Tang Sanzang rescued Sun Wukong from Wuzhishan

The Revelation of the Monkey King

Suddenly hearing cries of "Master!" Liu Boqin remarked to Tang Sanzang, "That must be the ancient ape imprisoned in the stone casket at the mountain’s foot." When Tang Sanzang inquired further, Liu explained: "This peak was once called Five Elements Mountain. After Tang Emperor Taizong’s western campaigns established our border, it was renamed Mountain of Two Realms. Elders say that when Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, this mountain fell from heaven to imprison a divine monkey. Fear not, Venerable One—let us descend and see."

After traveling several li, they discovered within a stone fissure a monkey whose head and arms protruded, frantically waving: "Master! Why so late? Free me, and I’ll protect you to the Western Heaven!"

"Who are you?" asked Tang Sanzang. The monkey recounted his tale and the Bodhisattva’s prophecy. Moved, Tang Sanzang asked, "How might I free you?" "Ascend the summit," urged the monkey, "and remove the golden talisman placed there by Tathagata." Tang Sanzang climbed to the peak, found a square boulder bearing the sacred script, and gently peeled it away.

As the monk and hunter retreated, an earth-shattering CRACK! split the mountain. Before Tang Sanzang’s terror could take hold, the monkey knelt before his horse, kowtowing four times. "Disciple," asked Tang Sanzang, "what is your name?" "My surname is Sun," he replied. "My Dharma name is Wukong—Awakened to Emptiness." "With your ascetic bearing," said Tang Sanzang, "I shall call you Pilgrim." Delighted, Sun Wukong became Sun the Pilgrim. Liu Boqin, witnessing this, took his leave.

Trials of the Pilgrim

Pilgrim bade Tang Sanzang mount while he led ahead, carrying their baggage. Suddenly, a ferocious tiger charged. Pilgrim plucked a needle from his ear, shook it into a club thick as a rice bowl, and crushed the beast’s skull with one blow. Plucking a hair, he blew upon it—"Change!"—transforming it into a skinning knife. From the pelt he fashioned a tunic and donned it.

At dusk, they sought shelter at a manor. When an old man answered Pilgrim’s knock and saw his thunder-god visage clad in tiger skin, he shrieked: "A demon!" Tang Sanzang steadied him: "Fear not, benefactor. This is my disciple, no ghost." Observing Tang Sanzang’s serene countenance, the host calmed and inquired, "What monastery sends a monk with such a fiend?" "I journey from Tang to worship Buddha and retrieve scriptures," Tang Sanzang explained. The old man welcomed them in and ordered a vegetarian feast.

The Six Bandits and the Fallout

At dawn they departed. Soon six brigands barred their path, brandishing weapons: "Halt, monk! Surrender horse and goods!" As Tang Sanzang quaked, Pilgrim reassured: "Worry not, Master. They bring us travel funds." Approaching, he demanded their purpose. "We’re highway kings!" one retorted. "Yield your belongings or be minced to dust!"

Pilgrim laughed: "I too was once a king. State your names!" They proclaimed: "Eye-Delighting! Ear-Angering! Nose-Loving! Tongue-Tasting! Mind-Desiring! Body-Suffering!" "Petty thieves!" scoffed Pilgrim. "Divide your loot seven ways with me, and I spare you." Enraged, they struck his head seventy-odd times—to no effect. "Sturdy pate!" they gasped. Pilgrim grinned: "My turn." His needle became a rod that scattered the thieves. He pursued and slew them all.

"Such havoc!" Tang Sanzang rebuked. "Though bandits, they deserved not death! We harm not even ants! Where is your compassion?"

"They’d have killed you!" protested Pilgrim. "I’d perish before harming others," Tang Sanzang countered. "Were authorities involved, no plea could justify this!"

"Five centuries ago," Pilgrim retorted, "I slaughtered thousands on Flower-Fruit Mountain!" "Hence your imprisonment!" Tang Sanzang admonished. "Persist in violence, and you’ll never reach the West or become a true monk. Too wicked! Too wicked!"

Stung by the reproach, Pilgrim’s temper flared: "Then I return whence I came!" Before Tang Sanzang could speak, he somersaulted into the clouds, vanishing. Abandoned, the monk trudged westward alone.

Dragon King’s Counsel

Sun Wukong’s somersault cloud carried him to the Eastern Ocean. Parting the waves, he entered the Crystal Palace. The Dragon King greeted him: "Great Sage! What brings you?" "Guanyin guided me to guard the Tang monk westward," said Pilgrim. "Why return?" The Dragon King served tea while Pilgrim recounted his dispute.

Noticing a painting titled Humbling at Yi Bridge, Pilgrim inquired. The Dragon King recounted: "This depicts Zhang Liang of Han. Walking near Xiapi, he met the immortal Huang Shigong on a bridge. The sage dropped his shoe downstream, commanding Zhang to retrieve it. Though tempted to strike the old man, Zhang retrieved the shoe and knelt to place it on his foot. For this humility, Huang Shigong gifted him military texts that founded the Han dynasty. Great Sage—if you shirk hardship and scorn your master’s guidance, you remain a demon-immortal, never attaining true enlightenment."

Pilgrim fell silent, then sighed: "I shall guard him after all."

The Fillet’s Bond

Returning, Pilgrim found Tang Sanzang sitting despondent. "Master, why linger?" "Where have you been?" Tang Sanzang sighed. "My words were harsh, but must you abandon me? I hunger, too weak to proceed."

"I’ll beg alms!" offered Pilgrim. "No need," said Tang Sanzang. "Fetch water—we have rations." As Pilgrim opened the baggage, he discovered an embroidered golden cap. "From the East?" he asked. "Guanyin gave it for my disciple," Tang Sanzang replied. Pilgrim donned it.

Tang Sanzang silently recited the Tight-Fillet Spell. "My head!" screamed Pilgrim, writhing. When the chanting ceased, the pain stopped. "You cursed me!" he accused. "I recited the Fillet-Tightening Sutra," Tang Sanzang feigned innocence. "Try again!" demanded Pilgrim. At the first syllables, agony returned. "Cease! It tortures me!"

"Now you’ll heed me?" asked Tang Sanzang. "Who taught you this sorcery?" groaned Pilgrim. "Guanyin bestowed robe, staff, and this cap—with its spell—before my journey," Tang Sanzang revealed. Pilgrim knelt: "Chant no more! I’ll guard you faithfully." "Then let us ride," said Tang Sanzang. Thus Pilgrim committed wholeheartedly, shouldering the baggage as they pressed westward. What trials awaited them? The next chapter will tell.