Twenty-seven thousand five hundred years ago, the affairs of monkeys

Once again, with a somersault eighty thousand miles long, Sun Wukong soared through the sky on his rainbow-hued auspicious cloud, heading straight for the Southern Sea thousands of miles away. In less than a quarter of an hour, he caught sight of Mount Putuo, nestled on the shores of the Southern Sea.

Sun Wukong leapt down just outside the purple bamboo grove of Mount Putuo, bounding merrily along the stone steps, making his way deeper into the bamboo forest. Since the mountain’s former guardian, the Black Bear Spirit, had already joined the pilgrimage entourage, it was now the twenty-four Heavenly Guardians who came forward to greet him. They asked, “Great Sage, why are you not escorting Tang Monk westward to fetch the scriptures? What brings you to the Southern Sea—are you perhaps here to flirt with our Dragon Maiden again?”

“What Dragon Maiden?” Sun Wukong exclaimed in surprise, but seeing the Heavenly Guardians only smiling without answering, he lost interest in pursuing the matter. He said, “My master, Tang Sanzang, is in trouble. I have come to pay my respects to Guanyin Bodhisattva.”

“Oh—” answered the twenty-four guardians in unison, exchanging knowing looks. Waving their hands, they said, “Great Sage, please be seated while we announce your arrival.”

With that, the guardian on duty made his way into the depths of the purple bamboo forest, approaching the Tide Sound Cave and calling out in a clear voice, “Bodhisattva, Sun Wukong has come with urgent business!”

At that moment, Guanyin Bodhisattva was standing with the Pearl-Holding Dragon Maiden by the side of the precious lotus pond, admiring the flowers over the railing. Upon hearing the message, both displayed a trace of unusual emotion on their faces. Guanyin Bodhisattva merely wondered why Sun Wukong, in broad daylight, would abandon Tang Monk to come to the Southern Sea, while the Dragon Maiden blushed, her eyes shining with a glimmer of eager anticipation.

“That plague-stricken monkey again...” Guanyin Bodhisattva sighed faintly, then instructed the guardians to open the cave gate. Sun Wukong, wearing a look of earnest solemnity, strode in and bowed deeply before Guanyin, declaring, “Sun Wukong greets Sister Guanyin, wishing you boundless longevity and everlasting life!”

Guanyin Bodhisattva furrowed her brows slightly and, with downcast eyes, asked, “Wukong, why are you not protecting Tang Monk? What brings you here this time?”

Rising, Sun Wukong replied with a smile, “Sister Guanyin, it was by your great kindness that my master first accepted Pigsy at Gao Village, and later met Sha Wujing at the Flowing Sand River. I hear he too was reformed by your teachings.”

“Indeed, Wukong,” Guanyin nodded gently. “That day I passed by the Flowing Sand River and was blocked by the river fiend. When I questioned him, I learned that he was once the Curtain-Lifting General of Heaven, banished for breaking a crystal goblet, and subjected daily to the torment of flying swords piercing his heart. Seeing his sincere remorse and his heart turning toward the Buddha, I interceded with the Jade Emperor, and he was permitted to become a disciple to the scripture seeker. If you mention the pilgrimage to the West, he will certainly submit.”

“To tell the truth, Sister Guanyin, the river fiend has already yielded, but my master hesitates, doubting his sincerity. That is why I have come to consult you.”

As Sun Wukong spoke, the words of the twenty-four guardians about the “Dragon Maiden” surfaced in his mind. His gaze, almost involuntarily, flicked toward the Pearl-Holding Dragon Maiden at Guanyin’s side. Indeed, she was youthful and beautiful—a peerless maiden.

“In that case, you had best be on your way!” Guanyin, noticing Sun Wukong’s shifty eyes appraising the Dragon Maiden, felt a surge of annoyance and was eager to send him off.

“Please, Sister Guanyin, don’t rush me away! I have one more request,” Sun Wukong said, not understanding why Guanyin was so uncharacteristically cold toward him. He forced a sheepish smile and continued, “I’ve heard that the Flowing Sand River is said to be so treacherous that even a goose feather won’t float and a plume of reed will sink straight to the bottom. How, then, can my master cross the river?”

Guanyin drew from her sleeve a small red gourd and instructed, “If you thread this gourd together with the nine skulls hanging from Sha Wujing’s neck and arrange them in the pattern of the Nine Palaces, placing the gourd in the center, you will be able to carry Tang Monk across the Flowing Sand River.”

“I’ll go! I’ll go!” cried the Dragon Maiden in delight.

“You may not!” Guanyin rebuked sternly. Then she summoned Huian, instructing him to take the gourd and accompany Sun Wukong out of the Tide Sound Cave and the purple bamboo grove, soaring toward the Flowing Sand River.

Before long, Sun Wukong and Huian arrived at the riverbank. Pigsy, recognizing Huian as Moksha, the second son of Li Jing the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, led Tang Sanzang forward to greet him. After exchanging courtesies with Tang Sanzang and relating Sha Wujing’s origins, Huian reunited with Pigsy, and the two old acquaintances chatted off to the side.

Meanwhile, Tang Sanzang performed the tonsure and ordination for Sha Wujing, finding his words and actions in keeping with those of a true monk, and bestowed upon him a monastic name. Moksha, seeing that Sha Wujing had entered the Buddhist order, instructed him to remove the nine skulls hanging from his neck, then bound them with a cord in the Nine Palaces pattern, placing Guanyin’s red gourd at the center.

He then invited Tang Sanzang to descend the bank and board the Dharma ferry. Sun Wukong frolicked at the prow, Bear Gohan led the dragon horse at the stern, Pigsy supported from the left, and Sha Wujing steadied from the right.

Above Tang Sanzang’s head, Moksha accompanied him, making the monk appear as if he floated like an immortal. Below, the gourd transformed into a light boat, gliding across the Flowing Sand River like an arrow in flight, swiftly reaching the opposite shore.

“Well then, Master, Great Sage, Marshal, I must return to report to my master. Until we meet again!”

With that, Moksha reclaimed the gourd, transformed the nine skulls into nine gusts of yin wind, and rode his cloud toward the Southern Sea, soon disappearing from sight.

After bidding farewell to Moksha, Tang Sanzang mounted his horse with Sun Wukong’s help. Sha Wujing took the reins, Bear Gohan resumed bearing the burdens, Pigsy scouted ahead, and Sun Wukong flitted through the air, surveying the terrain.

Thus, several more months passed. The bond among the five companions deepened with time, and they jested and bantered all the way westward. Beyond the Flowing Sand River, the scenery was especially beautiful—verdant hills and clear waters everywhere, wild grasses and idle blossoms as far as the eye could see.

“Pigsy, you’re always talking about the Celestial Dancer. What does she really look like?” Sun Wukong, bored with flying, dropped down beside Pigsy and asked.

“What do you want, Brother Monkey?” Pigsy bristled at the mention of the Celestial Dancer, instantly on guard.

“Look at you! Do I look like the sort to steal another’s beloved?” Sun Wukong complained.

“Yes!” Pigsy nodded emphatically, utterly serious.

“Nonsense! I was pinned beneath Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years. How could I have played around?”

“True, you couldn’t then—but what about five hundred years ago?”

Pigsy shot Sun Wukong a sidelong glance. “Everyone in heaven and earth knows you’re a rakish monkey—who with daughters at home didn’t guard against you?”

“Pigsy, I’m warning you. Friendship aside, if you keep slandering me, I’ll accuse you of libel!” Sun Wukong issued a stern warning to Pigsy, who never hesitated to talk nonsense.

“Brother Monkey, that’s not right. You started this conversation, but now you’re angry!”

“Bah! Yes, I wanted to chat, but you can’t just smear my reputation!” Sun Wukong retorted in exasperation.

“What do you mean, smear your reputation? Never mind anything else—just think of what you did in broad daylight with those seven fairy maidens in the Peach Orchard. It’s revolting! At least when I was with Sister Yuan and Cuilan, I kept the lights off! But you... Hmph, the more I think about it, the more disgusted I get. Bah!” Pigsy spat on the ground for effect.

“What? What did I do? Pigsy, you’d better explain yourself!” Sun Wukong, enraged, reached out his long arm and clamped it around Pigsy’s big floppy ear.

“Wukong, what are you doing?” Tang Sanzang called from atop the white dragon horse.

“It’s nothing, Master. I’m just having a little heart-to-heart with Pigsy.” Sun Wukong bared his teeth at Pigsy and growled in a low voice, “Keep spouting nonsense and I’ll make you regret it.”

“Brother Monkey, you really are shameless,” Pigsy sighed. “People say, ‘One denies it as soon as the pants are up’—isn’t that just like you?”

“Pigsy, are you addicted to making up stories? Do you want me to slaughter you right now—”

“Big Brother, what Second Brother said is true,” Sha Wujing, who had been silently leading the dragon horse, suddenly interjected.

“What? Even you’re slandering me now, old Sha?” Sun Wukong exclaimed in disbelief.

“Great Sage, I don’t want to provoke you, but I can’t keep silent any longer! Five hundred years ago, you were a wandering, wild monkey—flirting with fairies and demonesses, ruining good families, committing all manner of mischief,” Bear Gohan chimed in, hurrying forward before quickly retreating to the rear of the group.

“I—what? If that’s true, why didn’t you tell me before?” Hearing even the honest, taciturn Sha Wujing and Bear Gohan say this, Sun Wukong began to doubt himself: What on earth did I do five hundred years ago?

“Brother Monkey,” Pigsy whispered, sidling up to Sun Wukong as Tang Sanzang lagged behind, “We didn’t say anything before because we weren’t close, and we were afraid you’d beat us if you got angry... It’s not like you haven’t done it before. For a certain demoness, you once injured Lord Wang Jiao, one of the twenty-eight star deities...”

“So why do you dare say it now?” Sun Wukong’s face darkened as Pigsy’s claims grew ever more specific. His voice was clipped and cold, and his gleaming fangs made Pigsy’s heart race with fear.

“Forget it, Brother Monkey, just treat it as my nonsense!” Pigsy hurried ahead, brandishing his nine-toothed rake, leaving Sun Wukong seething with anger and confusion: Could it be that I really am a notorious, lascivious monkey, sowing seeds of trouble wherever I go?