Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Here Tang Seng, melancholy and full of sorrow, followed the king to the rear palace. He heard the thunder of drums and music, and smelled strange fragrant scents assailing his nostrils. He kept his head lowered and dared not look up. The Pilgrim, secretly pleased, pressed himself against the top of the Vairocana hat, channeling his divine radiance and opening his fiery golden eyes to observe. He saw the two rows of robed ladies arranged like immortals in a celestial palace, surpassing even spring breezes through embroidered curtains. Truly:

Graceful and slender, with skin of ice and jade—

Each pair more lovely than the maids of Chu,

Each couple fairer than Xi Shi herself.

Cloud-like chignons coiled high, flying with phoenix hues,

Faint brows like distant mountains lowering below.

Elegant sheng mouth-organs played, and flutes and drums sounded often.

Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Wu—rising and falling in harmony.

Pure songs and lovely dances were ever delightful;

Brocade-piled flowers and clustered colors brought pleasure to every eye.

The Pilgrim saw that his master's heart was unmoved at all. Secretly he smacked his lips and praised him: "A good monk! A good monk! His body dwells amid brocade and embroidery, yet his heart feels no desire; his feet tread precious jade, yet his mind entertains no delusion."

Presently, the empress and the imperial consorts surrounded the princess as she came out of the Cique Palace to greet them together, all crying out: "Ten thousand years to our king! Ten thousand, ten thousand years!" This threw the old elder into a trembling panic, not knowing what to do. The Pilgrim had already discerned the truth. He saw a faint trace of demonic miasma hovering above the princess's head, though it was not particularly ferocious. He quickly crawled close to the elder's ear and called out: "Master, the princess is a fake." The elder said: "If she is a fake, how do we make her reveal her true form?" The Pilgrim said: "Use your dharma body and seize her here." The elder said: "No, no! We must not alarm the royal presence. Wait until the king and the courtiers have withdrawn, then employ your powers."

The Pilgrim was by nature impatient and could not bear to wait. With a great shout, he revealed his true form, rushed forward, and seized the princess, cursing: "Wretched beast! You have been playing at being real here, enjoying yourself to your heart's content—and still you are not satisfied! You wanted to deceive my master and destroy his true yang, to gratify your lust!" This so terrified the king that he stood dazed and paralyzed; the consorts stumbled and crawled; not a single palace lady or robed maiden failed to hide herself east or west, each saving her own life. It was just like:

A sweeping spring breeze, an autumn chill.

The sweeping spring breeze passes through the garden—a thousand flowers sway.

The autumn chill arrives in the forbidden park—ten thousand leaves flutter.

It snaps the peonies tilted by the railing; it blows the peonies flat beside the balustrade.

By the pond's bank the hibiscus tremble wildly; on the terrace base chrysanthemums pile in heaps.

The begonias, powerless, fall into the dust; the roses, fragrant, sleep in the wild.

The spring breeze snaps the lotus stems; the winter snow presses crooked the tender plum blossom buds.

Pomegranate petals scatter randomly east and west within the inner court;

Willow branches trail slantwise north and south across the imperial palace.

A night's wild wind and rain upon fine flowers—countless fallen reds spread like brocade upon the ground.

Tang Seng was utterly flustered. Trembling, he embraced the king and cried out: "Your Majesty, do not be afraid, do not be afraid! This is my unruly disciple employing his powers to distinguish the true from the false."

Now when the demon saw that things were not going as planned, she wrenched free, stripped off her garments, shook her head, and let her hairpins and ornaments fall. She ran to the Earth God temple in the imperial garden, took out a short club shaped like a pestle, and turning sharply, rushed back to strike the Pilgrim wildly. The Pilgrim immediately followed and met her with his iron staff. The two of them shouted and fought within the garden. Then they displayed their great divine powers, each mounting the clouds and battling in the air. This encounter:

The golden-hooped iron staff had a famous name;

The pestle-shaped short club was unknown to all.

One had come to this land seeking the true scriptures;

One had lingered here for love of rare flowers.

The demon had long known the Tang sage monk

And sought to join with his essence of primal yang.

The year before she had seized the true princess,

Transformed herself into human form, and was cherished and adored.

Now the Great Sage recognized the demonic miasma,

Came to rescue the living and distinguish the false from the true.

The short club struck murderously at the head;

The iron staff displayed its power, smashing forward face to face.

Shouting and clamoring, they grappled—

Clouds and mist filled the sky, blotting out the sun.

The two of them fought in midair, terrifying the common people of the whole city and frightening the many officials within the palace. The elder supported the king, crying out: "Do not be alarmed! Please tell the empress and the rest not to be afraid. Your princess is a false form pretending to be real. When my disciple captures her, we shall know the truth." Some of the bolder consorts gathered up the garments and hairpins and showed them to the empress, saying: "These are what the princess wore. Now she has cast them all off and, naked, fights with that monk in the sky—she must surely be a demon or evil spirit." Only then did the king and the consorts regain their composure and gaze upward into the air, but no more of this.

Now the demon and the Great Sage fought for half the day without either gaining the advantage. The Pilgrim flung his staff into the air and cried out: "Transform!" At once one became ten, ten became a hundred, a hundred became a thousand—filling the sky like coiling snakes and writhing pythons, striking the demon in chaos. The demon, flustered and panicked, transformed into a clear breeze and fled straight up into the azure void. The Pilgrim recited a spell, gathered his iron staff back into a single rod, and riding auspicious light, gave chase. Approaching the Western Heavenly Gate, he saw the fluttering banners and shouted fiercely: "Guards of the Heavenly Gate—stop the demon! Do not let her escape!" Indeed, the Guardian King of the Heavenly Gate, leading the four great marshals Pang, Liu, Gou, and Bi, blocked her with their weapons. The demon could not advance. She turned back sharply, wielded her short club, and grappled with the Pilgrim once more.

The Great Sage swung his iron staff and looked carefully. He saw that the short club was thick at one end and thin at the other, resembling the pestle of a rice mortar. With a roar he shouted: "Wretched beast! What weapon do you wield, that you dare to oppose Old Sun? Surrender quickly, lest this staff shatter your skull!" The demon gritted her teeth and said: "You do not know my weapon either. Listen to me:

My immortal root is a piece of suet-white jade,

Ground and shaped—no reckoning of years.

When primeval chaos was parted, I had already obtained it;

When the vast haze was judged, I was foremost.

My origin is no common earthly thing;

My inborn nature dwells in the Upper Heavens.

One body of golden radiance and four auspicious signs,

Five-Phase auspicious energy united with the Three Primes."

"With me she long dwelt inside the Toad Palace,

By my side she ever abode near Cassia Hall.

Because she loved flowers, she descended to the mortal world;

In Tiantai she came, assuming a beauty's guise.

With you she sought joy, with no other intent—

She wished to wed Tang Seng, to fulfill a destined bond.

How could you break this match with a faithless heart?

You hunt her down, fighting on, fierce and cruel!

Your weapon has a mighty name, I grant,

Yet before my Golden-Hooped Rod it stands no chance.

It's the Medicine-Pounding Pestle of the Moon Palace Palace—

One blow from it sends a man down to the Springs."

When Tripitaka heard this, he said with a cold laugh, "Wretched beast! Since you dwell within the Toad Palace, you should know Old Sun's methods. How dare you bandy words here? Show yourself and surrender at once, and I'll spare your life." The monster replied, "I know you are the Horse-Groom who caused havoc in the Heavens five hundred years ago. By rights I should yield to you. But to break off a marriage is like slaying one's parents—this I cannot bear in my heart. So I shall fight you, that Heaven-insulting, Heaven-defying Horse-Groom!" The Great Sage burned with rage at the words "Horse-Groom." Upon hearing them, his fury surged, and he raised his iron rod and struck straight at the monster's face. The demon lifted his pestle to meet him. Before the West Heaven Gate, they clashed with savage fury. In this battle:

The Golden-Hooped Rod, the Medicine-Pounding Pestle—

Two celestial weapons truly well matched.

One had descended to the world to seal a marriage,

The other had come here to protect Tripitaka Tang.

It turned out the king lacked proper conduct—

His love of flowers had lured this demon's delight.

And so now they fought in bitter strife,

Both sides stirred by a stubborn will.

Charging and clashing, they vied for victory;

Taunting and jeering, they matched each other's tongue.

The hero with the Pestle was rarely found in this world,

Yet the divine might of the iron rod surpassed it still.

A dazzling golden radiance blurred the Heaven Gate;

Colored mists and brilliant light stretched to the very earth.

They fought more than a dozen rounds,

And the demon, his strength failing, could no longer hold out.

After battling the Pilgrim for over a dozen more rounds, the monster saw that Sun Wukong's rod struck too densely and judged he could no longer win. He made a feint with his pestle, shook his body, and in a blaze of ten thousand rays of golden light, fled straight south. The Great Sage gave chase. Suddenly they reached a great mountain. The monster pressed down his golden light, burrowed into a cave, and vanished without a trace. Fearing he might slip back to the kingdom by stealth and harm Tripitaka, the Pilgrim memorized the shape of the mountain and turned his cloud back toward the kingdom.

By then it was the hour of shen. The king was clutching Tripitaka, trembling all over, crying out, "Save me, Holy Monk!" The consorts and the queen were also in a panic. Then the Great Sage descended from the clouds and called out, "Master, I'm here!" Tripitaka said, "Wukong, stand still—don't alarm His Majesty. I ask you: what exactly happened with the false princess?" Wukong stood outside the Magpie Palace, hands clasped before his chest, and said, "The false princess is a demon. At first I fought her for half a day. She could not match me and transformed into a pure breeze, fleeing straight toward the Heaven Gate. I shouted at the heavenly gods to block her way. She revealed her true form and fought me for more than a dozen rounds. Then she transformed her body into golden light and fled in defeat to a mountain in the south. I chased her to the mountain but could not find her anywhere. Fearing she might come here to harm you, I returned specially." When the king heard this, he pulled at Tripitaka and asked, "Since the false princess is a demon, where is my real princess?" Wukong answered, "Wait until I capture the false princess, and your real princess will naturally return." When the queen and consorts heard these words, their fear dissolved. One after another they came forward and bowed, saying, "We pray the Holy Monk will save our real princess. Once we can distinguish the light from the dark, we shall repay you handsomely." Wukong said, "This is no place for us to talk. I ask Your Majesty to leave the palace with my master and go up to the palace hall. Let the consorts each return to their quarters, and summon my fellow disciples Bajie and Shasheng to protect the master. Then I can go subdue the demon. In the first place, this separates the inner and outer courts; in the second, it eases my mind. I shall make the matter clear, to show the full effort of my heart." The king complied, expressing his gratitude again and again. He and Tripitaka went hand in hand out of the palace and straight to the hall. The consorts each returned to their quarters. On one side, a vegetarian meal was prepared; on the other, Bajie and Shasheng were summoned. In a moment, the two had already arrived. Wukong told them everything that had happened and instructed them to guard the master with all diligence. The Great Sage then mounted his somersault cloud and flew into the sky. The many officials before the hall bowed in worship toward the sky—but no more of this.

The Great Sage of Sun flew straight to the mountain in the south to search. It turned out the demon, having lost the battle, had come to this mountain and burrowed into a lair. He blocked the entrance with stones and hid himself in cowardice, refusing to come out. The Pilgrim searched for a while and saw no sign of movement. His heart grew restless and vexed. He pinched the mudra, recited the true words, and summoned the local land god and mountain spirit for questioning. Before long, the two deities arrived, kowtowing and saying, "We don't know, we don't know! Had we known, we would have greeted you from afar. We pray you forgive us." Wukong said, "I won't beat you. I ask you: what is this mountain called? How many demons are here? Tell me the truth, and I'll spare you punishment." The two deities reported, "Great Sage, this mountain is called Maoying Mountain. In the mountain there are only three rabbit burrows. Since ancient times there have been no demons here—it is a blessed land of the Five Circles. If the Great Sage seeks a demon, you'll find one on the road to the West." Wukong said, "Old Sun arrived in the kingdom of Tiantai in the West. The king there had a princess who was carried off by a demon and abandoned in the wilderness. The demon then transformed himself into the princess's likeness, deceived the king, erected a decorated tower, and threw an embroidered ball, wishing to recruit an imperial son-in-law. I was protecting Tripitaka Tang beneath that tower when the demon deliberately struck Tripitaka with the ball, wishing to mate with him and steal his primal yang. I saw through the ruse and appeared in the palace to seize him. He then cast off his human clothes and ornaments, wielding a short staff called the Medicine-Pounding Pestle, and fought me for half a day. He then transformed into a pure breeze and fled. Old Sun chased him to the West Heaven Gate and fought him for more than a dozen rounds. Unable to win, he again transformed into golden light and escaped to this place. How can he not be found?"

The two gods thereupon led Pilgrim to search inside the three burrows. They began at the burrow by the foot of the mountain, where they saw several grass hares, which were frightened away when they were spotted. When they searched the burrow at the very summit, they found two large rocks blocking the entrance. The local spirit said, "This must be where the fiend has fled in haste." Pilgrim at once used his iron staff to shove the rocks aside. The fiend was indeed hiding inside. With a whoosh, it leaped out and raised its medicine pestle to strike Pilgrim, who parried with his iron staff. The mountain deity was so terrified he stumbled backward, and the local spirit fled in panic. The fiend cursed the mountain deity and the local spirit, shouting, "Who told you to bring him here to find me?" Parrying the iron staff as best it could, fighting and retreating all the while, the fiend soared into the air.

At this moment of crisis, the sky was growing dark. Pilgrim became even more ferocious, pressing the attack with all his might, wishing he could smash it with a single blow. Suddenly, from beyond the nine-fold empyrean, someone called out, "Great Sage, don't strike! Don't strike! Stay your staff!" Pilgrim turned and saw that it was the Moon Goddess, followed by the goddess Heng'e, descending on colored clouds before him. Flustered, Pilgrim put away his iron staff and bowed, saying, "Where are you going, Old Mother Yin? This old Sun failed to avoid you in time." The Moon Goddess said, "This fiend you are fighting is the Jade Rabbit from my Guanghan Palace, who pounds the immortal medicine of mysterious frost. He secretly opened the jade bolts and golden locks and left the palace, and it has been a year now. I calculated that he would soon face the disaster of losing his life, and I came especially to save him. I hope the Great Sage will spare him for my sake." Pilgrim replied obediently, "Of course, of course. No wonder he knew how to use a medicine pestle—so he's the Jade Rabbit! Old Mother Yin, you don't know that he abducted the princess of the Kingdom of Tianzhu, assumed her true form, and intended to destroy the primal yang of my holy master. His crime is truly grave! How can you simply pardon him?" The Moon Goddess said, "There is something you don't know either. That king's princess is no ordinary mortal; she was originally a Su'e of the toad palace. Eighteen years ago, she struck the Jade Rabbit with her palm, and then she longed to descend to the mortal world. A single spark of her soul entered the womb of the king's principal queen, and she was born there. The Jade Rabbit bore a grudge for that palm strike, so last year he secretly left the palace and abandoned Su'e in the wilderness. But he should not have tried to wed Tang Seng—this crime truly cannot be forgiven. Fortunately, you were vigilant and saw through the deception, and your master was not harmed. I earnestly hope you will pardon him for my sake, and I will take him back." Pilgrim said with a smile, "Since there are such karmic causes, this old Sun dare not oppose you. But now that you have taken the Jade Rabbit, I fear the king will not believe it. May I trouble the Moon Goddess and your immortal sisters to take the Jade Rabbit there, to the presence of the king, and make the truth clear before him: first, to demonstrate this old Sun's powers; second, to explain the reason for Su'e's descent to earth; and then to let the king retrieve the body of Princess Su'e, so that the meaning of karmic retribution may be made manifest."

The Moon Goddess accepted his words and pointed at the fiend, shouting, "You creature, return to your proper form and come here at once!" The Jade Rabbit rolled over and revealed its true form. It truly had:

A cleft lip and pointed teeth, long ears and sparse whiskers. Its body was a round mass of fur like jade; its hooves could traverse a thousand mountains as if flying. Its straight nose drooped like curds—truly rivaling frosty flowers in its powdery softness; its two eyes were red, as if outdoing the rouge dabbed on snow. Crouched on the ground, it was a huge pile of white, lustrous silk; stretching its body, it was a rack of white, gleaming silver threads. How many times had it sipped the clear dew at dawn in the jade heavens, pounding the medicine of immortality with its wondrous pestle!

When the Great Sage saw this, he was overjoyed and trod upon the clouds to lead the way. The Moon Goddess, leading the goddesses Heng'e, took the Jade Rabbit and headed straight for the borders of the Kingdom of Tianzhu. It was just at dusk, and the moon was rising. Reaching the city wall, they heard the drums being beaten on the watchtower. The king and Tang Seng were still in the hall; Eight Rules, Sha Seng, and the many officials were all on the steps, just discussing the adjournment of the court, when they saw in the due south a mass of colored clouds, bright as daylight. All raised their heads to look, and they heard the Great Sage Sun calling out loudly, "Your Majesty of Tianzhu, bring out your empress and concubines to look! Beneath this jeweled canopy is the Moon Goddess of the Lunar Palace; the immortal sisters on either side are the Chang'e of the moon. This Jade Rabbit is your false princess, and now her true form is revealed!" The king hastily summoned the empress, the concubines, the palace ladies, and the maidens to do obeisance toward the sky. He and Tang Seng and the many officials also bowed toward the sky in thanks. Throughout the entire city, every household without exception set up incense altars and knelt in prayer to Buddha. As they were watching, Pig Eight Rules was stirred by lust. Unable to restrain himself, he leaped into the air and embraced the Goddess of the Rainbow Robe, saying, "Sister, we are old acquaintances. Let's go have some fun together!" Pilgrim stepped forward, grabbed Eight Rules, and slapped him twice, cursing, "You boorish fool! What kind of place is this, that you dare indulge in lewd thoughts?" Eight Rules said, "Just a little casual diversion to pass the time." The Moon Goddess ordered the immortal canopy to turn, and together with all the goddesses Chang'e, she took the Jade Rabbit and returned straight to the Lunar Palace. Pilgrim dragged Eight Rules down to the mortal dust.

The king on his throne thanked the Pilgrim and further asked about the cause, saying, "Much do I owe to the great magical power of this divine monk in capturing the false princess. But where, then, is my real princess?" The Pilgrim said, "Your true princess is no mortal being either; she is the Su'e Immortal Maiden from the Moon Palace. Eighteen years ago, she struck the Jade Rabbit with her palm and thereupon longed for the mortal world. She descended to be reborn in the womb of your queen and was born into this world. The Jade Rabbit, nursing a grudge from that old grievance, stole out through the golden lock of the Jade Gate in years past and came down. She abducted Su'e and cast her out in the wilds, then transformed herself to deceive you. This entire sequence of cause and effect was told to me personally by the Lord of the Dark Lunar Essence. Now that the false one has been removed, tomorrow Your Majesty may go in person to find the true one." When the king heard this, his heart was filled with shame and remorse, and he could not stop the tears flowing down his cheeks. He said, "My child! I have sat upon the throne since youth. I have never even passed through the city gates—how can you ask me to go and seek you?" The Pilgrim laughed and said, "There is no need to worry. Your princess is now feigning madness in the Give-Alms Golden-Hued Monastery. For now, let everyone disperse; by daybreak I will return your true princess to you." The officials again prostrated themselves and memorialized: "Let our king take comfort. These several divine monks are Buddhas who can ride the clouds and mount the mists—they surely know the causes of the future and the past. Tomorrow, if the divine monks would trouble themselves to go and seek her together, we shall know the truth." The king followed their counsel and invited them to the Lingering Spring Pavilion for a vegetarian meal and rest. By then it was nearly the second watch of the night. And indeed:

The copper water-clock drips; the moonlight shines clear.

Golden bells tinkle and chime as the wind carries their sound.

The cuckoo cries—spring is half gone already;

Fallen flowers drift—there is no path near the third watch.

In the imperial garden, lonely shadows of the swing hang still;

The emerald sky stretches empty, the Silver River spanning across.

The three markets and six streets see no travelers;

One sky full of stars—the night air bright and clear.

That night, each retired to rest—no more to be said.

That night, the king's demonic energy receded and his spirits suddenly revived. By the third watch of the fifth watch, he again emerged to hold court. When the audience was over, he ordered that the four pilgrims be invited to discuss the search for the princess. The Elder arrived and performed his courtesies in the hall. The Great Sage and the other two together made a salutation. The king leaned forward and said, "Regarding the princess, my child, of whom we spoke yesterday, I venture to trouble the divine monks to seek and rescue her." The Elder said, "When this poor monk was traveling from the east some days ago and reached this place as evening fell, he saw a monastery called Give-Alms Golden-Hued and went there to ask for lodging. Happily, the monks received me. That evening, after the meal, I took a stroll under the moon and walked to the old Golden-Hued garden to view its foundations. Suddenly a sound of weeping reached my ears, and I inquired into the cause. An old monk of that monastery, over a hundred years of age, dismissed those around him and told me the whole story in detail, saying: 'The one weeping is from last spring, in the depths of the season. That old monk was then contemplating the nature of brightness and the moon, when suddenly a gust of wind arose and a woman was thrown to the ground before him. The monk asked her, and the woman said: "I am the princess of the Kingdom of Tianzhu. I was enjoying the moon and viewing flowers at night when the wind blew me here."' That old monk, well versed in human propriety, at once locked the princess in a secluded room. Fearing that the mischievous monks of his monastery might defile her, he told everyone she was a demoness whom he had locked up. The princess understood his intention. During the day she raved and raved, begging for some tea and rice to eat; at night, when no one was around, she thought of her parents and wept. That old monk had also come to the capital several times to make inquiries and saw that the princess in the palace was unharmed, so he dared not speak of it or bring it to the throne's attention. Seeing that my disciples possessed certain supernatural powers, the old monk gave me a thousand exhortations and ten thousand charges, instructing this poor monk to investigate upon reaching here. I did not expect that she was in truth the Toad-Palace Jade Rabbit, become a demon, who had joined false with true form and taken the shape of the princess. She also had the intention of destroying my primal yang. Fortunately, my disciples displayed their might and manifested their dharma, distinguishing the false from the true. She has now been taken back by the Lunar Star. The worthy princess is at this moment feigning madness in the Golden-Hued Monastery."

When the king heard this detailed account, he burst into loud weeping. This quickly alarmed the three palaces and six courtyards, all of whom came to inquire into the cause. There was not one among them who did not weep bitterly. After a long while, the king again asked: "How far is the Golden-Hued Monastery from the city?" Tripitaka said: "It is only sixty li away." The king then issued an edict: "Let the Eastern and Western palaces guard the hall, and the Grand Guardian of the State defend the court. I, together with the Empress and many officials and the four divine monks, shall go to the monastery to retrieve the princess." A royal procession was at once prepared, and the company set forth from the court.

Look now—the Pilgrim leaped into the air, twisted his waist, and arrived at the monastery first. The monks hastily knelt to receive him, saying, "When you left, Master, you walked on foot with the others. Today how have you descended from the sky?" The Pilgrim laughed and said, "Where is your abbot? Quickly have him come out, set up an incense table, and receive the royal procession. The king of Tianzhu, the empress, many officials, and my master are all coming." The monks did not understand his meaning and at once brought out the old monk. The old monk saw the Pilgrim and prostrated himself, saying, "Master, what has happened with the princess?" The Pilgrim gave him a full account of how the false princess had thrown an embroidered ball to seek a match with Tripitaka, how they had fought and chased, and how the Lunar Star had taken the Jade Rabbit away. The old monk again knocked his head and bowed in thanks. The Pilgrim raised him up, saying, "Don't bow yet, don't bow yet. Quickly prepare to receive the royal procession." Only then did the monks know that the woman locked in the back room was a human being. Each and every one was startled and overjoyed. They all set up incense tables, arrayed them outside the mountain gate, put on their kasaya robes, and struck the bells and drums to await the arrival.

Before long, the imperial procession arrived. And indeed:

Auspicious mist and radiant fragrance fill the sky with perfume;

A barren mountain is suddenly bathed in blessing.

Rainbows stream for a thousand years, purifying river and sea;

Lightning circles eternal spring, rivaling Yu and Tang.

Grass and trees, touched by grace, add to their beauty;

Wild flowers, moistened by dew, hold lingering fragrance.

Since ancient times the venerable one left traces here;

Today we rejoice that a wise ruler descends to this precious hall.

The King arrived outside the temple gate, where he saw all the monks in neat rows, prostrating themselves in welcome. He also noticed Pilgrim Sun standing in the middle. The King said, "Divine monk, how did you arrive here first?" Pilgrim Sun said with a smile, "Old Sun just twisted his waist a bit and got here. How come you all took half a day to arrive?" Shortly afterward, Tripitaka and the others arrived as well. The Elder led the imperial carriage to the back of the quarters, where the princess was still pretending to be mad and babbling nonsense. The old monk knelt and pointed, saying, "The princess who was blown here by the wind in previous years is inside this room." The King immediately ordered the door opened. The iron lock was undone at once, and the door swung open. The King and the Empress saw the princess and recognized her features. Paying no mind to her filth and squalor, they stepped forward and embraced her tightly, crying, "Our suffering child! How could you have endured such torment, suffering here like this?" Truly, the reunion of parents and child is different from that of others. The three held each other's heads and wept loudly. After weeping for a while, they concluded recounting their parting sorrows. The King then ordered fragrant bath water to be prepared and instructed the princess to bathe and change her clothes, after which she was placed in the carriage to return to the kingdom.

Pilgrim Sun cupped his hands before the King and said, "Old Sun still has one matter to present to Your Majesty." The King returned the salute and said, "If the divine monk has instructions, this servant shall obey." Pilgrim Sun said, "This mountain is called the Hundred-Feet Mountain. Lately there has been a centipede that achieved spiritual essence and harms people at night. Travelers coming and going find it most inconvenient. I have been thinking that only roosters can subdue centipedes. One may select a thousand absolutely mighty roosters and release them in the mountain to eliminate these poisonous insects. Then the name of this mountain should be changed—bestow an imperial edict to rename it, as a way of thanking this monk for his care of the princess." The King was greatly pleased and accepted the proposal. He immediately dispatched officials into the city to fetch the roosters. He also changed the name of the mountain to Baohua Mountain. He further ordered the Ministry of Works to provide materials for renovation, bestowed an official title, calling it the "Imperial Baohua Mountain Jinshi Alms-Giving Temple." The old monk was appointed National Guardian Monk, a hereditary position for all generations, with a salary of thirty-six dan. The monks thanked His Majesty for his favor and escorted the imperial carriage back to the palace.

The princess entered the palace and was reunited with everyone in turn. A banquet was arranged to relieve the princess's sorrow and celebrate her happiness. The empress and son were reunited once again. The King and his ministers also shared in the joy, feasting through the night—but no more of this.

The next morning, the King issued an edict summoning court painters to capture the likenesses of the four holy monks, to be venerated in the Tower of Chinese and Foreign Lands. He also invited the princess, freshly adorned and dressed anew, to appear before the palace to thank Tripitaka and his three disciples for their kindness in rescuing her from suffering. After the thanks were expressed, Tripitaka took leave of the King to journey west. The King was most reluctant to let them go. He prepared a grand feast, and they ate for five or six days running. The Idiot was truly well provided for—he exerted himself to the utmost and ate his fill.

Seeing that they were so devoted to the Buddha and could not be detained despite earnest entreaty, the King then took out two hundred ingots of gold and silver and a tray of precious objects to offer as thanks. The master and disciples did not accept a single thing. The King ordered the imperial carriage to be prepared, invited the master teacher to ascend it, and sent officials to escort them far on their way. The empresses, ministers, and common people all kowtowed in endless gratitude. When they reached the next stage of their journey, the monks also came to see them off, kowtowing, and none could bear to part. Pilgrim Sun saw that those seeing them off would not turn back. Having no other choice, he pinched the magic sign, blew a breath of immortal air toward the southeast, and a sudden dark wind blinded the eyes of all those seeing them off. Only then were they able to get away. Truly this was:

Cleansed by the waves of grace, they returned to their true nature;

Emerging from the golden sea, they awakened to the void of truth.

What happened on the road ahead, we do not yet know.

Let us hear about it in the next chapter.