Chapter 13 13. Senior Brother

The Black Bear Demon is quite an interesting character in "Journey to the West." Originally, he was a crescent-moon black bear who cultivated into a spirit, residing in the Black Wind Cave of the Black Wind Mountain. He wielded a long spear with a black tassel, was skilled in transformations, and his methods were formidable. Although he was generally at a disadvantage against Sun Wukong in their encounters, he never really suffered any losses, making him a force to be reckoned with! Furthermore, despite being a demon, his greatest pleasure was in literary pursuits, much like a scholar, delighting in the art of words...

In the end, he was esteemed by Bodhisattva Guanyin, who, with a golden circlet bestowed by the Buddha, accepted him as the Great Guardian of the Mountain. This, in turn, attests to the Black Bear Demon's considerable strength.

Hu Rong also recognized the Black Bear Demon's abilities and planned to recruit him as a subordinate. In this way, their pilgrimage team would gain a free bodyguard and servant, someone to attend to Tang Sanzang personally!

Upon this thought, Hu Rong and Tang Sanzang had already arrived at the gates of the temple. Above the entrance was inscribed "Guanyin Monastery," with tier upon tier of halls and overlapping corridors. Outside the triple-arched gate, vast clouds of colored mist veiled the grounds; in front of the Hall of Five Blessings, rosy mists wound in a thousand threads. Two rows of pine and bamboo, a grove of cypress and juniper—timeless and serene, the pines and bamboos exuded quiet elegance; the cypress and juniper, with their colors and bearing, seemed to stand in proud beauty. The bell and drum towers rose high, the pagoda soared mightily. The monks found peace in meditation, while birds sang idly among the trees. It was a place of true tranquility, pure and profound, untouched by dust.

Tang Sanzang dismounted, and Hu Rong had already hopped to the entrance. Just as they were about to enter the Guanyin Monastery, a group of monks emerged and, upon seeing Hu Rong, recoiled in terror, their bald heads shrinking further as they cried, "A ghost! A ghost!"

"Come on! You ignorant little baldies, I am the Handsome Monkey King, and you call me a ghost?" Hu Rong rushed forward, grabbed a monk, and demanded, "Who's in charge here? Tell him to get out here and receive his guests!"

"Wukong! Mind your manners!" Tang Sanzang quickly intervened, stopping Hu Rong. Standing respectfully by the door, he intoned the Buddhist greeting, "Amitabha, I am but a humble monk from the Great Tang of the East, bound for the Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and seek scriptures. Passing by your esteemed temple as night approaches, I request lodging for the night."

The lead monk, seeing that the speaker was dignified and clearly human, relaxed a little and replied, "So it is the holy monk from the Great Tang—please, come inside, come inside."

Tang Sanzang stepped into the Guanyin Monastery, with Hu Rong close behind. The monks eyed Hu Rong curiously, whispering among themselves about his strange and unusual appearance.

Hu Rong paid them no mind, motioned for the White Dragon Horse to amuse itself elsewhere, and, together with Tang Sanzang, followed the lead monk through the temple gates. Glancing up, they saw inscribed over the main hall the characters "Guanyin Chan Monastery."

Tang Sanzang was overjoyed. "I have so often felt the Bodhisattva's grace and have yet to offer thanks. Now, encountering this Chan Monastery is as though meeting the Bodhisattva herself—a perfect opportunity for gratitude."

The monk, hearing this, ordered the hall doors opened for Tang Sanzang to worship. Hu Rong, ascending the steps, saw Tang Sanzang bow his head to the golden statue with every kowtow, while the monk struck the drum each time. So Hu Rong seized a mallet and began to bang the bell as well.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!" Hu Rong rang the bell in a wild flurry, alarming all the monks and elders throughout the monastery. Hearing the cacophony, they rushed out, exclaiming, "Who is the wild man ringing the bell and drum in such chaos?"

"I was just hoping you'd come out!" Hu Rong grinned, sprang forward, and shouted, "It was me! Got a problem with that?"

The monks, terrified at the sight, tumbled over each other, prostrating themselves on the ground and begging, "Thunder God, have mercy! Thunder God!"

Who, indeed, is the Thunder God in "Journey to the West"? This question suddenly popped into Hu Rong's mind. If it's that ugly Leizhenzi, he might just lose his temper!

"Don't be afraid, everyone. This wild-haired, thunder-mouthed monk is my disciple, Sun Wukong," Tang Sanzang stepped forward to smooth things over, pointing at Hu Rong.

Upon seeing Tang Sanzang, the monks were finally reassured. After all, he emanated an aura of holiness and his natural handsomeness made him all the more approachable.

The head monk then invited Tang Sanzang and Hu Rong to the inner Chan courtyard, offered them tea, and had someone prepare a vegetarian meal.

"I heard that a high monk from the Great Tang was visiting. Where is he now?" With these words, an aged voice announced the arrival of two young novices supporting an old monk—none other than Elder Jinchi, the founder of the temple.

"Abbot, your disciple pays respects!" Tang Sanzang, recognizing the venerable monk, bowed deeply in greeting.

Elder Jinchi returned the bow, then took a seat. Noticing Tang Sanzang's delicate skin and fine features, he was moved to show off. After some polite small talk, he ordered tea to be served.

Yet, instead of senior monks, a few young novices entered. One carried a tray of mutton-fat jade, bearing three cloisonné teacups inlaid with gold. Another brought a white-bronze kettle, pouring three cups of fragrant tea, whose color rivaled pomegranate blossoms and whose aroma surpassed osmanthus. Tang Sanzang praised it repeatedly.

Elder Jinchi nodded with satisfaction, a flash of pride in his eyes, though he feigned modesty, "You flatter me, holy monk! You hail from the Celestial Empire, where wonders abound. How could my humble wares be of any consequence? Surely, as a monk of the great Tang, you must carry some treasures. Might you show us something, so that we may broaden our horizons?"

Tang Sanzang shook his head humbly, "Alas, I possess nothing that could be called a treasure. Moreover, the road to the West is long and arduous; even if I had such things, I could not bring them."

"But you do!" Hu Rong interjected, brimming with the excitement of a child eager to boast. "Master, just the other day I saw in our bundle a golden-flowered cap. Is that not a treasure? Why not show it to them?"

At the mention of a flowery cap, the monks snickered, and even Elder Jinchi pursed his lips, clearly considering Hu Rong's so-called treasure beneath notice.

"You frogs in the well! Today I'll open your eyes!" Hu Rong pretended to be stung, slipped outside, found the White Dragon Horse, retrieved the real golden-flowered cap—having first replaced the illusionary one made from a single hair—and returned to the main hall.

Upon seeing Hu Rong return with the cap, the monks' scorn grew. But when he set it on the table, it burst forth with dazzling rays of rainbow light, stunning them all. Not a monk failed to praise it—what a wondrous treasure indeed!

"Heh, this jeweled cap was bestowed upon me by Sister Guanyin herself! Should a dragon wear a thread of it, he shall escape the devouring maw of the Roc; should a crane wear a strand, he shall transcend the mortal realm. Wherever one sits, myriad gods pay homage; with every move, the Seven Buddhas themselves accompany!"

To lure out the Black Bear Demon, Hu Rong shamelessly borrowed the eulogies for the brocade cassock gifted by Bodhisattva Guanyin and applied them to the golden-flowered cap, then cast a splendid illusion—truly, "magnificent" was the word!

Elder Jinchi, coveting the treasure, wobbled forward, knelt before Tang Sanzang, and with tears in his eyes, lamented, "I am truly without fate."

Tang Sanzang hurried to help him up. "Elder, what do you mean by this?"

Elder Jinchi, sniffling and sobbing, replied softly, "This precious item has only just been displayed, but the night is already deep. Poor as I am, my failing eyes cannot see it clearly—am I not unworthy?"

Tang Sanzang, hearing this, silently blamed Hu Rong for displaying the treasure so thoughtlessly, fearing the old monk would become obsessed with it. Still, moved by his pitiable state, he suggested, "Perhaps we should bring a lamp, so you can examine it more closely."

Yet Elder Jinchi, intent on scheming for the cap, would not let the chance slip. He wailed, "The cap already glows so brightly. If a lamp is lit, it will only dazzle me more—how can I see it clearly?"

"Ha! Old fellow, I was hoping you'd be greedy!" Hu Rong thought with glee, feigning surprise. "Then how do you propose to view it?"

Elder Jinchi pleaded, "If the holy monk would be so gracious, allow me to take it to the inner chambers and examine it all night. I will return it, unharmed, at dawn—would that be acceptable?"

Tang Sanzang was taken aback, then quietly reproached Hu Rong, "This is all your doing. If the golden-flowered cap is lost and we anger the Bodhisattva, I shall make you answer for it!"

Hu Rong laughed, "Sister Guanyin is busy with myriad affairs—she won't mind such trifles. Besides, look at this elder's kind face—how could he covet your little cap?"

"Well said, well said!" In the end, Tang Sanzang could not resist Elder Jinchi's earnest entreaties. He handed over the cap, saying, "Elder, you need not be so dramatic. Please, take the cap and examine it at your leisure, but return it to me by morning, exactly as it is—not a speck of dust or damage!"

"Of course, of course!" Elder Jinchi, overjoyed, had a novice carry the cap away, then ordered the monks to clean a solitary meditation hall for the guests.

Two ebony vine beds were set up with bedding, and Tang Sanzang and Hu Rong were shown in to rest. The monks withdrew, and soon the moon set, the crows cried, and the entire Guanyin Chan Monastery fell into a hush...