Once upon a time, Tang Sanzang and his disciple Sun Wukong rode their horse straight towards a grand temple. As they approached the mountain gate, they indeed saw a magnificent monastery. The temple had layers upon layers of halls and pavilions, with corridors neatly arranged. Outside the three large gates, colorful clouds swirled, and in front of the Hall of Five Blessings, red mist lingered. Rows of pine and bamboo lined the sides, forming a forest of cypress trees—a truly serene and beautiful place. The bell and drum towers stood tall, and the pagoda was majestic. The monks inside practiced their faith with peace of mind, while birds sang in the trees, creating a tranquil and dust-free environment.
Tang Sanzang dismounted from his horse, and Wukong set down his burden. Just as they were about to enter, a group of monks emerged from the gate. They were dressed in left-shoulder hats and pure robes, with copper rings on their ears, silk sashes around their waists, straw sandals on their feet, and wooden fish in their hands, chanting sutras of prajna and refuge. Sanzang greeted them at the gate, and the monks quickly returned the greeting, smiling as they said, "Pardon us. May I ask where you are coming from? Please come to the abbot's room for some tea." Sanzang replied, "I am an envoy from the Eastern Land, traveling to Thunderclap Monastery to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. It's getting late, and I wish to stay at your temple for the night." The monk said, "Please come in, please come in." So Sanzang called Wukong to lead the horse inside. The monks were a bit frightened by Wukong's appearance and asked, "What is that creature leading the horse?" Sanzang quickly whispered, "Keep your voice down! He has a quick temper and might get angry if he hears you. He's my disciple."
The monk shivered and bit his finger, saying, "Such an ugly creature, how did you take him as a disciple?" Sanzang replied, "You can't tell, but despite his appearance, he's very capable."
With no other choice, the monk led Sanzang and Wukong through the mountain gate. Inside, the main hall bore the inscription: Guanyin Zen Monastery. Sanzang was delighted and said, "I have received the Bodhisattva's grace many times but haven't had the chance to express my gratitude. Now, encountering this Zen monastery feels like meeting the Bodhisattva, and I can offer my thanks." Hearing this, the monk immediately ordered the hall doors to be opened and invited Sanzang inside to worship. Wukong tied up the horse, set down their luggage, and joined Sanzang in the hall. Sanzang prostrated himself before the golden statue, bowing his head in reverence. The monks beat the drum, while Wukong struck the bell. Sanzang knelt at the altar, praying with all his heart. After the prayers, the monk stopped drumming, but Wukong continued to ring the bell, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, for quite a while. The monk said, "The prayers are done, why are you still ringing the bell?" Wukong replied with a grin, "You don't understand, I'm just doing my job as a monk for the day." By this time, the temple monks were all alarmed and rushed out, asking, "Who's making all this noise with the bell and drum?" Wukong jumped out and shouted, "It's your Grandpa Sun having some fun!" The monks saw him and were so scared they stumbled and fell, calling out, "Grandpa Thunder!" Wukong said, "Thunder is my great-grandchild! Stand up, stand up, don't be afraid, we're envoys from the Great Tang of the East." Only then did the monks relax, and upon seeing Sanzang, they were no longer afraid. The abbot invited them, "Please come to the back abbot's room for some tea." So they led the horse, untied the luggage, and after passing through the main hall, they went straight to the back rooms and settled in.
The abbot offered tea and also prepared a vegetarian meal. It was still early, and before Tang Sanzang could express his gratitude, two young attendants helped an elderly monk come out. His appearance was striking: he wore a Vairochana square hat with a sparkling cat's-eye gemstone at the top; a brocade robe with dazzling golden borders made of jade feathers. His monk shoes were embroidered with the Eight Treasures, and his staff was inlaid with cloud patterns. His face was wrinkled like the Old Mother of Mount Li; his eyes were dim, resembling those of the Dragon King of the East Sea. He had lost all his teeth, his mouth wouldn't close properly, his back was hunched, and his bones were frail. The monks announced, "The grandmaster is here." Sanzang bowed to greet him, saying, "Old abbot, this disciple pays his respects." The old monk returned the greeting, and they both sat down. The old monk said, "When the young ones mentioned that a nobleman from the Tang Dynasty in the Eastern Land had arrived, I came out to see." Sanzang replied, "I have come to your precious mountain without prior notice, please forgive my intrusion." The old monk said, "Not at all, not at all!" He then asked, "Sir, how far have you traveled from the Eastern Land to here?" Sanzang replied, "After leaving the borders of Chang'an, it was over five thousand miles; crossing the Two Boundary Mountain, I took in a young disciple. Traveling for two months through the Western Regions and the Kingdom of Hami, it was another five or six thousand miles to reach your esteemed place." The old monk said, "That's a journey of thousands of miles. I have wasted my life, never leaving the mountain gate, truly a frog in the well, a mediocre person." Sanzang asked, "How old is the venerable abbot?" The old monk replied, "I have foolishly lived for two hundred and seventy years." Wukong remarked, "That's still my great-grandchild!" Sanzang gave him a stern look and said, "Mind your words! Do not speak disrespectfully." The monk then asked, "Sir, how old are you?" Wukong replied, "I dare not say." The old monk assumed it was just nonsense and paid no attention, instead calling for tea. A young attendant brought out a tray of mutton-fat jade with three gold-rimmed blue enamel cups; another attendant poured fragrant tea from a white bronze pot into the cups. The tea was indeed vibrant in color and fragrant. Sanzang praised it, saying, "What fine things! What fine things! Truly exquisite food and utensils!" The old monk said, "Forgive me for offending your eyes! You, sir, come from a great nation, having seen many rare treasures. Such items are hardly worth mentioning. Do you have any treasures from your homeland that you might show us?" Sanzang replied, "Alas! My Eastern Land has no significant treasures, and even if it did, the long journey would prevent bringing them." Wukong, standing nearby, said, "Master, didn't I see a robe in the bundle the other day? Isn't that a treasure? Why not show it to him?" The monks, upon hearing about the robe, chuckled among themselves. Wukong asked, "What are you laughing at?" The abbot replied, "Sir, you just mentioned the robe as a treasure, which is amusing. If we're talking about robes, we have no fewer than twenty or thirty here; as for my grandmaster, having been a monk for two hundred and fifty or sixty years, he has accumulated seven or eight hundred!" He called out, "Bring them out for a look." The old monk, wanting to show off, ordered the storeroom to be opened, and the monks brought out twelve chests, placing them in the courtyard. They unlocked them, set up clothing racks on both sides, and strung ropes around, hanging the robes one by one for Sanzang to see. Indeed, the hall was filled with brocade and embroidery, the walls adorned with silk! Wukong examined them one by one, finding them all adorned with floral patterns and gold embroidery, and laughed, "Good, good, good, put them away! Let's take out ours for a look." Sanzang pulled Wukong aside and whispered, "Disciple, do not compete with others in wealth. We are alone on this journey, and I'm afraid of making mistakes."Wukong looked at his master and asked, "What trouble could come from showing the robe?" Sanzang sighed and said, "You don't understand. The ancients said that precious things should not be shown to greedy people. Once they see them, they will covet them; once they covet, they will find ways to obtain them. If you want to avoid trouble, you must meet their demands; otherwise, it could bring great disaster." Wukong patted his chest and said, "Don't worry! With me here, everything will be fine!"
With that, Wukong, without further ado, hurriedly went to untie the bundle. As he did, a radiant glow filled the room, and inside were two layers of oiled paper wrapping. He removed the paper, took out the robe, and shook it open, filling the room with a red glow and colorful aura. The monks saw it and couldn't help but express their joy and admiration. The robe was truly magnificent! It was adorned with pearls and Buddhist treasures, dragon whiskers, and colorful silk, with brocade borders all around. It was said to be made by celestial beings themselves, and only a true monk dared to wear it.
The old monk, upon seeing the treasure, indeed developed a greedy thought. He walked up to Tang Sanzang, knelt down, and with tears in his eyes, said, "I am truly unfortunate!" Sanzang quickly helped him up and asked, "What does the venerable abbot wish to say?" The old monk replied, "When the nobleman unfolded this treasure, it was already late, and my eyes are too dim to see clearly. I am truly without luck!" Sanzang said, "Bring a lamp so you can take a closer look." But the old monk said, "The nobleman's treasure is bright enough; lighting a lamp would only dazzle my eyes, making it harder to see." Wukong asked, "Then how do you propose to look at it?" The old monk said:
"If the nobleman is generous, may I take the robe to the back room and examine it thoroughly overnight, and return it to you in the morning? What do you think?" Sanzang was taken aback by this request and scolded Wukong, "This is all your doing! All your doing!" Wukong laughed and said, "What is there to fear? I'll wrap the robe securely and let him take it to look at. If anything goes wrong, it will be on me." Sanzang couldn't stop him, so he allowed Wukong to hand the robe to the old monk, saying, "Take it and look, but make sure to return it intact in the morning." The old monk was overjoyed, instructing the attendants to take the robe inside. He also ordered the monks to clean the front meditation hall and set up two rattan beds for the guests to rest, and arranged for a vegetarian meal to be prepared for their departure in the morning. Everyone dispersed, and the master and disciple closed the meditation hall and went to sleep peacefully.
Meanwhile, the old monk, having obtained the robe, took it to the back room under the lamp and began to weep loudly over it, scaring the monks in the temple who dared not sleep. The young attendants, puzzled, went to inform the other monks, "The elder is crying and hasn't stopped even past midnight." Two of his favorite disciples approached and asked, "Master, why are you crying?" The old monk said, "I weep because I am unfortunate, unable to truly see the Tang monk's treasure!" The young monks said, "Grandfather, you are old, just put the robe in front of you and look at it closely, why cry?" The old monk sighed, "The time to look at it is too short. I am already two hundred and seventy years old, and I've accumulated hundreds of robes, yet none compare to this one. How can I become a Tang monk?" The young monks said, "Master, you are mistaken. The Tang monk is merely a traveling monk far from home. You have lived long and enjoyed much, why would you want to become a traveling monk?" The old monk replied, "Though I am content, I do not have this robe to wear. If I could wear it for just one day, I could die with my eyes closed, having lived a fulfilled life!" The monks said, "You are truly not serious! If you want to wear his robe, what's so difficult?
We can keep him here for a day, and you wear it for a day; keep him for ten days, and you wear it for ten days. Why cry like this?" The old monk said, "Even if we keep him for half a year, I could only wear it for half a year; ultimately, it cannot last. When he leaves, I won't be able to stop him. How can we keep it longer?"
At this point, a young monk named Guangzhi suddenly spoke up, "Grandfather, keeping the robe permanently is not difficult." The old monk immediately brightened up and asked, "What is your brilliant idea?" Guangzhi said, "The Tang monk and his disciple have traveled a long way and are already fast asleep. We can find some strong men, take weapons, and quietly open the meditation hall, kill them, and then bury their bodies in the backyard. This way, only we will know, and we can also take their white horse and luggage, keeping the robe as a family heirloom. Isn't this a long-term solution?" The old monk, upon hearing this, was overjoyed, wiped away his tears, and said, "Good! Good! Good! This idea is excellent!" So they began preparing weapons.
At this moment, another young monk named Guangmou, Guangzhi's junior, stepped forward and said, "This plan isn't very good. If we want to kill them, we must first assess the situation. The one with the white face seems easy to deal with, but the one with the hairy face looks formidable. If we fail to kill them, it could bring trouble upon us. I have a plan that doesn't involve using weapons, and I wonder what you think?" The old monk asked, "What is your plan?" Guangmou said, "In my opinion, we can gather all the heads of the rooms on the East Mountain, each bringing a bundle of dry wood. We sacrifice those three meditation halls and set them on fire. This way, even if they want to escape, they can't. Even if people in front of and behind the mountain see it, they will only think it was an accidental fire caused by them, burning down the meditation hall. This way, won't both monks be burned to death? The robe will naturally become our family heirloom."
The monks, upon hearing this, were all delighted and said, "Strong! Strong! Strong! This idea is even better!" So the heads of the rooms began moving firewood. Alas, this plot truly sealed the fate of the long-lived old monk and would turn the Guanyin Zen Monastery to ashes! The temple had seventy or eighty room heads, with two hundred people in total. That night, they all gathered, surrounding the meditation hall from all sides, ready to set it on fire.
Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang and his disciple had already settled down to sleep. Although Wukong was asleep, being a vigilant spirit monkey, he remained alert even in a half-awake state. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and the sound of straw being moved outside. He wondered, "What's going on at this time of night? Could it be that thieves are plotting against us?" With that thought, he quickly jumped up, intending to open the door and check outside, but he hesitated, not wanting to wake his master. So, he used his magic to transform into a little bee, which was truly: sweet-tongued with a venomous tail, slender-waisted and light-bodied. It flew through flowers and willows like an arrow, seeking fragrance like a falling star. He flew out from under the eaves and saw the monks moving straw and firewood, surrounding the meditation hall, preparing to set it on fire. Wukong chuckled to himself, "Just as my master said, they intend to harm us and seize the robe. I thought about using my staff to give them a good beating, but they wouldn't withstand it, and my master would blame me for being too harsh. Oh well, I'll use a trick to make their plan fail!"
So, Wukong somersaulted up to the Southern Gate of Heaven, startling the celestial guards who quickly saluted, saying, "Oh no! That troublemaking Monkey King is here again!" Wukong waved them off, saying, "No need for formalities, I'm here to see the Heavenly King Guangmu." Just then, the Heavenly King arrived, welcoming Wukong, "Long time no see. I heard you're accompanying Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures. How do you have time to come here today?" Wukong replied, "No time for chit-chat. Tang Sanzang is in danger of being burned by villains. It's urgent, so I'm here to borrow the Fire-Repelling Hood to save him. Quickly, lend it to me, and I'll return it right away."
The Heavenly King said, "You must be mistaken. If it's a fire, shouldn't you use water to save them? Why ask for a Fire-Repelling Hood?" Wukong said, "You don't understand. Using water to put out the fire would only help them. I just need to shield Tang Sanzang from harm, and let the rest burn as they please. Hurry up! There's no time to waste!" The Heavenly King laughed, "This monkey is still so self-centered, only caring about himself and not others."
Wukong urged, "Hurry, don't delay the matter!" The Heavenly King couldn't refuse and handed the hood to Wukong. Wukong took the hood, rode on the cloud, and went straight to the roof of the meditation hall, covering Tang Sanzang, the white horse, and the luggage. Then he went to the roof of the abbot's quarters, focusing on protecting the robe. Seeing the people setting the fire, Wukong recited an incantation and blew towards the southeast, causing a wind to fan the flames even higher.
The fire was truly fierce! Black smoke billowed, red flames soared. The black smoke obscured the sky, the red flames illuminated the earth. The fire fed on the wind, and the wind fueled the fire, leaving the Buddha statues in the temple with no escape, and the eastern courtyard with no place to hide. It was more intense than the fire at the Battle of Red Cliffs, surpassing the burning of the Epang Palace! This fire turned the Guanyin Zen Monastery into a blazing inferno. See how the monks scrambled to move boxes and carry baskets, saving tables and pots, lamenting their misfortune throughout the courtyard.
Now, this great fire caught the attention of a nearby mountain demon. Twenty miles south of the Guanyin Monastery was Black Wind Mountain, home to a demon residing in Black Wind Cave. The demon had just woken up, turned over, and suddenly noticed the brightness outside the window, thinking it was dawn. Going outside, he realized it was the firelight from the north that lit up the sky. The demon thought, "Oh dear, the Guanyin Monastery must be on fire! These monks are so careless! I'll go see if I can help put out the fire." So, he rode his cloud to the scene. Sure enough, the fire was raging, and the front halls were burned out, with smoke still rising from the side rooms. He strode inside, intending to call for water, but suddenly noticed the back room was untouched by the fire, and someone was on the roof fanning the flames. With a thought, he hurried inside and found the abbot's room filled with a colorful glow, with a green felt bundle on the table. Opening it, he discovered a brocade cassock, a rare treasure of the Buddhist world. Overcome by greed, the demon no longer cared about the fire, nor did he call for water to extinguish it. He grabbed the robe and escaped in the chaos, heading straight for the eastern mountains.
The great fire burned until dawn before it finally extinguished. Look at those monks, with ash-covered faces, crying and lamenting, rummaging through the ashes for copper and iron, sifting through charred wood for gold and silver. Some set up shacks by the walls, others cooked meals in the corners, crying out their grievances, creating a scene of chaos.
The monks, seeing that the old abbot had died by his own hand and unable to find the cassock, were in a panic. Wukong said, "I think you all have hidden it! Come out! Write down your names, and I'll check each one of you!" The head of the monastery registered all the monks, Taoists, and servants in the temple, totaling two hundred and thirty people. Wukong asked Sanzang to sit down while he began to call names and search each person, even checking inside their robes, but found nothing. He then carefully examined the boxes and items that had been moved out of the rooms, but still found no trace. Sanzang, feeling troubled, blamed Wukong for not handling the matter well and began reciting the incantation. Wukong fell to the ground with a thud, holding his head in agony, and pleaded repeatedly, "Don't recite! Don't recite! I will definitely find the cassock!"
The monks, seeing this, were terrified and knelt down to persuade Sanzang, who finally stopped. Wukong quickly jumped up, pulled out his iron rod from his ear, and was about to strike the monks when Sanzang stopped him, saying, "You monkey! Aren't you afraid of your headache, and still want to resort to violence? Don't harm anyone! Ask clearly again!" The monks kowtowed and begged Sanzang for mercy, saying, "Master, have mercy! We really haven't seen the cassock. It was all the old abbot's doing. He saw your cassock last night and wanted to keep it as a family heirloom, so he plotted to burn and kill you. When the fire started, the wind was fierce, and everyone was busy saving the fire and grabbing things, so we have no idea where the cassock went."
Wukong, furious, went into the abbot's quarters, carried out the old abbot's body, and checked it carefully, but found no treasure. He even dug three feet into the ground of the abbot's quarters but still found no trace. After pondering for a while, Wukong asked, "Is there any demon around here?" The head monk replied, "If you hadn't asked, we wouldn't have known. To the southeast of here is Black Wind Mountain, where there's a Black Wind Cave, home to a Black Demon King. This old abbot often preached with him; he's a demon, nothing else."
Wukong asked, "How far is that mountain from here?" The head monk said, "Only twenty miles; you can see the mountain peak from here." Wukong laughed and said, "Master, rest assured, no need to say more. It must be that black demon who stole it." Sanzang was doubtful, "That place is twenty miles away, how can you be sure it's him?" Wukong replied, "Didn't you see the firelight at night? It was so bright it lit up the whole area, making it as bright as day for miles around. Even if it were two hundred miles away, it could be seen! Surely he saw the fire soaring into the sky and took the opportunity to sneak over here. Seeing our cassock as a treasure, he took it. Let me go find him."
Sanzang was worried, "If you go, what will happen to me?" Wukong reassured him, "Don't worry, there are divine spirits protecting you secretly, and I'll have these monks serve you openly." He called the monks over, "Some of you go bury the old abbot, and others stay to serve my master and take care of the white horse!" The monks agreed. Wukong warned them, "Don't just agree now and neglect it after I leave. Serve my master with respect and ensure the horse has enough water and grass. If there's any mistake, I'll use this staff on you!" With that, he struck the ground with his iron rod, shattering bricks and collapsing seven or eight walls. The monks were so frightened they knelt, trembling and in tears, saying, "Rest assured, grandfather, we will serve diligently and not dare to slack off!"
Wukong then rode his somersault cloud straight to Black Wind Mountain to search for the cassock. As the saying goes: The golden monk sought truth from the capital, staff in hand, heading west through green hills. Tigers, leopards, wolves, and insects abound; merchants and scholars rarely seen. On the road, encountering jealous foolish monks, relying on the Great Sage's might. Fire and wind ravaged the monastery, the black bear stole the cassock by night. Whether the cassock can be recovered, and what the outcome will be, will be revealed in the next chapter.
