Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Sanzang sat in the meditation hall of Baolin Temple beneath the lamp, reciting the *Liang Emperor's Water Repentance* for a while and reading the *Peacock Sutra* for a while. Only when the third watch of the night arrived did he wrap his scriptures in his satchel. Just as he was about to rise and go to sleep, he heard a great flapping crash outside the door, followed by a wild, howling wind. The elder monk, fearing it would blow out the lamp, hastily shielded it with the sleeve of his short cassock. Then he saw the lamp flicker between bright and dim, and his heart began to tremble with dread. Weariness now overtook him as well, and he dozed off, slumped over the sutra desk. Though his eyes were closed and his vision blurred, his mind remained clear. In his ears he heard the faint, eerie sound of the dark wind whistling outside the window. What a wind! Truly it was:

Hissing and sighing, swirling and sweeping. Hissing and sighing, it sent leaves fluttering down; swirling and sweeping, it rolled the drifting clouds along. The stars across the whole sky grew dim; dust and sand were scattered everywhere in confusion. One moment fierce, one moment pure. When pure, it set the pines and bamboos chiming with clear tones; when fierce, it churned the rivers and lakes into muddy waves. It made the mountain birds unable to roost, choking on their own cries; the sea fish restless, leaping and splashing. The doors and windows of halls to the east and west were torn loose; the spirits and ghosts along the front and back corridors were enraged. The flower vases in the Buddha hall were blown to the ground; the crystal lamps shook and their sacred light grew dim. The incense burner toppled and its ashes scattered; the candle stands tilted and their flames smoked. Banners, canopies, and jeweled covers were all shaken and torn; the bell and drum towers had their foundations rocked.

The elder monk, half lost in drowsy dreams, listened as the wind passed by for a moment. Then he heard, faintly outside the meditation hall, a voice calling out, "Master!" He lifted his head and looked through his dream. Outside the door stood a man, drenched from head to toe, tears streaming from his eyes, calling out "Master" without cease. Sanzang leaned forward and said: "Are you not some specter or demon, some goblin or evil spirit, come in the deep of night to toy with me? I am not one given to lust, greed, or wrath. I am a monk of upright and honorable character, sent by the decree of the Great Tang in the East to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures in the West. I have three disciples under me, all heroes who can subdue dragons and vanquish tigers, mighty warriors who can sweep away monsters and vanquish demons. If they were to see you, they would grind your body to powder and reduce your bones to dust, turning you to fine dust. This is my great heart of compassion, my spirit of expedient means. You had best hide yourself and flee far away—do not come to my meditation gate." The man, leaning against the meditation hall, said: "Master, I am no demon or devil, no specter or evil spirit." Sanzang said: "If you are none of these, then why have you come here in the dead of night?" The man said: "Master, I beg you to look at me with your merciful eyes." The elder monk fixed his gaze and looked carefully. Ah! He saw:

On his head, a crown that pierced the sky; around his waist, a belt of jade; upon his body, a crimson-yellow robe embroidered with flying dragons and dancing phoenixes; on his feet, a pair of cloud-patterned, embroidered-mouth carefree shoes; in his hand, a white jade scepter inlaid with the stars of the Dipper. His face resembled the Longevity Emperor of the Eastern Peak; his form was like the Civilizing Lord of Wenchang.

Sanzang was alarmed beyond measure. He quickly bowed, raised his voice sharply, and called out: "Which dynasty's emperor are you? Please sit down." He reached out hastily to support him, but his hand met nothing but air. Turning back to his seat and looking again, he saw the same person. The elder then asked: "Your Majesty, what region's emperor are you? What kingdom's sovereign? You must be fleeing here in the middle of the night because your realm is in turmoil and treacherous ministers have tyrannized you. What do you have to say? Tell me."

Only then did this man let tears fall upon his cheeks as he spoke of old sorrows, his brows knotted with grief as he recounted the causes of his plight. He said: "Master, my home lies due west, only forty *li* from here. There stands a city—that is where my dynasty was founded."

Sanzang asked: "What is the place called?"

The man replied: "I will not conceal it from you, Master. It was I who established my kingdom there and changed the title to the Kingdom of Black Rooster."

Sanzang said: "Your Majesty, why have you come here in such a state of terror?"

The man said: "Master, five years ago in my kingdom the heavens brought a great drought. Not a blade of grass would grow. The people starved to death, and it was truly pitiful."

Upon hearing this, Sanzang nodded and smiled. "Your Majesty, the ancients said: 'When governance is upright, Heaven's heart is surely at peace.' You must have failed to show compassion for your people. Having suffered this famine, why did you flee your city? You should have opened the granaries and relieved the common folk, repented your past wrongs, renewed your virtue, and pardoned those unjustly condemned. Then naturally Heaven's heart would be in harmony, and rain and wind would come in their proper season."

The man said: "My kingdom's granaries are empty—money and grain are exhausted. Both civil and military officials have had their stipends suspended. Even my own meals contain no meat. I have modeled myself on Great Yu's governance of the waters, sharing both hardship and ease with the people. I have bathed and fasted, burned incense and prayed day and night. For three years I persisted, yet the rivers dried up and the wells ran empty. Just when we were at the most desperate point, a Complete Perfection master from Mount Zhongnan arrived. He could summon the wind and call the rain, and turn stone to gold. He first met my civil and military ministers, and later had an audience with me. I immediately asked him to ascend an altar and pray, and indeed his prayers were answered. At the sound of his token, a torrential downpour fell in an instant. I only wished for three feet of rain, but he said the long drought could not be moistened with so little, and he added two more inches. Seeing such devotion to righteousness, I swore brotherhood with him in eight bows and called him my sworn brother."

Sanzang said: "This is a matter of boundless joy for Your Majesty."

The man asked: "Wherein lies the joy?"

Sanzang said: "Since this Complete Perfection master possesses such abilities, when you need rain, you can tell him to bring rain; when you need gold, you can tell him to transmute gold. What lack could you possibly have that made you leave your city and come here?"

The man said: "I shared meals and lodging with him for only two years. Then came the spring season, when red apricot blossoms and peach trees burst into flower. Gentlemen and ladies, nobles and young lords all went out to enjoy the spring. At that time the civil and military officials returned to their offices, and the palace ladies retired to their quarters. I walked hand in hand with the Complete Perfection master at a leisurely pace until we reached the imperial garden. We came upon the Octagonal Glazed Tile Well, and I know not what object he cast into it, but the well emitted ten thousand rays of golden light. He coaxed me to the well's edge to see what treasure lay there. Then suddenly his murderous heart arose—he pushed me with a splash into the well, covered the well's mouth with a stone slab, piled earth upon it, and transplanted a banana plant on top. Alas for me—I have been dead for three years, a wronged ghost who perished in a well!"

When Tang Seng heard that this was a ghost, he was so terrified that his sinews turned to jelly and his very hair stood on end. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to question him further. "Your Majesty, what you say makes no sense at all. If you have been dead for three years, why have your civil and military ministers and your three palaces of empresses not sought you when they attend court in the audience hall?"

The man said: "Master, when I speak of his abilities, they are truly rare in this world. After he murdered me, he transformed himself right there in the garden, taking on my exact likeness—there was no difference whatsoever. Now he has seized my rivers and mountains and secretly usurped my kingdom. He has taken possession of my two ranks of civil and military officials, my four hundred court ministers, my three palaces of empresses, and my six courts of concubines—all belong to him now."

Sanzang said: "Your Majesty, you are far too weak."

The man asked: "How am I weak?"

Sanzang said: "Your Majesty, that demon possesses some magical powers. He has taken your form and seized your realm. Your officials cannot recognize the deception, nor can your empresses and concubines. Only you know the truth of your death. Why did you not file a complaint before the Yama Kings of the netherworld and plead your grievance?"

The man said: "His magical powers are vast, and he is on familiar terms with all the officials: the City God of the capital often drinks with him; the Dragon King of the Sea is closely related to him; the Great Eastern Peak is his good friend; and the Ten Generations of Yama Kings are his sworn brothers. For this reason, I have nowhere to present my complaint."

Sanzang said, "Your Majesty, since you had no power to accuse him in the world of shades, why have you come to the world of the living?"

The man said, "Master, how would a wretched ghost like me dare to come to your gate? In front of the mountain gate there are the guardian deities, the Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Direction Valtes, the Four Guardians of the Hours, and the eighteen guardian Bodhisattvas, all following close beside your horse. It was only thanks to a gust of divine wind from the Night Touring Spirit that I was blown in here. He told me that my three-year water calamity is now at an end and instructed me to come pay my respects to you, Master. He said you have a senior disciple who is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, supremely capable of slaying demons and subduing fiends. I come now with the deepest sincerity to beg you—please, go to my kingdom, seize that demon, and distinguish truth from falsehood. I will repay your kindness, Master, by tying grass in knots and carrying a ring in my mouth—I will never forget this debt of gratitude."

Sanzang said, "Your Majesty, you have come here to ask my disciple to rid you of that demon?"

The man said, "Yes, exactly."

Sanzang said, "My disciples are no good at other matters, but when it comes to subduing demons and capturing monsters, that suits them perfectly. Your Majesty, though I could have him seize the monster, I fear there may be difficulties in principle."

The man said, "How so?"

Sanzang said, "Since that demon has such vast magical powers and has transformed himself to look exactly like you, the civil and military officials of your court are all of one mind and one heart with him, and the ladies of your three palaces are all in harmony with him in both feeling and affection. Even if my disciples have the means, they would never dare to make a rash move. Should they be captured by your officials and accused of plotting to overthrow your kingdom, charged with the crime of high treason, and trapped within your city walls—would that not be like painting a tiger only to have it turn out like a dog?"

The man said, "There are still people in my court."

Sanzang said, "That is well, that is well. I suppose some prince of the royal blood has been sent away to garrison some distant place?"

The man said, "No. In my own palace there is a crown prince—my own flesh and blood, my heir."

Sanzang said, "Then the prince must have been banished by the demon?"

The man said, "He has not. He is only kept in the Golden Phoenix Hall and the Five Phoenix Tower, either studying with the scholars or attending to the Daoist affairs with the Complete Perfection priest. For these three years, the prince has been forbidden to enter the palace, so he is unable to see his mother."

Sanzang said, "Why is this?"

The man said, "This is a scheme devised by the demon. He fears that if mother and son were to meet, they might in casual conversation reveal the truth and the secret would be exposed. Therefore he keeps the two from meeting, so that he may remain in power forever."

Sanzang said, "Your misfortune, it seems, is heaven-ordained, and it is much like my own. My father was once killed by a water bandit; my mother was seized by that same bandit. Three months later, she gave birth to me. I escaped with my life from the water and was fortunate enough to be saved and raised by my benefactor at Golden Mountain Temple. I remember that I had no parents in my youth—and now this prince here has lost both of his. How truly pitiable!"

He then asked, "Even if you have a prince in your court, how am I to meet with him?"

The man said, "Why should you not be able to see him?"

Sanzang said, "He is held under the demon's control. Even his own flesh-and-blood mother cannot see him. How then could a monk like me gain an audience?"

The man said, "He will come out of the palace tomorrow morning."

Sanzang asked, "What will he do out there?"

The man said, "Tomorrow at dawn he will attend court, lead three thousand troops, take his falcons and hounds, and go out of the city to hunt. You, Master, will certainly be able to meet him. When you see him, tell him my words and he will believe you."

Sanzang said, "He is but an ordinary mortal, deceived by the demon in the palace. Every single day the demon calls him 'Father King.' How could he believe what I say?"

The man said, "Since you fear he may not believe you, I will leave a token with you."

Sanzang asked, "What object?"

The man set down the golden-inlaid white jade scepter he was holding and said, "This can serve as proof."

Sanzang said, "What of this object?"

The man said, "Ever since the Complete Perfection priest transformed himself into my likeness, the only thing he failed to change was this treasure. When he entered the palace, he claimed that the Complete Perfection priest who had prayed for rain had stolen this scepter and fled. For three years now, this object has been missing. If my crown prince sees it, he will look upon the object and think of his father, and this enmity must be avenged."

Sanzang said, "Very well. I will keep it and have my disciples deal with the matter. But where shall I wait for you?"

The man said, "I dare not wait. I will go now and beg the Night Touring Spirit to send another gust of divine wind to carry me into the inner quarters of the palace, where I will send a dream to my empress, instructing her and her son to be of one mind, so that you and your disciples may also be of one heart."

Sanzang nodded and said, "Go then."

The aggrieved spirit kowtowed in farewell and saw him off, but somehow his foot caught on something and he tumbled head over heels, startling Sanzang awake. It had all been nothing but a dream. Startled, he faced the dim lamp and hastily called out, "Disciples, disciples!" Bajie woke up and said, "What's this 'Earth God, Earth God' business? In those days I was a real hero, making my living eating people, enjoying the bloody and the rank, living the life of my dreams. Then you had to become a monk and make us protect you on the road. You said we'd just be monks, but now we're treated as slaves—carrying the packs and leading the horses by day, and holding the piss-pot and rubbing your feet by night! It's the middle of the night and you're not sleeping—why are you calling for your disciples again?" Sanzang said, "Disciples, I just dozed off on the desk and had a strange dream." Pilgrim leaped up and said, "Master, dreams come from thoughts. Before you even reached the mountain, you were already afraid of monsters. Then you worried that the road to Thunder Monastery was too far to reach, and fretted about when you could return to Chang'an—so many thoughts, so many dreams. But old Monkey's heart is true and single-minded: I only want to go west to see the Buddha. Not a single dream ever comes to me." Sanzang said, "Disciples, this dream of mine was not a homesick dream. Just as I closed my eyes, I saw a gust of wind pass by, and outside the meditation hall stood an emperor who said he was the King of Wuji, drenched in water and weeping." And so on, and thus and so—he told Pilgrim everything he had heard in the dream. Pilgrim laughed and said, "No need to say more. He came to deliver a dream to you—clearly he's handing old Monkey a piece of business. There must be some monster who has seized the throne and stolen the kingdom. Let me go and sort out the true from the false. Wherever my cudgel falls, success will be achieved." Sanzang said, "Disciples, he said that monster has vast powers." Pilgrim said, "Why should I fear his vast powers? If he'd known old Monkey was coming, he'd have fled in every direction." Sanzang said, "I also remember he left behind a treasure as proof." Bajie said, "Master, don't get carried away. You had a dream, that's all—why take it so seriously?" Sha Monk said, "Don't trust the straight in the straight; beware the kind who are unkind. Let's light a fire, open the door, and see what's there." Pilgrim indeed opened the door, and they all looked out. There in the starlight and moonlight, on the steps and the veranda, lay a genuine gold-inlaid white jade scepter. Bajie stepped forward and picked it up. "Brother, what is this thing?" Pilgrim said, "This is the treasure the king held in his hand—it's called a jade scepter. Master, since this object exists, this matter must be real. Tomorrow, catching the demon will be entirely on old Monkey's shoulders. But it means you'll have three strokes of bad luck." Bajie said, "Fine, fine—it was just a dream, and now you've told him. He knows how to make trouble for people, doesn't he? That's how you'll get your three strokes of bad luck." Sanzang went back inside and said, "What are the three?" Pilgrim said, "Tomorrow you'll have to take the blame, endure abuse, and suffer misfortune." Bajie laughed and said, "Even one would be hard to bear—how could you manage three?" Sanzang was a wise elder, so he asked, "Disciples, what do these three things mean?" Pilgrim said, "No need to explain—let me first give you two objects." The Great Sage plucked a single hair, blew on it with immortal breath, and cried, "Change!" It turned into a red-lacquered golden box. He placed the white jade scepter inside and said, "Master, hold this object in your hands. When dawn comes, put on your brocade cassock and sit in the main hall reciting sutras, while I go and look at his city. If it really is a demon, I'll kill him and achieve merit right here. If not, I'll avoid courting disaster." Sanzang said, "Yes, yes." Pilgrim said, "If the prince doesn't leave the city, so be it. But if he truly leaves the city in response to the dream, I'll be sure to lead him to you." Sanzang said, "When he sees me, how should I receive him?" Pilgrim said, "When he arrives, I'll inform you first. You'll open the lid of the box a little, and I'll transform into a tiny monk two inches tall and hide inside the box. You'll hold me in your hands. When the prince enters the temple, he'll surely bow before the Buddha. Let him bow all he likes—just ignore him. When he sees you don't move, he'll certainly order you seized. Let him take you away—let him beat you, bind you, or even kill you." Sanzang said, "Ah! His military authority is great—what if he really kills me?" Pilgrim said, "No problem, I'm here. When things get critical, I'll naturally protect you. If he asks, say you are an imperial envoy from the East, going to the West to worship Buddha and obtain scriptures and treasures. When he asks, 'What treasures do you have?' tell him about the brocade cassock, saying, 'This is a third-class treasure. There are also first-class and second-class treasures even better than this.' When he asks further, say that inside this box there is a treasure that knows the past five hundred years, the future five hundred years, and the present five hundred years—all one thousand five hundred years of past and future events, completely known. Then let old Monkey out. I'll tell the prince what was said in the dream. If he believes me, we'll go capture that demon—avenging his father's death on the one hand, and establishing our own reputation on the other. If he doesn't believe me, then show him the white jade scepter. I'm just afraid he's too young and might not recognize it." Sanzang was overjoyed and said, "Disciples, this plan is brilliant! But tell me—one treasure is called the brocade cassock, and one is called the white jade scepter. What will you call the treasure you transform into?" Pilgrim said, "Let's call it the Throne-Establishing Treasure." Sanzang followed his instructions and kept them in mind. The master and disciples didn't sleep the whole night, eagerly awaiting dawn—they wished they could nod their heads and summon the sun from Fusang, or blow away the skyful of stars with a single breath.

Before long, the east grew bright with dawn. The Pilgrim again told Bajie and Sha Seng, "Don't disturb the monks or come wandering out. Wait until I've succeeded, and then we'll travel together." With that he bade them farewell, gave a whistle, flipped a somersault, and leaped into the air. Opening his fiery eyes and looking due west, he indeed saw a city wall. How do you suppose he could see it at all? It was because the city was only forty leagues from the temple, so from that height it was visible. The Pilgrim drew closer and examined it carefully. He saw again the gloomy fog and melancholy clouds, the demonic winds and resentful vapors swirling about. The Pilgrim sighed from midair:

"A true king ascending his jewelled throne

Would summon auspicious clouds of fivefold light.

But now a demon has usurped the dragon seat—

Turbid black vapors lock the golden gates."

As the Pilgrim was lamenting, he suddenly heard the loud report of cannon, and saw the east gate swing open to reveal a column of men and horses. It was truly a hunting expedition, and the force was formidable. Behold:

They sallied from the eastern palace wall,

To spread their ring through grasses short and tall.

Bright banners bloomed beneath the morning sun,

White horses galloped forward with the breeze.

Alligator-skin drums were beaten loud,

In matched formation spearsmen charged ahead.

The hawk-handlers, fierce and full of fight,

The dog-leaders, valiant and battle-keen.

Cannon fire shook the heavens without cease,

The sticky poles gleamed red against the sun.

Each man had his crossbow ready strung,

Each soldier bore his carved bow at his side.

They spread their nets upon the mountain slopes,

They laid their snares along the narrow paths.

One thunderclap—a thousand riders rushed,

A mass of bears and wolves in surging waves.

The crafty hare could scarcely save its life,

The cunning roe deer's wits were all exhausted.

The fox had met its destined end,

The elk and deer perished in the press.

The pheasant on the mountain could not escape,

How could the wild partridge flee from harm?

They sought to seize the mountain lairs and catch fierce beasts,

To fell the forest trees and shoot the flying insects.

These men came forth from the city and spread out through the eastern suburbs. Before long, they reached high farmland some twenty leagues away. Then he saw, in the central command tent, a small young general: helmet on his head, armour on his body, a flowered belly-band fastened in eighteen folds, a precious sword of blue steel in his hands, seated upon a yellow piebald horse, a fully strung bow at his belt. Truly it was:

A faint image of a sovereign lord,

A lofty bearing of an emperor.

His stature was no common man's,

His movements revealed the true dragon.

The Pilgrim rejoiced silently from the air. "Needless to say, that must be the crown prince. Let me have some fun with him." The Great Sage, lowering his cloud, crashed into the army before the prince's horse. He shook his body and changed into a white hare, which ran frantically right before the prince's horse. The prince saw it and was delighted. He nocked an arrow, drew the bow to its full, and loosed—striking the hare squarely.

In truth, the Great Sage had deliberately let the arrow hit. But with keen eye and swift hand, he caught the arrowhead at once, let the feathered shaft fall to the ground ahead of him, and ran off. When the prince saw that his arrow had struck the jade hare, he reined in his horse and raced forward alone in pursuit. What he did not know was this: when the horse galloped fast, the Pilgrim moved like the wind; when the horse lagged, the Pilgrim slowed as well—always staying just ahead. Thus, league by league, he lured the prince all the way to the gate of Baolin Temple. There the Pilgrim resumed his true form. The hare was gone; only a single arrow was found planted in the doorframe. The Pilgrim strode straight in and said to Tang Seng, "Master, he's here, he's here!" Then he changed again, becoming a tiny monk only two inches tall, and crept inside the red box.

Now when the prince arrived at the temple gate, the jade hare had vanished. Only a single fletched arrow stood planted in the doorframe. The prince was greatly astonished. "How strange! How strange! Clearly my arrow struck the jade hare, yet where has the hare gone? Only the arrow remains here. It must be that after many years it has become a spirit." He pulled out the arrow and looked up. Above the gate were five large characters: "IMPERIALLY ESTABLISHED BAOLIN TEMPLE." The prince said, "Now I understand. Years ago I remember my father, in the Golden Hall, sent officials with gold and silk to these monks to repair the Buddha hall and Buddha images. I did not expect to come here today. It is truly said: 'Passing by a temple, I chat with a monk—and gain half a day of idle leisure in this floating life.' I shall go in for a stroll."

The prince dismounted and was about to enter when the escorting officers and three thousand riders arrived, crowding and surging through the temple gate. The monks of the temple, thrown into a flurry, all came to kowtow and receive them, leading them into the main hall to pay homage to the Buddha images. But just as the prince raised his eyes to look around and was about to stroll through the corridors to enjoy the scenery, he saw a monk sitting squarely in the middle. The prince flew into a rage. "How rude this monk is! Though I have come with half a royal retinue and there has been no imperial edict to announce it, he ought at least to have come out to greet me from afar. Now that soldiers and horses are at the very gate, he should have risen—how can he still sit there motionless?" He commanded, "Seize him!" At the word "seize," the guards on both sides seized Tang Seng together. They made haste to bind him with ropes. The Pilgrim, from inside the red box, silently recited an incantation. "Guardian spirits of the Law, the Six Ding and the Six Jia: I am now working to subdue a demon. This prince cannot understand, and they are about to bind my master with ropes. You must protect him at once. If he is truly bound, you will all be guilty of a crime." Who would dare disobey the Great Sage's secret command? They stood guard over Tripitaka. The men could not even touch his bald head—it was as though a wall stood in the way, and they could not get near his body.

The prince said, "Where do you come from, that you use such concealment magic to deceive me?" Tripitaka stepped forward and bowed. "This monk has no concealment magic. I am Tang Seng from the Eastland, a monk journeying to Leiyin Temple to worship Buddha and seek the scriptures." The prince said, "Though your Eastland is the Central Plain, it is exceedingly poor. What treasures do you have? Tell me." Tripitaka said, "The kasaya I wear is the third treasure. There are first-rate and second-rate treasures even better than this." The prince said, "Your garment covers half the body and leaves half the arm exposed—what could it be worth that you dare call it a treasure?" Tripitaka said, "Though this kasaya does not cover the whole body, there are several verses about it. The verses say:

This Buddha's robe, though leaving one side bare,

Within conceals Suchness, freed from worldly dust.

From thousand threads and ten thousand needles comes the fruit,

With nine pearls and eight treasures the primal spirit is made whole."

The holy maid and saintess made it with devoted care,

Bestowed upon the meditating monk to cleanse his body of stain.

To fail to greet the emperor might be forgiven,

But to leave your father's grievance unavenged—you are unworthy to be called a man."

Upon hearing these words, the prince was filled with rage. "You vulgar monk, talking nonsense! That scrap of cloth of yours, and with your glib tongue, you boast and bluster. How has my father's grievance gone unavenged? Speak—let me hear it."

Tripitaka stepped forward, pressed his palms together, and asked, "Your Highness, a person is born between heaven and earth—how many debts of gratitude does one owe?"

The prince replied, "Four debts of gratitude."

Tripitaka asked, "What are the four?"

The prince answered, "Gratitude for heaven and earth's covering and bearing, gratitude for the sun and moon's illumination, gratitude for the king's land and waters, and gratitude for one's parents' nurturing."

Tripitaka smiled and said, "Your Highness, you are mistaken. A person has only heaven and earth's covering and bearing, the sun and moon's illumination, and the king's land and waters—from whence comes parents' nurturing?"

The prince angrily said, "You monk are one of those idle, wandering, shaven-headed rebels against the sovereign! If a person owes no debt to parents' nurturing, where did his body come from?"

Tripitaka said, "Your Highness, this poor monk does not know. But within this red casket there is a treasure called the 'Establishing-Emperor Goods.' He knows five hundred years of the past, five hundred years of the present, and five hundred years of the future—a full thousand five hundred years of past and future events. He knows that there is no debt of parents' nurturing, and has caused this poor monk to wait here for a long time."

On hearing this, the prince said, "Bring it here for me to see."

Tripitaka pulled open the lid of the casket, and Wukong leaped out, scurrying about in all directions. The prince said, "This little star-like creature—what can it know?"

Wukong, displeased at being called small, displayed his power, stretched his waist, and grew to three feet four or five inches tall. The soldiers were alarmed and said, "If he grows this fast, in a few days he'll poke a hole through the sky."

Wukong grew to his original height and then stopped growing. The prince then asked, "Establishing-Emperor Goods, this old monk says you can know the fortune and misfortune of past and future. Do you have a turtle shell for divination? Do you have millet stalks for casting lots? Do you judge people's fortunes based on written texts?"

Wukong said, "I use none of those. I rely entirely on my three-inch tongue, and all matters are known to me."

The prince said, "This fellow is talking nonsense again. Since ancient times, the Book of Changes has been supremely mysterious, discerning all fortune and misfortune under heaven, enabling people to know what to pursue and what to avoid. Thus the turtle is used for divination, and the millet stalk for casting lots. By what principle do you speak? You recklessly declare fortune and misfortune, deluding and confusing people's hearts."

Wukong said, "Your Highness, do not be hasty—let me tell you. You are the prince of the Kingdom of Wuchin. Five years ago in your land, there was a year of drought and famine, and the myriad people suffered. Your emperor and his ministers wholeheartedly offered prayers. Just when there was not a drop of rain, a Daoist came from Zhongnan Mountain, skilled at summoning wind and rain and turning stone into gold. Your king was too fond of petty gain and made sworn brothers with him. Did this happen?"

The prince said, "Yes, yes, yes—go on."

Wukong said, "Three years later the Perfected One was no longer seen. Who then sat upon the throne as the lone one?"

The prince said, "Indeed there was a Perfected One. My father the king made sworn brothers with him. They ate together and slept together. Three years ago, while enjoying the scenery in the imperial garden, a divine wind swept up the gold-inlaid white jade scepter from my father's hand and carried it back to Zhongnan Mountain. To this day my father the king still longs for him. Because he has not seen him, he has lost all pleasure in enjoyment and has kept the garden locked for three years. Who else but my father the king could be emperor?"

On hearing this, Wukong laughed incessantly. The prince asked again but received no answer—only laughter. The prince angrily said, "This fellow should speak but does not—why do you laugh like this?"

Wukong said, "There is still much to say, but with all these people around, this is no place for it."

The prince, seeing that his words had some basis, swept his robe sleeves and ordered the soldiers to withdraw. The officers on the imperial carriage hastily passed the command, and the three thousand troops all camped outside the gate. Now there was no one in the hall. The prince sat above, the elder stood before him, and Wukong stood by his left side. All the monks of the temple withdrew.

Only then did Wukong step forward with a grave expression and say, "Your Highness, it was your true parents who were transformed into the wind and departed. The one sitting on the throne is that Perfected One who prayed for rain."

The monk said, "Nonsense, nonsense! Since the Perfected One left, my father has enjoyed favorable weather and the peace of the nation. According to what you say, that would not be my father the king. Because I am young, I tolerate you. If my father the king heard these rebellious words, he would have you seized and cut into a thousand pieces."

He roared at Wukong to come down. Wukong said to Tripitaka, "You see? I told you he would not believe—indeed, indeed. Now let us present that treasure to him, exchange it for the travel pass, and head west."

Tripitaka handed the red casket to Wukong. Wukong took it, gave his body a shake, and the casket suddenly vanished. It had been transformed from a hair, which he had taken back into his body. Then he took the white jade scepter in both hands and presented it to the prince.

The Crown Prince said upon seeing him, "Fine monk, fine monk! Five years ago you were a Complete Perfection Daoist who cheated us of our family's treasure, and now you've disguised yourself as a monk to present it again." He called out, "Seize him!" At this command, the Elder was so frightened that he pointed at the Pilgrim and said, "You stable-keeper, you've brought nothing but empty-headed disaster down on me!" The Pilgrim stepped forward and blocked them all together. "Stop your shouting! Don't let the news spread! I'm not called the 'Imperial Goods'—I have a real name." The Crown Prince said angrily, "Come forward. I'll ask you for your true name so I can hand you over to the law courts for sentencing!" The Pilgrim said, "I am the Elder's eldest disciple, named Sun Wukong, Pilgrim. I came with my master to the West to obtain the scriptures. Last night we arrived here seeking lodging. My master was reading the scriptures at night, and at the third watch he had a dream. He dreamed that your father the king told him he had been harmed by the Complete Perfection Daoist and pushed into the Octagonal Glazed Well in the Imperial Garden, and that the Daoist had transformed himself into the king's likeness. None of the officials at court could tell. You are young and also unaware. You have been forbidden to enter the palace, and the garden has been closed—all to prevent the news from leaking out. Your father the king came specially tonight to ask me to subdue the demon. I feared it might not be a demonic spirit, so I looked from the sky and indeed it was a monster. I was about to seize him when you unexpectedly came out of the city to hunt. The jade hare your arrow hit was old Sun himself. Old Sun led you to the temple to see my master, and I told him everything—every word is true. Since you recognize the white jade scepter, how can you not remember the kindness of your upbringing and avenge your father?"

When the Crown Prince heard these words, his heart was filled with grief, and he thought sorrowfully to himself, "If I don't believe these words, there seems to be some truth in them; but if I believe them, how can I explain that the one in the palace hall is my father the king?" This was truly a case of being caught between advancing and retreating, the heart questioning the mouth, and after much deliberation, the mouth questioning the heart. Seeing that the Crown Prince was uncertain, the Pilgrim stepped forward again and said, "Your Highness need not doubt. Please return to your own kingdom and ask your mother the queen one question: ask her how the conjugal affection between husband and wife compares to what it was three years ago. With this single question, you will know truth from falsehood."

The Crown Prince's heart was moved. "Yes. I shall go and ask my mother." He leaped to his feet, put away the white jade scepter, and was about to leave. The Pilgrim grabbed him and said, "All your men and horses must return as well—if news leaks, I cannot succeed. You must enter the city alone, on a single horse, and you must not make a show of yourself or advertise your presence. Do not enter through the Zhengyang Gate; you must go through the Houzai Gate. When you see your mother in the palace, on no account raise your voice—you must speak in whispers and low tones. I fear that demon has great powers, and if the news escapes, both your mother's and your own lives will be in danger." The Crown Prince carefully obeyed these instructions. He left the mountain gate and ordered his officers: "Stay encamped here firmly and do not move. I have an affair to attend to. I will return, and then we shall enter the city together." Watch him:

He commanded and directed his troops to encamp,

Then mounted his horse and flew back to the city.

What he said when he saw the queen—that will be told in the next chapter.