Squire Ox

Among the three demons of Double-Fork Ridge, the one ranked last is called "Squire Ox." In archaic Chinese, the character te (特) refers to a bull or an ox; thus, he is a bull demon—not a powerhouse like the Bull Demon King who can stir the seas and overturn the rivers at will, but rather a wild bull spirit lurking in the desolate mountains, surviving by preying on passing travelers. Together with General Yin Tiger (a tiger spirit) and Bear Mountain Lord (a bear spirit), he forms the "trio" of Double-Fork Ridge. In the thirteenth chapter, they collaborate to devour two of Tang Sanzang's attendants, after which he exits the story forever. However, the title he chose for himself—"Squire" (chushi)—is far more interesting than his actual screen time.

The Name "Squire": A Literati's Self-Appellation in the Demon World

In ancient China, "Squire" (chushi) was a respectful term for scholars of great talent who chose to live as recluses rather than enter government service. Before Zhuge Liang descended from the mountains to help the state, he was a chushi; after Tao Yuanming retired to the countryside, he too could be called a chushi. This title carries a cultural aura of "indifference to fame and wealth" and "noble self-preservation"—implying that it is not that one cannot be an official, but that one is above such a position.

The contrast created by a man-eating bull demon in the wilderness naming himself "Squire Ox" is entirely intentional. Wu Cheng'en repeatedly employs this technique throughout Journey to the West: allowing demons to wrap their savage natures in the elegant terminology of the human world. General Yin Tiger's "General" is a military title; Bear Mountain Lord's "Mountain Lord" is an aristocratic honorific; and Squire Ox's "Squire" is the refined moniker of a scholar. Together, these three titles cover the social roles of "military officer, aristocrat, and scholar," forming a miniature version of "human social structure."

This irony is not limited to the trio of Double-Fork Ridge. Throughout the entire novel, demons exhibit an almost obsessive pursuit of "human titles." The Yellow-Robed Monster aspires to be a consort; King Golden Horn and King Silver Horn call themselves "Great Kings"; and the three immortals of Tiger, Deer, and Goat power strive to become "National Preceptors." They are not satisfied with being mere monsters in the mountains; they all crave an identity within the "establishment." Squire Ox's title is the inverse of this mindset: he does not seek a title within the system, but rather the air of a scholar who has "transcended the system." Yet, in essence, it is still vanity—simply a more "sophisticated" form of it.

The character te (特) itself is worth savoring. In archaic Chinese, besides referring to a bull, te also means "solitary" or "special." The name "Squire Ox" can be interpreted in two ways: first, as "the scholar among bull demons" (animal identity + cultural identity), and second, as "the special scholar" (emphasizing his uniqueness). Regardless of the interpretation, it suggests that this wild bull spirit is very "particular" about his self-positioning—he is not a crude brute, but a demon with "cultural taste." Of course, having cultural taste and eating people are two different things; Squire Ox nonetheless helped the other two demons devour Tang Sanzang's attendants until not a bone remained.

From a narrative perspective, Squire Ox's role in the trio is to "complete the number." The number three holds special significance in Chinese culture—seen in phrases like "three people walking," "three visits to the thatched cottage," or "three battles with the White Bone Demon." Wu Cheng'en needed three demons to create the oppressive feeling of a "demon swarm." If there were only General Yin Tiger, it would be an adventure story about "encountering a tiger"; with three demons appearing together, it becomes a desperate atmosphere of "stumbling into a demon's lair." As the third member, Squire Ox fulfills this numerical requirement while adding a layer of complexity to the group with his "literary" title.

There is no connection whatsoever between Squire Ox and the Bull Demon King. Although both are bull demons, one is a local powerhouse near Flower-Fruit Mountain, a sworn brother of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and the overlord of the demon race ruling Emerald Cloud Mountain and the mountains of the Red Child; the other is a minor character of Double-Fork Ridge, a "supporting actor's supporting actor" who vanishes after a single appearance. The gap between them is roughly that of a house cat and a Siberian tiger—though they belong to the same family, they do not inhabit the same world.

Related Characters

• General Yin Tiger — Leader of the Double-Fork Ridge trio, a tiger spirit.
• Bear Mountain Lord — One of the Double-Fork Ridge trio, a black bear spirit.
• Tang Sanzang — The potential prey of the Double-Fork Ridge trio, whose two attendants were eaten.
• Bull Demon King — A great demon of a vastly different rank, despite also being a bull spirit; he has no connection to Squire Ox.