Chapter 68: Tripitaka of Zhuzi Kingdom Speaks of Former Lives; Sun Wukong Tries His Hand at Healing

A verse says:

Good and upright causes are gathered away, and fame is carried through the four great continents.
Wisdom's bright light climbs to the far shore;
sighing clouds rise softly at the edge of heaven.
The buddhas all answer one another,
and for ten thousand autumns they remain on the jade terrace.
The butterfly dream of the human world is shattered.
Dust and foul vapor are washed away, and sorrow no longer clings.

Now to return to Tripitaka and his disciples, who had washed away the filth of the Sparse-Persimmon Ditch and resumed the road of ease. Time moved quickly, and once again it was the heat of summer.

Pomegranate blossoms spread like brocade in bloom; lotus leaves opened like green plates.
On both roads the willows hid the swallows' nests;
travelers escaped the heat by waving silk fans.

As they went forward, they suddenly saw a city nearby.

Tripitaka drew in his horse and called, "Disciples, what place is that?"

Wukong said, "Master, you cannot even read. How did you ever carry out the Tang King's command and leave the capital?"

Tripitaka said, "I have been a monk since childhood and know the scriptures inside out. How can you say I cannot read?"

Wukong said, "If you can read, how is it that you cannot make out the three big characters on the apricot-yellow flag on the city tower, and still ask what place this is?"

Tripitaka snapped, "You wicked monkey, what nonsense. The flag is flapping so wildly in the wind that even if there were writing on it, one could not make it out."

Wukong said, "Old Sun can see it perfectly."

Bajie and Sha Wujing said, "Master, do not listen to Senior Brother's foolish talk. From this distance the city itself is hard to make out. How could he already know the name?"

Wukong said, "Is it not Zhuzi Kingdom?"

Tripitaka said, "Then Zhuzi Kingdom must be the western capital. We should exchange the travel pass."

Wukong said, "No need to say more."

Before long they had reached the city gate, dismounted, crossed the bridge, and entered through the third gate. It was truly a fine imperial city:

The gate towers rose high, and the battlements stood in even rows.
Clear water ran all around, and high mountains faced each other to north and south.
Six streets and three markets were thick with goods and traffic.
Ten thousand households and a thousand families made a bustling living.
It was truly a capital city, a seat fit for emperors.
Trade and tribute came in from far lands, and precious cloth and jade overflowed from distant regions.
Its shape was strong with mountains on all sides, and its palace walls touched the clear river sky.
The three passes were tightly locked, and for ten thousand ages the realm enjoyed peace.

As the pilgrims walked through the great street market, they saw people of noble bearing, neat dress, and clear, bright speech. It was truly no less fine than Great Tang itself. The shopkeepers on both sides, seeing Zhu Bajie's ugly face, Sha Wujing's black long body, and Wukong's hairy, flat-browed countenance, let go of their business and crowded over to stare.

Tripitaka kept saying, "Do not invite trouble. Keep your heads down and walk."

Bajie tucked his lotus-seed mouth into his chest. Sha Wujing did not dare look up. Only Wukong kept glancing east and west, following closely by Tripitaka's side.

Some who knew manners looked for a moment and then turned back. Others, idle young men and mischievous children, laughed and jeered and tossed tiles and bricks at Bajie for sport.

Tripitaka was in a cold sweat and only said, "Do not make trouble."

Bajie did not dare raise his head.

Before long they turned a corner and saw a gate wall with the three characters "Guest Hall" above it.

Tripitaka said, "Disciples, let us go into that office."

Wukong said, "What for?"

Tripitaka said, "The Guest Hall is the place where the world meets and communicates. We can put up there. I will go see the emperor and exchange our travel pass, then hurry back out of the city."

When Bajie heard this, he stretched out his mouth and frightened several of the people who had followed to watch. He stepped forward and said, "Master is right. Let us hide inside for now and keep away from all these noisy birds."

So they entered the hall, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.

Inside the hall there were two envoys, one chief and one deputy, both on the main floor checking the porters who were to go receive an arriving officer. When they saw Tripitaka arrive, they were alarmed and asked, "Who are you? Where are you going?"

Tripitaka joined his palms and said, "This monk is a delegate from Great Tang sent to the Western Heaven to seek the scriptures. We have now arrived in your precious land and dare not pass through privately. We have travel passes to be checked and exchanged, so I ask only for temporary lodging in your noble office."

The two hall officers heard this, dismissed the attendants, straightened their caps and belts, and came down to greet him. They immediately ordered the guest rooms cleaned and said that a plain vegetarian meal should be prepared. Tripitaka thanked them.

The two officers led the porters away and left. The servants then told the travelers to settle into the guest rooms. Tripitaka started to go.

Wukong grumbled, "Those lazy fellows. Why did they not seat Old Sun in the main hall?"

Tripitaka said, "This place is not under Great Tang's jurisdiction, nor is it connected to our land. Besides, officials from above and below pass through from time to time. It would not be proper for them to keep us in the main hall."

Wukong said, "If that is so, I insist they treat us better."

Just then the hall steward brought the meal. It was a tray of white rice, a tray of white flour, two bunches of greens, four cakes of tofu, two pieces of gluten, a tray of dried bamboo shoots, and another of wood ears.

Tripitaka told the disciples to receive it and thanked the steward.

The steward said, "There is a clean stove and hearth in the west room, and the firewood is ready. Please cook there yourselves."

Tripitaka asked, "Let me ask you something. Is the king in court today?"

The steward said, "Our lord has not gone up to court for a long time. Today is an auspicious day, and he is still with the civil and military ministers discussing the issuing of a royal proclamation. If you want to exchange your travel pass, hurry now. You may still catch him. If you wait until tomorrow, you will not be able to do it, and who knows how long you would then have to wait."

Tripitaka said, "Wukong, arrange the vegetarian meal here and wait for me. I will hurry to have the pass checked and come back to eat before we leave."

Bajie quickly pulled out the travel documents. Tripitaka dressed himself properly and went to court, only reminding his disciples not to go outside and make trouble.

Not long after, he had reached the Phoenix Tower.

It is impossible to tell in full the splendor of the halls and towers there. He went all the way to the outer gate, where he asked the official of state affairs to present the travel pass and have it exchanged.

The palace eunuch went at once to the jade steps and reported, "Outside the palace gate there is a monk from Great Tang in the East, sent to the Western Heaven's Thunderclap Monastery to bow before the Buddha and seek the scriptures. He wishes to exchange his travel pass. Please hear him."

When the king heard this, he was delighted. "I have long been ill and have not come to the throne. Today I was about to issue a proclamation seeking doctors, and now a high monk has arrived in my kingdom."

He immediately ordered Tripitaka to be summoned to the steps. Tripitaka at once bowed low.

The king then had him brought up to the golden hall and seated him, and ordered the Court of Revenue to prepare a vegetarian feast. Tripitaka thanked him and presented the pass.

After looking it over, the king was greatly pleased. "Master, how many wise emperors has your Great Tang had? How many worthy ministers? As for the Tang King, why did he fall ill and come back to life, sending you across mountains and rivers to seek the scriptures?"

Tripitaka rose slightly and joined his palms. "Your servant's land is like this:

The Three Sovereigns ruled the world, and the Five Emperors divided the line.
Yao and Shun held the proper place, and Yu and Tang brought peace to the people.
Under the Zhou, the clans spread wide and each set up its own realm.
The strong bullied the weak, and states divided themselves into kings.
There were eighteen lords, then the borders of the world were set.
Later there were twelve, and heaven and earth grew calm and plain.
Without carts or horses, still one swallowed another.
The Seven Heroes contended for victory, and the six states fell to Qin.
Heaven gave birth to Lu and Pei, and neither was free of cruelty.
The rivers and mountains passed to Han, and the laws of order were honored.
Han then passed to Sima, and afterward the Jin fell into confusion.
In the south and north there were twelve houses: Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen.
The founders followed one another, and the Sui inherited the true line.
Yet the place of flowers was ruled without virtue, and the people were plunged into misery.
Our king of the Li house took the title of Tang.
When the founder retired, it is now Emperor Taizong who reigns.
The rivers are clear and the seas are calm; he is a lord of great virtue and mercy.
Then, because north of the capital at Chang'an there was a strange dragon deity of the river,
the sweet rains were cut short and his own body was harmed.
At night that spirit came in a dream and told the king to save him from misfortune.
The king said he would pardon him and quickly summoned a worthy minister.
The minister remained in the hall and slowly moved the chess pieces.
At noon that day, the worthy minister dreamt of beheading the dragon body.

The king gave a groan and asked, "Master, from which kingdom was that worthy minister?"

Tripitaka said, "It was the minister in attendance before my king, surnamed Wei and named Zheng. He knows the stars, the earth, yin and yang, and is the chief counselor who settles the state and establishes the realm. Because he beheaded the Jing River Dragon King in a dream, the dragon complained in the underworld that my king had promised to save him and then killed him. That is why my king fell sick and grew worse by the day.

Wei Zheng then wrote a letter and gave it to my king to carry down to the underworld, addressed to Cui Jue, the judge of Fengdu City. Soon after, the Tang King died, but three days later he was brought back to life. Wei Zheng earned great merit, and thanks to Judge Cui's compassion, the record was changed and the king was granted twenty more years of life.

Now a Water and Land Assembly is to be held, and I have been sent to travel far and wide, inquire among the kingdoms, bow before the Buddha, and obtain the Great Vehicle scriptures so that the sufferers of sin may be carried up to heaven."

The king sighed again. "It is truly a great dynasty, with a rightful ruler and worthy ministers. As for me, I have been ill for a long time and have no minister to save me."

Tripitaka heard this and stole a look. The emperor's face was yellow and lean, his body thin, and his spirit drained. Just as he was about to ask a question, an officer of the Court of Revenue came to request that Tripitaka be served.

The king issued an order: "In the Fragrant-Robe Hall, lay out my own meal together with the master's so that we may eat together."

Tripitaka thanked him and went with the king to dine. We will not speak further of that.

Now Wukong stayed in the Guest Hall and had Sha Wujing arrange the tea and food and prepare the vegetarian dishes.

Sha Wujing said, "Tea and rice are easy to cook, but vegetables are hard to arrange."

Wukong asked, "Why?"

Sha Wujing said, "There is no oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar."

Wukong said, "I have a few spare coins. Let Bajie go to the market and buy what we need."

The fool dodged the task and said, "I dare not go. My face is not pretty, and I fear I will bring trouble down on us and make Master blame me."

Wukong said, "We are paying fair money. We are not robbing or swindling anyone. What trouble could there be?"

Bajie said, "Did you not just see how I looked? At the gate I stretched my mouth and frightened ten people. If I go into the crowded market, who knows how many I will scare to death?"

Wukong said, "You know only about the crowded market. Have you even seen what they sell there?"

Bajie said, "Master only told me to keep my head down and not make trouble. I truly did not look."

Wukong said, "There are tea shops, rice stores, mills, silk shops, and all kinds of odds and ends. There are also tea stalls, noodle shops, big baked cakes, flat buns, soup shops with good broth and good seasonings, fresh vegetables, and all sorts of special sweets, steamed pastries, snacks, fried cakes, and honeyed treats. There are countless good things. I will go buy some for you."

When Bajie heard this, saliva ran from his mouth and he kept swallowing hard in his throat. He jumped up and said, "Brother, this time you can trouble yourself on my behalf. When I have saved up some money later, I will invite you back."

Wukong laughed inwardly. "Brother Sha, cook well. We are going to buy the seasonings."

Sha Wujing knew he was only teasing Bajie, so he answered along with him, "You go, but be sure to buy plenty. Eat your fill before you come back."

The fool grabbed a bowl and a plate and followed Wukong out the door.

Two servants asked, "Reverend monk, where are you going?"

Wukong said, "To buy seasonings."

One of the men said, "Go west along this street, turn the corner by the Drum Tower, and there is Zheng's general goods shop. You may buy as much as you like. Oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, pepper, tea leaves - everything is there."

The two of them walked hand in hand straight west through the street. Wukong passed several tea shops and a few restaurants, but what should have been bought he did not buy, and what could have been eaten he did not eat.

Bajie called out, "Senior Brother, buy whatever will do. Do not be so picky."

Wukong was only teasing him and would not buy anything. "Brother, you are most untidy. Walk a little farther and choose the biggest things to buy and eat."

The two of them talked as they went, and a crowd gathered to follow and stare. Before long they reached the Drum Tower. Under it there was a great hubbub, with people packed shoulder to shoulder and filling the street.

Bajie said, "Brother, I am not going in. There are too many people shouting. What if they are seizing monks? I am a strange-looking outsider. If they grab me, what will happen?"

Wukong said, "Nonsense! Monks do not break the law. What would they seize me for? Let us go through and buy our seasonings at Zheng's shop."

Bajie said, "No, no. I do not want trouble. If I get squeezed into that crowd and they rip my ears two times, and if I scare someone so badly that they fall and die, I will have to pay for it."

Wukong said, "If that is so, stand here against the wall and wait while I go buy the things. I will come back and buy you some plain noodles and baked cakes."

Bajie handed over the bowl and plate, pressed his mouth to the wall, turned his face away, and would not move even if he died.

Wukong went to the tower and indeed found the place packed. He squeezed into the crowd and listened. It turned out that the royal proclamation had been posted beneath the tower, which was why so many people were looking.

Wukong pressed close, opened his fiery eyes, and looked carefully. The proclamation said:

I, king of Zhuzi Kingdom in Western Ox Continent, have ruled since my accession, and the four directions have long been at peace, with the people calm and secure. Lately, because affairs of state have gone ill, I have been laid low by a lingering illness, and it has dragged on for a long time without cure. Our imperial medical bureau has repeatedly selected good prescriptions, but none have brought relief. I now issue this proclamation and summon worthy doctors from all under heaven, whether they come from north or east, whether from China or foreign lands. If there is anyone skilled in medicine, let him come to the golden hall and treat my body. If he can bring even a little recovery, I am willing to divide the realm with him and will certainly not speak falsely. For this reason the proclamation is posted. Let all who read it know.

When Wukong had read it through, he was delighted.

As the old saying goes, "A man who acts well will find some luck." Good thing he had not idled away the day in the Guest Hall.

He thought, "There is no need to buy seasonings now. I may as well set the scripture quest aside for a day and let Old Sun play doctor."

The Great Sage bent his back, dropped the bowl and plate, pinched a bit of dirt, and sprinkled it upward while reciting a spell. He used invisibility, stepped lightly forward, and pulled down the proclamation.

Then he blew toward the southeast with a breath of immortal vapor, and a whirl of wind rose up, scattering the crowd.

After that he turned back and went to where Bajie was standing. The fool had his mouth against the wall and looked as if he were asleep.

Wukong did not wake him. He folded the proclamation and slipped it quietly into his chest.

Then he turned and went first back to the Guest Hall. We will not speak of that for now.

Now the people beneath the tower, when the wind rose, all covered their heads and shut their eyes. When the wind passed, the royal proclamation was gone, and they were all frightened.

The proclamation had originally been hung by twelve palace eunuchs and twelve imperial guards. It had not even been up for three hours before the wind blew it away. They searched everywhere in fear and eventually saw the edge of a paper sticking out from Zhu Bajie's chest.

The crowd came forward and asked, "Did you pull down the proclamation?"

Bajie lifted his head and flapped his mouth. That frightened several of the guards so badly that they stumbled and fell to the ground.

He turned to leave, but several bold men grabbed him and said, "You pulled down the royal proclamation summoning doctors. Why do you not hurry into court to cure our lord? Where are you going?"

Bajie panicked. "If your son pulled down the proclamation, your grandson knows how to cure him?"

The guards asked, "What is in your chest?"

Bajie looked down and saw that there truly was a piece of paper there. When he unfolded it and looked, he ground his teeth and cursed, "That monkey has killed me."

He grieved once and was about to tear it up.

But the crowd held him fast and said, "You are dead now. This is the proclamation issued by the present king. Who dares tear it? Since it is in your chest, you must know how to cure the king. Come with us now."

Bajie shouted, "You do not understand. I did not pull this proclamation down. It was my senior brother Sun Wukong. He slipped it into my chest and then ran off. If this is made clear, I will go find him for you."

The crowd said, "What nonsense are you talking? We have a drum in front of us and you refuse to beat it, yet you want us to look for someone else? We will not listen. Take him to the throne."

The crowd did not care whether he was telling the truth or not. They shoved and tugged him along. Bajie planted his feet and would not move, as though rooted to the ground. Even ten or so men could not budge him.

Bajie said, "You do not know your place. If you keep tugging, and my foolish nature flares up, do not blame me."

Before long, the whole street had gathered around him.

Among them were two old eunuchs, who said, "Your appearance is strange, and your voice is not right. Where are you from, and why are you acting so rough?"

Bajie said, "We are from the East, sent by imperial command to the Western Heaven to seek scriptures. My master is the Tang King's imperial brother and a monk. He has just gone into court to exchange our travel pass.

My senior brother and I came here to buy seasonings. When I saw how many people there were, I did not dare go in. My senior brother saw the proclamation and, with a gust of wind, pulled it down and secretly tucked it into my chest before he left. If you want the matter made clear, I will go find him."

The eunuch said, "I saw a white-faced, fat monk go straight toward the palace gate just now. Is that your master?"

Bajie said, "It is, it is."

The eunuch asked, "Where did your senior brother go?"

Bajie said, "The four of us are traveling together. My master has gone to exchange the pass, and the three of us, with the baggage and horses, are staying in the Guest Hall. My senior brother tricked me and went back there first."

The eunuch said, "Guards, do not pull him. We will all go to the Guest Hall together, and then the truth will be known."

Bajie said, "You two little grandmothers do know how to handle matters."

The guards said, "What is this monk saying? How can he call the eunuchs grandmothers?"

Bajie laughed. "How shameless you are, turning yin and yang upside down. They are old mothers. If I do not call them grandmothers, what should I call them?"

The people said, "Stop your mouth. Find your senior brother."

The shouting in the street drew no fewer than three or five hundred people. They all went in a pack to the guest hall.

Bajie said, "Everyone, wait. My senior brother is not like me, and he will not let you make a joke of him.

He is a fierce and earnest man. When you see him, you must show him great respect and call him Master Sun. Then he will accept it. Otherwise he will change his face, and this matter will not work."

The eunuchs and guards all said, "If your senior brother truly has skill and cures the king, he deserves half the kingdom. Of course we should bow."

The rest of the crowd stayed outside making noise.

Bajie led the eunuchs and guards straight into the hall. There he heard Wukong and Sha Wujing in the guest room laughing about the proclamation.

Bajie rushed up, seized Wukong, and shouted, "Can you be a proper brother? You tricked me into going out to buy plain noodles, baked cakes, and flat buns, and it turned out to be nothing but empty promises. Then you conjured a whirlwind, pulled down the royal proclamation, and secretly stuffed it into my chest, making me look fat. Is that what brothers do?"

Wukong laughed. "You fool, you must have taken the wrong road and gone somewhere else. I went by the Drum Tower, bought the seasonings, and hurried back to look for you. I never saw any proclamation there."

Bajie said, "The officials who saw it are right here."

Before he could finish, several eunuchs and guards bowed toward Wukong and said, "Master Sun, our king is fortunate today. Heaven has sent you down to us.

Please use your great learning and bring out your threefold-broken-arm skill. Cure our king's illness, and then the kingdom will be yours to share."

When Wukong heard this, he straightened up and took the proclamation from Bajie. He said to the crowd, "You must be the officials who watched the proclamation?"

The eunuchs kowtowed. "We are servants from the Palace Secretariat. These are the imperial guards."

Wukong said, "It was indeed I who pulled down the doctoring proclamation, so I sent my younger brother to introduce me. Since your lord is ill, as the saying goes, 'Medicine is not sold cheaply, and the sick do not beg for a doctor.' Go tell the king to come and invite me himself. I have the skill to cure him at once."

The eunuchs were all alarmed by this.

The guards said, "Such bold words must mean he has real ability. We will stay here and make the request politely, while the rest go into court and report."

So four eunuchs and six guards went in without waiting for a summons. They climbed directly into court and reported, "My lord, great joy!"

The king was still dining and speaking quietly with Tripitaka when he suddenly heard this report and asked, "What joy is that?"

The eunuch said, "We were ordered this morning to post the proclamation seeking doctors. There was a monk from Great Tang in the East, a holy master named Sun, who has come to seek scriptures in the Western Heaven. He pulled down the proclamation and is now in the Guest Hall, asking that the king himself come to invite him. He says he has the skill to cure illness at once.

That is why we have come to report."

When the king heard this, he was overjoyed and asked Tripitaka, "Master, how many disciples do you have?"

Tripitaka joined his palms and replied, "This monk has three unruly disciples."

The king asked, "Which disciple knows medicine?"

Tripitaka said, "To tell Your Majesty the truth, my unruly disciples are all rough country hands. They only know how to carry baggage and lead the horse, follow streams and cross ravines, and help me climb mountains and pass dangerous ridges. If it comes to a steep place, they may be able to subdue demons, seize monsters, and capture tigers or dragons. Beyond that, none of them knows the properties of medicine."

The king said, "Master, why be so modest? Today I came up on the throne and had the good fortune to meet you. This is truly Heaven's design. Since your disciple knows nothing of medicine, why would he dare pull down my proclamation and make me personally go out to invite him? He must certainly have the ability to treat a kingdom."

He called out, "Civil and military ministers, I am weak and unwell and dare not ride in a carriage. You all must represent me and go outside court to invite Master Sun, so that he may look at my illness. When you meet him, you must not be the least bit rude. Address him as 'Divine Monk Master Sun' and meet him with all the rites due between lord and subject."

The ministers received the order and, together with the eunuchs and guards who had watched the proclamation, went straight to the Guest Hall and bowed in rank.

Bajie was so frightened he hid in the side room. Sha Wujing slipped to the wall.

The Great Sage, however, sat in the center, perfectly still.

Bajie grumbled under his breath, "That monkey is really killing me alive. How can so many officers bow to him and he not return the salute? Why does he not get up?"

Before long, the bowing was done. The officials then reported, "We respectfully inform Divine Monk Master Sun that we are all ministers of the king of Zhuzi Kingdom. By royal command, we have come in all proper ceremony to invite the divine monk into court to examine the illness."

Only then did Wukong rise. He said to them, "Why does your king not come himself?"

The ministers said, "Our king is weak and ill and does not dare ride in a carriage. He has specially ordered us to perform the rites in his place and invite the divine monk."

Wukong said, "If that is so, please go ahead. I will follow."

The ministers went in order of rank, and Wukong stood up to adjust his clothes.

Bajie said, "Brother, do not give us away."

Wukong said, "I will not give you away. I only want you two to watch over the medicine."

Sha Wujing asked, "What medicine?"

Wukong said, "Whatever medicines people send to me, accept them all. Keep them safe until I come back to use them."

The two of them agreed, and we will not speak more of that.

Wukong soon arrived with the officials.

The ministers went ahead to announce him. The king raised the pearl curtain high, letting his dragon eyes and phoenix gaze flash into view, and asked in an imperial voice, "Which one is Master Sun, the divine monk?"

Wukong stepped forward one pace and said sharply, "Old Sun is here."

The king heard that rough voice and saw that ugly, crafty face. He was so frightened that he toppled back onto the dragon couch.

The female attendants and eunuchs panicked and hurried him into the inner palace.

He cried, "You have scared me to death!"

The ministers all blamed Wukong, saying, "Why is this monk so coarse and uncouth? How dare he pull down the proclamation on his own?"

Wukong laughed when he heard that. "You are all blaming me wrongly. If a man like this were to move slowly, your king's illness would not be cured even in a thousand years."

The ministers said, "How many years of life can a person have? Even a thousand years would still not be enough?"

Wukong said, "Your king is sick. If he dies, he becomes a dead invalid. If he is reborn, he is still a sick man. Would that not mean even a thousand years still would not cure him?"

The ministers angrily said, "You monk really know no manners. How dare you talk such nonsense?"

Wukong laughed. "It is not nonsense. Listen to what I say:

The principles of medicine are subtle and mysterious.
The great point is to keep the mind turning.
Looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse are the four parts of the art;
if even one is missing, the method is not complete.
First, one looks at the spirit, color, and complexion,
at moist or dry, fat or thin, rising or resting.
Second, one listens to the voice, clear or coarse,
and hears both true speech and wild talk.
Third, one asks how long the illness has lasted,
how the patient eats, and how things pass.
Fourth, one feels the pulse to know the channels,
whether it is floating or deep, exterior or interior, and what sort it is.
If I did not use looking, listening, asking, and feeling,
I would never be able to cure anything in this life.

Among the civil and military ministers there was an official from the Imperial Medical Bureau. Hearing this, he praised Wukong before the others.

He said, "What that monk says is reasonable. Even when the immortals diagnose illness, they must still look, listen, ask, and feel the pulse. His words fit the skill of the sacred art."

The ministers therefore had an attendant report, "The master must use the method of looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse before he can identify the illness and prescribe medicine."

The king was lying on the dragon couch and kept calling out, "Tell him to go away. I cannot bear to see a stranger's face."

The attendant came out and said, "Monk, the king's order is that you go away. He cannot bear to see a stranger's face."

Wukong said, "If he cannot bear to see a stranger's face, then I can examine his pulse with hanging silk threads."

The ministers were secretly delighted. "Hanging-thread pulse diagnosis? We have heard of it, but never seen it. Send another report."

The attendant went back in and said, "My lord, Master Sun does not wish to see your face. He can diagnose by hanging threads."

The king thought to himself, "I have been sick for three years and have never tried that. Let him come in."

The attendant hurried out and said, "The king has agreed to hanging-thread diagnosis. Quickly summon Master Sun into the palace to examine him."

Wukong then went onto the golden hall.

Tripitaka met him and scolded, "You wretched monkey, you have ruined me."

Wukong laughed. "Good master, I came to help you look grand, and you call that ruining you?"

Tripitaka snapped, "You have followed me for years. When have you ever been known to cure anyone? You do not even know the nature of medicines, and you have never studied a medical book. How dare you stumble into this great disaster?"

Wukong laughed. "Master, you really do not understand.

I have a few rough prescriptions that can cure serious illness. I guarantee I can cure him. Even if I kill him, it would only count as a quack doctor killing a man, and I should not die for it. Why worry?

It is no matter, no matter. Sit down and watch how I take the pulse."

Tripitaka said again, "Have you ever seen the Plain Questions, the Canon of Difficulties, the Materia Medica, or the Pulse Methods? Do you know the chapters and commentaries? How can you talk so wildly and claim to know hanging-thread pulse diagnosis?"

Wukong laughed. "I have gold thread on me, and you have not seen it."

He stretched out his hand, pulled three hairs from under his tail, pinched them together, and cried, "Change!"

At once they became three silk threads, each two zhang and four chi long, matching the twenty-four solar periods. He held them in his hand and said to Tripitaka, "Are these not my gold threads?"

The attendant eunuchs said, "Master, enough chatter. Please go into the palace and examine the king."

Wukong took leave of Tripitaka and followed the attendant into the palace to examine the illness.

It was truly this:

The heart holds a secret recipe that can cure a kingdom;
the belly hides a wondrous method that can prolong life.
But what illness he saw, and what medicine he used, that must wait for the next chapter.