Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Monk were making their way through the forest when they stumbled upon Bajie tied to a tree, wailing in pain. Wukong couldn't help but laugh, "Oh my dear son-in-law! At a time like this, you should be thanking your in-laws and reporting the good news to our master, not just hanging around here! Where's your wife? Where's your mother-in-law? You're such a good son-in-law, hanging there like that!" Bajie, hearing this, turned red with embarrassment, biting his lip to endure the pain without making a sound. Sha Monk, feeling sorry for him, put down his luggage, went over, and untied Bajie. Grateful and ashamed, Bajie bowed repeatedly, feeling utterly embarrassed and wishing he could disappear.
There's a poem that goes: "Lust is a sharp sword that harms the body; greed inevitably brings disaster. Though beauty is alluring, it can be fiercer than a demon. In this world, there is only one original, with no small gains to be added to the bag. Carefully guard your own capital, stay true to your heart, and don't indulge."
Bajie offered incense to the earth and bowed to the heavens. Wukong asked, "Did you recognize those Bodhisattvas?" Bajie replied, "I was so dizzy and confused at the time, I couldn't tell who they were." Wukong handed Bajie a note, and upon seeing it was a poem, Bajie felt even more ashamed. Sha Monk chuckled, "Second Brother, you're so lucky, you even moved four Bodhisattvas to come and arrange a marriage for you!" Bajie quickly waved his hands, "Brothers, please don't mention it. I'm truly ashamed! From now on, I won't dare to mess around. Even if it breaks my back, I'll stick with Master to reach the West." Master Tang nodded, "That's the spirit."
Wukong then led the master onward. They traveled for a while, enduring the elements, until they came across a towering mountain blocking their path. Master Tang reined in his horse and said, "Disciples, there's a mountain ahead. We must be cautious, as there might be demons causing trouble." Wukong laughed, "Master, with us here, what demons are we afraid of?" Reassured, Master Tang continued forward.
This mountain was truly magnificent! Majestic and imposing, its roots connected to Kunlun, and its peak reached the clouds. White cranes rested among the pines, and black apes swung on the vines. In the sunlight, red mists encircled the mountain; in the wind, colorful clouds danced. Birds chirped in the bamboo groves, and pheasants fought among the wildflowers. The mountain boasted peaks like Thousand-Year Peak, Five Blessings Peak, and Hibiscus Peak, towering and radiant; stones like Longevity Stone, Tiger Tooth Stone, and Three-Pointed Stone, rugged and auspicious. Lush vegetation grew before the cliffs, and the scent of plum blossoms filled the ridges. Thorns were dense, and orchids were fragrant. Eagles and phoenixes gathered in the deep forests, while ancient caves were ruled by qilins overseeing all beasts. Streams wound through the valleys, and peaks overlapped, creating breathtaking scenery.
Master Tang, delighted, said from his horse, "Disciples, on my journey west, I've seen many landscapes, but never such beauty. It's truly enchanting. If we're close to Thunderclap Monastery, we should prepare to meet the Buddha." Wukong chuckled, "It's still early! We're far from there!" Sha Monk asked, "Brother, how far are we from Thunderclap Monastery?" Wukong replied, "It's eighty thousand miles away, and we've only covered a fraction of the journey." Bajie sighed, "Brother, how many years will it take us to get there?" Wukong said, "If you two walk, you'll make it in ten days; if I go, I can make fifty round trips in a day and still catch the sunset; but if Master's walking, forget about it!"
Master Tang asked, "Wukong, when will we arrive?" Wukong replied, "Master, even if you walk from youth to old age and back again thousands of times, it's hard to reach. But if you find your true nature and sincerity, every step is towards the spiritual mountain." Sha Monk said, "Brother, though this isn't Thunderclap Monastery, the scenery suggests good people live here." Wukong agreed, "You're right, there's no evil here, it's surely a place of holy monks and immortals. Let's take our time and enjoy." But that's another story.
This mountain was called Mount Longevity, home to a Taoist temple named Five Villages Temple, where an immortal known as Zhenyuanzi, also called the Universal Lord, resided. The temple housed a unique treasure, a spiritual root formed when chaos first opened and the heavens and earth were not yet divided. Across the four continents, only the Five Villages Temple in the Western Ox Continent produced such a treasure, known as the Grass Return Pill, also called the Ginseng Fruit. It bloomed once every three thousand years, bore fruit every three thousand years, and took another three thousand years to ripen, totaling nine thousand years to enjoy. In nine thousand years, only thirty fruits were produced. The fruit resembled a three-day-old infant, complete with limbs and facial features. If one was fortunate, smelling the fruit could extend life by 360 years, and eating one could grant 47,000 years of life.
The Great Immortal Zhenyuan received an invitation from the Primordial Lord of Heaven to attend a lecture on the Dao of Primordial Harmony at the Palace of Miroku in the Upper Clarity Heaven. Among his numerous disciples, he had forty-eight who were accomplished in the Dao. On that day, he took forty-six of them to the heavenly realm to listen to the lecture, leaving behind two young disciples to watch over his home: one named Qingfeng and the other Mingyue. Qingfeng was only 1,320 years old, and Mingyue was 1,200 years old. Before departing, Zhenyuanzi instructed his two disciples, "I am going to listen to the lecture. You must be careful while I'm away. Soon, an old friend will pass by here. Do not neglect him; you may offer him two Ginseng Fruits as a gesture of our old friendship." The two disciples asked, "Who is Master’s old friend? Please tell us so that we can properly welcome him." The Immortal replied, "He is the Holy Monk of the Great Tang in the East, with the Dharma name Sanzang, currently on a pilgrimage to the West to seek scriptures." The two disciples laughed, "Confucius said that those with different paths cannot make plans together. We belong to the Supreme Ultimate Daoist sect; how would we know a monk?" The Immortal said, "You do not know. That monk is the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, the second disciple of the Buddha in the West. Five hundred years ago, I met him at the Orchid Alms Bowl Assembly, where he personally served me tea, making him an old friend." The two disciples, hearing this, carefully remembered their master's instructions.
Before leaving, the Great Immortal Zhenyuan reminded them again, "My Ginseng Fruits are limited. You are only allowed to give two to Tang Sanzang, no more." Qingfeng replied, "When the garden was opened, everyone already ate two. There are twenty-eight left on the tree, and we dare not use more." The Immortal added, "Although Tang Sanzang is an old friend, you must guard against his followers causing trouble. Do not let them find out." After the two young disciples received their orders, the Immortal ascended to the heavenly realm with his disciples to attend the lecture on the Dao.
Meanwhile, Master Tang and his disciples were exploring in the mountains when they suddenly looked up and saw a pavilion nestled among the pines and bamboos. Master Tang asked, "Wukong, what do you think that place is?" Wukong took a closer look and replied, "It's either a Daoist temple or a monastery. Let's go and find out." Soon, they reached the entrance and saw that the pine forest was serene, the bamboo paths elegant, white cranes were gracefully flying in the clouds, and monkeys were climbing up and down. In front of the door, the pond was wide, the trees cast dancing shadows, and the stone crevices were covered with green moss. The palace stood tall, reaching the clouds, with pavilions faintly visible—a true paradise.
After dismounting, Master Tang saw a stone tablet to the left of the mountain gate with the inscription "Blessed Land of Longevity Mountain, Celestial Realm of Five Villages Temple." The elder said, "Disciples, this truly is a Daoist temple." Sha Monk said, "Master, judging by the scenery, there must be a sage living here. Let's go inside and take a look. If we pass by on our return journey, it would be a good place to stop." Wukong agreed, "That's right." So they all went in together and saw a couplet hanging over the second gate: "The immortal abode of eternal life, the Daoist home of longevity." Wukong laughed, "These Daoists boast without restraint. Even when I caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, I didn't see such a couplet at the door of the Supreme Elder Lord." Bajie said, "Never mind that, let's go in and see. Maybe this Daoist really has some skills."
As they entered the second gate, two young disciples hurriedly came out. Their appearance was extraordinary: they had clear and refined features, lively expressions, and wore their hair in two small buns. They were dressed in Daoist robes, exuding an ethereal aura. With sashes tied around their waists and light shoes on their feet, they truly had an impressive presence. They were Qingfeng and Mingyue, the two celestial disciples. The two disciples respectfully greeted them, "Honored elder, we apologize for not welcoming you earlier. Please come in and have a seat." The elder happily followed them into the main hall.
Inside was a five-room grand hall, open from north to south, with intricately carved windows. The celestial disciples opened the lattice windows and invited Master Tang inside. On the wall hung the characters "Heaven and Earth" woven with multicolored silk threads. Below was a red lacquered incense table with gold incense burners and vases, and neatly arranged incense beside the burner.
Master Tang stepped forward, took some incense with his left hand, and offered three bows. Afterward, he asked the celestial disciples, "Your Five Villages Temple is truly a part of the Western Celestial Realm. Why do you only worship the words 'Heaven and Earth' and not the Three Pure Ones, the Four Emperors, or the Lords of the Heavenly Court?" The disciples smiled, "To tell you the truth, these words above are merely for formality; below, they are not worthy of our incense. This is something our master devised." Master Tang asked, "What do you mean by 'devised'?" The disciple explained, "The Three Pure Ones are friends of our master, the Four Emperors are old acquaintances, the Nine Luminaries are juniors, and the Yuanchen Stars are subordinates of our master."
Hearing this, Wukong laughed heartily. Bajie asked, "Brother, what's so funny?" Wukong replied, "People always say I'm the trickster, but it turns out these Daoist disciples are even better at boasting!" Master Tang asked, "Where is your master?" The disciple said, "Our master was invited by the Primordial Lord to attend a lecture on the Dao of Primordial Harmony at the Palace of Miroku in the Upper Clarity Heaven. He is not at home." Wukong, unable to hold back, exclaimed, "These little Daoist disciples! They don't even recognize people, yet they're here making things up, putting on airs! Who in the Palace of Miroku is a Supreme Celestial? What are you little kids doing here?" Master Tang, seeing Wukong getting angry, feared the situation might escalate, so he advised, "Wukong, let's not argue. Since we're already here, it would be impolite to leave abruptly. As the saying goes, herons do not eat heron meat. Since their master is not here, let's not disturb them."
Master Tang continued, "Wukong, go to the mountain gate and release the horses. Sha Monk, watch over the luggage. Let Bajie unpack and take some rice and grains. Borrow their pot and stove to cook a meal. After eating, we'll leave, and before we go, we can leave them some money for firewood. Everyone has their task, and I'll rest here for a while. After the meal, we'll set off."
And so, the three disciples went about their respective tasks.
Mingyue and Qingfeng secretly marveled, "What an extraordinary monk! He truly is the Holy Monk from the West, as expected. Our master instructed us to welcome Tang Monk and offer him Ginseng Fruits to show our old friendship, while also being cautious of his unruly followers. Indeed, those three seem fierce and rude, so it was fortunate we sent them away; otherwise, it would have been troublesome." Qingfeng said, "Brother, we aren't entirely sure if this monk is really our master's old friend. We should confirm to avoid any mistakes." So the two disciples approached again and asked, "May we ask if you are Tang Sanzang from the Great Tang, heading to the West to fetch scriptures?" The elder replied, "I am indeed. How do you celestial disciples know my name?" The disciple said, "Our master instructed us to welcome you from afar. We did not expect your arrival and failed to greet you properly. Please take a seat while I prepare some tea." Sanzang replied, "I wouldn't dare impose." Mingyue quickly returned to the room, brought out a cup of fragrant tea, and offered it to the elder. After they finished the tea, Qingfeng said, "Brother, we must not disobey our master's orders. Let's go fetch the fruits."
The two young disciples bid farewell to Tang Monk and returned to their room. One took a golden hammer, and the other a cinnabar tray, carefully lining the tray with silk cloth. They then headed straight to the Ginseng Fruit garden. Qingfeng climbed the tree and used the golden hammer to knock down the fruits; Mingyue caught them below with the cinnabar tray. Soon, they knocked down two fruits and carefully brought them to the front hall, offering them to Tang Monk: "Master Tang, our Five Villages Temple is in a remote location and has nothing much to offer. Please accept these two Ginseng Fruits to quench your thirst."
Upon seeing the fruits, Tang Monk stepped back in shock, exclaiming, "Goodness! Goodness! Although this year has been bountiful, how can this temple eat people? These fruits clearly look like three-day-old infants. How can they be used to quench my thirst?" Qingfeng thought to himself, "This monk truly is an ordinary mortal, not recognizing the treasures of our immortal family." Mingyue stepped forward to explain, "Master, these are called Ginseng Fruits. Eating one is harmless." Sanzang insisted, "Nonsense! Nonsense! The parents of this child bore it for ten months, enduring much hardship. How can it be used as fruit?" Qingfeng said, "These truly grow on trees." The elder replied, "Nonsense! How can trees bear people? Take it away; this is not right!"
Seeing that Tang Monk refused to eat them despite their insistence, the two young disciples had no choice but to take the fruits back to their room. However, these fruits had a peculiar trait: they would spoil if left too long and become inedible. So, back in their room, each took one and began eating by the bedside.
Now, here's where things get interesting! Their Daoist quarters were separated from the kitchen by only a wall, so whatever was said on one side could be heard on the other. Bajie, busy cooking in the kitchen, had already overheard them mention the golden hammer and cinnabar tray, so he was aware. Hearing that Tang Monk didn't recognize the Ginseng Fruits and that the disciples took them back to eat themselves, Bajie's mouth watered, "How can I get a taste of a fresh one?" Too lazy to move, he waited for Wukong to come and discuss a plan.
Bajie, distractedly tending the fire at the stove, kept peeking around, trying to see what was happening. Soon, he saw Wukong returning with the horse, tying it to a locust tree, and walking back. Bajie quickly waved, "Over here! Over here!" Wukong turned and came to the kitchen door, "You fool, what are you shouting about? Is there not enough food? Once the old monk is full, we can go to a wealthy household up front to beg for more." Bajie said, "Come in, it's not about the food. Did you know there's a treasure in this temple?" Wukong asked, "What treasure?" Bajie chuckled, "I'll tell you, but you haven't seen it; even if I show you, you won't recognize it." Wukong said, "This fool is mocking me. I, the Great Sage, traveled the world 500 years ago; what haven't I seen?" Bajie said, "Brother, have you ever seen a Ginseng Fruit?"
Hearing this, Wukong was surprised, "Now that's something I haven't seen. I've only heard that Ginseng Fruits are like the elixir of life, prolonging longevity. Where can they be found now?" Bajie said, "Right here. Those disciples offered two to Master, but the old monk didn't recognize them, thinking they were three-day-old infants, so he didn't dare eat them. Those lazy disciples, even if Master didn't eat them, should have let us taste them. Instead, they're keeping them from us and are next door, each eating one, enjoying it thoroughly, while I'm drooling here. How can we get one to try? I thought you might have some skills to sneak into the garden and grab a few to taste. What do you think?" Wukong said, "That's simple. I'll get them in no time." With that, he was about to leave.
Bajie quickly grabbed him, "Brother, I heard them say you need to use a golden hammer to knock them down. Be careful not to make any noise." Wukong said, "I know, I know."
Wukong used his invisibility technique to quietly sneak into the Daoist quarters and found that the two Daoist disciples, after eating the fruits, had gone to see Tang Monk, leaving the room empty. He looked around, trying to find out what the golden hammer looked like, and saw a shiny golden object hanging on the window lattice. It was about two feet long, as thick as a finger, with a base resembling a garlic bulb and an eyelet at the top, tied with a green velvet cord. He thought, "This must be the golden hammer." So he took it down and left the Daoist quarters, heading straight to the back.
Pushing open two doors, Wukong looked up and, wow! It was a garden! There were red railings and precious thresholds, winding paths and mountain peaks, with exotic flowers competing with the bright sun, and green bamboo vying with the blue sky.
Outside the pavilion for flowing cups, a curve of green willows looked like smoke and mist; in front of the moon-viewing terrace, clusters of tall pines resembled ink splashes. The red was from pomegranate blossoms, and the green from embroidered grass mounds. The jade-like orchids sparkled by the stream.
Cinnamon trees reflected golden wells and phoenix trees, and silk locust trees stood by jade railings and steps. There were also thousand-petal peaches with red and white intermingled, and autumn chrysanthemums with a fragrant aroma. Trellises of roses surrounded peony pavilions, and mallow platforms connected to peony gardens. There was no end to the noble bamboo defying frost, and the pine trees challenging snow. There were also crane and deer dwellings, square ponds and round pools, where streams flowed like shattered jade, and the ground was covered with golden petals. The north wind opened the white plum blossoms, and spring adorned the crabapple red. Truly a paradise on earth, the foremost among the Western floral realms. Wukong was dazzled by the sight and saw another door. Pushing it open, he found a vegetable garden: all kinds of seasonal vegetables were there, including spinach, celery, Chinese cabbage, and ginger sprouts.
Bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, gourds, calabashes, water chestnuts, scallions, garlic, cilantro, and leeks were all present. Lotus roots, artemisia, bitter lettuce, gourds, and eggplants were all planted.
Turnips, radishes, and yams, red amaranth, green cabbage, and purple mustard were all there. Wukong laughed, "These Daoists are quite self-sufficient." Passing through the vegetable garden, he saw another door. Pushing it open, wow! In the center stood a large tree, with lush green branches and leaves like plantains, towering a thousand feet high and with roots spanning seven or eight yards. Wukong leaned against the tree and looked up, seeing a Ginseng Fruit peeking out from the southern branch, indeed resembling a small child. It hung by a stem on the branch, its limbs moving about, and when the wind blew, it seemed to make a sound. Wukong was overjoyed, secretly praising, "What a treasure! Truly rare! Truly rare!" Leaning against the tree, he swiftly leaped up.
Wukong, being a monkey, was adept at climbing trees and stealing fruits. He gently tapped the fruit with the golden hammer, and with a "pop," it fell down. He quickly jumped down to look for it, but after searching through the grass, he couldn't find any trace of it. Wukong was puzzled, "Strange, strange! Did the fruit grow legs and run away? But even if it ran, it couldn't have jumped over the wall. I get it; it must be the earth deity of this garden preventing me from stealing the fruit and taking it away." So Wukong recited an incantation and summoned the earth deity. The earth deity bowed to him, "Great Sage, what are your commands?" Wukong said, "Don't you know that I, Sun Wukong, am a renowned thief in the world? Back then, I stole peaches, imperial wine, and elixirs, and no one dared to compete with me. Today, I steal a fruit, and you dare to take a share! This fruit grows on a tree, even birds from heaven have a share. What's wrong with me eating one? You took it right after I knocked it down, what's the meaning of this?"
The earth deity quickly explained, "Great Sage, you have wronged me. This treasure is of the earth immortals; I am merely a ghost immortal and dare not touch it. I don't even have the fortune to smell it." Wukong asked, "If you didn't take it, why did it disappear as soon as I knocked it down?" The earth deity said, "Great Sage, you only know that this fruit can prolong life, but you don't know its origins." Wukong was curious, "What are its origins?" The earth deity explained, "This fruit blooms once every three thousand years, bears fruit every three thousand years, and takes another three thousand years to mature. In ten thousand years, it only bears thirty fruits. Those with fate can live three hundred and sixty years just by smelling it, and eating one can extend life by forty-seven thousand years. It fears the five elements." Wukong asked, "How does it fear them?" The earth deity said, "When it encounters metal, it falls; when it encounters wood, it withers; when it encounters water, it dissolves; when it encounters fire, it scorches; when it encounters earth, it burrows in. When knocked down, it must be caught with a golden vessel, placed on a silk-lined tray; otherwise, it will wither upon touching wood, making it useless to eat. When eating, it must be dissolved in clear water in a porcelain vessel; encountering fire, it will scorch and become useless. Encountering earth, it burrows in, and when you knocked it down, it burrowed into the ground. This earth has the hardness of forty-seven thousand years, harder than raw iron, allowing people to achieve longevity. Great Sage, if you don't believe me, you can try." Wukong then tapped the ground with his golden staff, and indeed, there was no trace. Wukong was convinced, "So it is! I misunderstood you; you may return." The earth deity then returned to his temple.
Wukong came up with an idea: he climbed back up the tree, holding the golden hammer in one hand and using his robe to make a pouch with the other. He knocked down three fruits into the pouch, jumped down from the tree, and headed straight for the kitchen. When Bajie saw him, he happily asked, "Brother, did you get them?" Wukong proudly said, "Here they are! I got them with ease. We can't hide this from Sha Seng; call him over." Bajie immediately called out, "Wujing, come quickly!"
Sha Seng put down what he was doing and ran into the kitchen. "Brother, why did you call me?" Wukong opened his robe pouch and said, "Look at this, what do you see?" Sha Seng looked and exclaimed with delight, "Ginseng Fruits!" Wukong asked, "You recognize them? Where have you eaten them before?" Sha Seng replied, "I've never eaten them, but when I was serving as the Curtain-Lifting General, I saw overseas immortals using these fruits to celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday. I've seen them, but never tasted them. Brother, can I try one?" Wukong generously said, "No need to ask, each of us brothers gets one." The three of them each enjoyed a fruit.
Bajie, with his big mouth and bigger appetite, had been craving them for a while. As soon as he saw the fruit, he gobbled it up whole and then pretended to ask Wukong and Sha Seng, "What did you guys eat?" Sha Seng replied, "Ginseng Fruit." Bajie asked again, "What does it taste like?" Wukong laughed and said, "Wujing, don't mind him! He clearly ate it and is still asking." Bajie defended himself, "Brother, I ate it too fast, didn't chew it properly, and couldn't taste it. I don't even know if it had a pit, I just swallowed it. Brother, for my craving, go get another one so I can eat it slowly." Wukong said, "Brother, you're really insatiable. This isn't rice or noodles to fill your belly. In ten thousand years, only thirty of these grow. Getting to eat one is a great fortune, more than enough!"
Wukong stood up, quietly returned the golden hammer to the Daoist quarters, and thought no more of it. Bajie kept grumbling, not realizing that the two Daoist disciples had returned to fetch tea and overheard Bajie saying, "The Ginseng Fruit wasn't enough; another one would be better." Qingfeng thought to himself, "Mingyue, did you hear that long-mouthed monk saying he wants another Ginseng Fruit? Our master warned us to be wary of them when he left. Could they have stolen our treasure?" Mingyue looked around and said, "Brother, something's wrong! The golden hammer is on the ground! Let's check the garden!" The two hurried to the garden and found the garden gate open. Qingfeng said, "I closed this gate, how is it open?"
They quickly checked the vegetable garden and found that gate open too. Entering the Ginseng Fruit garden, they leaned against the tree and counted, finding only twenty-two fruits remaining. Mingyue said, "Do you know how to count?" Qingfeng replied, "I do, tell me." Mingyue said, "There were originally thirty fruits. Master ate two when he opened the garden, leaving twenty-eight; we knocked down two for Tang Monk, leaving twenty-six; now only twenty-two remain, four are missing! No doubt those monks stole them, let's go scold Tang Monk!" The two left the garden and headed straight for the hall, hurling insults and foul language at Tang Monk. Tang Monk couldn't bear it any longer and said, "Celestial disciples, what's gotten into you? Speak properly, don't talk nonsense." Qingfeng said, "Are you deaf? You stole and ate our Ginseng Fruits, and you won't let us speak?" Tang Monk asked, "What do Ginseng Fruits look like?" Mingyue said, "We just gave them to you, didn't you say they looked like little children?" Tang Monk quickly explained, "Amitabha! Those things frightened me at first sight, how could I dare to steal and eat them? Even if I were starving, I wouldn't commit such a theft. Don't wrong an innocent person." Qingfeng said, "If you didn't eat them, then your disciples did." Tang Monk said, "That's possible. Don't shout, I'll ask them. If they really stole them, I'll have them compensate you." Mingyue said, "Compensate? You can't buy these with money!" Tang Monk said, "True, money can't buy them, but as the saying goes, 'Virtue is worth a thousand gold.' Let them apologize, and that should suffice. But it might not even be them." Mingyue said, "How could it not be them? They were arguing about it!" Tang Monk called out, "Disciples, come here." Sha Seng heard this and said, "Oh no! We've been found out! Master is calling us, and the Daoist disciples are scolding us; it must be that our secret is out!" Wukong said, "How embarrassing! It's just food, if we admit it, it will be known that we stole it. Let's not admit it." Bajie said, "Right, right, let's deny it." The three of them reluctantly came out of the kitchen and went to the hall. Hey! How will they try to deny it now? Stay tuned for the next episode.
