Chapter 62: Sweeping the Pagoda to Wash Away Grime; Binding the Demons and Returning to the Master

In the twelve double-hours, never let it slip your mind; through a hundred marks of effort, gather up the whole reward. Five years and one hundred and eight thousand circuits. Do not let the sacred waters dry up; do not let the blaze of fire breed sorrow.

When water and fire are brought into balance, nothing is harmed. The five elements link together like hooks. When yin and yang meet in harmony, they rise to the cloud tower. Ride the phoenix to the Purple Mansion, and mount the crane for Yingzhou.

This ci, set to the tune "Linjiang Xian," speaks only of how Tripitaka and his four companions brought water and fire into accord, so that their inborn coolness returned. By borrowing the Plantain Fan, they fanned out the hot fire and crossed the mountain. Before long they had covered eight hundred miles. The pilgrims went on at ease, drifting westward.

It was late autumn, turning toward winter. They saw:

Wild chrysanthemums dropping their last petals, and new plum buds just beginning to show.
Villages gathered in their harvests, and every hearth cooked fragrant broth.
In the level woods the leaves were falling, and far-off ridges stood bare; in the winding streams the frost grew heavy, and the hidden ravines turned clear.
The season answered the bells of winter, and the hibernating creatures sealed themselves away.
Pure yin filled the world; the moon's sovereign ruled the dark waters.
With water virtue in full force, even the clear days seemed to pity the sun.
Earth sank downward while heaven rose.
Rainbows disappeared, and ponds and marshes began to freeze.
On the hanging cliffs, vine flowers withered; pine and bamboo took on an even deeper cold green.

After they had traveled some time, a city came into view ahead. Tripitaka drew in his reins and called to his disciples, "Wukong, look over there. Those towers and halls stand high and proud. What place is that?"

Wukong looked up and saw that it was a city. Truly it was:

A coiling dragon in its terrain, a crouching tiger guarding its golden walls.
On all four sides, painted canopies seemed to draw near; through a hundred turns, the purple precinct lay level.
Jade and stone bridge rails were lined with clever beasts; golden platforms were set with wise and worthy men.
It was indeed the capital of a divine land, a splendid jade city in the storehouse of heaven.
Its thousand-mile borders were secure; its thousand-year dynasty prospered.
Barbarians bent in submission to the distant grace of the ruler, while seas and mountains came to court in a crowd of sacred rites.
The steps of the palace were clean, the carriage road quiet.
Wine shops rang with song, and flower towers shone with delight.
Outside the Hall of Everlasting Spring, one might almost expect the vermilion phoenix to cry at sunrise.

Wukong said, "Master, that city is the seat of some king."

Bajie laughed. "Every prefecture has a prefectural city and every county has a county seat. Why are you so sure this is a king's place?"

Wukong said, "You do not know this: a king's dwelling is different from a prefecture or county. Look at the ten-odd gates on all sides, the hundred-mile circuit, the tall towers, and the thick cloud-gathering mist. If this were not an imperial capital, what could have such splendor?"

Sha Wujing said, "Brother, your eye is sharp. You can tell it is a royal place, but what is its name?"

Wukong said, "There is no signboard or banner. How could one know? We must go inside and ask."

The elder spurred his horse and soon reached the gate. He dismounted, crossed the bridge, and entered. Six streets and three markets unfolded before him, rich in trade and wealth; the people were splendid in dress and grand in appearance.

As they walked on, they suddenly saw more than a dozen monks, each in a cangue and iron lock, begging from door to door. Their rags were truly beyond bearing. Tripitaka sighed. "A rabbit dead, a fox grieves. Each creature is moved by the sight of its own kind."

He said to Wukong, "Go ask them why they are suffering like this."

Wukong went as told and called out, "You monks, which temple are you from? Why do you wear cangues and iron locks?"

The monks knelt and said, "Masters, we are the wronged monks of Golden Light Temple."

Wukong asked, "Where is Golden Light Temple?"

"Just around the corner."

He brought them before Tripitaka and asked, "Tell us how you were wronged."

The monks said, "Masters, we do not know where you have come from, but you seem somehow familiar to us. We do not dare speak here. Please come to the barren mountain and let us tell you our suffering in full."

Tripitaka said, "That will do. Let us go to your temple and ask carefully what happened."

Together they went to the gate of the temple, where seven golden characters were written across the lintel: "Imperially Founded and Protected Golden Light Temple."

The pilgrims entered and looked around. This is what they saw:

The ancient halls were cold with incense and lamplight; the empty corridors were swept by leaves.
A thousand-foot pagoda rose into the clouds; a few pines fostered the mind.
Fallen blossoms covered the ground, and no visitor ever came; spider webs climbed the eaves at will.
Drums stood empty, and bells hung useless; the painted walls were thick with dust and the holy images blurred.
The lecture seat was silent, with no monk in sight; the meditation hall was still, and birds came and went.
So desolate it made one sigh, so lonely it seemed without end.
Before the Buddha there was still an incense burner, but the ashes were cold and the fallen flowers told the whole tale of emptiness.

Tripitaka's heart ached, and tears would not stay in his eyes. The monks in their cangues pushed open the main hall and asked the elder to go in and bow to the Buddha. He entered the hall, offered up the first incense in his heart, and clacked his teeth three times in reverence.

When they turned to the rear, they saw six or seven little monks also locked to the pillars of the abbot's quarters. Tripitaka could not bear the sight.

When they reached the abbot's room, the monks all came and knocked their heads to the floor. "Sirs, your faces are unlike any others. Are you perhaps from the Great Tang in the Eastern Land?"

Wukong laughed. "What sort of prophecy is this monk using? Yes, we are. How did you recognize us?"

The monks said, "Masters, what prophecy could we know? Only this: we have suffered such wrong that there is nowhere to make it plain. All day long we have cried to heaven and earth. Perhaps we have moved the gods. Last night each of us dreamed that there was a holy monk from Great Tang in the Eastern Land who would save our lives and let our grievance be spoken. Today we truly see lords with such strange appearance, so we know you at once."

Tripitaka was delighted. "What place is this, and what wrong have you suffered?"

The monks knelt and answered, "Masters, this city is called Jisai Kingdom, a great western land. In former years it received tribute from four foreign realms: from the south, the Yuezhao Kingdom; from the north, the Gaochang Kingdom; from the east, the Western Liang Kingdom; and from the west, the Bencuo Kingdom. Every year they brought fine jade, bright pearls, lovely princesses, and swift horses. We never lifted arms to conquer them, and they naturally honored us as the great realm.

"But our Golden Light Temple has always had auspicious clouds covering the treasure pagoda and radiant vapors rising high. At night it released rosy light that could be seen for ten thousand miles; by day it sent out colored brilliance, and the four foreign kingdoms all looked on. For that reason this was called a heavenly capital and sacred imperial city, and the four barbarians came to pay tribute.

"Only three years ago, on the first day of the seventh month, at midnight, a rain of blood fell. At dawn every household was frightened and every door was filled with grief. The high ministers reported to the king that Heaven must be angry, though they did not know why. At the time Daoists were invited to perform rites, monks to recite sutras, and offerings were made to heaven and earth. Who would have known that the golden pagoda in our temple had been polluted, and that for two years after that the foreign kingdoms did not come to court? Our king wanted to campaign against them, but the ministers remonstrated, saying that the temple monks must have stolen the treasure from the pagoda, which was why the auspicious clouds and radiant mists were gone and the foreign states no longer came.

"The foolish king still did not understand the matter. Those corrupt officials seized our monks and subjected us to every sort of beating and questioning. At that time there were three generations of monks here. The first two generations could not bear the torture and died. Now they have seized our generation and locked us in cangues for punishment. Sirs above, how could we dare, in all conscience, steal the treasure from the pagoda? We beg you to take pity on us. Since like gathers with like and things are grouped by kind, set aside your great mercy and great compassion and use your power to save our lives."

Tripitaka heard this and sighed, nodding. "This matter is dark and hard to untangle. On the one hand, the court has failed in government; on the other, you men have suffered a disaster. Since blood rain fell from heaven and polluted the pagoda, why did you not submit a memorial to the throne then and there, instead of enduring such misery?"

The monks said, "Masters, we are only common men. How could we know Heaven's intent? Besides, if our elders could not distinguish the matter, what were we to do?"

Tripitaka asked, "Wukong, what time is it now?"

"About the hour of shen."

Tripitaka said, "I want to go before the king and exchange our travel document, but this affair with the monks is still unclear, and I cannot make a proper report to the throne. When I left Chang'an I made my vow at Famen Temple: wherever I reached the West, if I found a temple I would burn incense, if I found a monastery I would bow to the Buddha, and if I saw a pagoda I would sweep the pagoda. Today I have come here and found monks suffering injustice because of the pagoda. Get me a new broom. After I bathe, let me go up and sweep it. Only then will we see what this filth means, why the pagoda no longer gives light, and what the real cause is. Once I know that, I can go before the king and speak properly and rescue these men from their misery."

The monks in cangues heard this and hurried to the kitchen for a kitchen knife, which they handed to Bajie. "Sirs, use this knife to open the iron locks on the little monks tied to the pillars. Let them prepare the vegetarian meal and fragrant washing water to serve the master when he bathes after the meal. We will go out and beg a new broom for him so he can sweep the pagoda."

Bajie laughed. "What is hard about opening locks? No axe or knife needed. Let my hairy-faced old lord do it. He is a veteran lock-breaker."

Wukong went forward at once, used a lock-opening spell, and brushed his hand over them. The locks all fell away. The little monks ran to the kitchen, scrubbed the pots and stoves clean, and prepared tea and food. The pilgrims ate their vegetarian meal, and by degrees dusk fell.

Then the monks with cangues came back with two brooms, and Tripitaka was delighted. Just as they were speaking, a little monk brought a lamp and asked him to bathe. By then the stars and moon were bright across the sky, and the watch drums were sounding on the tower. It was just as the old poem says:

The four walls stirred with cold wind, and ten thousand homes shone with lamp light.
The six streets closed their doors and windows, the three markets shut their gates.
Fishing boats returned beneath deep trees, and the plowmen tied off their short ropes.
The woodcutters rested their axes, and the scholars recited their books aloud.

Tripitaka finished bathing, put on a short-sleeved monk's jacket, tied a sash around his waist, changed into a pair of soft cloth shoes, and took a new broom in hand. He said to the monks, "You may sleep now. I am going up to sweep the pagoda."

Wukong said, "The pagoda has been polluted by blood rain, and besides, after so long without light, evil things may be lurking there. And it is night, with wind and cold, and no companion. If you go alone, something may go wrong. Let Old Sun go up with you."

Tripitaka said, "Good, good."

The two of them each took a broom, went first to the main hall, lit the glass lamps, burned incense, and bowed before the Buddha, saying, "Your disciple Chen Xuanzang, sent by Great Tang in the Eastern Land to go to Lingshan and pay respects to the Buddha Tathagata, has now arrived at Golden Light Temple in Jisai Kingdom. The local monks say the pagoda was polluted, and the king suspects the monks of stealing the treasure, so they are suffering a wrongful punishment. Your disciple sweeps the pagoda with all sincerity and begs the Buddha's great power to reveal the cause of the pollution, so that the grievance of these common men may not continue."

After this prayer, he and Wukong opened the pagoda door and began sweeping from the lowest level upward. The pagoda was truly something to behold:

It soared ruggedly against the sky, standing stark and high.
It was properly called the Five-Color Glass Pagoda, the thousand-gold relic peak.
The stairway turned like a drilled tunnel, and the door opened like a cage set free.
The treasure vase reflected the moon at the edge of heaven; the golden bell carried the sea wind.
Under the empty eaves and arched brackets, the summit held its clouds.
Under the empty eaves and arched brackets, clever stone carvings formed flowers and phoenixes;
on the summit that held the clouds, the pagoda seemed to twist like a dragon in the mist.
From far away it could be seen for a thousand miles; when one climbed it, one seemed to stand in the ninth heaven.
On every floor, the glass lamps were dusty and unlit; at every eave, white jade railings were caked with grime and flying insects.
Inside the pagoda, on the Buddha's seat, incense had long since gone; outside the windows, before the divine images, spider webs hung dim.
The censer was full of mouse droppings, and the cups held hardly any oil.
Because the treasure at the center had been stolen in secret, the monks had suffered until their lives were all but spent.
Tripitaka set his heart on sweeping the pagoda, intent on making it look as it once had.

Tripitaka swept one level, then climbed another. In this way he swept to the seventh floor, and it was already the hour of er. The elder gradually felt tired, and Wukong said, "If you are weary, sit down for a moment and let Old Sun sweep for you."

Tripitaka asked, "How many stories does this pagoda have?"

"I suppose there are thirteen."

The elder, carrying the weight of his labor, said, "We must sweep it all, then it will fit our original vow."

He swept three more levels, his waist aching and his legs sore, and sat down on the tenth floor, saying, "Wukong, sweep the remaining three floors clean for me."

Wukong shook himself awake, climbed to the eleventh floor, and in a flash was up to the twelfth. As he was sweeping, he heard voices on the top of the pagoda. Wukong said, "Strange, strange! It is the middle of the night. How can anyone be speaking on the top floor? They must surely be evil creatures. Let me go see."

That fine Monkey King quietly tucked the broom under his arm, threw back his robe, slipped through the front door, and stepped on a cloud to look. He saw two demons sitting in the heart of the thirteenth floor, with a dish of side food, a bowl, and a flask before them, gambling and drinking.

Wukong used a magic art, dropped the broom, drew out the Golden-Hooped Rod, blocked the pagoda door, and shouted, "So you are the monsters who stole the treasure from the pagoda."

The two demons panicked, got up in haste, and began flinging the flask and bowl around. Wukong blocked them with his iron staff and said, "If I kill you, who will testify?"

He only pressed them with the rod. The demon clung to the wall and could not struggle free. All he could do was cry, "Spare our lives, spare our lives. It is not my doing. The one who stole the treasure is there."

Wukong used a capture spell, snatched him up with one hand, and carried him down to the tenth floor, where he reported, "Master, I have caught the thief who stole the treasure."

Tripitaka had just dozed off. Hearing this, he was startled and delighted. "Where did you catch him?"

Wukong dragged the demon before him and made him kneel. "He was gambling and drinking for amusement on the top floor. Old Sun heard the racket, rode up on a cloud, and blocked the top. I did not even need to use force. I only feared that if I struck him dead, there would be no witness, so I caught him gently. Master, take his statement and ask where he is from, what kind of demon he is, and where the stolen treasure was taken."

The demon trembled all over and kept crying for mercy. Then he confessed truthfully: "The two of us were sent by the Wan Sheng Dragon King of Bi Bo Pool on Black-Rock Mountain to patrol the pagoda. He is called Benbo'erba, and I am called Bapo'erbun. He is a catfish demon, and I am a black fish spirit. Our old dragon king had a daughter, known as the Wan Sheng Princess. She is of striking beauty, with true talent and grace. She was married to a prince consort called the Nine-Headed Prince, whose magic powers are vast. The year before last, when the dragon king came here, he displayed great power, sent down a rain of blood, stained the pagoda, and stole the Buddha relic from the center.

"The princess later went to the Great Brahma Heaven, before the Hall of Miraculous Mists, and stole the Queen Mother's nine-leaf lingzhi herb, which is kept at the bottom of the pool. It shines with golden light day and night. Recently we heard that there is a Sun Wukong going west to seek the scriptures, and that his powers are tremendous and that he goes around the road looking for people's faults. So we were sent here often to keep watch. If Sun Wukong should arrive, we would be ready."

When Wukong heard this, he gave a cold little laugh. "So that nest of beasts behaves this way. No wonder they invited the Bull Demon King to a banquet the other day. They have really formed ties with this band of rotten fiends and do nothing but evil work."

He had not finished speaking when Bajie and two or three little monks came up the stairs from below, each carrying a lantern. "Master," Bajie said, "you have finished sweeping the pagoda and are not sleeping. What are you talking about here?"

Wukong said, "Junior brother, your arrival is timely. The treasure on the pagoda was stolen by the old dragon king of Bi Bo Pool. These two little demons were posted to patrol the pagoda and spy on our arrival. I have just caught them."

Bajie said, "What are their names? What sort of demons are they?"

Wukong said, "They have already confessed. One is called Benbo'erba, the other Bapo'erbun. One is a catfish demon, the other a black fish spirit."

Bajie drew his rake and struck. "If they are demons, and they have confessed, why not beat them to death?"

Wukong said, "You do not understand. Keep them alive so they can go before the emperor and speak, and so they can serve as clues for finding the thief and recovering the treasure."

The Foolish One obeyed at once and gathered them up, one in each hand, taking them down from the pagoda.

The demon only cried, "Spare my life."

Bajie said, "We are just making fresh soup from catfish and black fish for the monks who have suffered injustice."

The little monks were overjoyed. Lanterns in hand, they led the elder down from the pagoda. One of them ran ahead to report to the rest of the monks, "It is all right, all right. We can see the blue sky again. The demons who stole the treasure have been captured by the masters."

Wukong ordered, "Bring iron chains, thread them through their shoulder blades, and lock them here. You stay to guard them, and we will go to sleep. We will deal with the rest tomorrow."

The monks kept close watch, and the pilgrims slept.

Before long dawn came. Tripitaka said, "I will go with Wukong to court and exchange the travel document."

He immediately put on his brocade kasaya, donned his Pilu cap, straightened his vestments, and stepped forward briskly. Wukong also tied his tiger-skin skirt tight, straightened his cotton robe, took the travel document, and went with him. Bajie said, "Why not take these two demon thieves with you?"

Wukong said, "Once we have reported to the king, there will naturally be a warrant to fetch them."

And so they went to the gate of the court.

The vermilion birds and golden dragons were beyond counting, the clear imperial precinct shone like crimson jade. At the East Flower Gate, Tripitaka bowed to the gate captain and said, "Please trouble you to report that I am a monk sent by Great Tang in the Eastern Land to seek the scriptures in the Western Heaven. I wish to pay my respects to the king and exchange my travel document."

The eunuch indeed sent the message. A moment later the king gave orders to admit them. The elder led Wukong into audience. When the civil and military officials saw Wukong, none of them were not frightened.

Some said he was a monkey monk; some said he was a monk with a thunder god's mouth. Each one was alarmed and dared not look long. Tripitaka performed a dance-like bow and shouted his salutation at the foot of the steps.

The Great Sage clasped his hands, stood slantwise at the side, and remained perfectly still. Tripitaka memorialized, "This monk was sent by Great Tang in the Southern Continent of the Eastern Land to pay his respects to the Buddha of the Great Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Heaven and seek the true scriptures. We have passed through your honored realm and would not dare cross without leave. We have our travel document with us, and beg to have it verified and exchanged so we may continue."

The king was overjoyed and ordered that the holy monk of Great Tang be brought up to the Golden Throne Hall and seated on an embroidered stool. The elder went up alone, first presenting the travel document and only then thanking the king and daring to sit.

The king read the document through and was delighted. "Your Great Tang king must be in good order if he can choose such high monks, not fearing the great distance and hardship of the road, to go bow to the Buddha and seek the scriptures. The monks in my country have only one mind: stealing and wrecking the kingdom."

Tripitaka joined his palms. "How is it that they wreck the kingdom and ruin the ruler?"

The king said, "Our country is a western stronghold. We have long received tribute from the four foreign realms, all because we have Golden Light Temple here in the country and a golden pagoda in the temple, with light shooting up to the sky. Recently the treacherous monks of this temple secretly stole the treasure within it, so for three years there has been no radiance, and for those three years the foreign states have not come to pay court. I have been heartbroken and angry over it."

Tripitaka smiled with his palms together. "Your Majesty, 'An inch off at first means a thousand miles at the end.' Last night this poor monk arrived at your heavenly city and, upon entering the gate, saw more than a dozen monks in cangues. When I asked why they were punished, they said they were the wronged monks of Golden Light Temple. After I went to the temple and questioned the matter carefully, it had nothing to do with the temple monks at all. I swept the pagoda by night and already caught the demon-thief who stole the treasure."

The king was delighted. "Where is this demon-thief?"

Tripitaka said, "He is locked in Golden Light Temple by my disciple."

The king immediately issued a gold tablet. "Have the imperial guards go at once to Golden Light Temple and fetch the demon thief. I will question him myself."

Tripitaka then said, "Your Majesty, even with the imperial guards, my disciple must go along."

"Where is your distinguished disciple?"

Tripitaka pointed and said, "The one standing beside the jade steps is he."

The king looked and was startled. "Holy monk, you have such noble bearing. How can your disciple look like that?"

Sun Wukong heard this and cried sharply, "Your Majesty, 'You cannot judge by a face, just as you cannot measure the sea by a dipper.' If you liked nothing but fine looks, how could I ever catch demon thieves?"

The king was startled again, then changed his fear into delight. "The holy monk speaks truly. I do not choose men by appearance. I only care that the thieves be caught and the treasure returned to the pagoda."

He ordered the chamberlain to see to the carriage canopy and the imperial guards to serve the holy monk well while he went to fetch the thieves. The chamberlain quickly prepared one large sedan chair and a yellow parasol. The imperial guards set the attendants in motion, and Wukong was carried away with the usual eight bearers and four shouts, straight to Golden Light Temple. From this point on the whole city was stirred, and not a single person failed to come look at the holy monk and the demon thieves.

Bajie and Sha Wujing heard the heralds and thought it was a royal envoy. They hurried out to receive him, only to see that it was Wukong sitting in the sedan chair. The Foolish One laughed in his face. "Brother, you have got back your proper body."

Wukong got down from the chair and took Bajie by the hand. "How have I got back my proper body?"

Bajie said, "You are carried under a yellow parasol in an eight-man sedan chair. Is that not the office of a monkey king? That is why I say you have recovered your proper body."

Wukong said, "Do not make fun."

Then he unbound the two demon creatures and had them escorted before the king. Sha Wujing said, "Brother, take your little brother along too."

Wukong said, "You stay here and guard the baggage and the horses."

The monks in cangues said, "Masters, all of you go and receive imperial grace; let us stay here to keep watch."

Wukong said, "In that case, once I have reported to the king, I shall come back and release you."

Bajie grabbed one demon thief, Sha Wujing grabbed the other, and Sun Wukong again took his place in the sedan chair. With the canopy spread and the two demons in tow, they escorted them to the court.

In a moment they reached the white jade steps and said to the king, "The demon thieves have been brought."

The king came down from the dragon bed and, together with Tripitaka and the civil and military ministers, looked them over. One creature had dark armor, bulging cheeks, a sharp mouth, and fierce teeth; the other was smooth-skinned, big-bellied, and had a huge mouth and long whiskers.

Though they had feet and could walk, they were in truth transformed human shapes.

The king asked, "What thieves and demons are you? From what place did you come? For how many years have you invaded my land, and in what year did you steal my treasure? How many thieves are in the band, and what are all their names? Confess truthfully, one by one."

The two demons knelt before the throne, blood streaming down their necks, yet they did not know pain.

They confessed, "More than three years ago, on the first day of the seventh month, the Wan Sheng Dragon King led many relatives to settle in the southeast of this country, about a hundred miles from here. The pool is called Bi Bo, and the mountain is called Black-Rock. He had a beautiful daughter with alluring charms. She was married off to a nine-headed prince, whose magic is unmatched. He knew that your pagoda held treasures, and joined with the dragon king to make a common theft. First they sent down a blood rain; afterward they stole the relic. Even now it shines in the dragon palace, bright as day even in the middle of the night. The princess showed her skills in secret and stole the Queen Mother's lingzhi herb, which she keeps warm in the pool as a treasure. We are not the leaders of the thieves. We are merely underlings sent by the dragon king. We were captured tonight, and all we have spoken is true."

The king said, "Since you have confessed, why do you not tell your own names?"

One demon said, "I am called Benbo'erba, and he is called Bapo'erbun. Benbo'erba is a catfish demon, and Bapo'erbun is a black fish spirit."

The king ordered the imperial guards to keep them locked up well. Then he issued an order: "Release the cangues from all the monks of Golden Light Temple. Tell the Court of Imperial Feasts to prepare a banquet at once, and on the Qilin Hall thank the holy monk for his success in capturing the thieves. We will discuss how to ask him to catch the chief thief and recover the treasure for the pagoda."

The Court of Imperial Feasts at once prepared both meat and vegetarian banquets. The king invited Tripitaka and the four pilgrims to the Qilin Hall and asked them to sit. "Holy monk, what is your honored title?"

Tripitaka joined his palms. "This monk's ordinary surname is Chen, and my Dharma name is Xuanzang. By your grace I have received the surname Tang, and my humble title is Sanzang."

The king asked again, "What are your disciples called?"

Tripitaka said, "My disciples have no formal titles. The first is named Sun Wukong, the second Zhu Wuneng, and the third Sha Wujing. These names were given them by the Bodhisattva Guanyin of the South Sea. Once they had taken me as master, I in turn called Wuneng Bajie."

When the king had heard all this, he asked Tripitaka to take the place of honor. Sun Wukong sat to the left, while Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing sat to the right. Before them were vegetarian fruit, vegetarian dishes, vegetarian tea, and vegetarian rice. At the front table sat the king with meat dishes, and below him there were more than a hundred meat tables where the civil and military ministers sat. The ministers thanked the king for his grace, the disciples confessed their fault to the master, and all sat down. The king raised the cup, but Tripitaka dared not drink wine. The other three each received the guesting wine. Below them the music and strings sounded together from the court orchestra.

Watch Bajie fall on the feast with abandon: he ate like a tiger and wolf, and the fruit and vegetable dishes on the table were cleaned away. In no time more soup and rice were brought, and again not a crumb was left. When the cupbearers came round, he refused none of the wine. The banquet did not break up until after noon.

Tripitaka thanked the king for the lavish meal. The king kept them there and said, "This feast is a small token of the holy monk's success in capturing the demons." He ordered the Court of Imperial Feasts, "Quickly move the place settings to Jianzhang Palace and once more invite the holy monk to settle on a plan for capturing the chief thief and returning the treasure to the pagoda."

Tripitaka said, "Since we are to capture the thieves and recover the treasure, there is no need for another banquet. We beg leave to depart now and go seize the demon thief."

The king would not allow it. He insisted on inviting them to Jianzhang Palace, where they ate another banquet.

The king lifted his cup. "Which holy monk will lead the troops and subdue the demons?"

Tripitaka said, "Send my eldest disciple, Sun Wukong."

The Great Sage folded his hands and accepted the charge.

The king asked, "If Master Sun goes, how many soldiers and horses will he need, and when will he leave the city?"

Bajie could not hold back and shouted, "What use do we have for soldiers and horses? What use for a fixed time? We are drunk and full now. My brother and I can go and catch him by hand."

Tripitaka was delighted. "Bajie is really diligent these days!"

Wukong said, "If that is so, let Sha Wujing protect our master while the two of us go."

The king said, "Since the two of you holy monks do not need soldiers and horses, do you need weapons?"

Bajie laughed. "We cannot use the weapons in your palace. My brothers and I have our own gear at hand."

When the king heard this, he brought out a great goblet to see them off.

Sun Wukong said, "No more wine. Just have the imperial guards bring those two little demon thieves to us. We will take them along as clues."

The king issued the order, and they were brought out at once. The two of them led the two little demons, rode the cloud-heads, used a capture spell, and headed straight for the southeast.

Ah! When ruler and ministers met, wind and mist rose together, and only then was it known that the pilgrims were truly holy monks. But how they would seize the demon on this journey, that must wait for the next chapter.