Real Histories
Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing, riding on clouds, arrived at the royal court. As soon as they landed, they saw the king and his ministers kneeling in gratitude for their great help. Sun Wukong recounted the entire story of how the Bodhisattva subdued the demon, and everyone listened with tears of gratitude, thanking them profusely.
While everyone was celebrating, a palace official suddenly reported, "Your Majesty, there are four more monks outside." This startled Zhu Bajie, who quickly said, "Brother, could this be another trick by the demon? They disguised themselves as the Bodhisattva to deceive us, and now they might have turned into monks to outsmart us." Sun Wukong laughed and said, "That doesn't make sense!" He then ordered the newcomers to be brought in. It turned out they were monks from Baolin Temple, holding the king's crown and robes. Sun Wukong was overjoyed and immediately had the king change into his royal attire to restore his identity.
However, the king hesitated to sit on the throne. Kneeling, he cried, "I have been dead for three years and was only revived thanks to the master. How dare I claim the throne again? Please, master, you be the king. My family and I are willing to live as ordinary citizens outside the city." Tang Sanzang, of course, declined, as his sole desire was to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Sun Wukong also joked, "If I wanted to be an emperor, I would've ruled the world long ago. We're used to being monks; being an emperor involves too much worry, which isn't for me."
In the end, the king had no choice but to ascend the throne again. He announced a general amnesty and rewarded the monks of Baolin Temple. He then hosted a banquet for Tang Sanzang and his disciples and invited artists to paint their portraits to be enshrined in the royal hall.
After settling affairs in the kingdom, Tang Sanzang and his disciples were eager to continue westward. The king, queen, and crown prince offered treasures, gold, silver, and silk to thank the master, but Tang Sanzang refused all gifts, only requesting travel documents to proceed. The king, feeling indebted, personally escorted them out of the city, shedding tears of farewell.
The four disciples resumed their journey, focusing on reaching the Spirit Mountain. It was late autumn, early winter, and the scenery along the way was unique. After leaving the Kingdom of Wuji, they traveled for over half a month and suddenly encountered a towering mountain. Tang Sanzang felt a bit apprehensive and quickly reminded Sun Wukong to be wary of demons. Sun Wukong reassured him with a smile, "Master, don't worry. Just keep going; with me around, there's no need to fear demons."
The journey was challenging, with steep mountains and peculiar landscapes. Though the disciples felt some fear, they pressed on bravely. Suddenly, they saw a red cloud rising from a mountain hollow. Sun Wukong was alarmed and quickly halted the group, saying, "A demon is coming!" Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing immediately drew their weapons to protect Tang Sanzang, ready to fight.
This demon was no ordinary foe. It had long heard that Tang Sanzang from the Eastern Land was a highly cultivated monk, and eating his flesh could grant immortality. Thus, it had been waiting in the mountains for this day. Observing from above, the demon saw Tang Sanzang guarded by three disciples and thought, "This Tang Sanzang looks plump and delicious, truly a fine monk! But he's guarded by three ugly monks, each armed. They won't be easy to deal with."
After pondering for a while, the demon decided, "A direct confrontation won't work. I'll pretend to be a good person to deceive them and strike when they're off guard." So, it transformed into a seven-year-old child, hanging naked from a tree, crying out desperately, "Help! Help!"
Meanwhile, Sun Wukong looked up and saw the red cloud dissipate, with no sign of fire, and told Tang Sanzang, "Master, it's all clear now. We can proceed." Tang Sanzang was puzzled, "Didn't you say there was a demon? Why are we moving on?" Sun Wukong chuckled, "There was indeed a demon, but it seems to be just passing by and won't harm us."
Zhu Bajie chimed in, "Brother, you make it sound nice. Are there really passing demons?" Sun Wukong explained, "Some demons are on their way to banquets and can't be bothered with us; those are the passing ones." Tang Sanzang was half-convinced but continued riding forward.
As they walked along, they suddenly heard someone shouting "Help!" Tang Sanzang was startled and asked, "Disciples, why is there someone calling for help in this mountain?" Sun Wukong quickly replied, "Master, don't worry about it. Let's just keep moving."
Although Tang Sanzang felt uneasy, he continued on as instructed. Not long after, they heard the cries for help again. Tang Sanzang said, "Disciples, this doesn't sound like a demon. It seems like someone is in trouble. We should go help them." Sun Wukong advised, "Master, it's best not to show compassion today. This place is dangerous. I've heard that some demons can mimic human voices. If you respond to them, they might harm you."
Reluctantly, Tang Sanzang continued on his way. Sun Wukong pondered, "The demon is still calling. Let me use a spell to shift the mountains and distance us from it." With that, Sun Wukong cast a spell to transport the group over the mountain, leaving the demon behind.
The demon called out on the mountainside for a while, puzzled when no one came to rescue it. "I clearly saw Tang Sanzang nearby. Why haven't they arrived yet? Could they have taken another route?" It shook off its bonds and flew up into the sky to survey the area again.
Sun Wukong looked up and saw the demon returning. He quickly pushed Tang Sanzang off the horse, shouting, "Brothers, be careful! The demon is back!" Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing immediately shielded Tang Sanzang, ready to defend him.
The demon observed from above, admiring, "These monks are no simpletons! I'll have to deal with the perceptive one first, then capture Tang Sanzang. Otherwise, my efforts will be in vain." It transformed back into a child and hung from a tree, waiting. This time, it positioned itself even closer to Tang Sanzang and his disciples.
Sun Wukong glanced up and saw the red cloud disperse again, so he urged Tang Sanzang to continue on. Tang Sanzang was puzzled, "Didn't you just say the demon was back? Why are we moving on again?" Sun Wukong explained, "It's just a passing demon. It won't dare to provoke us." Tang Sanzang, slightly annoyed, retorted, "You mischievous monkey, always trying to scare me! You say there's no danger when there is, and claim there's a demon when there isn't. What if I got hurt when you pushed me off the horse?"
Sun Wukong quickly explained, "Master, please don't be angry. If you got hurt, we could heal you. But if a demon captured you, that would be a real problem." Tang Sanzang was so frustrated he almost recited the tightening spell, but Sha Wujing managed to calm him down, and they continued on their way.
As soon as Tang Sanzang settled back on the horse, he heard someone cry, "Master, help me!" Looking up, he saw a child hanging naked from a tree. He angrily turned to Sun Wukong, "You mischievous monkey, where's your compassion? I said it was a human voice, but you insisted it was a demon. Look, isn't that a person hanging from the tree?"
Seeing his master upset and fearing the tightening spell, Sun Wukong remained silent and let Tang Sanzang approach the tree. Tang Sanzang pointed with his whip and asked the child, "Whose child are you, and why are you hanging here? Tell me so I can help you."
The demon, seeing Tang Sanzang ask, feigned pitifulness, with tears in its eyes, and said, "Master, my family is from a village in Shanxi. My grandfather was a wealthy man named Hong Baiwan, with lots of gold and silver. But our family fortune declined, and he changed his name to Hong Shiwan. My father lent money to others but was cheated, unable to recover the debt."
The demon continued, "Those people became bandits, looted our home, killed my father, and took my mother away. My mother couldn't bear to leave me and begged them to spare me, so they hung me here to starve. Luckily, I've met you, Master. If you save me, I will surely repay your kindness."
Believing the story, Tang Sanzang instructed Zhu Bajie to untie the child. Zhu Bajie, unable to discern the truth, was about to act when Sun Wukong couldn't help but interject, "You demon, stop spouting nonsense! If your home was robbed, who will you return to? How will you repay us?"
The demon, sensing Sun Wukong's shrewdness, felt a bit afraid but replied, "Master, although my parents are gone, my family still has some land, and I have relatives. My grandfather is in the south of the mountain, my aunt is in the north of the ridge, and I have uncles and cousins as well."
Zhu Bajie, hearing this, tried to persuade Sun Wukong, "Brother, the child makes sense. Bandits only take money; the land remains. If we save him, his relatives will be grateful to us."
Zhu Bajie, thinking about food, didn't care whether it was true or false. He used his rake to cut the rope, letting the demon down. The demon kowtowed to Tang Sanzang, who, feeling compassionate, said, "Child, come up on the horse. I'll take you home."
The demon feigned helplessness, "Master, my limbs are numb. I can't ride a horse." Tang Sanzang asked Zhu Bajie to carry him, but the demon said, "This master has a long mouth and big ears. I'm scared." Tang Sanzang then asked Sha Wujing to carry him, but the demon said, "This master looks fierce. I'm scared too."
Finally, Tang Sanzang asked Sun Wukong to carry him. Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Alright, I'll carry you." The demon was pleased, but Sun Wukong pulled him aside and tested his weight, finding that the demon weighed just over three pounds.
Carrying the child, Sun Wukong felt annoyed and teased, "You little demon, today is your unlucky day, daring to play tricks in front of me! I've seen through you all along." The demon feigned innocence, "Master, I'm a child from a good family, just struck by misfortune. How could I be a demon?" Sun Wukong chuckled, "If you're a child from a good family, why are you so lightweight?" The demon quickly explained, "I have a small frame."
Sun Wukong continued questioning, "How old are you?" The demon replied, "I'm seven years old." Sun Wukong laughed, "One pound for each year, how come you're less than four pounds?" The demon said, "I didn't eat well when I was little." Sun Wukong, resigned, carried him and said, "Alright, if you need to relieve yourself, let me know."
Tang Sanzang, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing walked ahead while Sun Wukong followed behind with the child. Along the way, Sun Wukong thought to himself, "Tang Sanzang really doesn't know the weight of things. This treacherous mountain path is difficult to traverse empty-handed, let alone carrying someone. Even if this child isn't a demon, he has no parents. Where are we supposed to take him?"
At this moment, the demon used a spell to inhale deeply and blew onto Sun Wukong's back, making himself as heavy as a thousand pounds. Sun Wukong laughed, "Oh, little one, are you trying to crush me?"
The demon, fearing Sun Wukong might harm him, quickly used a corpse separation technique, letting his soul escape into the air. The weight on Sun Wukong's back increased, infuriating him. Sun Wukong tore the demon's body off his back and smashed it against a rock, turning it into a meat patty. To prevent further tricks, he ripped off the limbs and scattered them to pieces.
The demon, watching from the sky, was furious, "That monkey is too ruthless! I haven't even attacked Tang Sanzang yet, and he's already done this to me. Fortunately, I was quick-witted and let my soul escape. Otherwise, I'd be dead for nothing. I must seize Tang Sanzang now before he gets even cleverer."
So the demon whipped up a whirlwind in the air, sending sand and stones flying, obscuring the sky fiercely. The wind made it difficult for Tang Sanzang to stay on the horse, Zhu Bajie dared not lift his head, and Sha Wujing shielded his face. Sun Wukong knew it was the demon causing trouble and rushed forward, but the demon had already taken advantage of the wind to whisk Tang Sanzang away, leaving no trace.
When the wind stopped, the sun reappeared. Sun Wukong went to check and saw the White Dragon Horse neighing in panic, luggage scattered by the roadside, Zhu Bajie groaning at the cliff's edge, and Sha Wujing crouching on the slope, calling out. Sun Wukong shouted, "Zhu Bajie!" Hearing Sun Wukong's voice, Zhu Bajie looked up, saw the wind had stopped, quickly got up, grabbed Sun Wukong, and said, "Brother, that wind was really strong!"
Sha Wujing also came forward and said, "Brother, it was a whirlwind." Then he asked, "Where did Master go?" Zhu Bajie said, "The wind came so suddenly; we all hid from it, and Master was lying on the horse." Sun Wukong asked, "Then where is he now?" Sha Wujing said, "He might have been swept away by the wind."
Sun Wukong sighed, "Brothers, it seems we should part ways!" Zhu Bajie agreed, "Yes, let's part sooner and go our own ways. The journey to the Western Heaven is endless. Who knows when we'll get there!"
Sha Wujing was shocked, feeling numb all over, "Brother, how can you say such things? We are here because of sins in our past lives, enlightened by Bodhisattva Guanyin, and vowed to protect Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West for scriptures. Saying we should part ways now goes against the Bodhisattva's teachings, doesn't it?"
Sun Wukong said, "Brother, you're right, but Master doesn't listen to me. I have fiery eyes and golden pupils; that wind was stirred by the child hanging on the tree. I recognized him as a demon, but you didn't, and neither did he, yet he let me carry him. He used magic to weigh me down, so I smashed him. Then he used corpse separation to create a whirlwind and took Master away. I'm angry because Master didn't listen to me, so I said we should part ways. Since you're sincere, you're making it difficult for me. Zhu Bajie, what do you want to do?"
Zhu Bajie said, "I was just speaking nonsense earlier; we really shouldn't part ways. Brother, let's listen to Sha Wujing and go find the demon to rescue Master." Sun Wukong turned his anger into joy, "Brothers, let's work together, pack our belongings and the White Dragon Horse, and head up the mountain to find the demon and save Master."
The three of them climbed vines and crossed ridges, traveling fifty to seventy miles without any news. There were no birds or beasts on the mountain, only ancient cypress and pine trees. Sun Wukong, anxious and burning with impatience, leaped to the mountain top, shouted "Change!" and transformed into his three-headed, six-armed form, reminiscent of when he wreaked havoc in Heaven. He wielded his golden cudgel, which split into three, striking in all directions.
Seeing this, Zhu Bajie worriedly said, "Sha Wujing, this isn't good. Our brother can't find Master and is so angry he's gone mad."
As Sun Wukong swung his golden cudgel, a group of raggedly dressed deities suddenly appeared, each with torn clothes and pants without crotches, kneeling before the mountain and crying out, "Great Sage, we are the mountain gods and earth spirits of this mountain, here to pay our respects to you." Sun Wukong was puzzled, "Why are there so many mountain gods and earth spirits?" They quickly explained, "Great Sage, this mountain is called the Six Hundred Mile Drilling Mountain. We are stationed every ten miles, totaling thirty mountain gods and thirty earth spirits. We heard yesterday that you were coming but couldn't greet you in time. Please forgive us."
Sun Wukong said, "Alright, I won't blame you. How many demons are on this mountain?" The gods lamented, "Grandfather, there's only one demon on this mountain. He's tormented us endlessly, leaving us without incense or offerings, barely clothed and always hungry. There's no other demon here!" Sun Wukong asked, "Where does this demon reside?"
The gods pointed to a ravine in the mountain, "There's a withered pine ravine, and beside it is the Fiery Cloud Cave where the demon king resides. He has great magical powers and often forces us to stoke his fires. At night, we have to ring bells and call out, and the little demons extort protection fees from us." Sun Wukong mocked, "You underworld immortals, where would you get money?" The gods replied helplessly, "Without money, we can only catch wild game to appease them. Otherwise, they demolish our temples and strip our clothes. We beg you, Great Sage, to rid us of this demon and save the creatures on this mountain."
Sun Wukong asked, "Since you're under his control, do you know what kind of demon he is and his name?" The gods said, "He is the son of the Bull Demon King and the Rakshasa, having cultivated for three hundred years in the Flame Mountain, mastering the Samadhi True Fire. The Bull Demon King sent him to guard this mountain. He's called Red Boy, titled the Holy Infant King."
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong was overjoyed and quickly dismissed the earth spirits and mountain gods, returned to his original form, leaped down the peak, and told Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, "Don't worry, brothers, Master will be fine. This demon is related to me." Zhu Bajie laughed, "Brother, stop boasting. You're from the Eastern Continent of Divine Victory, and he's from the Western Continent of Cattle Gift. With so many mountains and rivers between, how could you be related?"
Sun Wukong explained, "The mountain gods and earth spirits just told me the demon is the Bull Demon King's son. Five hundred years ago, I swore brotherhood with the Bull Demon King; he is my elder brother. This demon is his son, making me his uncle. How dare he harm my Master? Let's go find him quickly."
Sha Wujing chuckled, "Brother, as the saying goes, 'Three years without visiting, even relatives become distant.' You haven't seen him in five or six hundred years, with no contact. How would he recognize you as a relative?"
Sun Wukong dismissed the concern, "Why are you so narrow-minded? As the saying goes, 'A single leaf returns to the sea, where in life do we not meet again?' Even if he doesn't acknowledge the kinship, he won't harm my Master. We don't expect him to host a banquet, but he'll at least return Tang Sanzang to me."
Thus, the three brothers, with the White Dragon Horse and their luggage, continued along the main road. After traveling over a hundred miles, they suddenly saw a pine forest. Within the forest was a winding stream, with water gently flowing beneath a stone bridge leading to a cave dwelling. Sun Wukong said, "Brothers, look over there at the jagged stone cliffs. It must be where the demon resides. Let's discuss who will guard the luggage and horse and who will go with me to subdue the demon."
Zhu Bajie immediately said, "Brother, I can't sit still. I'll go with you." Sun Wukong said, "Alright! Sha Wujing, hide the horse and luggage deep in the woods and guard them carefully. Zhu Bajie and I will go find Master." Sha Wujing agreed, and Zhu Bajie followed Sun Wukong, each wielding their weapons as they advanced. As the saying goes: "Before refining the infant's evil fire, the heart ape and wood mother support each other." How this endeavor will fare, let's find out in the next episode.
Sun Wukong was suffering from the tightening spell, which was giving him a terrible headache. He had no choice but to plead with Tang Sanzang, "Master, please stop chanting! Let me think of a way to save him!" Tang Sanzang asked, "What do you plan to do?" Wukong replied, "I need to go to the underworld to check which King of Hell has his soul and ask them to release it." At this point, Zhu Bajie chimed in, "Master, don't believe him! He said earlier that he didn't need to go to the underworld and could fix it here, just to show off his skills." Hearing this, Tang Sanzang started chanting the spell again, and Wukong quickly begged for mercy, "I'll fix it here! I'll fix it here!" Meanwhile, Bajie egged him on, "Don't stop! Keep chanting!" Wukong, getting desperate, cursed, "You stupid pig, how dare you encourage Master to chant!" Bajie laughed so hard he almost fell over, "Brother, you always make fun of me, but now it's my turn to get back at you!"
Wukong, feeling helpless, said, "Master, please stop chanting, I'll fix it here." Tang Sanzang curiously asked, "How will you fix it here?" Wukong replied, "I'll somersault to the Southern Gate of Heaven, go straight to the Trayastrimsa Heaven, to the Tusita Palace, and ask the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord for a Nine-Turn Resurrection Pill to save him." Tang Sanzang, delighted, said, "Then hurry and come back quickly." Wukong replied, "It's already midnight. By the time I return, it will be dawn. But this person lying here cold and lonely doesn't look right; we need someone to mourn properly." Bajie, hearing this, thought to himself, "This monkey is definitely going to make me do it." Wukong said, "You'd better cry! If you don't cry, I can't save him!" Bajie said, "Brother, you go ahead, I can cry on my own." Wukong said, "There are different ways to cry: just shouting isn't enough, you need to shed tears for it to be real mourning." Bajie said, "Let me show you how I cry." With that, he found a piece of paper, stuffed it into his nose, sneezed a few times, and tears and snot flowed, making it look like someone had really died. Tang Sanzang, seeing this, couldn't help but shed tears. Wukong laughed, "That's the kind of mourning I need, don't stop. You fool, if you trick me and stop crying after I leave, I'll know! If you don't cry enough, I'll give you twenty lashes!" Bajie laughed, "Go ahead, I can cry for two days straight." Seeing this, Sha Wujing went to burn some incense, and Wukong laughed, "Great! With everyone's respect, I can do my job well."
With that, Wukong, in the middle of the night, bid farewell to his master and brothers, soared into the sky, and headed straight for the Southern Gate of Heaven. True to his word, he didn't go to the Hall of Miraculous Mist, nor to the Dou Niu Palace, but flew directly to the Trayastrimsa Heaven, to the Tusita Palace. Upon entering, he saw the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord in the alchemy room, fanning the fire with his immortal children to refine pills. Seeing Wukong, the Elderly Lord instructed the children, "Be careful, the pill-stealing monkey is here again." Wukong bowed and laughed, "Old Man, don't be so guarded. I'm not here to steal this time." The Elderly Lord said, "You monkey, five hundred years ago you caused havoc in Heaven, ate many of my elixirs, got caught by Erlang Shen, and I had to burn a lot of charcoal to refine you for forty-nine days. Now you're a Buddhist, escorting Tang Sanzang to the West for scriptures. You didn't return my treasures on Flat Top Mountain, and now you're here again, what for?" Wukong said, "I returned your five treasures long ago, why still doubt me?" The Elderly Lord said, "Why sneak into my palace if you're not up to something?" Wukong said, "Since we parted, I've been to a place called the Kingdom of Wuji. The king there was harmed by a demon disguised as a Taoist priest, who took his place on the throne. My master was reading scriptures in Baolin Temple when the king's ghost came to him, asking for help to defeat the demon and restore justice. I, along with Bajie, found the king's body at the bottom of an octagonal crystal well, his appearance unchanged. Master, moved by compassion, ordered me to save him but forbade me from going to the underworld for his soul, insisting I find a way here. I couldn't think of anything else, so I came to you, hoping you'd lend me a thousand Nine-Turn Resurrection Pills to save him." The Elderly Lord said, "You monkey! What nonsense! A thousand pills, two thousand pills, do you think they're as easy to come by as dirt? Get out! I don't have any!" Wukong laughed, "A hundred or so will do." The Elderly Lord said, "I don't have any." Wukong said, "Even ten will do." The Elderly Lord, getting angry, said, "You annoying monkey! No, no, no! Get out, get out!"
Sun Wukong laughed and said, "If there's really none, then I'll go elsewhere to find a solution." The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord shouted, "Go! Go! Go!" Wukong turned to leave. Suddenly, the Elderly Lord thought, "This monkey is cunning. If he leaves so easily, he might be sneaking around to steal something." So he ordered the celestial child to call Wukong back and said, "You monkey, with your sticky fingers, I'll give you a Resurrection Pill." Wukong replied, "Old Man, since you know my ways, quickly bring out the elixir and give me a fair share. This is your good fortune; otherwise, I'll clean you out like a sieve." The Elderly Lord took a gourd, poured out one elixir, and handed it to Wukong, saying, "There's only this one left. Take it, take it! Giving you this one pill to save the emperor counts as your merit."
Sun Wukong accepted the pill but was still wary. He wanted to taste it to ensure it was genuine and not a trick by the Elderly Lord. So, he pretended to toss the pill into his mouth, which frightened the Elderly Lord. He rushed forward, grabbed Wukong's head, and waved his fist, scolding, "If you dare swallow it, I'll beat you to death!" Wukong laughed, "Look at you, so stingy! Who's eager to eat your pill? What's it worth? Not much more than this, right?" It turned out that Wukong had a pouch under his chin where he hid the pill. Seeing this, the Elderly Lord had no choice but to let go, saying, "Go, go, don't bother me again." Only then did Wukong thank the Elderly Lord and leave the Tusita Palace.
See him now, leaving the jade palace amidst a thousand auspicious clouds, descending to the mortal world on ten thousand rays of light. In no time, he was out of the Southern Gate of Heaven, returning to the Eastern Observation, with the sun already rising. He descended from the clouds and went straight to the gate of Baolin Temple, where he heard Zhu Bajie still crying from afar. Wukong approached and called out, "Master!" Tang Sanzang, hearing this, was delighted and asked, "Wukong, have you got the pill?" Wukong replied, "I have." Bajie interjected, "Of course he has! Even if he had to steal it, he'd get some!" Wukong laughed, "Brother, you can stop now. No need to cry anymore; wipe your tears and go cry elsewhere." Then he told Sha Wujing, "Quickly, get some water." Sha Wujing hurriedly drew half a bowl of water from the well and handed it to Wukong. Wukong took the water, spat out the pill from his mouth, placed it on the emperor's lips, pried open his teeth, and used the water to wash the elixir into the emperor's stomach.
After half an hour, they heard a rumbling sound from the emperor's stomach, but his body remained motionless. Wukong said, "Master, even my elixir can't revive him. Are you going to scold me to death?" Tang Sanzang replied, "How could it not work? This body has been dead for so long, how could it swallow water? This is the power of the elixir. The elixir entering the stomach causes the intestines to rumble, indicating blood circulation, but the breath cannot return. Even if a body has been soaking in a well for three years, it would rust like iron. The vital energy is completely depleted; he needs someone to breathe life into him."
Zhu Bajie quickly stepped forward to breathe life into the emperor, but Tang Sanzang stopped him, saying, "No! Let Wukong do it." The reason being, Zhu Bajie had committed many killings and sins since childhood, consuming impure energy, while Wukong had cultivated since childhood, consuming pine nuts and peaches, which were pure energy. So, Wukong stepped forward, pressed his mouth to the emperor's lips, and exhaled a breath of pure energy directly into the emperor's throat, passing through the many barriers, reaching the dantian, and then returning to the mud pill palace. With a "whoosh," the emperor's energy gathered, his spirit returned, and he awoke, moving his arms and legs, exclaiming, "Master!" He knelt and said, "I remember my ghost visited last night, how is it that today at dawn my spirit returns to the living?" Tang Sanzang hurriedly helped him up, saying, "Your Majesty, this is not my achievement. You should thank my disciple." Wukong laughed, "Master, what are you saying? As the saying goes, 'A family cannot have two masters.' Accepting his bow does you no harm." Embarrassed, Tang Sanzang helped the emperor up, and together they entered the meditation hall. After greeting Bajie, Wukong, and Sha Wujing, they sat down.
At this time, the monks in the temple were preparing breakfast to offer. Suddenly, seeing the emperor in wet clothes, everyone was shocked and started whispering. Sun Wukong jumped out and said, "Monks, don't be surprised. This is the true king of the Kingdom of Wuji, your rightful lord. Three years ago, he was harmed by a demon, and I saved him last night. Now we need to go to the city to distinguish between good and evil. If you have breakfast, please serve it, and we'll leave after eating." The monks quickly brought soup and water, washed the emperor's face, and changed his clothes, taking off his yellow robe. The temple officials dressed him in two plain cloth robes, removed the blue jade belt, tied it with a yellow silk sash, and changed his shoes to old monk's shoes. After finishing breakfast, they prepared to set off.
Wukong asked, "Bajie, how heavy is your luggage?" Bajie replied, "Brother, I've been carrying this luggage every day, but I don't know how heavy it is." Wukong said, "Divide the luggage into two loads, you carry one, and let the emperor carry the other. Let's hurry to the city to handle matters." Bajie happily said, "What luck! What luck! Back then, I didn't know how much effort it took to carry him here; now that he's alive, he turns out to be a substitute." So, Bajie divided the luggage, borrowed a shoulder pole from the temple, carried the lighter load himself, and let the emperor carry the heavier one. Wukong laughed, "Your Majesty, dressed like this, carrying a load, walking with us—does it not wrong you?" The king quickly knelt and said, "Master, you are my savior. Not only am I willing to carry the load, but I also wish to serve you on the journey to the West." Wukong said, "No need for you to go to the West. I have a reason. You only need to carry the load for forty miles into the city, capture the demon, then you can resume being the emperor, and we'll continue our journey for scriptures." Bajie, hearing this, said, "So he only carries for forty miles, and I, the old pig, am still the long-term laborer!" Wukong said, "Brother, stop joking around. Lead the way quickly." So, Bajie led the emperor in front, Sha Wujing helped Tang Sanzang onto the White Dragon Horse, Wukong followed behind, and the five hundred monks from the temple, in neat formation, played music to send them off at the mountain gate.
Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Monks, there's no need to see us off too far. If the authorities find out, it might not be good for me if word gets out. Quickly, go back! Go back! Arrange the emperor's clothes and crown properly, and bring them to the city tonight or tomorrow morning. I will reward you." The monks obeyed and returned to the temple. Wukong caught up with Tang Sanzang and continued on their way.
Tang Sanzang and his disciples traveled onward and, in less than half a day, saw the city of the Kingdom of Wuji. Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, the city ahead should be the Kingdom of Wuji." Wukong replied, "That's right, let's hurry into the city to handle our business."
As they entered the city, they saw bustling streets filled with people, vibrant and lively. Moving further, they saw the grand and imposing buildings of the palace. Tang Sanzang dismounted and said, "Disciples, let's go directly to the palace to exchange the travel documents, avoiding the hassle of going to the government office." Wukong agreed, "You're right. Let's all go in; it's easier to speak with more people." Tang Sanzang reminded, "Once inside, don't misbehave. First, observe the proper etiquette, then discuss other matters."
Wukong mischievously said, "Observing the proper etiquette means bowing down." Tang Sanzang nodded, "Yes, you must perform the ceremony of five prostrations and three kowtows." Wukong laughed, "Master, that's not appropriate. If we bow to him, wouldn't that be foolish? Let me go in first; I have my ways. If he speaks, I'll respond. If I bow, you bow; if I squat, you squat."
With that, the troublemaking Monkey King led everyone to the palace gate and said to the gatekeeper, "We are envoys from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, traveling to the Western Heaven to obtain scriptures. We are here to exchange travel documents. Please inform the officials." The gatekeeper hurried into the palace to report, "Outside the palace gate are five monks claiming to be envoys from the Tang Dynasty of the Eastern Land, traveling to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures. They have come to exchange travel documents and are waiting outside, not daring to enter without permission."
Upon hearing this, the demon king immediately ordered them to be summoned. Tang Sanzang and his group entered the palace gate, with the king following behind. Along the way, the king couldn't help but shed tears, thinking to himself, "Alas, my kingdom and country have been usurped by him!" Wukong comforted him, "Your Majesty, don't be sad, lest the news leaks. My Golden-Hooped Rod is eager to strike, and I will surely defeat the demon, eliminate the evil, and soon the kingdom will be yours again."
The king nodded in agreement, wiped away his tears, and gathered his courage as they approached the imperial hall. There, they saw rows of civil and military officials, each dignified and imposing. Wukong led Tang Sanzang to stand before the white jade steps, standing tall and unmoving. The officials below were all shocked and murmured, "These monks are bold! They don't bow to our king or greet him, how rude!"
As they spoke, the demon king asked, "Where do these monks come from?" Wukong proudly replied, "I am an envoy from the Great Tang of the Eastern Land, traveling to the Great Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Region to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures. We are here to exchange travel documents." The demon king, displeased, said, "What of your Eastern Land! I do not pay tribute to your court, why do you not bow when you see me?"
Wukong laughed, "The Eastern Land has always been the Celestial Empire, and you are a frontier state. Historically, the emperor of the superior state is the father and ruler, while the emperor of the inferior state is the minister and son. You have not received me, yet you dare to accuse me of not bowing?" The demon king, enraged, ordered his civil and military officials, "Seize these wild monks!" With that, the officials moved in unison. Wukong shouted, "Stop!" and used his immobilization spell, rendering the officials motionless like puppets and clay figures.
Seeing this, the demon king hurriedly jumped off the dragon throne, ready to fight. Wukong was secretly delighted, "Good! Just as I wished, this blow will surely make a hole!" Just as he was about to strike, a savior appeared. Can you guess who it was? It was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Wuji. He hurriedly pulled the demon king's sleeve and knelt, saying, "Father, calm your anger."
The demon asked, "What are you saying?" The crown prince replied, "Father, three years ago, I heard that an envoy monk from the Tang Dynasty of the Eastern Land was traveling to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures. I never expected him to arrive in our land today. Father, if you execute this monk, the Great Tang will surely be enraged upon hearing of it. Emperor Taizong of Tang has unified the land and is not yet satisfied, having once crossed the sea to conquer. If he learns that you have harmed his imperial monk, he will surely launch an attack. At that time, with few soldiers and weak generals, it will be too late to regret. I implore you, Father, to listen to my advice and first investigate the origins of these four monks before making a decision."
The crown prince, being meticulous and cautious, was afraid that Tang Sanzang might be harmed, so he deliberately stalled the demon. However, he didn't know that Sun Wukong had already planned to deal with the demon. The demon king believed the prince's words and stood in front of the dragon throne, shouting, "Monk, when did you leave the Eastern Land? Why did the Tang Emperor send you to retrieve the scriptures?" Wukong raised his head and replied, "My master is the imperial brother of the Tang Emperor, with the Dharma name Sanzang. Because there was a chancellor under the Tang Emperor named Wei Zheng who, by divine mandate, executed the old dragon of Jing River. After the Tang Emperor's soul returned from the underworld, he revived and held a grand ceremony to offer salvation to the souls of the deceased. My master, while preaching, was guided by the Bodhisattva Guanyin to go to the Western Heaven to obtain scriptures."
Wukong continued, "My master made a great vow to serve the nation, and the Tang Emperor granted him travel documents. That was in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era, three days before the full moon in September. We left the Eastern Land, first arriving at Two Boundary Mountain where I became the first disciple. Then we reached Gao Village in the Usi Kingdom where we took in the second disciple, Zhu Bajie, and later at the Flowing Sand River, we took in the third disciple, Sha Wujing. A few days ago, we took in a young Taoist to carry our luggage at Baolin Temple." After hearing this, the demon king, seeking a flaw, angrily asked, "You left the Eastern Land alone, so how do you now have four disciples? That young Taoist must have been kidnapped by you. What's his name? Does he have a certificate? Bring him up for questioning!"
This frightened the king, who began to tremble, "Master, how should I answer?" Wukong pinched him lightly and reassured him, "Don't be afraid, I'll answer for you." Wukong stepped forward and loudly addressed the demon king, "Your Majesty, this old Taoist is mute and somewhat deaf. He traveled to the Western Heaven in his youth and knows the way. I know his background, please forgive him, and allow me to explain." The demon king said, "Speak the truth quickly, lest you be punished."
Wukong began to weave a tale, "This servant is old, deaf, and mute, and his family is impoverished. Five years ago, during a drought when people were starving, a demon came to harm him by pushing him into a well. Fortunately, I saved him, and he came back to life, willing to follow us to the Western Heaven. The demon turned into a king, but he is the true king." The demon king, hearing this, turned pale with fear and tried to slip away, but he had no weapon. He saw a general of the hall, drew his precious sword, and fled on a cloud.
Sha Wujing was furious like thunder, and Zhu Bajie complained loudly, "Wukong, why didn't you speak slower to keep him here? Now that he's escaped, where will we find him?" Wukong laughed, "Brothers, don't shout. Let the prince bow to his father, the queen to her husband. I'll release the immobilization spell, let the civil and military officials bow to the true emperor, explain the past events, and then I'll go after him." With that, he disappeared.
Wukong leaped into the sky, looked around, and saw the demon king fleeing to the northeast. Wukong chased after him, shouting, "Demon, where are you running to? Here comes old Sun!" The demon king turned back, drew his precious sword, and shouted, "Sun Wukong, why do you meddle in others' affairs? What does it matter to you if I take the throne?" Wukong laughed, "Audacious demon! How dare you claim the throne and trouble my master? Take this strike!"
The two engaged in battle, sword against staff, fighting fiercely. After several rounds, the demon king couldn't withstand Wukong and hurriedly fled back to the city, blending in with the civil and military officials, transforming into the likeness of Tang Sanzang, and stood at the steps. When Wukong arrived, ready to strike, both Tang Sanzangs shouted, "Disciple, don't hit, it's me!" Wukong thought, "It would be fine if I struck the demon disguised as my master, but what if I accidentally hit the real master?" So he paused and asked Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing to identify, "Which one is the demon, and which is my master?"
Zhu Bajie said, "While you were fighting, I blinked and saw two masters, but I can't tell which is real and which is fake." Hearing this, Wukong recited an incantation and summoned the guardian deities, "I, Sun Wukong, am subduing a demon that has transformed into my master, making it hard to distinguish. I ask the gods to secretly guide me so I can capture the demon." The demon, adept at cloud-riding, heard Wukong's words and quickly jumped onto the imperial throne. Wukong raised his staff to strike Tang Sanzang, but fortunately, the deities held back the iron rod, or else the real master would have been in trouble.
Wukong rushed to the hall, but the demon jumped down, pulling Tang Sanzang into the crowd, making it still difficult to distinguish.
Wukong was frustrated, seeing Zhu Bajie smirking nearby, which made him even more furious, "You fool, what are you laughing at? Now there are two masters, you'll be busy serving them both, enjoying yourself!" Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "Brother, you call me foolish, but you're even more foolish! Since we can't tell which is the master, why bother? Let's have the master recite the Tight-Fillet Spell. Sha Wujing and I will each hold one; the one who can't recite it is the demon, simple, right?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong clapped his hands in approval, "Brother, you're really clever! Only three people know the Tight-Fillet Spell: it was passed from the Buddha to the Bodhisattva Guanyin, and then from the Bodhisattva to my master. No one else knows it. Master, please recite it." Tang Sanzang began to chant the spell, while the demon king, unable to recite it, could only hum incoherently. Zhu Bajie listened and laughed, "The one humming must be the demon!"
Zhu Bajie let go and raised his rake to strike, but the demon king quickly leaped up and fled on a cloud. Zhu Bajie, not to be outdone, shouted and followed on a cloud, while Sha Wujing, seeing this, dropped Tang Sanzang and took out his treasure staff to join the fight. Tang Sanzang then stopped chanting. Sun Wukong, enduring his headache, picked up his iron staff and joined the chase. This time, the three monks surrounded the demon, engaging in a fierce battle. The demon king was caught between Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing, while Sun Wukong laughed from above, "I should jump higher and deliver a fatal blow!"
Just as Sun Wukong was about to strike, he heard a voice from the northeast, "Sun Wukong, hold your hand!" Turning to look, he saw it was the Bodhisattva Manjushri. Quickly, he put away his staff and approached to pay respects, "Bodhisattva, where are you headed?" Manjushri replied, "I've come to take care of this demon for you." Sun Wukong thanked him, and the Bodhisattva took out a demon-revealing mirror from his sleeve, revealing the demon's true form. Sun Wukong called Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing over to see, and it turned out the demon king was Manjushri's mount, the Blue-Haired Lion.
Sun Wukong asked, "Bodhisattva, how did this lion run off and become a spirit? Why didn't you keep it in check?" The Bodhisattva explained, "Wukong, it didn't run off on its own; it was sent on a mission by the Buddha's decree." Wukong was puzzled, "This demon became a spirit, seized the throne, and you say it was by the Buddha's decree? If I, protecting Tang Sanzang, had to endure hardships, shouldn't I have received some decrees too?" The Bodhisattva said, "You don't know the whole story. The king of Wuji Kingdom was fond of doing good deeds and offering alms to monks. I came by the Buddha's decree to enlighten him to become a Buddha, but he didn't appreciate it and tied me up, throwing me into the river for three days. Later, the Buddha sent this demon to push him into a well for three years to repay the grievance of my being soaked."
Wukong, still dissatisfied, said, "You avenged your personal grievance, but who knows how many people this demon has harmed." The Bodhisattva replied, "He hasn't harmed anyone. In these three years, the weather has been favorable, and the country has been peaceful." Wukong retorted, "But the three queens shared a bed with him, disrupting social ethics. How can you say he hasn't harmed anyone?" The Bodhisattva laughed, "He's just a deceived lion; he can't corrupt people."
Zhu Bajie came over and gave the demon a pat, laughing, "This demon really doesn't live up to its name." Wukong said, "In that case, Bodhisattva, please take him back. If you hadn't come personally, I wouldn't have spared him." The Bodhisattva chanted an incantation and commanded, "Beast, if you don't return to righteousness now, when will you?" The demon king revealed his true form and was covered by the Bodhisattva with a lotus flower, who then sat on its back and, riding on a cloud, bid farewell to Wukong and returned to Mount Wutai to listen to the scriptures.
As for how Tang Sanzang and his disciples left the city, that is a story for another time. Stay tuned for the next installment.
After parting ways with the Great Sage Sun Wukong, the crown prince soon returned to the city. However, he did not enter through the main gate nor did he report any decrees. Instead, he headed straight for the rear gate. There were several eunuchs guarding it, but seeing the prince arrive, they naturally did not dare to stop him and let him pass.
The crown prince, being of an impatient nature, rode his horse swiftly into the inner courtyard, heading straight for the Fragrant Pavilion. What do you think he saw? There was his mother, the empress, sitting in the pavilion with dozens of concubines fanning her. But the empress was leaning against the carved railing, wiping her tears. Why was she crying? It turned out that she had a dream during the fourth watch, a dream that was vague, half-remembered, and she was pondering over it.
The prince dismounted and knelt at the foot of the pavilion, calling, "Mother!" The empress, upon hearing this, forced herself to perk up and smiled, saying, "Oh, my child, what a joyful event this is! For these past two or three years, you've been in the front hall with your father discussing affairs, and I haven't seen you. I've missed you dearly. How come you have time to visit me today? It's truly a great joy! But, my child, why do you sound somewhat sad? Your father is getting old, and if one day he passes, won't you inherit the throne? What is there to be unhappy about?"
The prince kowtowed and said, "Mother, may I ask you: is the one sitting on the dragon throne truly my father?" The empress was startled and said, "What nonsense is this child talking about! Of course, the emperor is your father. Why do you ask such a thing?" The prince kowtowed again and said, "Mother, please do not blame me. I have some bold questions to ask." The empress said, "Between mother and child, there is no blame. Speak freely."
The prince said, "Mother, I want to ask, is the affection between you and father three years ago the same as it has been these past three years?" Upon hearing this, the empress's face changed dramatically. She quickly descended from the pavilion, embraced the prince tightly, and wept: "My child! We have not seen each other for so long, why do you ask such things upon our meeting?" The prince urged, "Mother, please speak quickly, or we might miss an important matter." The empress then dismissed the attendants and whispered, "This matter, if you hadn't asked, I would not have understood even in death. Since you've asked, I will tell you: three years ago, the affection between us was as warm as spring, but in these three years, it has grown cold as ice. When I questioned him about it, he only said he was old and frail, lacking energy."
After hearing this, the prince quickly broke free from his mother's embrace, mounted his horse, and prepared to leave. The empress grabbed him, "My child, what is going on? Why are you leaving before finishing your words?" The prince knelt and said, "Mother, I dare not hide the truth. This morning, I was ordered to go hunting outside the city and encountered a holy monk from the East, Tang Sanzang, whose disciple Sun Wukong is very skilled at subduing demons. It turns out my father was harmed and died in the octagonal glass well in the imperial garden, and the current emperor is a demon in disguise. My father appeared in a dream asking Sun Wukong to capture the demon. I dared not fully believe it, so I came to ask you. Based on what you just said, it seems that it truly is a demon."
The empress said, "My child, how can you easily believe the words of outsiders?" The prince said, "I don't dare to fully believe it, but my father left a token with him." The empress asked what it was, and the prince took out a golden jade tablet from his sleeve and handed it to her. The empress recognized it as the king's treasure, and tears flowed like a spring: "My lord! How could you be gone for three years without seeing me, yet first see the holy monk and only then me?" The prince said, "Mother, what do you mean by this?" The empress said, "My child, during the fourth watch, I also dreamed of your father, drenched, standing before me, saying he was dead and asking Tang Sanzang to subdue the demon and save him. The dream was vague, but now you speak of this and show the treasure. I will keep it, and you quickly invite the holy monk. If he can truly eradicate the demon and distinguish good from evil, it will repay your father's nurturing grace."
The prince hurriedly mounted his horse, departed from the rear gate, tearfully bid farewell to the empress, and with a heavy heart, soon arrived at the gates of Baolin Temple. The soldiers welcomed the prince, and it was already sunset. The prince ordered the soldiers not to move and entered the temple alone, tidied his attire, and respectfully invited Wukong. The Monkey King sauntered out from the main hall, and the prince knelt on both knees, saying, "Master, I have come." Wukong helped him up and said, "Please rise. Whom did you ask after entering the city?" The prince said, "I asked my mother," and recounted the events. Wukong smiled slightly, "If it's truly that cold, it must be something cold in disguise. No worries! No worries! Let me, the old Sun, help you sweep it away. But it's late today, not suitable for action. You should return first, and I'll come in the morning."
The crown prince knelt down and bowed, saying, "Master, I will wait here and go with you tomorrow." Wukong replied, "No, no! If you enter the city with me, the demon will become suspicious. Not only will it seem like I encountered you by chance, but it will also appear as if you invited me, which could bring trouble upon you." The crown prince said, "If I go into the city now, he will also blame me." Wukong asked, "How would he blame you?"
The crown prince explained, "I was ordered to lead men and horses out of the city to hunt this morning, but I didn't catch anything all day. How can I face him? If I'm questioned, what should I do? Besides, I have no acquaintances in the court." Wukong said, "That's not a problem! If you had mentioned this earlier, I wouldn't have waited to find something for you."
Sun Wukong then showcased his abilities before the crown prince. He leaped into the clouds and recited a mantra, "Om Lan Jing Fa Jie," instantly summoning the Mountain God and Earth Deity. These deities greeted the Great Sage in mid-air, "Great Sage, what are your commands?" Wukong said, "I am here protecting Tang Sanzang and need to catch a demon. But this crown prince went hunting and caught nothing, so he dares not return. I’d like you to help by quickly gathering some deer, rabbits, and other wild animals for him to present."
The Mountain God and Earth Deity dared not refuse and asked how many were needed. The Great Sage said, "It doesn't matter how many, just gather some." So, the deities dispatched ghost soldiers who conjured a gust of wind, capturing numerous wild pheasants, mountain quails, antlered deer, fat roe deer, foxes, rabbits, and even tigers, leopards, and wolves, totaling over a thousand, and presented them to Wukong. Wukong said, "I don't need these; just kill them and lay them along both sides of the forty-mile road so that the men can collect them without using hawks or hounds. This will be your contribution." The deities complied with the instructions.
Wukong then descended from the clouds and told the crown prince, "Your Highness can return now; there are already game animals along the road. You can handle it yourself." Having witnessed Wukong's supernatural abilities, the crown prince could not help but believe. He bowed and took his leave, ordering the soldiers to return to the city. Indeed, the roadsides were full of game, and the soldiers captured them by hand, each praising the prince's fortune, unaware it was Sun Wukong's doing. Thus, they triumphantly returned to the city.
Meanwhile, Wukong stayed to protect Tang Sanzang. Seeing their good relations with the crown prince, the monks at the temple treated them with great respect and prepared a vegetarian meal for Tang Sanzang. Tang Sanzang and his disciples stayed in the meditation hall. At the first watch of the night, Wukong, preoccupied with thoughts, couldn't sleep. He got up, went to Tang Sanzang's bedside, and called, "Master." At this time, Tang Sanzang was still awake, knowing Wukong often caused trouble, so he pretended to be asleep and ignored him. Wukong touched Tang Sanzang's bald head and shook him, saying, "Master, how can you be asleep?" Tang Sanzang was somewhat annoyed, "You mischievous monkey, why are you making noise so late instead of sleeping?"
Wukong said, "Master, I have something I want to discuss with you." Tang Sanzang asked, "What is it?" Wukong said, "I bragged to the crown prince today, saying my abilities are as high as the mountains and as deep as the sea, and that catching demons is as easy as reaching into a bag. But now that I think about it, it’s actually a bit difficult." Tang Sanzang said, "If you say it's difficult, then don't catch it." Wukong said, "Catch it we must, but the reasoning isn't clear." Tang Sanzang said, "You monkey, how can you say the reasoning isn't clear when the demon has usurped the throne?"
Wukong said, "You only know how to recite scriptures and worship Buddha; you don't understand the law. As the saying goes, to catch a thief, you need to catch him with the stolen goods. That demon has been the emperor for three years without revealing any flaws. He sleeps with the concubines and enjoys with the civil and military officials. Even if I catch him, it would be hard to convict him."
Tang Sanzang asked, "Why would it be hard to convict him?" Wukong said, "If he argues, saying, 'I am the King of Wuji, what right do you have to catch me?' what evidence do we have to refute him?" Tang Sanzang asked, "What is your plan then?" Wukong smiled and said, "I have a strategy, but I'm afraid you'll be partial." Tang Sanzang asked, "How am I partial?" Wukong said, "Zhu Bajie is a bit foolish, and you tend to favor him." Tang Sanzang asked, "How do I favor him?" Wukong said, "If you're not partial, then be bold. You and Sha Wujing stay here, and Zhu Bajie and I will go to the Kingdom of Wuji first. We'll find the imperial garden, retrieve the emperor's corpse, and wrap it up. Tomorrow, when we enter the city and meet the demon, we'll act immediately. If he argues, we'll show him the corpse. The crown prince will come forward to mourn his father, the empress will recognize her husband, and the civil and military officials will see their lord. Then we brothers will act together, and that way, we have reason and evidence."
Tang Sanzang was secretly pleased upon hearing this: "I'm just worried that Zhu Bajie might not be willing to go." Wukong laughed, "See? I said you were partial. How do you know he won't go? You just need to ignore him like you did with me for half an hour! I'll use my silver tongue, and not just Zhu Bajie, even if it were Zhu Jiu Jie, I could persuade him to come with me." Tang Sanzang said, "Alright, go call him."
Wukong left Tang Sanzang and went straight to Zhu Bajie's bedside, calling, "Bajie! Bajie!" The simpleton was so exhausted from walking that he was snoring and couldn't be woken up. Wukong grabbed his ear and pulled his bristles, lifting him up, and shouted, "Bajie." The simpleton groggily said, "Go to sleep, stop fussing! We have to travel tomorrow!" Wukong said, "It's not fussing; there's a deal I want to make with you." Bajie asked, "What kind of deal?"
Wukong said, "Did you hear what the crown prince said?" Bajie said, "I haven't seen him, so I don't know what he said." Wukong said, "The crown prince told me that the demon has a treasure that's extremely powerful. When we enter the court tomorrow, we might have to confront him. If he uses the treasure to defeat us, it wouldn't look good. So I thought of striking first and stealing his treasure. What do you think?" Bajie said, "Brother, you're tricking me into stealing, aren't you? But this deal, I might be able to do it. If there's really a benefit, I'll take the treasure." Wukong asked, "What do you want it for?"
Bajie said, "I'm not as smart or capable as you all, who can beg for food and eat vegetarian meals. I'm heavy and clumsy, and my speech is coarse, so I can't recite scriptures. If we end up in a place with nothing to eat or drink, I can use it to trade for some vegetarian food." Wukong said, "I only care about fame, not treasures. You can have it." Hearing that he could have it all, Bajie was immediately overjoyed, got up, dressed, and followed Wukong. Indeed, as the saying goes, "Fine wine makes the face flush, and gold moves the heart." The two quietly opened the door, left Tang Sanzang, and rode the clouds straight to the Kingdom of Wuji.
Before long, they arrived outside the city, descended from the clouds, and heard the second watch being struck from the city tower. Wukong said, "Brother, it's the second watch." Bajie said, "Perfect! Perfect! Everyone is sound asleep now." The two didn't go through the main gate but went straight to the rear gate, where they heard the sound of clappers and bells.
Wukong said to Bajie, "Brother, the front and back gates are locked tight, how do we get in?" Bajie said, "Whoever heard of a thief using the main gate? Just climb over the wall." Wukong agreed, so he leaped onto the city wall, and Bajie followed suit. They groped around inside and found the entrance to the imperial garden.
As they looked around, they saw a triple-eaved white pavilion gate with three large characters gleaming under the starlight and moonlight: "Imperial Garden." Wukong took a closer look and found the gate tightly locked, the lock rusted. He asked Bajie to handle it. Bajie swung his iron rake and smashed the gate into pieces. Wukong stepped inside and, seeing the scene, couldn't help but shout. Bajie quickly pulled him back, "Brother, don't shout! Thieves can't make noise. If we're caught and sent to the authorities, even if we don't die, we'd be exiled."
Wukong said, "Brother, you don't know why I'm anxious. Look at this garden: the carved railings and painted buildings are dilapidated, the pavilions and towers are tilted, the ground is dusty, the flowers and plants are withered, the ponds are dry, the fish are gone, the pines and bamboos are like dry wood, and the paths are overgrown with weeds. This once-prosperous garden is now desolate!" Bajie said, "What's there to lament about? Let's just do our job!"
Though Wukong was sentimental, he remembered Tang Sanzang's dream about a well under a banana tree. They continued walking and indeed saw a lush banana tree, different from the other plants, with verdant and dripping green leaves. Wukong said, "Bajie, let's get to work! The treasure is buried under the banana tree." Bajie raised his iron rake and knocked the banana tree down, then used his snout to dig three to four feet deep, revealing a stone slab covering something. Bajie excitedly said, "Brother! There's indeed a treasure, covered by a stone slab. I wonder if it's a jar or a chest." Wukong said, "Lift it and see." Bajie pried it open with force, and a brilliant glow and swirling white mist emerged. Bajie laughed, "The treasure is glowing!"
But upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the reflection of the starlight and moonlight on the well water. Zhu Bajie said, "Brother, you always leave something unfinished." Wukong asked, "How did I leave it unfinished?" Bajie said, "This is a well. If you had told me there was a treasure in the well, I would have brought two ropes to lower myself down. Now we're empty-handed; how am I supposed to go down and fetch anything?" Wukong said, "Are you willing to go down?" Bajie replied, "Of course I am, but there's no rope." Wukong laughed, "If you take off your clothes, I have a way." Bajie said, "What clothes are worth keeping? I'll just take off this cassock."
So Wukong took out his golden-banded staff, pulled it at both ends, and shouted, "Extend!" The staff grew to seven or eight zhang long. He told Bajie, "Hold onto one end, and I'll lower you into the well." Bajie said, "Just lower me to the water's edge and stop." Wukong said, "I know." Bajie held onto the iron staff and was gently lowered by Wukong. Before long, he reached the water's edge, and Bajie shouted, "I've reached the water!" Hearing this, Wukong mischievously pressed the staff down, causing Bajie to plop into the water, losing his grip on the staff and starting to flail, shouting, "That cursed monkey! I said to stop at the water's edge, and he pushed me down!"
Wukong pulled up the staff and laughed, "Brother, is there any treasure?" Bajie said, "What treasure? It's just well water!" Wukong said, "The treasure is at the bottom of the water. Go down and feel around." Bajie, who was already adept in water, dove down. The well was quite deep, and on his second dive, he suddenly saw a gateway with the words "Crystal Palace" written on it. Bajie was startled, "Oh no! Oh no! I've taken the wrong path! How did I end up in the sea? There's a Crystal Palace in the sea, how can there be one in a well?"
Actually, Bajie didn't know that this was the Crystal Palace of the Well Dragon King. As Bajie was talking to himself, a patrolling yaksha opened the door, saw him, and quickly went back to report, "Your Majesty, something's wrong! A long-snouted, big-eared monk fell into the well, naked, and he's still alive, talking!" The Well Dragon King was startled upon hearing this, "This must be Marshal Tianpeng. Last night, the Night Tour God, on the orders of Heaven, came to take the soul of the King of Wuji to meet Tang Sanzang and invited the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to subdue demons. This must be the Great Sage and Marshal Tianpeng. We must not neglect them; go and greet them."
The Dragon King tidied up his attire, led a group of aquatic creatures, went out, and called, "Marshal Tianpeng, please come in and sit." Bajie, upon hearing this, was delighted, "Ah, an old acquaintance." The simpleton, without any hesitation, entered the Crystal Palace naked and casually found a place to sit. The Dragon King asked, "Marshal, I heard you regained your life, converted to Buddhism, and are accompanying Tang Sanzang to fetch scriptures from the West. How did you end up here?" Bajie replied, "That's exactly it. My senior brother Sun Wukong sent me to ask you for some treasure."
The Dragon King said, "Alas, what treasure could I have here? Unlike the Dragon Kings of great rivers and seas who can transform and have treasures, I've been trapped in this well for ages, unable to see the sun or moon. Where would I get treasures?" Bajie said, "Don't be modest; if you have any, bring it out." The Dragon King said, "There is one thing, but I can't bring it out. Marshal, you'll have to see for yourself." Bajie said, "Alright, I'll take a look." So the Dragon King led the way, and Bajie followed. Around the Crystal Palace, they saw a six-foot-long body lying under the corridor. The Dragon King pointed and said, "Marshal, that is the treasure." Bajie looked closer and realized it was a dead emperor, wearing a high crown and a yellow robe, lying straight. Bajie laughed, "What kind of treasure is this! When I was a demon, I used to eat these things like meals. I've seen plenty and eaten enough; how is this a treasure!"
The Dragon King said, "Marshal, you don't understand. This is the corpse of the King of Wuji. Since he fell into the well, I've preserved his appearance with a Pearl of Fixed Appearance. If you're willing to carry him out and show it to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, pretending to have the power to revive the dead, not only treasures, but anything you want will be yours." Bajie said, "If that's the case, I'll carry him out, but how much burial money will you give me?" The Dragon King said, "Actually, I have no money." Bajie said, "No money, no carry!" The Dragon King said, "If you won't carry him, please leave." Bajie turned to leave. The Dragon King instructed two strong yakshas to carry the corpse out and place it outside the Crystal Palace gate. They removed the Water Repelling Pearl, and the sound of water echoed.
Tang Sanzang and Sha Wujing opened the door and saw that the emperor's appearance had not changed, looking as if he were alive. Suddenly, Tang Sanzang was overcome with sadness and said, "Your Majesty, you don't know that in a past life, an enemy encountered you in this life and secretly harmed you, causing you to be separated from your wife and children, leaving the civil and military officials unaware. It's pitiful that your wife is in a daze, and who has been there to burn incense and offer tea?" As he spoke, tears began to fall.
Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "Master, what does his death have to do with you? He's not your relative, so why are you crying?" Tang Sanzang replied, "Disciple, a person who has left home to become a monk should have compassion and be accommodating. Why is your heart so hard?" Bajie said, "It's not that my heart is hard; it's because my senior brother said he could bring him back to life. If he couldn't, I wouldn't have carried him here." Tang Sanzang, being soft-hearted, was moved by Bajie's words and said, "Wukong, if there really is a way to bring this emperor back to life, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. It would be even better than going to Vulture Peak to worship Buddha." Wukong said, "Master, how can you believe this fool's nonsense! After a person dies, after 21, 35, and finally 49 days, they are reincarnated. It's been three years now; how can he be revived?"
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang also found it reasonable and said, "Then let's forget about it." But Bajie was still not willing to give up and said, "Master, don't be deceived by him. He has some tricks up his sleeve. If you just recite that incantation, I guarantee he'll conjure up a living person for you." Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang actually began to recite the Tight-Fillet Spell, causing Wukong's head to throb with pain. How Wukong will respond to this, we will find out in the next installment.
In the meditation hall of Baolin Temple, Tang Sanzang was sitting under the lamp, sometimes reciting the "Liang Huang Repentance" and sometimes reading the "Peacock Sutra." He sat there until midnight, then finally packed up the scriptures and prepared to sleep. Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound outside, followed by a gust of strong wind.
Fearing the lamp would be blown out, Tang Sanzang quickly shielded the flame with his sleeve. The light flickered, making him a bit uneasy. Feeling drowsy, he leaned over the scripture table to rest. Although his eyes were closed, his mind remained alert, and he could hear the eerie wind whistling outside the window. The sound was like a gentle drizzle, yet at times it roared fiercely, as if covering the stars in the sky and sending dust swirling everywhere. Sometimes the wind was gentle, and other times so fierce it was frightening.
Suddenly, he heard someone faintly calling "Master!" outside the meditation hall. He looked up and saw a person standing there, drenched and with tears in their eyes, repeatedly calling "Master! Master!" Tang Sanzang straightened up and said, "Are you a demon or ghost, coming here at night to play tricks on me? I am a monk from the Tang Dynasty, with three disciples who are masters at subduing demons. If they see you, they will surely vanquish you. You'd better leave quickly."
The person leaned against the door and said, "Master, I am not a demon or ghost." Tang Sanzang asked, "Then why have you come here at this late hour?" The person replied, "Master, take a closer look at me." Tang Sanzang looked carefully and was surprised to see the person wearing a high crown, a jade belt, a yellow robe, cloud-patterned shoes, and holding a jade tablet, resembling an emperor. Shocked, Tang Sanzang quickly asked, "Which emperor has graced us with your presence? Please sit." He reached out to help, but his hand passed through thin air, and when he looked again, it was still the same person. Tang Sanzang then asked, "Which country are you the emperor of, and why have you come here?"
The person, with tears streaming down, explained, "Master, my home is directly west of here, only forty miles away. There is a city I built named Wujiguo." Tang Sanzang asked, "Why are you so distressed, Your Majesty?" The person replied, "Five years ago, my country suffered a severe drought, and the people were in great distress. I was deeply troubled." Tang Sanzang nodded and sighed, "Your Majesty, as the ancient saying goes, 'When the nation is righteous, Heaven is favorable.' You should care for your people, open the granaries, repent past mistakes, and promote virtuous governance, and naturally, the weather will be favorable."
The person continued, "Our granaries were empty, and there was no money or food, not even for me. I followed the example of King Yu, sharing the hardships with the people, praying for rain, but three years passed, and the rivers and wells dried up. Later, a Taoist priest arrived, capable of summoning wind and rain. I asked him to pray for rain, and indeed, it poured heavily. I was so pleased that I became sworn brothers with him." Tang Sanzang said, "That was indeed fortunate for Your Majesty." The person sighed, "But later, he took advantage of my unguarded moment, pushed me into a well, sealed it with a stone slab, and I've been dead for three years, becoming a wrongful ghost!"
Tang Sanzang, realizing he was speaking to a ghost, was so scared that he felt weak all over, with his hair standing on end. Helplessly, he asked, "Your Majesty, what you say doesn't make sense. You've been dead for three years, how did the officials and palace concubines not notice your absence?" The person replied, "Master, the skills of that demon are truly rare! After harming me, he transformed in the garden, taking on my exact appearance without any difference. Now he occupies my throne, seizes my lands, and controls all my officials and concubines."
Tang Sanzang said, "Your Majesty, you are too timid." The person asked, "Why do you say I'm timid?" Tang Sanzang replied, "Even though the demon has some powers and can look exactly like you, why didn't you go to the underworld to file a complaint and express your grievances?" The person sighed, "His powers are vast, and he is well-acquainted with the underworld officials. The city god often drinks with him, the Dragon King is his relative, and even the Eastern Peak Heavenly King and the ten judges of the underworld are his friends. I have nowhere to seek justice."
Tang Sanzang continued, "If you can't complain in the underworld, why come to the mortal world to find me?" The person said, "Master, I dare not come to you on my own. The Night Roaming God used divine wind to bring me here. He said my three years of water disaster should end, and told me to pay you a visit. He also mentioned that you have a disciple, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who is especially skilled at subduing demons. I came to ask for your help to capture the demon in my country and clarify the truth. I would be eternally grateful." Tang Sanzang asked, "Your Majesty, you want my disciple to help deal with the demon?" The person replied, "Exactly! Exactly!"
Tang Sanzang said, "My disciple may not be good at other things, but when it comes to subduing demons and monsters, that's his specialty. However, I'm afraid the situation might not be so simple." The man asked, "Why is it not simple?" Tang Sanzang explained, "Since the demon can transform to look exactly like you, and all the civil and military officials follow his orders, and the palace concubines are affectionate towards him, even if my disciple has the skills, he wouldn't dare act recklessly. If caught, we could be accused of deceiving the emperor, and that would be troublesome." The man said, "There is someone in the court who can help." Tang Sanzang asked, "That's great! Is it a prince who is in charge?" The man replied, "No, it's my own son, the crown prince."
Tang Sanzang asked, "Has the crown prince been demoted by the demon?" The man answered, "No, he is still in the Golden Throne Hall, or in the Five Phoenix Tower, either studying with scholars or engaging with Taoists. For the past three years, the demon has forbidden the crown prince from entering the palace and seeing his mother." Tang Sanzang inquired, "Why is that?" The man explained, "The demon fears that if the mother and son meet, the truth might be revealed, so he prevents them from seeing each other."
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang sympathized, "Your plight is truly pitiable. My father was also killed by water bandits, and my mother was wronged by them, eventually giving birth to me. I survived in the water, thanks to the master of Jinshan Temple who saved me. Thinking of my own childhood without parents, and now this prince also losing his parents, it's truly heart-wrenching!" He then asked, "Since there is a crown prince in the court, how can I meet him?" The man said, "Tomorrow morning, he will go hunting outside the city. Master, you can take the opportunity to meet him."
Tang Sanzang asked, "He is under the demon's control and can't even see his mother. How can a monk like me meet him?" The man said, "Tomorrow, he will lead three thousand troops out of the city to hunt. Master, you will surely see him. When you do, please relay my words to him; he will surely believe you." Tang Sanzang said, "He is just an ordinary person, deceived by the demon, calling the demon his father every day. How will he believe me?" The man said, "In case he doesn't believe, I will leave a token with you." Tang Sanzang asked, "What kind of token?" The man placed the golden box with the white jade tablet down and said, "This is the token."
Tang Sanzang asked, "What use does it have?" The man explained, "After the demon transformed into me, he lacked this treasure. He deceived everyone, saying it was taken by a Taoist, and for the past three years, it has been missing. When my son sees it, he will surely recognize the truth." Tang Sanzang said, "Alright, I will keep it and have my disciple help you solve this problem. Where do you plan to wait?" The man said, "I dare not wait. I will ask the Night Roaming God to send me back to the palace, to deliver a dream to the queen, so that mother and son can unite, and you and your disciples can work together." Tang Sanzang nodded in agreement, "You may go." After the spirit took his leave, he accidentally tripped, startling Tang Sanzang awake, realizing it was all a dream. He quickly called out in the dim light, "Disciples! Disciples!"
Bajie woke up groggily and asked, "What land? What land? I used to be a carefree hero, living happily by eating people every day. Then you became a monk and dragged us along to protect you on this journey! We were supposed to be monks, but now we're like servants, carrying bags and leading horses by day, and serving you by night! Why are you calling us in the middle of the night now?" Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, I just dozed off at the table and had a strange dream." Wukong immediately jumped up and said, "Master, dreams are just what you think about. You haven't even reached the mountain and you're already worried about demons, anxious about the long journey to Thunderclap Temple, and thinking about Chang'an, wondering when you'll return, so your mind is restless and dreams are plenty. As for me, I only focus on reaching the West to see the Buddha, and have no dreams at all."
Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, this dream of mine is not about missing home. As soon as I closed my eyes, a strong wind blew through, and outside the meditation room stood an emperor, claiming to be the King of Wujiguo, drenched and in tears." He recounted the details of his dream to Wukong. Wukong laughed and said, "No need to say more. He came to you in a dream, clearly bringing business to me, old Sun. There must be a demon usurping the throne and seizing the kingdom. I'll help him distinguish the truth. As soon as my staff strikes, the truth will be revealed." Tang Sanzang said, "Disciple, he mentioned that the demon has great powers." Wukong replied, "What do I care about his great powers! Once he knows I'm coming, he'll be too scared to find a place to hide!" Tang Sanzang said, "I remember he left a treasure as a token." Bajie interjected, "Master, don't trouble yourself. It was just a dream, don't take it seriously." Sha Seng added, "Better safe than sorry. Let's light a fire and open the door to take a look." Wukong indeed opened the door, and they all saw, under the starlight and moonlight, a golden box with a white jade tablet placed on the steps.
Bajie went over to pick it up and asked, "Brother, what's this thing?" Wukong said, "This is the treasure from the king's hand, called a jade tablet. Master, since we have this item, it seems the matter is real. Tomorrow, when we catch the demon, it'll all depend on me, old Sun, but you'll need to prepare for three things." Bajie said, "Alright, alright! It was just a dream, and you're taking it seriously. They haven't even come to bother us yet, and you're asking me to prepare for three things."
Tang Sanzang returned to the room and asked, "What are the three things?" Wukong said, "Tomorrow, you'll need to endure being framed, humiliated, and plagued." Bajie laughed, "One of those is tough enough, how can you handle three?" Tang Sanzang, being a wise elder, asked, "Disciple, what do you mean by these three things?" Wukong said, "No need to say much, I'll give you two items first." Wukong plucked a hair, blew some celestial breath on it, and shouted, "Transform!" It turned into a red lacquered box. He placed the white jade tablet inside and said, "Master, hold onto this. At dawn, wear your brocade robe and go to the main hall to recite scriptures. I'll go check out the city. If there's a demon, I'll kill him and make a name for myself; if not, we'll avoid unnecessary trouble."
Tang Sanzang said, "Exactly! Exactly!" Wukong continued, "If the crown prince doesn't leave the city, then forget it. But if he does as in the dream and goes out, I'll definitely bring him to meet you." Tang Sanzang asked, "How should I respond when I meet him?" Wukong said, "When he comes, I'll inform you first. You slightly open the box lid, and I'll transform into a two-inch-tall little monk and enter it. You hold me along with the box. When the prince enters the temple to worship Buddha, you ignore him. If he sees you unmoved, he'll surely try to grab you. Let him beat, bind, or kill you as he wishes." Tang Sanzang exclaimed, "Oh dear! What if he really kills me?" Wukong said, "Don't worry, I'm here. At the critical moment, I'll protect you. If he asks, say you're an envoy from the Eastern Land on a pilgrimage to the West for scriptures. If he asks about treasures, say the brocade robe is a third-rate treasure, and there's something even better. If he inquires further, say there's a treasure in the box that knows the past and future of fifteen hundred years. Then release me. I'll tell the prince about the dream. If he believes, he'll catch the demon and avenge his father, and we'll gain a reputation; if not, show him the white jade tablet. He might be young and not recognize it."
Tang Sanzang was delighted and said, "Disciple, this plan is excellent! But speaking of treasures, one is called the brocade robe, another the white jade tablet. What will you call the treasure you transform into?" Wukong said, "Let's call it the Emperor's Treasure." Tang Sanzang remembered it well. The master and disciples stayed awake all night, eagerly anticipating the dawn, wishing to see the sun rise and disperse the stars.
Soon, the east began to lighten. Wukong reminded Bajie and Sha Seng, "Don't disturb the monks, and don't wander around. Once I succeed, we'll leave together." After saying this, he bid farewell to Tang Sanzang, whistled, and somersaulted into the sky. Using his fiery eyes, he looked west and indeed saw a city. How did he see it so quickly? Because the city was only forty miles from the temple, standing a bit higher allowed him to see it. Wukong flew closer for a detailed look and indeed saw the city shrouded in demonic mist and clouds, with ominous winds swirling.
Wukong looked at the city from the sky and thought to himself, "If the true king were on the throne, there should be an auspicious glow of five colors surrounding it. But now, because a demon has taken the dragon throne, the entire city gate is shrouded in black mist." As he was contemplating this, he suddenly heard a cannon blast. The east gate opened wide, and a grand procession of people and horses came out, truly majestic and imposing. This troop was out for a hunt, and their momentum was fierce. They emerged from the east gate of the forbidden city, spreading out across the grassy plains. Colorful flags fluttered in the wind, white horses galloped past, the sound of war drums echoed in the sky, and spears charged forward in pairs. The soldiers, holding hawks and leading dogs, were all exceptionally brave. Cannons roared thunderously, and the lances gleamed in the sunlight. Everyone held crossbows, each with a carved bow slung at their side. They set nets at the foot of the hills and laid ropes along the paths. With a loud sound, a thousand riders charged out; cunning rabbits couldn't escape, foxes met their end, and even deer weren't spared. The wild pheasants and mountain quails had nowhere to hide. These people were here to hunt fierce beasts and shoot down flying creatures.
The troop exited the city and strolled to the eastern suburbs, traveling twenty miles in no time, reaching a high ground. In the central camp, there was a young general, wearing a helmet and armor, donned in bright battle robes, holding a treasured green sword, riding a yellow horse, with a bow strung at his waist. He looked extraordinary and commanding. Wukong was secretly pleased in the air, thinking, "No doubt, that must be the emperor's crown prince. Let me have some fun with him." So, Wukong descended from the clouds, ran to the front of the prince's horse, and transformed into a white rabbit, darting around in front of the prince's horse. The prince, seeing this, was delighted and immediately picked up his bow, drawing it fully, and shot an arrow straight at the rabbit. In reality, Wukong intentionally let him hit the target. With quick reflexes, Wukong caught the arrowhead, leaving the arrow's feathered shaft to fall in front, then dashed away. The prince, seeing his arrow hit the white rabbit, spurred his horse to chase after it. No matter how fast or slow the prince's horse ran, Wukong managed to stay just ahead of him. In this manner, Wukong gradually led the prince to the mountain gate of Baolin Temple.
Upon reaching the mountain gate, Wukong returned to his original form, and the rabbit disappeared, leaving only an arrow stuck in the threshold. He quickly ran inside and said to Tang Sanzang, "Master, he's here! He's here!" Then he transformed into a two-inch-tall little monk and hid inside the red box.
The prince arrived at the mountain gate, but the white rabbit was nowhere to be seen, only the arrow with carved feathers stuck in the threshold. He was astonished, exclaiming, "How strange! I clearly hit the white rabbit, but now it's gone, leaving only the arrow here! It seems like it's become a spirit over the years." He pulled out the arrow and looked up to see the words "Imperial Baolin Temple" written above the gate.
The prince said, "I see. I remember my father once sent gold and silk to build this temple from the Golden Luan Hall. I didn’t expect to pass by today. What a coincidence, I should go in and have a look."
The prince dismounted, intending to enter, and the officials escorting him, along with the three thousand troops, also arrived, crowding into the mountain gate. The monks in the temple were so frightened that they hurried out to greet them and led the prince into the main hall to pay respects to the Buddha statue.
The prince looked around, intending to stroll through the temple, when he suddenly saw a monk sitting right in the center. He was immediately infuriated, "This monk is truly disrespectful! I brought so many people up the mountain, and although there was no advance notice, you should have come out to greet us. Now the troops are at the door, and you're still sitting there unmoved?" He ordered, "Arrest him for me!" As soon as he spoke, the officers on both sides stepped forward, seized Tang Sanzang, and prepared to tie him up with ropes.
At this moment, Wukong silently recited an incantation inside the box, secretly praying, "Heavenly guardians and the Six Ding Six Jia, I am about to subdue a demon, but this crown prince, ignorant of the situation, wants to bind my master. You must come to protect him; if he truly gets bound, you will all be at fault!" Upon hearing Wukong's plea, the deities dared not ignore him and thus protected Tang Sanzang well. The people couldn't even touch Tang Sanzang's bald head, as if there was an invisible wall preventing them from getting close. The prince was furious, "Where did you come from, using this invisibility trick to deceive me!" Tang Sanzang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I have no invisibility trick. I am a monk from the Eastern Land, going to Thunderclap Monastery to worship Buddha and seek scriptures." The prince scoffed, "Your Eastern Land may be the Central Plains, but it's quite poor. What treasures do you have? Show me." Tang Sanzang replied, "This robe I wear is a third-rate treasure; there are even better first-rate and second-rate ones!" The prince was incredulous, "Your robe is half-exposed; how much could it be worth, yet you dare call it a treasure!" Tang Sanzang said, "Though this robe is incomplete, there are a few verses that speak of its preciousness: 'The Buddhist robe, half-bared, needs no argument, its true nature hidden, free from worldly dust. Thousands of threads and needles form the true fruit, nine jewels and eight treasures unite the primordial spirit. Crafted with reverence by celestial maidens and holy women, bestowed upon the meditative monk to cleanse the body of impurities. Not welcoming the emperor is one thing, but your father's injustice remains unavenged, truly a life lived in vain!'"
Upon hearing this, the prince was furious, "This monk is spouting nonsense! You exaggerate with your words about that half-piece of clothing. What injustice of my father remains unavenged? Speak and let me hear." Tang Sanzang took a step forward, clasped his hands, and asked, "Your Highness, how many kinds of gratitude exist between heaven and earth?" The prince answered, "There are four kinds of gratitude." Tang Sanzang asked, "Which four?" The prince replied, "The gratitude of heaven and earth for covering and supporting, the gratitude of the sun and moon for shining upon us, the gratitude of the nation and its land and waters, and the gratitude of parents for raising us." Tang Sanzang laughed, "Your Highness is mistaken. People only have the gratitude of heaven and earth, the sun and moon, the nation and its land and waters. Where does the gratitude of parents for raising come from?" The prince angrily retorted, "Monk, you idle, freeloading shaven-headed one! If people weren't raised by their parents, where would their bodies come from?" Tang Sanzang said, "Your Highness, I do not know. But in this red box, there is a treasure called the 'Emperor's Treasure,' which knows the past and future of fifteen hundred years, hence it knows there is no gratitude of parents for raising, and that's why I have been waiting here for a long time."
Upon hearing this, the prince commanded, "Bring it out for me to see." Tang Sanzang opened the box lid, and Wukong jumped out, running around chaotically on both sides. The prince said, "What can this little thing know?" Hearing this, Wukong felt dissatisfied with his small size, so he used his magic, stretched his waist, and grew to three or four feet tall. The soldiers were startled, "If he grows that fast, in no time, he'll break through the sky." Wukong grew back to his original size and stopped growing. The prince asked, "Emperor's Treasure, the old monk says you can know the fortunes of the past and future. Do you have a tortoise shell for divination? Do you have yarrow sticks for divination? On what basis do you determine people's fortunes?" Wukong said, "I need nothing; with just my three-inch tongue, I know everything." The prince said, "This guy is talking nonsense again. From ancient times to now, the 'I Ching' has been extremely profound, determining all the fortunes under heaven, letting people know how to seek benefits and avoid harm. That's why tortoise shells are used for divination, and yarrow sticks for divination. Listening to you, on what basis do you determine fortunes? You speak nonsense, deceiving people's hearts!"
Wukong said, "Your Highness, don't be impatient, listen to me slowly. You are originally the crown prince of Wujiguo. Five years ago, there was a drought every year, and the people suffered. Your emperor and ministers prayed sincerely. When there wasn't a drop of rain, a Taoist from Zhongnan Mountain came. He could call the wind and rain, turn stones into gold. Your father overly favored him and became sworn brothers with him. Is this true?" The prince said, "Yes, yes, yes! Continue." Wukong said, "Three years later, the Taoist was nowhere to be seen. At that time, who was claiming to be the emperor?" The prince said, "Indeed, there was a Taoist. My father became sworn brothers with him, eating and living together. Three years ago, while playing in the imperial garden, a gust of divine wind from him swept the golden box and white jade tablet from my father's hand back to Zhongnan Mountain. To this day, my father still misses him. Because he hasn't been seen, my father has no heart for enjoyment and has kept the garden closed for three years. If not my father, who else could be the emperor?" Upon hearing this, Wukong couldn't help but laugh continuously. The prince asked again, but Wukong didn't answer, only laughed.
The crown prince saw Wukong laughing instead of speaking and became furious, "What's wrong with this guy? What's so funny?" Wukong quickly said, "There's much more to say! But there are too many people here; this isn't the place to talk." Hearing this, the prince sensed there was more to the story, so he waved his sleeve, instructing the soldiers to withdraw. The accompanying officials quickly relayed the order, and the three thousand troops stationed themselves outside the gate. In the hall, only the prince remained seated, with Tang Sanzang standing in front and Wukong on the left. The monks from the temple also withdrew, allowing Wukong to step forward earnestly and say, "Your Highness, those taken away by the wind were your biological parents. The one sitting on the throne now is the Taoist who prayed for rain."
The prince immediately retorted, "Nonsense! Since the Taoist left, our country has enjoyed favorable weather, and the people live in peace. According to you, that wouldn't be my father. I'm young and can tolerate you; if my father heard these words, he would have had you torn to pieces long ago!" With that, he ordered Wukong to step down.
Wukong turned to Tang Sanzang and said, "See? I knew he wouldn't believe me, and indeed he doesn't! Let's just give him a treasure, get a travel document, and hurry west." Tang Sanzang handed the red box to Wukong. Wukong took it, gave his body a shake, and the box disappeared—it was made from his own hair, which he reabsorbed. Then, he presented the white jade tablet to the prince with both hands.
The prince, surprised, exclaimed, "Good monk! Good monk! Five years ago, you were that Taoist who tricked away my family's treasure, and now you're disguised as a monk offering it back!" He commanded, "Seize him!" Tang Sanzang, frightened, pointed at Wukong and said, "You, Bimawen! Always causing trouble and getting me involved!" Wukong quickly stopped him, "Don't shout! Don't let the news leak! I'm not called the Emperor's Treasure; I have a real name too." The prince angrily said, "Come up here! Tell me your real name so I can send you to the judicial office for sentencing!" Wukong said, "I am the senior disciple of this elder, named Sun Wukong. I accompany my master to fetch scriptures from the Western Heaven and stayed here last night. My master was reading scriptures at night, and at the third watch, he dreamt of your father, who said he was harmed by the Taoist and pushed into the octagonal glazed well in the imperial garden. The Taoist transformed into his likeness. The entire court, both civil and military, are unaware, and you, being young, don't understand, and are restricted from entering the palace. The garden is also closed to prevent the truth from coming out. Your father specially came to ask me to subdue the demon. I was worried it might not be a demon, so I checked from the air, and indeed it was a demon. Just as I was about to catch him, you went out hunting. The jade rabbit you shot was me, and I led you to the temple to meet my master and tell you the truth, every word of it. Since you recognize the white jade tablet, how can you not think of your parents' nurturing grace and avenge your family?"
The prince, hearing this, felt both sorrow and conflict in his heart. "If I don't believe it, he speaks as if it's partly true; if I do believe it, the one sitting on the throne is clearly my father." He was truly caught between a rock and a hard place, pondering deeply. Wukong, seeing his hesitation, stepped forward again and said, "Your Highness, there's no need for doubt. Why not return to the kingdom and ask your mother about their marital relationship compared to three years ago? Just ask this, and you'll know the truth." The prince, finding this reasonable, said, "Yes! I'll go ask my mother." He immediately got up, holding the jade tablet, ready to leave. Wukong held him back, saying, "If you return with all these troops, won't the news leak, making my plan difficult to succeed? You must ride back alone, without fanfare, and avoid the main gate, entering through the rear gate. When you see your mother, don't shout; speak quietly. That demon is powerful, and if the news leaks, both your and your mother's lives will be in danger." The prince cautiously agreed, and as he left the mountain gate, he instructed the officers, "Hold the camp steady, no movement. I have matters to attend to; wait for my return before entering the city together." Watch him: commanding the troops to station, he mounted his horse and swiftly returned to the city. As for what he said when he met the empress, that will be revealed in the next installment.
Sun Wukong descended from the clouds and told his master, Tang Sanzang, about how Guanyin Bodhisattva borrowed a celestial child and how Laozi took away the magical treasures. Tang Sanzang was extremely grateful upon hearing this and thought to himself that he must cultivate diligently and strive to reach the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. So, he mounted his horse, Zhu Bajie carried the luggage, Sha Wujing led the horse, and Sun Wukong, with his golden-banded staff, led the way. The four of them continued their journey. Along the way, they braved the elements, not knowing how long they traveled until they encountered a large mountain blocking their path. From atop his horse, Tang Sanzang called out, "Disciples, look how tall that mountain is! Be careful, lest we encounter another demon." Wukong chuckled and said, "Master, don't let your imagination run wild. As long as you keep your heart calm and mind steady, we'll be fine."
Tang Sanzang sighed, "Oh, disciples, why is the road to the Western Heaven so difficult? I recall since leaving Chang'an, seasons have changed from spring to summer, autumn to winter. We've been traveling for four or five years, yet we're still not there?" Wukong laughed heartily, "We're far from it! We're not even out the main gate yet!" Bajie chimed in, "Brother, don't lie. Can there really be such a big gate?" Wukong replied, "My dear brother, we're just wandering around the main hall!" Sha Wujing joined in the laughter, "Elder brother, don't scare me. Where could there be such a large hall? Where would you find beams that big?" Wukong said, "Brothers, in my view, the blue sky is the roof, the sun and moon are the windows, and the mountains and peaks are the pillars. The whole world is like one big open hall!"
Upon hearing this, Bajie quickly said, "Forget it! Forget it! Let's just go back." Wukong replied, "Don't talk nonsense, just follow me." So, the Great Sage Sun led Tang Sanzang, cutting through the mountain paths with his iron staff as they continued forward.
From his horse, Tang Sanzang gazed afar, marveling at the breathtaking mountain scenery: the peaks soared into the clouds, the treetops seemed to touch the sky. Amidst the swirling mist, the cries of monkeys echoed through the valleys; in the lush shadows, the calls of cranes resonated among the pines. The wind howled, as mountain spirits teased woodcutters by the streams; foxes startled hunters by the cliffs. What a mountain! Surrounded by sheer cliffs, bizarre pines twisted like green canopies, ancient trees draped with vines. Cascading springs sent chills to the bones; the towering peaks, kissed by the breeze, stirred the soul. Occasionally, the roars of tigers and the calls of mountain birds could be heard. Herds of deer dashed through the thickets, while hares foraged for wild food. Standing on the grassy slopes, one saw no travelers in sight; venturing deeper, surrounded by wolves and jackals. This was no place for a Buddha's retreat, but rather a paradise for wild creatures. In the depths of this mountain, Tang Sanzang felt uneasy, his heart heavy with fear. He reined in his horse and called out, "Wukong! Since I set my heart on climbing mountains, the king sent me off from the city. Along the way, I've encountered many challenges, but when will I finally reach my goal?" Sun Wukong, hearing this, chuckled and said, "Master, don't worry, don't rush. Just proceed with confidence, and success will come naturally."
The master and disciples, while admiring the mountain views, walked leisurely, and before they knew it, the red sun had set in the west. Indeed: The ten-mile pavilion lay deserted, while stars twinkled in the nine heavens above. Boats on eight rivers had docked, and the gates of seven thousand counties were closed. Officials of six palaces and five offices had returned home, and fishermen from four seas and three rivers had reeled in their lines. Bells and drums sounded from two towers, as one bright moon illuminated the land.
From his horse, Tang Sanzang looked far ahead and saw layers of pavilions nestled in a mountain hollow. He said, "Disciples, it's getting late. Fortunately, there's a complex of buildings not far ahead, which seems to be a temple or monastery. Let's seek shelter there for the night and continue our journey tomorrow." Wukong agreed, "Master is right. Don't worry, I'll go check it out first." Sun Wukong leaped into the air, surveyed the area, and indeed found a temple. He saw eight-character brick walls, red mud plastered, and golden nails on the doors. Pavilions nestled among the mountains, palaces hidden in the hills. The Ten Thousand Buddha Pavilion faced the Tathagata Hall, and the Chaoyang Tower corresponded with the Mahavira Gate. A seven-story pagoda nestled in clouds and mist, and three statues of Buddha shone with glory. The Manjusri Platform faced the Kalan Hall, and the Maitreya Hall leaned against the Great Compassion Hall. Outside the Viewing Mountain Pavilion, green light danced; atop the Step Void Pavilion, purple clouds rose. Pine gates and bamboo courtyards exuded lushness, and the abbot's meditation hall was serene everywhere. A refined place for enjoyment, welcoming guests in the valleys. Monks lectured on scriptures in meditation rooms, and musical instruments played in music rooms. On the Miao Gao Platform, epiphyllum flowers floated down, while on the Dharma Platform, palm leaves grew. Truly a place where the forest shelters the Three Jewels, and the mountains embrace the Brahma King's palace. Half the wall flickered with lamp smoke, while a line of incense mist lingered. Sun Wukong descended from the clouds and informed Tang Sanzang, "Master, it's indeed a temple. We can stay there for the night. Let's go."
Tang Sanzang loosened the reins and rode straight to the mountain gate. Sun Wukong asked, "Master, what is this temple called?" Tang Sanzang replied, "I just arrived at the gate and haven’t even dismounted yet, and you’re already asking me what temple this is. You’re really speaking without thinking!" Wukong said, "Master, you have been a monk since childhood and surely have read Confucian texts. You preach and understand both literature and logic, and thus received the Tang Emperor's favor. There are such large characters on the gate, how can you not recognize them?" The elder scolded, "You insolent monkey! You speak without considering the weight of your words! I was facing west, urging my horse onward, and the sun dazzled my eyes. Though there are words on the gate, they are obscured by dust, so I couldn’t see them." Hearing this, Wukong bent down, grew two zhang tall, and brushed away the dust with his hand, saying, "Master, please look." There were five large characters: "Imperially Established Baolin Temple." Wukong returned to his original size and asked, "Master, who will go in to ask for lodging?" Tang Sanzang said, "I will go in. You all are rough in appearance, uncouth in speech, and fiery in temperament. If you offend the monks inside and they refuse us lodging, it would be troublesome." Wukong replied, "If that’s the case, please go ahead, Master. No need for further words."
Tang Sanzang set down his monk's staff, loosened his cloak, tidied his robes, and with palms joined, entered the mountain gate. Immediately, he saw a pair of guardian statues on either side behind red lacquered railings. They were truly imposing but somewhat intimidating: one had an iron face and steel whiskers, looking lifelike, while the other had raised eyebrows and round eyes, as if seeing through everything. The left statue's fist was as hard as wrought iron, and the right one's palm was sturdier than red copper. Their golden armor gleamed, and their helmets and embroidered sashes fluttered in the wind. The Western regions are indeed places where many Buddhas are worshiped, and incense burned fervently in the stone censer at the center. Seeing this, Sanzang nodded and sighed, "If only our Eastern lands could have such grand statues of Bodhisattvas, with incense offerings, my disciples wouldn’t have to travel to the Western Heaven for scriptures."
While he was reflecting, Tang Sanzang entered the second mountain gate and saw statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, representing the harmony of the four directions. Beyond the second gate, he saw four towering pine trees, their crowns like umbrellas, lush and verdant. Looking up, he saw the Mahavira Hall ahead. Tang Sanzang clasped his hands in prayer, bowed low, and prostrated himself. After paying homage, he circled the Buddha platform and reached the back door, where he saw a statue of Guanyin facing south, symbolizing salvation. The walls were adorned with intricately carved shrimp, fish, crabs, and turtles, all vividly depicted, as if frolicking in the waves. Tang Sanzang nodded and sighed again, "Alas! Even these creatures worship Buddha, yet why do people refuse to cultivate themselves?"
As he marveled, a monk emerged from the third gate. Seeing Sanzang, the monk, struck by his unusual appearance and extraordinary demeanor, hurriedly approached and greeted him, "Master, where do you come from?" Sanzang replied, "I am sent by the Great Tang of the Eastern lands to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. Today I arrived at your esteemed place, and as night falls, I wish to request lodging for the night." The monk said, "Master, please don't take offense. I am not in charge here. I am merely the monk responsible for sweeping and ringing the bell. Inside, there is an elder who manages affairs. I will report to him. If he agrees, I will come out to invite you in; if not, I dare not decide on my own." Sanzang said, "Thank you for your trouble."
The monk hurried to report to the abbot, "Master, there is a visitor outside." The abbot immediately rose, changed his clothes, adjusted his Vairochana hat, donned his kasaya, and hurriedly opened the door to greet the visitor, asking the monk, "Who is it?" The monk pointed to the back of the main hall, "Isn't that a person?" Sanzang stood there, bald-headed, wearing a twenty-five-striped dharma robe, and muddy shoes, leaning against the back door. Seeing this, the abbot became furious and said, "Monk, stop speaking nonsense! Don’t you know I am the abbot? Only when city officials come to offer incense do I personally greet them. How can you misreport and have me greet such a monk! Look at him; he doesn’t seem sincere, likely a wandering monk seeking shelter for the night. How can we let him disturb our abbey! Let him squat under the front porch, why report to me!" With that, he turned and left.
Hearing this, the Tang Sanzang's eyes welled up with tears. "How pitiful! How pitiful! This is what happens when one is far from home and treated with contempt. I became a monk at a young age, never worshiped false idols, never ate meat, never let anger disturb my meditative mind, nor have I ever damaged a Buddhist temple or stripped gold from an Arhat's face. Alas! I must have offended Heaven and Earth in a past life to encounter such unkind people in this one! If you refuse us lodging, so be it, but why speak such harsh words, telling us to squat under the front porch? It's fortunate I haven't told Wukong. If that monkey were to find out, he'd come in here, swing his iron staff, and likely break your legs!" The elder muttered to himself, "Well, well, as the saying goes, courtesy comes first. I should go in and see how things stand."
Tang Sanzang stepped into the abbot's quarters, where he saw the official monk had removed his robes and was sitting there angrily. It was unclear if he was reciting scriptures or writing religious texts, but the desk was piled with papers. Tang Sanzang dared not enter rashly and stood in the courtyard, bowing and loudly greeting, "Elder abbot, this disciple greets you!" The monk, clearly unwelcoming, half-heartedly returned the greeting, "Where do you come from?" Sanzang replied, "This disciple was sent by the Great Tang of the East to the Western Heaven to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. As it is late, I wish to request lodging for the night and will leave early tomorrow. I hope the abbot will grant this small favor." The monk reluctantly rose, "Are you the Tang Sanzang?" Sanzang confirmed, "I am indeed." The monk said, "If you're going to the Western Heaven for scriptures, how is it you can't even find your way?"
Sanzang explained, "This disciple has never traveled this path before." The monk said, "Directly west, only four or five li away, there's a Thirty Li Inn where meals are available and lodging is convenient. It's not suitable for us to host distant monks here." Sanzang clasped his hands, "Abbot, it is said that temples and monasteries are waystations for us monks, and seeing a mountain gate means there are three measures of rice available. Why won't you host me?" The monk impatiently replied, "You itinerant monks are just smooth talkers!"
Sanzang asked, "Why do you say I am a smooth talker?" The monk said, "As the saying goes, when a tiger enters a city, every household shuts its doors. Though it might not bite, its reputation precedes it." Sanzang asked, "How has the reputation been tarnished?" The monk explained, "A few years ago, some itinerant monks came and sat at the mountain gate. Seeing their tattered clothes, I invited them in, hosted them in the abbot's quarters, lent them clothes, and let them stay for a few days. Who knew they would take advantage of our hospitality, staying seven or eight years and committing many unrighteous acts."
Sanzang inquired, "What unrighteous acts did they commit?" The monk replied, "Listen: they idly tossed tiles along the walls, pulled nails from the walls when bored, broke window frames to warm themselves by the fire in winter, dragged doors to block paths in summer, tore banners for foot wraps, and stole incense to exchange for radishes. They often tipped oil from glazed bowls, and gambled over bowls and pots."
Hearing the monk's words, Tang Sanzang sighed inwardly, "Alas! Could my disciples also be such dishonorable monks?" He wanted to cry but feared being ridiculed by the elder monk, so he discreetly wiped his tears with his sleeve, swallowed his pride, and hurried out to meet his three disciples. Wukong noticed the anger on his master's face and asked, "Master, did the monks in the temple hit you?" Tang Sanzang replied, "No, they didn't hit me."
Bajie chimed in, "They must have hit you; otherwise, why do you sound like you're about to cry?" Wukong asked, "Did they scold you?" Tang Sanzang said, "No, they didn't scold me either." Wukong asked again, "If they neither hit nor scolded you, then why do you look so upset? Are you homesick?" Tang Sanzang explained, "Disciples, it's inconvenient to stay here." Wukong laughed, "Is this a Taoist temple then?" Tang Sanzang, annoyed, said, "Taoist temples have Taoists; this is a Buddhist temple with monks." Wukong said, "Since they're monks, they're like us. As the saying goes, those who gather under the Buddha's assembly are destined to meet. Master, you sit here while I go in and take a look."
Wukong, the monkey, was not one to hesitate. He adjusted the golden band on his head, tightened the sash around his waist, grabbed his iron staff, and strode directly to the front of the Mahavira Hall. Pointing at the three Buddha statues, he declared, "You are merely clay statues gilded in gold, with no true spirit within! I, Sun Wukong, am escorting the Tang monk to the Western Heaven to obtain true scriptures, and tonight we request lodging here. Give me an answer quickly! If you refuse us, I will smash your golden bodies with my staff and reveal your true clay form!"
Just as Wukong was making his threats, a Daoist priest came to offer incense before the Buddha statues. With a loud "Hey!" from Wukong, the priest was so startled that he stumbled and fell. Scrambling to his feet and catching sight of Wukong's face, he fell again, then crawled away in a panic to report to the abbot. "Master! There's a monk outside!" The monk official impatiently replied, "You Daoists are such troublemakers! Didn't I tell you to let him squat under the front porch? Why report again? Keep this up, and you'll get twenty strokes!" The priest said, "Master, this monk is different from the one before. He looks fierce and intimidating, without any decency." The monk official asked, "What does he look like?" The priest described, "Round eyes, big ears, a face full of hair, and a mouth like a thunder god's. He's holding a staff, gritting his teeth, looking as if he's about to hit someone."
The monk official said, "Let me see." As soon as he opened the door, Wukong barged in, indeed looking fearsome: a face with uneven features, yellow eyes, and a scar on his forehead; tusks protruding like a crab's, with flesh inside and bones outside. The old monk quickly shut the door to the abbot's quarters in fright. Wukong pursued him, smashing the door with a bang, saying, "Quickly clean a thousand rooms for me; I, the Great Sage, want to sleep!" The monk official hid inside and said to the priest, "No wonder he looks so ugly; it must be from bragging too much. Even counting the abbot's quarters, Buddha hall, bell and drum towers, and the two corridors, we have fewer than three hundred rooms, yet he demands a thousand to sleep in. Where could they come from?"
The priest said, "Master, I've been scared out of my wits; you decide how to placate him." The monk official, trembling, shouted, "Honored guest seeking lodging, this small temple is inconvenient and truly cannot host you. Please find accommodation elsewhere." Wukong enlarged his staff to the size of a basin and planted it upright in the courtyard, saying, "Monk, if it's inconvenient, then move out!" The monk official replied, "We've lived here since childhood, inherited from our masters, and will pass it on to future generations. He comes from who knows where and wants us to move out."
The priest said, "Master, we really can't provoke him; let's just move out. The staff has already broken through the door." The monk official retorted, "Don't talk nonsense! We have four to five hundred monks, young and old. Where would we move? There's nowhere to go even if we wanted to." Wukong, hearing this, said, "Monk, if you can't move, then send someone out to take a beating!" The old monk shouted, "Priest, go out and take a hit for me!" The priest panicked, "Master, that staff is enormous; it'll crush me!" The old monk said, "We feed you for a thousand days, but we need you for just one. Why won't you go?" The priest replied, "That staff wouldn't just hit me; if it fell, it would flatten me into mince!" The old monk said, "Never mind flattening; even standing in the courtyard, if someone accidentally bumps into it at night, it would leave a huge hole!" The priest said, "Master, you know how heavy it is, yet you want me to take the hit?"
Wukong, hearing the commotion inside, thought, "This won't do. If I kill someone with a blow, Master will blame me for being violent. I should find something else to hit to show them." Looking up, he saw a stone lion outside the abbot's door and smashed it to pieces with his staff. The monks inside, peeking through the window, were so frightened their bones turned to jelly, and they scurried under the beds. The priest, however, crawled directly into the boiler, crying out, "Great Sage, the staff is too heavy; we can't bear it! Please show mercy!" Wukong said, "Monk, I won't hit you. Let me ask you: how many monks are in this temple?" The monk official, trembling, replied, "Altogether, there are 285 rooms and 500 monks with ordination certificates." Wukong said, "Quickly gather those 500 monks, dress them in long robes, and bring my Tang master inside, and I won't hit you." The monk official said, "Great Sage, if you won't hit us, we'll carry him in." Wukong said, "Hurry up!"
The monk official urgently called out, "Priest, even if you're scared out of your wits or your heart, you must gather everyone to welcome the Tang monk." The priest had no choice but to muster all his courage, crawl out through the back doghole, and rush to the main hall, striking the drum on the east side and ringing the bell on the west. The simultaneous sound of the bell and drum startled the monks in the corridors, who came to the hall asking, "It's not evening yet; why are you ringing the bell and drum?" The priest said, "Quickly change your clothes, line up with the master, and go to the mountain gate to welcome the Tang monk from the Great Tang." The monks promptly lined up neatly to welcome the guest. Some donned kasayas, others wore tunics, and those too poor to have long robes draped their waist skirts over their shoulders.
Wukong saw this and asked, "Monk, what kind of clothes are you wearing?" The monk, intimidated by Wukong's fierce appearance, replied, "Great Sage, please don't hit me. Let me explain. This cloth was collected from the city, and since there are no tailors here, we had to make do with a simple wrap." Wukong chuckled to himself and led the monks to the mountain gate, where they knelt. The monk official kowtowed and loudly said, "Master Tang, please enter the abbot's quarters." Seeing this, Bajie remarked, "Master, you were so useless earlier, entering with tears and a pout. How did our senior brother manage to get them to kowtow in welcome?" Tang Sanzang replied, "You fool, you really don't understand etiquette! As the saying goes, even ghosts fear the wicked." Seeing the monks bowing and worshiping, Tang Sanzang felt uneasy and stepped forward, saying, "Please rise, everyone." The monks kowtowed and said, "Master, as long as your disciple doesn't wield his staff, we could kneel for a month." Tang Sanzang said, "Wukong, don't hit them." Wukong replied, "I haven't hit them yet. If I had, they'd be broken by now." Only then did the monks rise, leading the horse, carrying the luggage, and escorting Tang Sanzang, Bajie, and Sha Monk into the mountain gate, where they sat in order in the abbot's quarters. The monks paid their respects again, and Tang Sanzang said, "Please rise, Abbot. There's no need for further ceremony. It would overwhelm this humble monk, as we are all disciples of Buddha." The monk official said, "You are an envoy from a great nation, and this humble monk failed to welcome you properly. Today, you arrived in this remote mountain, and my ordinary eyes failed to recognize your esteemed presence. May I ask, Master, do you prefer vegetarian or non-vegetarian meals? We will prepare accordingly." Tang Sanzang replied, "Vegetarian." The monk official turned to his disciples and said, "This Great Sage eats meat." Wukong interjected, "We also eat vegetarian. We've been vegetarian since birth." The monks marveled, "Great Sage, even someone as fierce as you eats vegetarian!"
At this point, a bold monk approached and asked, "Master, since you eat vegetarian, how much rice should we cook to suffice?" Bajie replied, "Such stingy monks! Why ask? Cook a stone's worth of rice for each household." The monks panicked and hurried to clean the kitchen, preparing tea and meals in each room, hanging lanterns high, and setting tables and chairs to host Tang Sanzang.
After dinner, the monks began tidying up, and Tang Sanzang thanked the monk official, "Abbot, we troubled you today." The monk official quickly replied, "Not at all, our hospitality was inadequate." Tang Sanzang asked, "Where will we rest tonight?" The monk official said, "Don't worry, Master. We've already arranged it." He called for the Daoist priest and asked, "How many people are available to assist?" The priest replied, "Master, we have people." The monk official instructed, "Send two to prepare fodder for the master's horse, and a few more to clean the three meditation halls at the front, make the beds, and invite the master to rest." The priests hurried to prepare, and once everything was ready, they invited Tang Sanzang to rest.
Tang Sanzang and his disciples led the horse and carried their luggage out of the abbot's quarters to the meditation hall, where the lights were bright, and four rattan beds were already prepared. Wukong saw this and instructed the priests who had prepared the fodder to bring it in, place it in the meditation hall, tie up the white horse, and then leave. Tang Sanzang sat in the middle, with five hundred monks standing by, serving him and not daring to leave. Tang Sanzang urged, "Please return, everyone, so I can rest peacefully." The monks hesitated to leave, but the monk official instructed, "Once the master is settled, you may return." Tang Sanzang said, "I am settled now, please return." Only then did the monks dare to disperse.
Tang Sanzang rose and stepped outside to relieve himself. Seeing the bright moon in the sky, he called, "Disciples." Wukong, Bajie, and Sha Monk came out to stand by him. Tang Sanzang admired the clear moonlight and the deep, vast sky, remarking on the bright full moon illuminating the earth and evoking memories of his homeland. He spontaneously recited an ancient-style poem, depicting the bright moonlight, the shifting shadows of mountains and rivers, and his longing for home.
Wukong listened and then approached, saying, "Master, you only see the beauty of the moon and think of your homeland, but you don't understand the moon's changes are actually the way of heaven. On the thirtieth day, the yang energy dissipates, and yin energy fills, turning the moon black and lightless, known as 'hui.' At this time, it aligns with the sun, and between 'hui' and 'shuo,' it is influenced by sunlight. On the third day, one yang appears; on the eighth day, two yangs grow, making the moon half-bright, known as the first quarter. On the fifteenth day, three yangs are complete, making it full, known as 'wang.' On the sixteenth day, one yin appears; on the twenty-second day, two yins grow, making the other half bright, known as the last quarter. On the thirtieth day, three yins are complete, returning to 'hui.' This is the mystery of the heavenly way. If we can grasp these changes and cultivate successfully, seeing Buddha and returning home will be easy." Wukong then composed an impromptu poem, explaining the relationship between the moon's changes and the path of cultivation.
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang suddenly felt enlightened and joyful, grateful for Wukong's guidance. Sha Monk, standing nearby, laughed and said, "Senior Brother is right, but he only mentioned that before the first quarter, it's yang, and after the last quarter, it's yin, with half yang in yin, and gold in water. But he didn't mention that water and fire must combine, each having its own fate, all relying on the earth mother to harmonize. When the three elements meet without conflict, water flows in the Yangtze, and the moon is in the sky." Hearing this, Tang Sanzang understood even more. As the saying goes, understanding one principle can lead to understanding a thousand others; realizing the truth of non-birth is to attain immortality.
At this point, Bajie stepped forward and pulled Tang Sanzang aside, saying, "Master, don't listen to their nonsense and miss your sleep. The moon, you see, becomes full again after being incomplete, just like how I was born imperfect. People complain about my big belly when I eat, and about my drool when I hold a bowl. They are all smart and cultivate blessings, while I foolishly accumulate karma. I say, with your journey to obtain scriptures, you'll shake your tail and head straight to heaven!"
Tang Sanzang laughed and said, "Alright, my disciples, you've worked hard. Go to sleep first, and I'll read this scripture." Wukong said, "Master, you're mistaken. You became a monk at a young age and should already be familiar with the scriptures from your childhood. Now, under the Tang Emperor's order, you're heading west to see the Buddha and obtain the Great Vehicle scriptures. We haven't obtained the scriptures yet, nor have we seen the Buddha. Which scripture are you planning to read?" Tang Sanzang replied, "Since leaving Chang'an, I've been traveling tirelessly. I'm afraid I've grown rusty with the scriptures from my youth, so tonight, with some leisure, I'd like to review them." Wukong said, "In that case, we'll go to sleep first." The three of them each lay down on their rattan beds and fell asleep. Tang Sanzang closed the door of the meditation hall, lit a lamp, spread out the scripture, and read it silently.
As the saying goes: At the first drum on the tower, the streets are silent, and at the wild riverbank, the fisherman's fire is extinguished. To find out how Tang Sanzang later leaves the temple, tune in to the next episode.
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