse, and I'll spare your life!" The dragon retorted, "I've already swallowed your horse. How can I bring it back up? I'm not returning it, so what can you do about it?" Wukong said, "If you won't return it, then taste my staff! I'll beat you to death to avenge my horse!" The two began to fight again at the base of the mountain. After a few rounds, the little dragon, unable to withstand Wukong's attacks, transformed into a water snake and slithered into the grass.
Wukong, wielding his golden-banded staff, searched through the grass for the snake, but couldn't find a trace. Frustrated, he was fuming with anger and invoked a spell to summon the local earth deity and mountain god. The two deities quickly appeared and knelt, saying, "The mountain god and earth deity are here to see you." Wukong said, "Extend your arms and take five blows each to help vent my anger!" The two deities hastily kowtowed and pleaded, "We beg the Great Sage for mercy, allow us to explain." Wukong asked, "What do you have to say?" The deities replied, "Great Sage, we were unaware of your presence and thus failed to welcome you. Please forgive us."
Wukong said, "In that case, I won't hit you. But tell me, where did this dragon in Eagle Sorrow Stream come from, and why did it eat my master's white horse?" The deities replied, "Great Sage, you once had no master, being a true immortal who feared neither heaven nor earth. How could you have a master's horse?" Wukong explained, "You don't know that I was imprisoned for 500 years due to my misdeeds. Now, thanks to Guanyin Bodhisattva's guidance, a true monk from the Tang Dynasty rescued me and made me his disciple. We are journeying west to seek scriptures, and we lost my master's white horse here."
The deities said, "So that's it. There were no evil creatures in this stream, only its steep depths and crystal-clear waters. Even crows dared not fly over it, as they would see their reflections and mistake them for enemies, often diving into the water to their deaths. Hence, it's called Eagle Sorrow Stream. However, a few years ago, Guanyin Bodhisattva rescued a jade dragon and left it here to await the scripture-seeker, forbidding it from doing evil. It only occasionally comes ashore to catch birds or hunt deer when hungry. We don't know how it offended the Great Sage today."
Wukong said, "The first time, it fought with me for a bit. The second time, I cursed it, and it wouldn't come out. So I used my water-churning magic to stir the stream, and it came out to fight. Unable to withstand my golden-banded staff, it turned into a water snake and hid in the grass. I chased after it, but it vanished." The earth deity said, "Great Sage, you may not know that this stream has a thousand interconnected channels, extending far and wide. It likely slipped through one of them. There's no need to be angry or search for it here. Simply invite Guanyin Bodhisattva, and she will surely subdue it."
Hearing the words of the earth deity and mountain god, Wukong quickly took them to see Tang Sanzang and recounted everything in detail. Tang Sanzang, upon hearing that they needed to invite the Bodhisattva, worried about how long the round trip would take, especially since he was already hungry and cold, wondering how he could endure it. Just then, a voice from the sky spoke, "Great Sage, don't worry, I'll go invite the Bodhisattva." Wukong, delighted, thanked him profusely, "Thank you! Please hurry!" The deity immediately rode the clouds toward the South Sea.
Wukong instructed the mountain god and earth deity to protect Tang Sanzang and sent the duty god to find food, while he himself patrolled by the stream. Meanwhile, the deity rode the clouds to the South Sea, heading straight to Mount Luojia's Bamboo Grove. He requested the assistance of the armored celestial beings and the attendant Moksha to report his presence, and soon he was granted an audience with the Bodhisattva. Guanyin asked, "What brings you here?" The deity replied, "Tang Sanzang lost his horse at Snake Coil Mountain's Eagle Sorrow Stream, leaving Wukong in a difficult position. After consulting the local deities, we learned that the wicked dragon you placed there ate the horse. The Great Sage sent me to request your assistance in dealing with the dragon and reclaiming the horse."
Upon hearing this, the Bodhisattva said, "That creature is the son of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea. He was sentenced to death under heavenly law for setting fire to the pearls in the palace, and I pleaded with the Jade Emperor to spare him, allowing him to descend here to serve as a steed for Tang Sanzang. How could he eat Tang Sanzang's horse instead? I must go and see for myself." With that, the Bodhisattva mounted her lotus platform and, accompanied by the deity, crossed the South Sea, heading straight for Snake Coil Mountain.
Upon arriving at the location, they hovered in mid-air and looked down to see Sun Wukong cursing by the stream. Guanyin instructed the deity to call him over. The deity descended from the clouds, bypassed Tang Sanzang, and went straight to the stream to tell Wukong, "The Bodhisattva is here." Hearing this, Wukong immediately leapt onto the cloud and shouted at Guanyin, "You, the teacher of the Seven Buddhas, compassionate leader! How could you devise a plan to harm me?"
Guanyin smiled and said, "You audacious monkey! I went to great lengths to find a scripture seeker and instructed him to save your life, and instead of thanking me, you come here to complain?" Wukong replied, "You've really put me through misery! If you released me, you should have let me roam free. But you encountered me at sea and forced me to accompany Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures, which I could tolerate; yet you also gave him a flowery hat, tricking me into wearing it, causing me this suffering! That circlet on my head tightens with his chant, giving me unbearable headaches. Isn't this harming me?"
Guanyin said, "You unruly monkey, without discipline and proper results, who could manage you? If we didn't control you this way, who would take responsibility if you caused trouble like before? Only this way can guide you onto the right path!" Wukong, dissatisfied, said, "Fine, the circlet is my burden. But how could you let a guilty dragon become a spirit here and eat my master's horse? Isn't this indulging evil?"
Guanyin explained, "I personally petitioned the Jade Emperor for this dragon to serve as a steed for the scripture seeker. Think about it, how could an ordinary horse from the Eastern Land traverse the vast mountains and rivers to reach the Buddha's land in the West? Only this dragon horse can do it." Wukong said, "But it's so afraid of me that it hides and won't come out. What should I do?" Guanyin instructed the deity to call out by the stream, "Ao Run's Jade Dragon Third Prince, come out, the Bodhisattva from the South Sea is here." The deity did as told, and after two calls, the little dragon leapt from the waves, transformed into human form, and approached on a cloud to greet the Bodhisattva, "Thank you for saving me, Bodhisattva. I've been waiting here but heard no news of the scripture seeker."
Guanyin pointed to Wukong and said, "Isn't this the scripture seeker's first disciple?" The little dragon, upon seeing Wukong, said, "Bodhisattva, he's my adversary. I was hungry yesterday and ate his horse. He relied on his skills to exhaust me and cursed me into hiding. He never mentioned anything about fetching scriptures." Wukong said, "You never asked for my name, so how could I tell you?" The little dragon retorted, "I didn't ask who you were, yet you yelled, 'Never mind where I'm from, just return my horse!' You never mentioned the Tang character!"
Guanyin said, "This monkey always thinks highly of himself and never praises others. In the future, when faced with such situations, mention the scripture mission first, and things will go smoothly." Wukong listened and accepted the advice with joy. Guanyin stepped forward, removed the pearl from the dragon's neck, dipped a willow branch in sweet dew, flicked it over the dragon, and blew a breath of divine energy, commanding, "Transform!" The dragon immediately reverted to its original form as a white horse. Guanyin further instructed, "You must diligently repay your karmic debts. Once your mission is complete, you will transcend as a golden-bodied true fruit." The little dragon, understanding, held the bit in its mouth.
Guanyin then told Wukong to take the horse to Tang Sanzang and said, "I shall return to the South Sea." Wukong, however, held onto Guanyin, saying, "I don't want to go! The journey to the West is so arduous, and protecting a mere mortal monk—when will we ever reach the end? With so many trials, I'm afraid I might lose my life before achieving any results. I don't want to go!" Guanyin persuaded, "Back when you hadn't yet attained human form, you were willing to cultivate diligently; now, having escaped heavenly disasters, why become lazy? In our path, one attains truth through tranquility and extinction, requiring steadfast faith for perfect results."
Seeing Wukong's concern, Guanyin comforted him, saying, "If you truly encounter insurmountable difficulties, I assure you, heaven will respond, and the earth will assist. If you reach a point of no escape, I will personally come to your aid. Here, let me give you some additional abilities." With that, Guanyin plucked three willow leaves and placed them behind Wukong's head, commanding, "Transform!" They immediately became three life-saving hairs, and she instructed him, "In times of dire need, these hairs will help you overcome danger."
With these reassuring words, Wukong finally felt at ease and thanked Guanyin for her compassion. Guanyin then transformed into a fragrant breeze and gracefully returned to Mount Potalaka. Wukong descended from the clouds, holding the dragon horse's mane, and went to see Tang Sanzang, saying, "Master, I found the horse." Tang Sanzang was overjoyed, "Disciple, the horse looks even stronger than before! Where did you find it?" Wukong laughed and said, "Master, you're still dreaming! The Golden-Headed Deity invited Guanyin, who transformed the dragon in the stream into our white horse. Although it looks the same, it lacks a saddle, so I just pulled it along."
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang was startled and asked, "Where is the Bodhisattva? Let me go thank her." Wukong replied, "The Bodhisattva has already returned to the South Sea, so there's no need to trouble yourself." Tang Sanzang had no choice but to gather some earth, burn incense, and bow toward the south in gratitude. Afterward, he and Wukong packed their belongings to continue their journey. Wukong dismissed the mountain god and earth deity, gave instructions to the deity, and then invited his master to mount the horse. However, Tang Sanzang hesitated, saying, "This horse doesn't have a saddle or bridle. How can I ride it? We should find a boat to cross the stream instead." Wukong replied, "Master, you really don't understand the situation! Where would you find a boat in this wilderness? This horse has lived here for a long time and must be familiar with the water. Just ride it across the stream."
With no other option, Tang Sanzang reluctantly mounted the dragon horse. Wukong carried their luggage to the edge of the stream. Just then, they saw an old fisherman upstream, floating down with the current on a raft made of dried wood. Wukong quickly called out, "Old fisherman, come over here! We're on a journey from the Eastern Land to fetch scriptures, and my master can't cross here. Please help us across." The fisherman heard him and maneuvered the raft closer. Wukong helped Tang Sanzang dismount and board the raft, then led the horse onto it, securing their luggage. The fisherman pushed off, swiftly crossing Eagle Sorrow Stream and reaching the western bank.
Tang Sanzang wanted to thank the fisherman and opened his bundle to offer some money. But the fisherman waved his hand, saying, "No need for money, no need." With that, he pushed off and disappeared into the vast waters. Tang Sanzang felt uneasy and clasped his hands in gratitude repeatedly. Wukong laughed, "Master, there's no need for formalities. Don't you recognize him? He's the water deity of this stream. If he hadn't come to fetch me, I would have given him a beating. Now there's no need; how could he dare accept money!" Tang Sanzang, half-believing, mounted the dragon horse again and continued on their journey with Wukong.
As they traveled, the sun gradually set, and the sky grew dark. Thin clouds surrounded them, the moon on the mountains appeared hazy, and the frost-covered landscape exuded a chill. The wind howled around them, while solitary birds flew in the distance, and the setting sun cast shadows on the low mountains. In the sparse forest, countless trees whistled, and a lone ape cried out in the empty hills. Despite their long journey, they saw no other travelers, only boats returning home in the night. Riding on the horse, Tang Sanzang suddenly noticed a manor by the roadside and said, "Wukong, there's a house ahead. Let's ask to stay for the night and continue in the morning." Wukong looked up and laughed, "Master, that's not a manor." Tang Sanzang was puzzled, "Why not?" Wukong replied, "A manor wouldn't have flying fish and stable beasts on its roof. That's clearly a temple."
As they chatted, they unknowingly reached the entrance. Tang Sanzang dismounted and looked up to see the words "Lishe Temple" written above the door. He entered and found an old man inside, wearing a string of prayer beads around his neck, who greeted him with clasped hands, "Master, please have a seat." Tang Sanzang quickly returned the gesture and went to the altar to pay respects to the holy image. The old man called for a young attendant to serve tea. After drinking the tea, Tang Sanzang asked, "Why is this temple called Lishe?" The old man explained, "This is the border of the Western Hapi Kingdom. This temple was built by the lord of a nearby manor, and everyone is very devout. 'Li' refers to the local community, and 'She' is the tutelary deity. During spring plowing, summer weeding, autumn harvesting, and winter storing, people bring offerings of livestock and fruits to worship the deity, praying for peace throughout the seasons, bountiful harvests, and thriving livestock."
Tang Sanzang nodded in approval, saying, "Truly, three miles away from home, customs change. We don't have such good traditions where I'm from." The old man curiously asked, "Where are you from, Master?" Tang Sanzang replied, "I am a monk from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, on a mission to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Today, passing through this place, night has fallen, so I came to ask for lodging for the night and will leave in the morning." The old man was delighted to hear this and apologized for not being able to offer better hospitality, then instructed the attendant to prepare a meal. After eating, Tang Sanzang thanked the old man.
Wukong, with his keen eyes, noticed a clothesline under the eaves and ran over to break it, using it to tie the horse. The old man jokingly said, "This horse must be stolen, right?" Wukong was immediately displeased, "You old man, watch your words! We are holy monks on a pilgrimage; how could we steal a horse?" The old man laughed, "If it wasn't stolen, why doesn't it have a saddle or bridle, and why did you break my clothesline?" Tang Sanzang quickly apologized, "This monkey has a hasty nature. To tie the horse, he should have asked for a rope instead of breaking your clothesline. Please don't take offense. This horse isn't stolen; yesterday, when we came from the east, it was a white horse, but a wicked dragon in the stream ate it. Fortunately, my disciple has skills, and the Bodhisattva helped us by transforming the dragon into a white horse. We just haven't had time to get a saddle and bridle."
The old man laughed, "Master, don't take offense. I was just joking, who knew your disciple would take it seriously? When I was young, I had some savings and rode fine horses, but later, misfortune struck, and my family fell into decline, so I became a temple caretaker. Thankfully, the manor lord behind supports me. I still have a set of saddle and bridle, my cherished possessions, which I haven't sold despite my poverty. Hearing that even the Bodhisattva came to assist, how could I not make a gesture? Tomorrow, I'll bring them to you, Master, as a gift, so please accept them." Tang Sanzang was deeply grateful upon hearing this.
Before long, the young attendant brought in the evening meal. After everyone finished eating, they lit the lamps and set up bedding for rest. Early the next morning, Wukong said, "Master, the old temple caretaker mentioned last night that he would give us a saddle and bridle. We should go ask for them; we can't let him off easily." Just as he finished speaking, the old man indeed brought a saddle, bridle, and other horse gear, placing them under the porch, saying, "Master, here is the saddle and bridle for you." Tang Sanzang was delighted to receive them and asked Wukong to check if they fit. Wukong stepped forward and examined each item, finding them to be of excellent quality.
Wukong was secretly pleased and fitted the saddle and bridle onto the horse, which turned out to be perfect. Tang Sanzang thanked the old man, who quickly helped him up, saying, "There's no need for such gratitude." The old man did not insist on them staying longer and invited Tang Sanzang to mount the horse. As Tang Sanzang was about to leave, the old man took a whip from his sleeve and handed it to him, saying, "Holy Monk, I also have a whip for you." Tang Sanzang accepted it gratefully. Just as he was about to express his thanks, he noticed that the old man had vanished, and the temple had transformed into an empty field.
A voice spoke from the sky, "Holy Monk, forgive my humble hospitality. I am the mountain god and earth deity of Mount Luojia, sent by the Bodhisattva to deliver the saddle and bridle to you. You must strive diligently on your journey westward and not slacken." Tang Sanzang, startled, quickly dismounted and bowed toward the sky, saying, "I am a mere mortal and failed to recognize your divine presence. Please forgive me. Kindly convey my gratitude to the Bodhisattva for his generous gifts." He continued to bow fervently toward the sky, while Wukong laughed heartily beside him, "Master, stop bowing. He's long gone, can't hear your prayers, and can't see your bows. What's the point of bowing?"
Tang Sanzang scolded, "Disciple, here I am bowing, and you don’t even join in; instead, you laugh. What do you mean by that?" Wukong replied, "You don't know; these elusive deities deserve a good beating. It's only out of respect for the Bodhisattva that I didn't hit him. How could he dare accept a bow from me, the Great Sage? Since I was young, I've been a proud hero and never bowed to anyone. Even when I met the Jade Emperor or the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord, I only clasped my hands in salute." Tang Sanzang said, "How impudent! Enough with the nonsense. Get up quickly and let's not delay our journey." So, the master and disciple packed their belongings and continued westward.
This part of their journey went relatively smoothly. For two months, they traveled peaceful roads, encountering only some nomads and wild animals like wolves and tigers. Time flew by, and soon it was early spring. The mountains and forests were lush with green, and the plants began to sprout. The plum blossoms had already withered, while the willow trees were just starting to bud. As they traveled, the master and disciple enjoyed the beauty of spring, and before they knew it, the sun was about to set.
Tang Sanzang reined in his horse and saw in the distance the outlines of pavilions and halls in the valley. He asked Wukong, "Wukong, what do you think that place is over there?" Wukong looked up and said, "It doesn't look like ordinary buildings; it should be a monastery. Let's hurry over there, and we might find lodging for the night." Hearing this, Tang Sanzang was pleased and immediately urged the dragon horse toward that direction.
What situations will they encounter next? We'll find out in the next installment.
