第073回

Chapter 73

Thus did the Great Sage Sun support the Tang Monk, and with Bajie and Sha Wujing they hastened along the main road, ever westward. Before long, they suddenly saw a place with layered pavilions and towering palaces. Tang Monk reined in his horse and said, "Disciples, what do you think that place is?" The Pilgrim raised his head and observed, and suddenly beheld:

Hills encircled the pavilions; a stream wound around the terrace and tower. Before the gate, a dense forest of mixed trees grew thick and lush; outside the dwelling, wild flowers bloomed in fragrant splendor. Among the white willows roosted snowy egrets, pure as flawless jade amid the mist; within the peach trees orioles warbled, gleaming as gold within the fire. Pairs of wild deer, forgetting themselves, leisurely trod upon the green meadow; pairs of mountain birds, chattering, sang high from the tips of the red trees. Truly it was like the Tiantai cave of Liu Chen and Ruan Zhao, no less than the immortal's abode in Langyuan.

The Pilgrim reported, "Master, that place is neither a prince's mansion nor a wealthy man's home—it looks more like a monastery or a Daoist temple. We'll know for sure when we get there." Upon hearing this, Sanzong urged his horse onward with whip and spur. The master and disciples arrived before the gate and saw embedded in it a stone tablet bearing three characters: "Yellow Flower Temple." Sanzong dismounted. Bajie said, "The Yellow Flower Temple is a Daoist establishment. We might as well go in and meet him. Though our dress differs from his, our cultivation is the same." Sha Wujing said, "Well said. First, we can take a look at the scenery; second, we should also tend to the pack animals. If convenient, we can arrange some vegetarian food for the Master to eat."

The elder agreed, and the four of them entered together. Upon the second gate they saw a couplet:

*A divine mansion of yellow sprouts and white snow;*

*A immortal's home of precious herbs and wondrous flowers.*

The Pilgrim laughed and said, "This is a Daoist who burns herbs for elixirs, plays with furnace fires, and manipulates cauldrons." Sanzong pinched him and said, "Speak carefully, speak carefully! We are not acquainted with him, nor are we related. We are merely passing through for a moment—why concern ourselves with such matters?" Before he could finish, they had entered the second gate, and there in the east corridor sat a Daoist making pills. Observe how he was attired:

He wore a gleaming red gilded crown, a glossy black robe of darkest silk, a pair of green cloud-patterned shoes, and a fluttering yellow sash of the immortal Lü. His face was like iron gourd; his eyes shone like bright stars. His nose was high and large as a Tartar's; his lips were thick and wide as a Tartan's. Within his Daoist heart hid a thunderbolt—a true immortal who could subdue tigers and tame dragons.

Sanzong saw him and called out in a loud voice: "Old immortal, this humble monk greets you!" The Daoist lifted his head sharply, startled at the sight. He dropped the medicine in his hand, adjusted his hairpin, straightened his robes, and descended the steps to greet him, saying, "Venerable master, I have been remiss in my welcome. Please, come inside and sit." The elder joyfully ascended the hall. Pushing open the door, he saw the holy images of the Three Pure Ones, with an incense burner and incense upon the offering table. He took incense, placed it in the burner, and bowed three times, then exchanged courtesies with the Daoist. They proceeded to the guest seats, where he sat down with his disciples. The Daoist quickly summoned a boy to serve tea. Two little lads immediately went inside, searching for the tea tray, washing the cups, wiping the teaspoons, preparing tea and fruit—hurrying about in a commotion, which soon disturbed several troublemakers.

Now those seven female demons of the Silken Web Cave had been studying the Way together with this Daoist. Ever since they had changed into old clothes and sent for their sons, they had come straight to this place. They were just in the back cutting clothes when they saw the boy serving tea and asked, "Little lad, what guest has arrived that you are so busy?" The boy said, "Just now four monks came in, and the master told me to serve tea." The female demons asked, "Is there a fair-skinned, plump monk among them?" He said, "There is." They asked again, "Is there one with a long snout and big ears?" He said, "There is." The female demons said, "Go quickly and serve the tea, then give your master a secret signal to come inside. I have urgent matters to discuss." Sure enough, the boy brought out five cups of tea. The Daoist straightened his robes, took a cup with both hands and presented it to Sanzong, then served Bajie, Sha Wujing, and the Pilgrim. When tea was finished, the cups were collected. The boy gave a secret signal, and the Daoist rose slightly and said, "Please, honored guests, remain seated." He told the boy, "Put down the tea tray and keep them company. I shall return shortly." The elder and his disciples, along with one little lad, went out to admire the grounds—but no more of that.

The Daoist entered his private chamber and saw the seven women kneeling before him in unison, crying, "Senior brother, senior brother, please hear what your little sister has to say!" The Daoist helped them up with his hands and said, "When you came earlier this morning, you wanted to tell me something. But just then I was making pills, and this particular medicine must not encounter a woman, so I did not answer you. Now there are guests outside as well. Whatever you have to say, speak slowly." The demons said, "We report to you, senior brother: this matter concerns the guests, and only because they are here dare we tell you. If the guests were to leave, it would be useless to speak even if we wished to." The Daoim smiled and said, "Listen to you, dear sisters. How can you say this is only because of the guests? Are you mad? Even if I were a common householder with a wife, children, and family affairs, I would wait until the guests had left before attending to them. How can you be so improper, putting on a false show for my sake? Let me go out." The demons all grabbed him together and said, "Brother, be calm. Let me ask you—where did those guests in front come from?" The Daoist turned his face away and would not answer. The demons said: "Just now the little boy came in for tea, and I heard him say they are four monks." The Daoist feigned anger: "What of monks?" The demons said: "Among the four monks, there is one with a fair, plump face and one with a long snout and big ears. Did you ask where they came from?" The Daoist said: "There are indeed these two among them. How did you know? Have you seen them somewhere before?"

The woman said, "Brother, you do not know the full story. That monk is the one the Tang Emperor sent to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. This morning he came to our cave to beg for alms. It was because my sisters and I had heard of the name of the Tang monk that we captured him." The Taoist priest said, "What did you capture him for?" The woman said, "We have long heard it said that the Tang monk is a true body of ten lifetimes of cultivation. If anyone eats a piece of his flesh, they will live forever. That is why we captured him. Later, that monk with the long beak and big ears blocked us at the Bathing Grime Spring. He first snatched our clothes, then showed his skills, forcing us to bathe with him. We could not stop him. He jumped into the water and transformed into a catfish, darting about between our legs, attempting to debauch us. He was truly utterly shameless. Then he leaped out of the water and revealed his true form. When he saw that we would not submit, he wielded a nine-toothed rake and tried to take our lives. Had we not had some wit, we would have fallen victim to his murderous hands. That is why we fled trembling in fear. Then we sent your foolish nephew to fight him, and we do not know whether he lives or dies. We have come specially to seek you, brother, hoping that you will remember the friendship of our school days and be the one to avenge us today." When the Taoist priest heard these words, he was filled with rage and his expression changed. "So these monks are so insolent and so shameless! Put your minds at rest. Leave it to him to me." The women thanked him, saying, "If brother is willing to act, we will all come to help you fight him." The priest said, "No need to fight, no need to fight. As the saying goes, 'To strike once is to lower oneself by three parts.' All of you, follow me."

The women followed him on either side. He entered his room, took a ladder, went around behind the bed, climbed up to the roof beam, and brought down a small leather case. The case was about eight inches high, one foot long, and four inches wide, secured with a small brass lock. From his sleeve he produced a square of goose-yellow silk handkerchief, to which a small key was attached. He unlocked the case and took out a packet of medicine. This medicine was:

The droppings of a hundred birds from the mountains,

Swept and gathered to a thousand catties.

Cooked in a copper cauldron,

Simmered with even heat.

A thousand catties boiled down to one ladleful,

One ladleful refined to three parts.

The three parts must be stir-fried,

Calcined and fumished once more.

This poison, once made,

Is as precious as treasure and gems.

If one tastes its flavor,

He will see the King of Hell upon entering his mouth.

The priest said to the seven women, "Sisters, if this treasure of mine is given to a common man, a mere fraction of a grain will kill him upon reaching his stomach. If given to an immortal, three grains will do the job. These monks probably have some spiritual attainment, so we will need three grains. Quick, bring the scales." One of the women hastily brought a set of scales and said, "I will weigh out one and two-tenths of a grain, divided into four portions." She then took twelve red dates, cracked them slightly, and pressed a fraction of a grain into each, dividing them among four teacups. She also took two black dates and put them in one teacup, placed them on a tray, and said to the women, "Wait for me to go and question him. If he is not from the Tang, so be it. If he is from the Tang, I will have him change his tea. You then have the servant boy bring out this tea. Once they have drunk it, every one of them will die, and your hatred will be avenged and your vexation relieved." The seven women were deeply grateful.

The priest changed his clothes, assumed an air of humility and courtesy, and went out to invite Tripitaka and the others to sit again in the guest seats. He said, "Forgive me, venerable father. Just now I went to the back to instruct my young disciples to pick some greens and radishes and prepare a vegetarian meal to offer you, which is why I left you unattended." Tripitaka said, "This poor monk came with empty hands to pay his respects. How dare I trouble you to bestow a meal?" The priest said with a smile, "We are all clergy. When one sees a monastery gate, there are three pecks of official grain. What do you mean by empty hands? May I ask, venerable father, in which precious mountain do you dwell, and what brings you here?" Tripitaka said, "This poor monk is sent by the Great Tang Empire in the East to the Great Thunder Monastery in the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. Just now I passed by your immortal palace and came to pay my respects with all sincerity." When the priest heard this, his face beamed with delight. "The master is a Buddha of great loyalty and virtue. This humble priest did not know and failed to greet you from afar. Forgive me, forgive me." He called out, "Boy, go quickly and change the tea. And prepare the meal at once." The young boy went inside, and the women called to him, "Here is already good tea. Take it out." The boy accordingly brought out the five teacups. The priest hastily took one of the teacups with the red dates in both hands and offered it to Tripitaka. Seeing that Zhu Bajie had a large body, he took him to be the eldest disciple; he took Sha Wujing for the second disciple; and seeing that Sun Wukong was small in stature, he took him for the third disciple. So the fourth cup was offered to Wukong.

Wukong had sharp eyes. As he received the teacup, he had already noticed that the teacup on the tray was the one with the two black dates. He said, "Sir, let me exchange cups with you." The priest said with a smile, "I will not deceive you, venerable elder. A poor priest in the mountains cannot prepare tea and fruit all at once. Just now I went to the back to search for fruit myself, and I had only these twelve red dates, which I made into four cups of tea to offer you. Since I could not sit with empty hands, I put two inferior dates in one cup to keep you company. This is this humble priest's gesture of respect." Wukong said with a smile, "What kind of talk is that? The ancients said, 'Is one poor at home? It is poverty on the road that kills.' You are a man who lives at home—how can you speak of poverty? It is we wandering monks who are truly poor. Let me exchange with you. Let me exchange with you." When Tripitaka heard this, he said, "Wukong, this immortal elder truly means to be hospitable. Just drink it. Why exchange?" Wukong had no choice. He took the cup in his left hand, covered it with his right, and watched them.

Now Bajie was hungry and thirsty, and with his enormous appetite, he spotted three red dates in the teacup and gobbled them all down. Tripitaka ate too, and so did Sha Wujing. In an instant, Bajie's face changed color, Sha Wujing's eyes brimmed with tears, and Tripitaka foamed at the mouth. They could not keep their seats and collapsed to the ground in a swoon.

The Great Sage knew at once it was poison. He seized the teacup and hurled it straight at the Taoist's face. The Taoist raised his sleeve to block it. With a clang, the cup shattered on the floor. The Taoist fumed, "You boorish monk, how dare you smash my cup?" Sun Wukong cursed, "You beast! Look at what has happened to my three companions! What quarrel had I with you, that you should poison them with your drugged tea?" The Taoist said, "You uncouth brute—you've brought this calamity on yourself. Surely you know that?" Wukong said, "We only just entered your gate, exchanged greetings, and spoke of our hometowns. We uttered no harsh words—what calamity did we bring?" The Taoist said, "Did you not beg for food at the Silk-Cocoon Cave? Did you not bathe at the Cleansing-Spring Pool?" Wukong said, "The Cleansing-Spring Pool belongs to seven female demons. Since you mention it, you must have consorted with them—you are a demon yourself. Don't you dare run—take my staff!" The Great Sage drew the golden-banded cudgel from his ear, twirled it to the size of a bowl's mouth, and smashed it at the Taoist's face. The Taoist dodged in haste and drew his precious sword to meet the attack.

As they cursed and fought, they alarmed the female demons inside. The seven rushed out together, crying, "Brother, don't trouble yourself—let us little sisters capture him." Wukong saw them and only grew more furious. He gripped the iron staff with both hands, unleashed his full arsenal, and rolled in among them, striking wildly. The seven flung open their robes, bared their snow-white bellies, and worked their magic from their navel pores: torrents of silken thread poured forth, weaving into a great canopy that trapped Wukong beneath it. Seeing things had gone against him, the Great Sage turned a somersault, muttered an incantation, burst through the canopy, and escaped. Suppressing his anger, he hovered in midair and watched. The demons' silk threads glittered and crisscrossed, weaving warp and weft like a loom, and in an instant the towers and halls of the Yellow-Flower Temple vanished behind a curtain of silk. Wukong said, "Formidable, formidable! Good thing they didn't get their hands on me. No wonder Bajie fell so hard. But what can be done? My master and my brother disciples are still poisoned. These demons are united in purpose—I know not what their origins are. I shall go ask the local earth god."

The Great Sage descended on his cloud, pinched his fingers, and intoned the sacred syllable "Om," summoning the old earth god once more. Trembling, the deity knelt by the roadside and kowtowed. "Great Sage, I thought you went to save your master—why have you returned?" Wukong said, "I rescued my master earlier and had not gone far when we came upon a Yellow-Flower Temple. My master and I went inside to look around, and the temple's master welcomed us. We had barely exchanged words when he drugged my master and the others with poisoned tea. I happened not to drink the tea, so I attacked him with my staff. Then he mentioned begging for food at the Silk-Cocoon Cave and bathing at the Cleansing-Spring Pool—I knew then he was a demon. I had only just raised my hand to fight when the seven women ran out and spewed their silk threads. Old Sun had the good sense to escape. Since you are the god of this region, you must know their origins—what manner of demons are they? Tell me truthfully, and I'll spare you a beating." The earth god kowed and said, "These demons have dwelt here less than ten years. I only discovered their true form three years ago when I made my inspection—they are seven spider spirits. The silk threads they spit are cobwebs." When Wukong heard this, he was overjoyed. "In that case, they are small fry. Very well—go back, and wait for me to work my magic and subdue them." The earth god kowtowed and departed.

Wukong went to the outside of the Yellow-Flower Temple, plucked seventy hairs from his tail, blew on them with immortal breath, and cried, "Transform!" They became seventy little Pilgrims. He then blew on his golden-banded cudgel and cried, "Transform!" It became seventy-one double-pronged forked staffs. He gave one to each little Pilgrim and kept one for himself. Standing outside, they all set to stirring and hacking at the silk threads together, pulling and snapping them in unison. They broke off more than ten catties of thread each. From inside they dragged out seven spiders, each the size of a bushel measure. They were huddled with their legs drawn in and their heads tucked, crying, "Spare us, spare us!" The seventy little Pilgrims held the seven spiders fast and would not let them go. Wukong said, "Don't kill them yet—make them return my master and my brother disciples." The demons cried out in a shrill voice, "Brother, return Tripitaka and save our lives!" The Taoist came running from inside, saying, "Sister, I mean to eat Tripitaka—I cannot save you." When Wukong heard this, he flew into a rage. "Since you won't return my master, then look at what becomes of your sisters!" The Great Sage twirled his forked staff, which became one iron cudgel again. He raised it with both hands and beat the seven spider spirits to a pulp.

He then shook his tail twice, withdrew his hairs, and rushed inside alone, staff in hand, to attack the Taoist. The Taoist, seeing his sister-spirits slain, could not bear it and fought back with savage resolve, raising his sword to meet the onslaught. Both burned with fury and unleashed their full powers. What a battle this was:

The fiend swung his precious sword; the Great Sage raised his golden-banded staff. Both fought for the sake of Tripitaka of Tang, having first caused the seven maidens to perish. Now they displayed their vast cunning and applied their awesome power to flaunt their might. The Great Sage's divine radiance blazed strong; the demonic immortal's courage ran fierce. Their full repertoire of skill unfolded like a brocade of flowers; their hands flew and turned like a well-wheel. Clang and bang, the clash of sword and staff resounded. Gloomy and pale, the wild clouds floated. They traded barbs and deployed stratagems, back and forth like a painted scene. They fought until the wind howled and sand flew, making wolves and tigers afraid; heaven grew dark and earth dimmed, and the stars of the Dipper vanished.

The Daoist and the Great Sage fought for fifty or sixty rounds, and gradually the Daoist felt his arms growing weak. For a moment he relaxed his sinews, then unfastened his sash and, with a sudden ripping sound, cast off his black robe. The Pilgrim laughed, "My son, if you can't beat someone, stripping off your clothes won't help either."

The truth was, once the Daoist had stripped off his garments, he raised both arms together. Along both sides of his ribs were a thousand eyes, and from those eyes burst forth golden rays of light, exceedingly fierce and terrible:

Dense and thick, the yellow fog; brilliant and dazzling, the golden light. Dense and thick, the yellow fog—from both sides of his ribs it seemed to spew clouds; brilliant and dazzling, the golden light—from a thousand eyes it seemed to belch fire. To the left and right he looked like golden vats; east and west he resembled bronze bells. This was the demonic immortal deploying his magical power, the Daoist displaying his supernatural ability: the dazzling light obscured heaven and veiled the sun and moon; the blinding glow enveloped people in stifling, hazy heat. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, was trapped within the golden light and yellow fog.

The Pilgrim panicked and flailed about, spinning wildly within the shadow of the golden light. He could not take a step forward; he could not move a foot backward. It was as though he were turning about inside a barrel. Unable to bear his frustration any longer, he leaped upward with all his strength, but smashed against the golden light and tumbled headlong, falling flat on his face. He felt that his head ached from the bump. He quickly reached up to touch it and found the skin on his crown had been knocked soft. He fretted to himself, "Bad luck, bad luck! Even this head of mine is useless today. Normally, no sword or axe can harm it, yet how could this golden light knock my flesh soft? In time to come it will certainly fester with pus. Even if it heals, it will be nothing but tetanus." After a while his frustration became unbearable, and he reasoned with himself: "I can't go forward, I can't retreat, I can't move left, I can't move right, and I can't go up without crashing. What am I to do? To hell with it—I'll go down."

The good Great Sage recited an incantation, shook his body, and transformed into a pangolin, also known as a *linglin* scale. Truly it was:

Four iron claws—boring through mountains and crushing rocks as if grinding them to powder; scales covering his body—splitting ridges and piercing cliffs as if slicing scallions. His two eyes were bright, just like twin shining stars; his mouth was sharp and pointed, surpassing even a steel drill or golden auger in keenness. The pangolin has potency in medicine; in common speech it is called the *linglin* scale.

Watch him: hardening his head, he bored into the ground and drilled for more than twenty *li* before emerging. As it turned out, the golden light only covered a span of some ten-odd *li*. He came out and resumed his true form, weak in his limbs and numb in his sinews, aching all over, unable to stop the tears streaming from his eyes. Suddenly he cried out in a choked voice, "Master!

Once we left the mountain heeding the Teaching,

Together we labored hard on the journey west.

Great ocean waves held no terror for us,

Yet in a ditch we met our storm."

The Handsome Monkey King was just when his grief was most keen when he heard someone weeping behind the mountain. He wiped away his tears, straightened himself, and turned to look. He saw a woman dressed in heavy mourning, in her left hand holding a bowl of cold rice-water and in her right hand grasping several sheets of burnt paper money and yellow cash. From that direction she came, step by step, weeping as she walked. The Pilgrim nodded and sighed, saying, "Truly it is said: 'A weeping eye meets a weeping eye; a heartbroken person encounters a heartbroken person.' I wonder why this woman is weeping. Let me ask her." Before long the woman came forward to meet the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim bowed and asked, "Lady Bodhisattva, who is it that you weep for?"

The woman, tears brimming, said, "My husband was arguing with the abbot of Yellow Flower Temple over the purchase of bamboo poles, and the abbot poisoned him to death with drugged tea. I am burning this paper money to repay the bond between husband and wife."

When the Pilgrim heard this, tears welled in his eyes. The woman, seeing this, grew angry and said, "How ignorant you are! I grieve for my husband in my sorrow—how can you put on tearful brows and mock me with a deceitful heart?"

The Pilgrim bowed and said, "Lady Bodhisattva, be not angry. I am Sun Wukong, the Pilgrim, chief disciple of the Imperial Brother Tripitaka of the Great Tang in the East, sent on a mission to the West. Passing by Yellow Flower Temple, I stopped to rest the horse. The Daoist abbot there—I know not what manner of demon he is—had become sworn siblings with seven spider spirits. The spider spirits tried to harm my master at the Silk-Cocoon Cave, but my fellow disciples Bajie, Shaseng, and I rescued him. The spider spirits went to him and told tales behind our backs, saying we had deceived them. The Daoist then drugged my master, my fellow disciples, and me—three men and the horse, four in all—with poisoned tea and held them captive in his temple. Only I did not drink the tea; I dashed the teacup to the ground, and he fought with me. While we were shouting at each other, the seven spider spirits ran out and spat silk ropes to ensnare me, but I used my powers to escape. I asked the local earth spirit and learned his true form. Then I used my body-dividing technique to sever all the silk ropes, dragged the demon out, and beat him to death with one flurry of my staff. This Daoist then sought vengeance for him and raised his sword to fight me. After sixty rounds he was defeated, and then he stripped off his clothes. From his ribs on both sides appeared a thousand eyes, emitting ten thousand beams of golden light that trapped me. That is why I could neither advance nor retreat, and had to transform into a *linglin* scale and burrow out through the earth. Just as I was grieving, I heard you weeping, and so I asked. Seeing that you have this paper money to repay your husband, while my master has lost his life and I have nothing at all to offer in return, I grieved for my own sake. How dare I mock you?"

The woman set down the watery meal and paper money, and bowed apologetically to Pilgrim, saying, "No offense, no offense! I didn't know you were a victim of calamity. Now that I've heard your story, I realize you don't know that Taoist priest. He is actually the Hundred-Eyed Demon King, also called the Many-Eyed Monster. Since you possess such transformative powers, can escape his golden light, and fight him for so long, you must possess great supernatural abilities. Yet you still cannot get close to him. I'll tell you to seek out a sage who can break that golden light and subdue that Taoist priest."

When Pilgrim heard this, he at once pressed his palms together and said, "If the Bodhisattva knows of this matter, I beg you to instruct me. Who exactly is this sage? I will go and request his help to rescue my master from this calamity and avenge your husband."

The woman said, "Even if I tell you and you go ask him, once he subdues the Taoist priest, you can only avenge your wrongs. I'm afraid he won't be able to save your master."

Pilgrim said, "Why can't he save him?"

The woman said, "That monster's poison is most vicious: once a person is drugged, within three days his marrow will all rot away. If your round trip takes too long, he won't be able to save him."

Pilgrim said, "I know how to travel! No matter how far it is, it only takes me half a day."

The woman said, "Since you can travel, listen to me: from here to that place is a thousand *li* away. There is a mountain there called Purple Cloud Mountain. On the mountain is a cave called the Cave of a Thousand Flowers, and in the cave lives a sage called Pilanpo. She can subdue this monster."

Pilgrim said, "In which direction does that mountain lie? Which way do I go?"

The woman pointed with her hand and said, "Straight south." When Pilgrim turned to look, the woman had already vanished. Pilgrim hastily bowed and said, "Which Bodhisattva are you? This disciple of yours has been too dazed to recognize you. I humbly beg you to leave your name so that I may thank you."

Only a voice from midair cried out, "Great Sage, it is I!" Pilgrim quickly raised his head and saw that it was the Old Mother of Mount Li. He rushed into the air to thank her, saying, "Where have you come from to instruct me, Old Mother?"

The Old Mother said, "I have just returned from the Dragon-Flower Assembly and saw that your master was in trouble. I disguised myself as a mourning wife, using the pretext of her husband's death, to save him from dying. Go quickly and ask her. But you must not reveal that it was I who instructed you. That sage is rather peculiar and easily offended."

Pilgrim thanked her, took his leave, and with one somersault of his cloud, he arrived directly at Purple Cloud Mountain. He steadied his cloud and saw the Cave of a Thousand Flowers. Outside the cave:

Green pines screened the splendid scene;

Winding cypresses surrounded the immortal's abode.

Green willows lined the mountain path;

Exotic flowers filled the streams and gullies.

Fragrant orchids encircled the stone cottage;

Sweet grass reflected from the rocks and crags.

Flowing waters joined the emerald streams;

Clouds enveloped the ancient trees in haze.

Wild birds chattered noisily;

Quiet deer paced slowly.

Slender bamboo, each stalk elegant;

Red plum blossoms, each leaf unfurling.

Cold crows roosted in ancient trees;

Spring birds chattered in tall ailanthus trees.

Summer wheat spread broadly across the fields;

Autumn grain remained abundant on the ground.

In all four seasons no leaves fell;

In all eight periods flowers bloomed as always.

Auspicious mist constantly rose to reach the Milky Way;

Sacred clouds forever stretched to join the Great Void.

The Great Sage walked in joyfully, unable to take in all the boundless scenery at every turn and step. He went straight inside, but there was no one there—it was still and quiet, without even the sound of chickens or dogs. He thought to himself, "This sage must not be home." After going several more *li*, he saw a Taoist nun sitting on a couch. Observe what she looked like:

She wore a brocade hat adorned with five flowers,

And a robe of woven gold.

On her feet were cloud-tipped phoenix-head shoes;

At her waist was a silk sash with double tassels.

Her face was like autumn's visage, aged by frost;

Her voice was like a spring swallow, delicate before the festival.

Long had she mastered the Three Vehicles within her bosom;

Ever had she cultivated the Four Noble Truths in her heart.

She had awakened to the true fruit of emptiness;

She had perfected the practice and found her own freedom.

She was indeed a Buddha within the Cave of a Thousand Flowers—

The Bodhisattva Pilanpo, of exalted name.

Pilgrim could not stop himself. He stepped forward and called out, "Bodhisattva Pilanpo, I greet you!" The Bodhisattva immediately rose from her couch, pressed her palms together, and returned the greeting, saying, "Great Sage, I have failed to welcome you properly. Where have you come from?"

Pilgrim said, "How do you know that I am the Great Sage?"

Pilanpo said, "When you caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace back then, your likeness was spread throughout the world. Who doesn't know you? Who wouldn't recognize you?"

Pilgrim said, "Indeed, 'Good deeds don't leave the door, but evil deeds travel a thousand *li*.' Now that I have returned to the orthodox Buddhist path, you don't know about that?"

Pilanpo said, "When did you return to the orthodox path? Congratulations, congratulations!"

Pilgrim said, "I have only recently escaped with my life, protecting my master, the Tang Monk, on his journey to the West to obtain scriptures. My master encountered a Taoist priest at Yellow-Flower Monastery, who drugged him with poisoned tea. I fought with that wretch, and he released golden light to trap me. I used my supernatural powers to escape. I heard that you, Bodhisattva, can destroy his golden light, so I have come to humbly request your help."

The Bodhisattva said, "Who told you about me? Ever since I attended the Ullambana Assembly, over three hundred years have passed, and I have never left my door. I have hidden my name, and not a single person knows of me. How did you find out?"

Pilgrim said, "I am an underground ghost—no matter where, I can always find out for myself."

Pilanpo said, "So be it, so be it. I really shouldn't go, but since the Great Sage has deigned to visit, I cannot extinguish the goodness of your quest for scriptures. I will go with you."

Wukong thanked her and said, "I was too ignorant and rashly pressed you. But I wonder—what weapon did you bring?" The Bodhisattva said, "I have an embroidery needle that can defeat that creature." Wukong could not help saying, "Old Mother, you've misled me! Had I known it was an embroidery needle, there'd have been no need to trouble you—I could have gotten a whole load from Old Sun himself." Pilan said, "Your embroidery needle is nothing but a steel or golden pin—it's useless. My treasure is neither steel, nor iron, nor gold; it was refined in my son's solar eye." Wukong said, "Who is your son?" Pilan said, "My son is the Star Official Mao Ri." Wukong was struck with amazement. Soon he saw a dazzling golden light and turned back to Pilan, saying, "The place where the golden light shines is the Yellow Flower Temple." Pilan then drew forth an embroidery needle from the collar of her garment, about as thick as an eyebrow and five or six fen long. She pinched it in her hand and tossed it into the void. In a short moment, a sound rang out and the golden light was shattered. Wukong rejoiced: "Bodhisattva, splendid, splendid! Retrieve the needle, retrieve the needle!" Pilan held it in her palm and said, "Here it is, isn't it?" Wukong then descended the cloud together with her and walked into the temple. There they saw the Taoist priest with his eyes closed, unable to move a step. Wukong cursed, "You wretched monster, playing blind, are you!" He pulled out his staff from his ear and was about to strike when Pilan seized his arm and said, "Great Sage, do not strike. Let us first see to your master."

Wukong made his way to the guest quarters in the back, where he found all three of them lying on the ground, spitting phlegm and spittle. Wukong wept and said, "What shall we do? What shall we do?" Pilan said, "Great Sage, grieve not. Since I came out today, I might as well do a deed of hidden merit. I have here three pills of an antidote—I shall give them to you." Wukong turned and bowed to beg for them. The Bodhisattva drew forth a crumpled paper packet from her sleeve and handed Wukong three red pills, instructing him to place them in their mouths. Wukong pried open their jaws and forced a pill into each of them. Presently the medicine reached their bellies, and all of them began retching at once. They vomited up the poison and their lives were saved. Zhu Bajie was the first to scramble up, saying, "I was nearly suffocated to death!" Tang Sanzang and Sha Wujing both awoke and said, "How dizzy we feel!" Wukong said, "The tea you drank was poisoned. It is thanks to the Bodhisattva Pilan that we were rescued—come quickly and bow to thank her." Sanzang straightened his robes and bowed his thanks.

Bajie said, "Elder Brother, where is that Taoist priest? Let me ask him why he tried to harm us like this." Wukong told him the whole story of the spider spirits. Bajie said fiercely, "Since that fellow is the sisters of the spiders, he must be a demon." Wukong pointed and said, "He is standing outside the hall, playing blind." Bajie grabbed his rake and was about to strike when Pilan stopped him again, saying, "Marshal Tianpeng, restrain your anger. The Great Sage knows that my cave is unoccupied—let me take him back to guard my gate." Wukong said, "We are deeply indebted to your great virtue and would not presume to refuse. But make him reveal his true form so that we may see it." Pilan said, "That is easily done." She stepped forward and pointed at him with her finger. The Taoist priest collapsed to the ground in the dust and revealed his true body—a giant centipede spirit seven feet long. Pilan picked him up with her little finger, mounted a propicious cloud, and departed straight for the Thousand Flower Cave.

Bajie looked up in awe and said, "That old mother is truly formidable! How could she subdue such a foul creature?" Wukong laughed and said, "I asked her what weapon she had to break through his golden light. She said she had an embroidery needle, refined by her son in his solar eye. When I asked who her son was, she said it was the Star Official Mao Ri. Now, Mao Ri is a rooster, so this old mother must be a hen. Roosters are the natural enemies of centipedes, and that is how she was able to subdue him."

When Sanzang heard this, he bowed in reverence without end. He said, "Disciples, let us pack up and be on our way." Sha Wujing found some rice and grain inside and prepared a vegetarian meal, and they all ate their fill. They led the horse, shouldered the packs, and asked the master to set out. Wukong set fire to the kitchen and in an instant the entire temple was reduced to ashes. Then they strode onward. Truly it was:

Tang Seng's life was saved by Pilan's grace,

The many-eyed fiend dispelled, his nature purified.

What lay ahead on the road, you will hear in the next chapter.