Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Great White Planet and the Handsome Monkey King emerged together from the depths of the cavern and rose into the clouds side by side. Now, Sun Wukong's somersault cloud was no ordinary thing—it was extraordinarily swift, and he left the planet far behind, arriving first at the gate of the Southern Heaven. Just as he was about to halt his cloud and proceed forward, he was met by the Growth Heavenly King, leading a host of mighty celestial warriors—Pang, Liu, Gou, Bi, Deng, Xin, Zhang, and Tao—who blocked the Heavenly Gate with spears, sabers, swords, and halberds, refusing to let him pass. The Monkey King said, "This old planet is a scoundrel! If he invited old Sun, why has he set men with weapons blocking the gate?" Even as he was shouting, the planet arrived in an instant. Wukong confronted him fiercely and said, "You old fraud, how could you deceive me? You said you came by the Jade Emperor's decree to summon me for amnesty, yet why have these men blocked the Heavenly Gate and refused to let old Sun enter?" The Planet laughed and said, "Great King, calm your anger. You have never before come to this Heaven, and you have no name here. The celestial warriors have no acquaintance with you—how could they let you enter unchallenged? Wait until you have seen the August One, received your immortal credentials, and had your official title recorded. From then on, you may come and go as you please, and who would dare stop you?" Wukong said, "If that's how it is, very well—I won't go in." The Planet then took him by the hand and pulled him, saying, "Come along inside with me."

As they approached the Heavenly Gate, the Planet called out loudly, "Heavenly Generals and officers of the Heavenly Gate, clear the way! This is an immortal from the lower realm, whom I have summoned by the Jade Emperor's sacred decree." Only then did the Growth Heavenly King and all the celestial warriors withdraw their weapons and step aside. The Monkey King now believed his words, and together with the Planet he slowly walked in to take in the sights. And indeed:

For the first time he ascended to the Upper Realm, for the first time he entered Heaven. Ten thousand beams of golden light rolled amid crimson rainbows; a thousand streamers of auspicious vapor sprayed forth purple mist. He beheld the Southern Heaven Gate—deep blue and serene, fashioned of glazed crystal; bright and gleaming, adorned with precious jade. On either side stood several dozen Heavenly Marshals of the Firmament, each one supporting pillars and leaning on beams, holding axes and grasping banners; below on all sides stood rows upon rows of golden-armored divine warriors, each one grasping halberds, hanging whips, holding sabers and wielding swords. The outer precincts were impressive enough, but the interior was truly astonishing: within stood several great pillars, around which coiled golden-scaled, sun-blazing red-whiskered dragons; and there were several long bridges, upon which soared rainbow-plumed, crimson-crowned phoenixes suspended in the air. Bright, shimmering radiance reflected the light of heaven; dense purple mists obscured the mouth of the Dipper. In this Heaven there were thirty-three celestial palaces—the Palace of Dispatching Clouds, the Palace of Visha, the Palace of Five Lights, the Palace of the Sun, the Palace of Flowers and Music... each palace's ridge adorned with gold-swallowing guardian beasts; and there were seventy-two precious halls—the Hall of Court Assemblies, the Hall of Soaring Emptiness, the Hall of Precious Radiance, the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Hall of the Divine Official... each hall's pillars arrayed with jade qilin. On the Terrace of the Star of Longevity grew famous flowers that had not withered for a thousand thousand years; beside the Alchemy Furnace grew embroidered grass that remained evergreen for ten thousand myriad ages. Then they came to the Tower of Paying Homage to the Sage—there were crimson gauze robes, brilliant as the stars; lotus-blossom crowns, resplendent with gold and jade. Jade hairpins and pearl-embroidered shoes, purple sashes and golden insignia. When the golden bell was struck, the gods of the Three Courts advanced to the red steps; when the celestial drum sounded, the myriad sages came to court to pay homage to the Jade Emperor. And then there was the Hall of the Spiritual Jade—golden studs studded the jade doors; painted phoenixes danced upon the vermilion gates. Winding corridors and winding galleries, every part exquisite and translucent; three-tiered eaves and fourfold clusters, layer upon layer where dragons and phoenixes soared. Above there stood a great golden gourd summit—purple and majestic, bright and gleaming, round and perfect, shining and radiant. Below there were heavenly fans held by celestial consorts and celestial kerchiefs presented by jade maidens; fierce and stern stood the Heavenly Generals who guarded the court; proud and stately stood the immortal ministers who attended the chariot. In the center, upon a glazed crystal plate lay many layers upon layers of Grand Unity elixirs; within an agate vase stood several crooked and winding coral trees. Truly, the strange things of the celestial palace were all to be found, such as the mortal world possessed not a single one. Golden pylons and silver gates together with the Purple Prefecture, rare flowers and marvelous herbs alongside precious blossoms. The Jade Hare passed by the altar when the King came to court; the Golden Crow flew beneath when the sages paid their respects. The Monkey King had his destiny to come to this celestial realm, and would not sink into the mire of the mortal world.

The Great White Planet led the Handsome Monkey King to the outside of the Hall of the Spiritual Jade. Without waiting for an imperial summons, they proceeded directly before the throne and made their obeisance upward. Wukong stood upright beside them, neither bowing nor paying respects, but only inclining his ear to listen as the Planet presented his report. The Planet announced, "Your subject has received the sacred decree and has now brought the immortal of the demon kind." The Jade Emperor, behind his curtain, asked, "Which one is the demon immortal?" Only then did Wukong bend his body and reply, "Old Sun is the one." The immortal ministers were all greatly alarmed and turned pale, saying, "This wild monkey—how dare he not prostrate himself in obeisance, and instead brazenly reply, 'Old Sun is the one.' He deserves death, he deserves death!" The Jade Emperor issued a decree, saying, "That Sun Wukong is a demon immortal of the lower realm. He has only lately attained human form and does not know the courtesies of the court. Let his offense be pardoned for now." The ministers of immortals called out, "We thank Your Majesty's mercy." Only then did the Monkey King make a great salute toward the throne. The Jade Emperor summoned the civil and immortal ministers to examine where a vacancy existed and to assign Sun Wukong to fill it. From the side, the Star of Military Virtue stepped forward and reported, "In all the palaces and halls of the Heavenly Court, in every quarter and every place, there are no vacancies—only the Imperial Stables lacks a proper director." The Jade Emperor issued a decree, saying, "Let him be appointed Bima Wen then." The ministers called out their thanks, and he too merely made a great salute toward the throne. The Jade Emperor then sent the Star of the Wood Virtue to escort him to the Imperial Stables to take up his post.

At that time the Monkey King went with joy and delight, proceeding directly with the Star of the Wood Virtue to assume his duties. When the business was concluded, the Star of the Wood Virtue returned to his palace. In the stables, Wukong assembled the assistant directors, deputy directors, record keepers, grooms, and officers great and small, and took stock of the establishment's affairs. There were a thousand celestial horses in all:

Hua Liu and Qi Ji, Lu Er and Xian Long; Dragon Steeds and Purple Swallows, Winged Su Shuang; Jue Ti and Yin Ge, Yao Niao and Fei Huang; Tao Tu and Fan Yu, Red Hare and Chao Guang; Yue Hui and Mi Teng, Teng Wu and Sheng Huang; Zhui Feng and Jue Di, Fei Fu and Ben Xiao; Yi Piao and Chi Dian, Tong Jue and Fu Yun; Cong Long and Hu Li, Jue Chen and Zi Lin... The Four Extremes and Da Yuan, the Eight Steeds and the Nine Champions, the Thousand-League Unsurpassed. Each of these fine horses—spirited as wind-chasing, lightning-pursuing, with mighty vigor; treading mist, mounting clouds, with boundless strength.

The Monkey King examined the register and verified the number of horses. In the Directorate, the Registrar was in charge of collecting and preparing fodder; the Master of Grooms was responsible for washing the horses, preparing their bedding, giving them water, and cooking their feed; the Vice Directors and Assistant Directors assisted and supervised the work. The Stable Master did not sleep day or night, tending to the horses. During the day he could amuse himself, but at night he watched over them with diligence: if any horse was sleeping, he would rouse it to eat; if any wandered off, he would catch it and lead it back to its trough. When the heavenly horses saw him, they would flatten their ears and tuck in their hooves. He had fattened them until they were plump and sleek. Before he knew it, more than half a month had passed.

One day, when there was a lull, the officials of the Directorate arranged a feast—both to welcome him and to congratulate him. As they were drinking merrily, the Monkey King suddenly set down his cup and asked, "What sort of official post is this 'Bimawen'?" They replied, "That is the name of the office." He asked again, "What rank does this office hold?" They said, "It has no rank." The Monkey King said, "No rank—then it must be the highest of the high?" They said, "No, no, it is not high at all. It is simply called 'unranked.'" The Monkey King said, "What does 'unranked' mean?" They said, "The lowest grade. This kind of office is the lowest and smallest—one is only fit to look at horses. It is like when a superior magistrate takes office: if you are diligent like this and feed the horses well, all you get is a word of 'well done'; if any horse is even slightly frail, you will be held to account; and if they suffer serious harm, you will be fined, made to pay restitution, and charged with a crime." When the Monkey King heard this, fire rose in his heart. He gnashed his teeth and roared in fury: "How they look down upon old Sun! In the Flower-Fruit Mountain, I was called king and ancestor. Why did they trick me into coming here to tend horses? Tending horses is the lowly work of mere boys—how could this be a post for me? I won't do it, I won't do it—I'm leaving!" With a crash, he overturned the official desk, pulled the treasure from his ear, gave it a shake—it was as thick as a bowl—and performed a series of movements as he fought his way straight out of the Imperial Stables and made directly for the Southern Heavenly Gate. The heavenly soldiers knew he had received an immortal's register and was the Bimawen, so they did not dare to stop him, but let him fight his way out through the gate.

In a short while, he descended on his cloud and returned to the Flower-Fruit Mountain. He found the Four Generals and the various demon kings drilling their troops there. The Monkey King cried out in a loud voice, "Little ones, old Sun is here!" A troop of monkeys came forward to kowtow and welcomed him into the depths of the cave, inviting the Monkey King to ascend his jeweled throne. At the same time, they prepared a feast to welcome him. They all said, "Congratulations, Great King! You have been in Heaven for more than ten years—you must have returned in glory and satisfaction?" The Monkey King said, "I was only there a little over half a month—how could it be more than ten years?" The monkeys said, "Great King, you did not notice the passage of time up in Heaven. One day in Heaven is one year in the world below. May we ask, Great King, what office did you hold?" The Monkey King waved his hand and said, "It's not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning—it's enough to make a man die of shame. The Jade Emperor does not know how to employ people. Seeing how old Sun looks, he made me a 'Bimawen'—it turns out I was to tend horses for him, something unranked and lowly. When I first took office I did not know this; I only fooled around in the Imperial Stables. It was not until today, when I asked my colleagues, that I learned how base it was. Old Sun was so enraged in his heart that he overturned the feast, refused the office, and came back down here." The monkeys said, "You did well to come back, you did well! Here in this blessed land and cave heaven, you are a king—how much honor and joy you have! Why would you want to go and be a groom for him?" They told the little ones to quickly prepare wine to ease the Great King's vexation.

As they were drinking and celebrating, someone came to report, "Great King, outside the gate there are two One-Horned Demon Kings who wish to see you." The Monkey King said, "Let them in." The demon kings straightened their clothes and ran into the cave, prostrating themselves. The Handsome Monkey King asked them, "What business brings you to see me?" The demon king said, "We have long heard of Your Majesty's search for the worthy, but had no way to gain an audience. Now we see that Your Majesty has received an immortal's register and returned in glory and satisfaction. We humbly present a robe of ochre yellow to celebrate with Your Majesty. If you do not disdain our lowliness and accept us, we too may be allowed to render the service of dogs and horses." The Monkey King was greatly pleased and put on the ochre-yellow robe. All present joyfully arranged themselves in ranks and paid homage. The Monkey King at once appointed the demon king as Vanguard Commander and Chief of the Advance Guard. After the demon king had expressed his thanks, he spoke again, saying, "Your Majesty was in Heaven for a long time—what office were you given?" The Monkey King said, "The Jade Emperor undervalues the worthy. He made me a 'Bimawen.'" When the demon king heard this, he submitted another memorial, saying, "Your Majesty possesses such divine powers—why should you tend horses for him? Why not become the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? What could be wrong with that?" When the Monkey King heard this, he was overjoyed beyond measure and cried out several times, "Good! Good! Good!" He told the Four Generals, "Quickly make me a banner for me. Write the four great characters 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' on it, and set up a pole to fly it. From now on, call me only the Great Sage Equal to Heaven—do not call me Great King anymore. You may also inform the demon kings of all the caves, so that they all know." But let us leave this matter here.

Now, the next day, the Jade Emperor held court. He saw the Celestial Master Zhang leading the Vice Directors and Assistant Directors of the Imperial Stables, who bowed before the steps of the audience hall and reported, "Your Majesty, the newly appointed Bimawen Sun Wukong, because he considered his office too small, rebelled and left the Heavenly Palace yesterday." Even as they spoke, the Growth Guardian King and his heavenly soldiers from outside the Southern Heavenly Gate also appeared and reported, "The Bimawen, for reasons unknown, has gone out through the Heavenly Gate." When the Jade Emperor heard this, he issued an edict: "Let the officers of both routes return to their posts. I shall send heavenly troops to capture this monster." From among the ranks of officials, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li and his third son Nezha stepped forward out of turn and memorialized, "Your Majesty, though we are of no great talent, we request your edict to subdue this demon." The Jade Emperor was greatly pleased and at once appointed the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing as the Great Marshal for the Subjugation of Demons, and the third prince Nezha as the God of the Three Altars and the Assembly of the Sea. They were to set out at once to the world below.

Li Taizong and Nezha kowtowed their thanks and took their leave, returning straight to their palace. They mustered the three armies, led the assembled commanders, appointed Juling Shen as vanguard, the Fish-Belly General to guard the rear, and the Yaksha General to urge the troops forward. In an instant they passed through the Southern Heavenly Gate and arrived directly at Flower-Fruit Mountain. They chose a level, open spot and pitched their camp, then issued orders for Juling Shen to issue a challenge.

Juling Shen received the command, put on his armor, and hefted his great battle-axe as he made his way to the outside of the Water-Curtain Cave. There he saw a host of demons and monsters outside the small cave entrance—wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards of every kind, brandishing spears and waving swords, leaping and howling about. Juling Shen roared: "You wretched creatures! Go quickly and report to the Horse-Raising Steward: I am a great general of Heaven, sent by the Jade Emperor's decree to subdue him here. Tell him to come out promptly and surrender, lest you all be slaughtered!" The beasts scurried back and forth, carrying the report into the cave: "Disaster! Disaster!" The Monkey King asked, "What disaster?" The demons said, "There is a heavenly general outside the gate, who speaks of your title and says he comes by the Jade Emperor's sacred edict to subdue us. He tells us to go out quickly and surrender, or he will take our lives."

The Monkey King, upon hearing this, said: "Bring me my armor." He donned his purple-gold cap, put on his golden chain-mail armor, laced up his cloud-stepping boots, grasped his Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod, and led his followers out the gate, drawing up his battle lines. Juling Shen opened his eyes wide and looked—truly a fine Monkey King:

His golden armor shone dazzling bright,

His golden cap gleamed with radiant light.

He raised the Golden-Hooped Rod in his hand,

His cloud-stepping boots matched him as planned.

A pair of strange eyes like shining stars,

Two ears that past his shoulders reached, hard and far.

Tall and stately, his transformations many,

His voice rang clear as a chisel or bell, if any.

With pointed teeth and jutting jaw, the Horse-Raising Steward,

His heart soared high—he would be Great Sage Equal to Heaven, his reward.

Juling Shen cried out in a stern, loud voice: "You wretched ape! Do you know me?" The Great Sage, hearing this, quickly asked: "What god are you? This old Sun has never met you—state your name at once!" Juling Shen said: "I'll teach you, you scheming rascal! You don't recognize me. I am Juling Tianjiang, vanguard of the High God of the Exalted Firmament, the Pagoda-Bearing Li Taizong. I come now by the Jade Emperor's sacred edict to subdue you. Quickly lay down your arms and submit to Heaven's mercy, lest every creature on this mountain be put to death. If you utter a single word of refusal, I will reduce you to powder in an instant."

The Monkey King, hearing this, was filled with rage. "You wretched god! Stop your big talk and wagging tongue. I ought to kill you with one blow of my rod, but I fear there would be no one left to carry a message. I will spare your life—go back to Heaven quickly and tell the Jade Emperor: he has no eye for talent. This old Sun has boundless abilities—why did he make me raise his horses? Look at the words on my banner. If he promotes me according to this title, I will not raise my weapons, and Heaven and Earth will naturally be at peace. If he refuses, I will storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist at once and make it so he cannot sit securely on his Dragon Throne."

Juling Shen, hearing these words, quickly opened his eyes and looked into the wind. Sure enough, outside the gate stood a tall pole bearing a banner, on which were written four large characters: GREAT SAGE EQUAL TO HEAVEN. Juling Shen gave three cold laughs: "This wretched ape, so ignorant of his place, so brazenly presumptuous—you want to be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven? Taste my axe!" He swung it down at the Monkey King's head. The Monkey King, a true expert, was not flustered; he raised his Golden-Hooped Rod to meet the blow. What a battle that followed:

The rod was called Compliant, the axe was called Flower-Decorating.

The two met for the first time, not knowing each other's depth—

Axe and rod struck left and right.

One concealed divine wonders, the other boasted with open mouth.

They wielded their arts, spouting clouds and mist;

They spread their hands, hurling dust and sand.

The heavenly general's powers had their way,

But the Monkey King's transformations knew no bound.

The rod rose like a dragon playing in water,

The axe came like a phoenix threading through flowers.

Juling's fame had spread throughout the world,

But his true skill could not match the other:

The Great Sage lightly swung his iron rod,

One blow upon the head left his whole body numb.

Juling Shen could not withstand him. The Monkey King struck him on the head with a blow, and Juling Shen hastily raised his axe to block it. With a crack, the axe handle was broken clean in two. He quickly withdrew and fled the field in defeat. The Monkey King laughed: "Milksop! Milksop! I've spared you—go quickly and report, go quickly and report!"

Juling Shen returned to the camp gate and went straight to the Pagoda-Bearing Taizong. He dropped to his knees and said: "The Horse-Raising Steward is indeed possessed of boundless divine power. I could not defeat him and have returned in defeat to face punishment." Li Taizong flew into a rage: "This cur has blunted our fighting spirit—take him out and behead him!" From the side, Prince Nezha stepped forward and bowed: "Father, calm your anger and spare Juling's punishment. Let your child go out to battle once, and we shall see how deep his abilities truly are." The Taizong heeded his counsel and ordered Juling Shen back to camp to await punishment and attend to his duties.

This Prince Nezha, his armor fully in order, leaped out of the camp and charged to the outside of the Water-Curtain Cave. Sun Wukong had just been gathering his troops when he saw Nezha approaching with fierce valor. A fine prince indeed:

His topknot barely covered his forehead,

His body hair had not yet reached his shoulders.

Wondrously gifted, keen and perceptive,

His bones were elegant, his features pure and bright.

Truly a unicorn's son from the heavens indeed,

A phoenix of the rosy clouds, a creature of noble seed.

A dragon's offspring, naturally no ordinary being,

His wondrous youth bore no resemblance to the mortal scene.

He bore six kinds of divine weapons,

His soaring transformations knew no bounds.

Now receiving the Jade Emperor's golden-mouthed decree,

He was appointed by imperial edict as the Vast Assembly's Three-Altar Lord.

Wukong stepped forward and asked, "Whose young lad are you? You've barged right up to my gate—what business do you have here?"

Nezha shouted, "You wretched demon monkey! Don't you know who I am? I am Nezha, the Third Prince of the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. I have been sent here by the Jade Emperor's decree to capture you."

Wukong laughed and said, "Little Prince, your baby teeth haven't even fallen out yet, and the birth fuzz on your head is still dry—how dare you talk such big talk? I'll spare your life and won't hit you. Just look at what's written on my banner there, and report it to the Jade Emperor: if he gives me this title, there'll be no need to mobilize more troops—I'll submit on my own. But if my wishes aren't met, I'll storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist."

Nezha looked up and saw four characters: "Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

Nezha said, "How much power can this demon monkey possibly have, that he dares call himself by such a title? Have no fear—take my sword!"

Wukong said, "I'll just stand here without moving. Go ahead and swing your sword at me a few times."

Nezha flew into a rage, let out a great shout, and cried, "Transform!" At once he became three-headed and six-armed, fierce and terrible, wielding six weapons: the Demon-Slaying Sword, the Demon-Hacking Saber, the Demon-Binding Lasso, the Demon-Subduing Pestle, the Embroidered Ball, and the Fire Wheel. With arms spread wide, he charged straight at Wukong.

Wukong saw this and thought with alarm, "This lad does know a few tricks. Don't be rude—watch my powers!" The great Sage shouted, "Transform!" and he too became three-headed and six-armed. He waved the golden-banded staff, and it became three. With six hands he gripped the three staffs and blocked the attack. This battle truly shook the earth and moved the mountains—what a fearsome fight!

The six-armed Prince Nezha, the stone monkey king born of nature's beauty—a true opponent met, two forces of the same primal source. One had been sent down on imperial errand; the other had rebelled in his heart against the heavens. The Demon-Slaying Sword's edge was swift; the Demon-Hacking Saber struck terror in ghosts and gods. The Demon-Binding Lasso coiled like a flying python; the Demon-Subduing Pestle was shaped like a wolf's head. The Fire Wheel blazed like lightning, brilliant and fierce; the Embroidered Ball rolled back and forth. The Great Sage's three Ruyi staffs shielded before and behind, deploying strategy and cunning. They struggled for several rounds with neither gaining the upper hand, but the Prince would not relent. He multiplied his six weapons into millions and billions, hurling them down upon the monkey's head. The Monkey King was not afraid—he laughed heartily, his iron staff whirling as he directed the battle on his own. One became a thousand, a thousand became ten thousand, filling the air in a chaotic dance like flying dragons. The demon kings of every cave shut their doors in terror; the ghosts and goblins throughout the mountains hid their heads. The divine weapons raged, darkening the clouds with fury; the golden-banded staff whistled through the air. On one side, the heavenly soldiers shouted and all were afraid; on the other, the monkey demons waved their banners and all were anxious. Both sides fought with desperate courage—who was strong and who was yielding, none could tell.

The Third Prince and Wukong each displayed their divine might, battling for thirty rounds. The Prince's six weapons became thousands upon thousands; Sun Wukong's golden-banded staff became tens of thousands upon tens of thousands. In midair they fell like raindrops and shooting stars, with neither side able to prevail.

Now Wukong was quick of hand and sharp of eye. In the midst of the chaos, he plucked a hair from his body, cried "Transform!" and it became a copy of himself, gripping the staff and putting on a show for Nezha. His true body, however, leaped in a single bound and rushed behind Nezha, then struck him on the left shoulder with his staff. Nezha was in the midst of his maneuvers when he heard the wind of the staff whistling toward him. He tried to dodge in time but could not react quickly enough—Wukong struck him a blow, and Nezha fled in pain. He withdrew his magic, returned his six weapons to his body, and retreated in defeat.

The Heavenly King Li, watching from the battlefield, had already seen what happened. He was about to lead his troops to assist when the Prince suddenly appeared before him, trembling as he reported, "Father, the Horse-Racing Stable Master truly has ability. Even with all my power, I could not defeat him—he has wounded my arm."

The Heavenly King turned pale with shock and said, "How can this wretch have such powers? How can we overcome him?"

The Prince said, "Outside his cave gate he has planted a banner bearing the four characters 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven.' He boasts openly that the Jade Emperor should grant him this title, and then all matters will be settled. If he does not receive this rank, he will storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist."

The Heavenly King said, "In that case, do not engage him further. Let us return to the Upper Realm and report these words. We can send more heavenly troops to surround and capture him—it is not too late."

The Prince, wounded and unable to fight again, returned to Heaven with the Heavenly King to make their report.

You should know that the Monkey King returned to his mountain in triumph. The demon kings of the seventy-two caves and his six sworn brothers all came to congratulate him. In the blessed land of cave and paradise, they drank and made merry without end. Wukong said to his six brothers, "Since I call myself the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, you may all take the title of Great Sage as well."

Among them, the Bull Demon King suddenly cried out, "Brother, you speak wisely. I shall be called the Great Sage Who Levels the Sea of Heaven."

The Dragon Demon King said, "I shall be called the Great Sage Who Covers the Sea."

The Roc Demon King said, "I shall be called the Great Sage Who Mixes with Heaven."

The Lion-Camel Demon King said, "I shall be called the Great Sage Who Moves Mountains."

The Macaque Demon King said, "I shall be called the Great Sage Who Communicates with the Wind."

The Gibbon Demon King said, "I shall be called the Great Sage Who Drives Away the Gods."

At this, the Seven Great Sages did as they pleased, giving themselves titles and names. They amused themselves for a day, then each went his own way.

Now the Heavenly King Li and the Third Prince led their generals straight to the Hall of Miraculous Mist and reported, "Your Majesty, we received the imperial decree to lead troops down to the mortal realm to subdue the demon immortal Sun Wukong. We did not expect his powers to be so vast—we were unable to defeat him. We humbly request that Your Majesty send additional troops to destroy him."

The Jade Emperor said, "How much ability can one demon monkey have? Why must we send more troops?"

The Prince stepped forward and said, "I beg Your Majesty to pardon my death. That demon monkey wielded an single iron staff—he first defeated the Giant Spirit God, then wounded my arm. Outside his cave gate he planted a banner bearing the four characters 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven.' He says that if he is granted this title, he will cease fighting and submit. If he does not receive this rank, he will storm the Hall of Miraculous Mist."

When the Jade Emperor heard this, he was astonished and said, "How dare this demon monkey be so arrogant? Let all the generals destroy him at once!"

Just then, from among the assembled officials, the Star of Venus, Taibai Jinxing, stepped forward and memorialized, "That monkey demon speaks without knowing his own limits. If we send troops to fight him, I fear he cannot be subdued quickly, and it would only weary the army. Your Majesty would do better to show great mercy and issue an edict of pacification. Let him be made Great Sage Equal to Heaven. We need only give him an empty title—an office without stipend." The Jade Emperor asked, "What do you mean by 'an office without stipend'?" The Star of Venus replied, "His title shall be Great Sage Equal to Heaven, but he shall be given no duties to manage and no salary. Let him be kept between heaven and earth, his wayward heart restrained, so that he harms no one and acts no further presumptuously. Then the universe may be at peace and the realm enjoy tranquility." The Jade Emperor said, "We shall follow your counsel." He at once commanded that an edict be issued and sent the Star of Venus to deliver it.

The Star of Venus passed again through the Southern Heavenly Gate and proceeded to the Water Curtain Cave on Flower-Fruit Mountain. This time the scene was quite different—imposing and fierce, bristling with killing intent. Every manner of demon was there, each brandishing swords and spears, waving halberds and staves, roaring and leaping about. When they saw the Star of Venus, they all pressed forward to attack him. The Star said, "You captains, go and report this to your Great Sage: I am an angel sent by the Supreme Deity, bearing an imperial summons for him." The demons ran inside and reported, "There is an old man outside who says he is an angel from the Upper Realm, bearing a summons for you." Wukong said, "Excellent, excellent! This must be the Star of Venus who came before. Last time he invited me to the Upper Realm. Though the post I received was nothing to speak of, at least I got to walk the roads of Heaven and learned the way through the Heavenly Gates. Now that he has come again, he surely brings good news." He ordered the captains to beat the drums and raise the banners in full array to welcome the guest. The Great Sage then led the monkeys out, wearing his crown and armor, draped in a reddish-yellow robe over the mail, his feet in cloud-stepping boots. He hurried out of the cave gate, bowed, and called out loudly, "Old Star, please come in—forgive me for failing to greet you properly."

The Star of Venus hastened forward, entered straight into the cave, and stood facing south. "I have come to inform you, Great Sage: previously, because you found your office too small and fled the Imperial Stables, the officials of the stables reported the matter to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor issued a decree saying, 'All appointments to office proceed from low to high—why should you find it too small?' Thereupon the Heavenly King Li led Nezha down to the mortal world to engage you in battle. They did not know of your divine powers and were defeated. They returned to Heaven and reported, 'The Great Sage has raised a banner and wishes to be made Great Sage Equal to Heaven.' The military commanders wished to make further excuses, but this old man ventured to risk offense by reporting on your behalf, so as to spare the raising of an army and to request that the Great Sage be granted a register of immortals. The Jade Emperor approved the memorial and has therefore sent me to invite you." Wukong laughed and said, "You took trouble before, and now you show me further kindness—many thanks, many thanks! But I wonder, will Heaven grant me the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven?" The Star of Venus said, "It was on the strength of this very title that I obtained the Emperor's approval before daring to come bearing the edict. If it were not granted, the blame would fall on this old man alone."

Wukong was overjoyed. He earnestly pressed the Star to stay for a feast, but the Star would not remain. So Wukong rode the auspicious clouds with the Star of Venus to the Southern Heavenly Gate. The heavenly soldiers and generals there all clasped their hands and bowed in greeting. They proceeded straight to the Hall of Miraculous Mist. The Star of Venus knelt and reported, "Your subject, bearing the imperial edict, has summoned Sun Wukong, the Imperial Stable Master, and he has arrived." The Jade Emperor said, "Let Sun Wukong approach. We hereby proclaim you Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Your rank is the highest possible. But you must on no account act recklessly." The monkey merely faced upward and made a gesture of acknowledgment, saying, "I thank Your Majesty." The Jade Emperor then ordered the two master craftsmen, Zhang and Lu, to build a mansion for the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to the right of the Garden of Immortal Peaches. Within the mansion were established two bureaus: the Bureau of Stillness and the Bureau of Tranquility. Each bureau had immortal clerks to attend him on either side. He also sent the Five-Plough Star Lords to escort Wukong to his post, and bestowed upon him two bottles of imperial wine and ten gold flowers, charging him to settle his mind and harbor no further mischief.

The Monkey King accepted the decree and obeyed. That same day he went to his mansion with the Five-Plough Star Lords, opened the wine, and drank his fill with all his companions. After seeing the star officials back to his own palace, his heart was filled with joy and delight. He dwelt in the Heavenly Palace in happiness, free of all cares and hindrances. Indeed:

His immortal name was inscribed forever in the Register of Everlasting Life,

Never to fall into the cycle of rebirth, renowned through ten thousand ages.

What happened thereafter, however—that you must hear in the next chapter.