by Wu Cheng-En
“This is a part of the great land of India,
Fengxian Prefecture of which I am governor.
For three years on end we have suffered from drought:
Grass does not grow, and the grain has all died.
Business is hard for rich and for poor;
Nearly all of the families are weeping with grief.
Two thirds of the people have now died of starvation;
The rest barely survive, like a candle flame in the wind.
I have issued a notice for worthies
And am lucky you monks have come to our land.
If you bring the people a whole inch of rain
A thousand in silver will be your reward.”
When Monkey heard this his face showed his pleasure as he chuckled, “Don't say that, don't say that. If you promise us a reward of a thousand pieces of silver you won't get a single drop of rain. But if you put it in terms of accumulating merit I'll provide you with plenty of rain.”
The marquis, a thoroughly upright and good man who cared deeply for his people, invited Monkey to take the seat of honour, then bowed to him and said, “Teacher, if you really can show us this great compassion this humble official will do nothing to offend against morality.”
“Please get up,” said Monkey, “only look after my master well while I do the job.”
“How are you going to do it, brother?” asked Friar Sand. ”
“You and Pig are to must come here and be my assistants outside while I summon a dragon to make rain,” Monkey replied. Pig and Friar Sand did as he bade them, and while the three of them went outside the marquis burned incense and prayed. Sanzang sat there reciting sutras.
While Monkey recited the spell and said the magic words a dark cloud appeared to the East and slowly moved till it was in front of the hall: it was Ao Guang, the ancient dragon of the Eastern Sea. Ao Guang then put away his cloud feet and turned himself into human form to go up to Monkey, bow low to him with full courtesy and ask, “What have you sent for this humble dragon to do, Great Sage?”
“Please rise,” Monkey replied. “The only reason why I have troubled you to make this long journey is because there has been a drought in this prefecture of Fengxian for years on end. I'd like to ask you if you couldn't send some rain.”
“I must inform you, Great Sage,” the dragon replied, “that although I can make rain I can only act on the orders of Heaven. I would never dare come here to make rain on my own authority without Heaven's instructions.”
“As our journey brought us this way I asked you specially to come here to make rain and save the people,” said Monkey, “so why are you trying to get out of it?”
“I'd never dare,” the dragon king replied. “I came because you summoned me with the magic words, Great Sage, and I'd never dare try to get out of it. In the first place I haven't had an edict from Heaven, and secondly I haven't brought the magic rain-making generals with me. How could I, Great Sage? If you wish to be a savior, you must let me go back to the sea to muster my forces while you go to the heavenly palace to obtain an imperial edict for a fall of rain and ask the officials in charge of water to release us dragons, so that I can make rain in the quantities ordered.”
Accepting the force of his argument, Brother Monkey had to let the old dragon go back to the sea. He then told the Tang Priest what the dragon king had said.
“In that case you had better go and do that,” the Tang Priest said. “But don't be telling lies.”
Monkey then told Pig and Friar Sand to look after the master while he went up to the heavenly palace. No sooner had the splendid Great Sage said he was going than he was out of sight.
“Where has Lord Sun gone?” the marquis asked, trembling with shock.
“He's gone up to Heaven on a cloud,” replied Pig with a grin. With great reverence the marquis then issued an urgent order that all the people in the big and little streets of the city, whether nobility, high officials, gentry, commoners, soldiers or civilians, were to worship dragon-king tablets and set out water urns with sprigs of willow in them in front of their gates. They were also to burn incense and pray to Heaven.
Once on his somersault cloud Monkey went straight to the Western Gate of Heaven, where the Heavenly King Lokapala soon appeared at the head of his heavenly soldiers and warriors to greet him and say, “Great Sage, have you fetched the scriptures yet?”
“Quite soon now,” Monkey replied. “We've reached a frontier prefecture called Fengxian on the borders of India now. It hasn't rained for three whole years there, and the people are suffering terribly. I want to pray for rain to save them. I sent for the dragon king, but he told me that he couldn't do it on his own authority without a heavenly order, which is why I've come to see the Jade Emperor to request an edict.”
“I don't think it's supposed to rain there,” the heavenly king said. “I heard just now that the marquis of Fengxian had behaved disgracefully and offended both Heaven and Earth. His Majesty took it badly and immediately had a rice mountain, a flour mountain and a huge gold lock set up. It won't rain till all three have been knocked over or snapped.” Not understanding what all this was about, Monkey demanded to see the Jade Emperor, and, not daring to stop him, the heavenly king let him in.
Going straight to the Hall of Universal Brightness, Brother Monkey was met by the four heavenly teachers, who asked, “What are you here for, Great Sage?”
“On my journey escorting the Tang Priest I've reached Fengxian Prefecture on the frontiers of India, where there is a drought,” Monkey replied. “The marquis there has been asking for magicians to pray for rain. I sent for the dragon king to order him to make rain, but he said that he could not do so on his own authority without an edict from the Jade Emperor. I have now come to request an edict in order to relieve the people's suffering.”
“But it's not supposed to rain there,” said the four heavenly teachers.
“As to whether it's supposed to rain or not,” said Monkey with a smile, “could I trouble you to take me in to submit a memorial so that I can find out whether I can still get a favour done?”
To this the heavenly teacher Ge Xianweng replied, “As the saying goes, 'a fly that needs a net for a veil-what a nerve!'”
“Don't talk nonsense,” said Xu of Jingyang. “Just take him in.”
Qiu Hongji, Zhang Daoling, Ge and Xu took Monkey to the outside of the Hall of Miraculous Mist, where they reported, “Your Majesty, Sun Wukong has reached Fengxian Prefecture in India and wants to obtain rain. He has come to ask for an edict.”
“Three years ago,” the Jade Emperor replied, “on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, when we were inspecting the myriad heavens and travelling through the three worlds, we arrived at his city. We saw that Shangguan was most wicked; he knocked over the vegetarian offerings to heaven to feed to dogs, spoke foully, and was guilty of lese-majeste. That is why we set up those three things in the Hall of Fragrance. Take Sun Wukong to see them. When those three things have been accomplished we will issue our edict; but if they are not, then do not meddle in what does not concern you.”
When the four heavenly teachers led Brother Monkey to the Hall of Fragrance he saw a mountain of rice about a hundred feet high and a mountain of flour about two hundred feet high. Beside the rice mountain was a chicken the size of a fist eating the rice, sometimes with quick pecks, sometimes with slow ones. Beside the flour mountain was a golden-haired Pekinese licking the flour, sometimes with long licks and sometimes with short ones. To the left of it a golden padlock about one foot three or four inches long hung from an iron frame. The crossbar of the lock was about the thickness of a finger, and under it was a lamp, the flame of which was heating the bar.
Not understanding what all this was about, Monkey turned back to ask the heavenly teachers, “What does it mean?”
“When that wretch offended Heaven the Jade Emperor had these three things set up,” the heavenly teachers replied. “That place will only be due for rain when the c
hicken has eaten all the rice, the dog has licked up all the flour, and the lamp has melted the bar of the lock.”
When Monkey heard this he went pale with shock, and he dared make no more memorials to the throne. He left the palace hall overcome with embarrassment. “Don't take it so badly, Great Sage,” said the four heavenly teachers with smiles. “This is something that can be resolved through goodness. Once a single kind thought moves Heaven the rice and flour mountains will collapse and the bar of the padlock will be broken. If you can persuade the marquis to return to goodness then blessings will come of themselves.”
Monkey accepted their advice, and instead of going back to the Hall of Miraculous Mist to take his leave of the Jade Emperor he headed straight down to the lower world and its ordinary mortals. Within an instant he was at the Western Gate of Heaven, where he saw Heavenly King Lokapala again, who asked, “Did you get the decree you wanted?” Monkey told him about the rice and flour mountains and the metal lock.
“What you said to me was quire right,” he continued. “The Jade Emperor refuses to issue a decree. Just now the heavenly teachers told me as they saw me off that the secret of blessings lay in persuading that so-and-so to return to goodness.” With that Monkey took his leave and went down to the lower world on his cloud.
When the marquis, Sanzang, Pig, Friar Sand and the officials high and low all welcomed him back they crowded round him asking questions. Monkey then shouted at the marquis, “It's all because on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month three years ago you offended Heaven and Earth that the people are suffering, you wretch. That's why rain won't be sent now.”
At this the marquis was so alarmed that he fell to his knees, prostrated himself on the ground and asked, “How do you know about what happened three years ago, teacher?”
“Why did you knock the vegetarian offerings to Heaven over to feed to dogs?” said Monkey, “You'd better tell me the truth.”
Not daring to conceal anything, the marquis said, “On the twenty-fifth of the twelfth month three years ago I was making offerings to Heaven within the palace. As my wife was wicked we quarreled and said bad things to each other. In an unthinking outburst of fury I knocked over the table with the offerings and scattered the vegetarian food. It's true that I called the dogs to eat it up. I never realized that Heaven would take offence at this and harm the common people. For the last couple of years it has been preying on my mind. My thoughts have been disturbed, and I haven't been able to understand why. I never realized that it was because Heaven had taken offence that it was inflicting this disaster on the common people. Now that you have come down to visit us, teacher, I beg you to enlighten me on what the upper world intends to do.”
“That happened to be a day on which the Jade Emperor was visiting the lower world,” Monkey replied. “When he saw you feed the vegetarian food to the dogs and heard your foul language the Jade Emperor set three things up to remember you by.”
“What three things, brother?” Pig asked.
“In the Hall of Fragrance he had set up a rice mountain about a hundred feet high and a flour mountain about two hundred feet high. Beside the rice mountain is a chicken the size of a fist who's eating it with quick pecks and slow pecks. Beside the flour mountain is a golden-haired Pekinese licking the flour up with long licks and short licks. And to the left is an iron frame from which hangs a golden padlock with a crossbar the thickness of a finger under which a lamp is burning and warming the bar. You will only be due for rain here when-the chicken's eaten all the rice, the dog's licked up all the flour and the lamp has melted the bar of the lock.”
“No problem,” said Pig, “no problem. If you take me with you, brother, I can do a transformation, eat all the rice and flour up in one sitting and snap the bar of the lock. I can guarantee rain.”
“Don't talk nonsense, you idiot,” said Monkey. “This is a plan that's been made by Heaven. You'll never be able to get there.”
“From what you say I don't know what to do,” said Sanzang.
“It's easy,” said Monkey, “easy. As I was leaving the four heavenly teachers said to me that this could only be solved through goodness.”
The marquis then prostrated himself on the ground again and said imploringly, “I will do just as you tell me, teacher.”
“If your heart can turn back to goodness,” Monkey replied, “I hope that you'll at once start invoking the Buddha and reciting scriptures. Then I'll be able to help you. If you persist in refusing to reform there'll be nothing I can do to get you off. It won't be long before Heaven executes you, and your life will be beyond saving.”
The marquis kowtowed in worship, swearing to return to the faith. At once he summoned all the Buddhist and Taoist clergy in the city and ordered that a site be prepared for religious ceremonies. They were all to write out documents and memorials for three days. The marquis led his followers in burning incense and worshipping, thanking Heaven and Earth and repenting of his sins. Sanzang recited surras on his behalf. At the same time urgent notices were sent out ordering all the men and women, young and old, in all the households inside and outside the city to burn incense sticks and invoke the Buddha. From that moment on all ears were filled with virtuous sounds. Only then did Brother Monkey feel happy.
“You two look after the master,” he said to Pig and Friar Sand, “while I go off for him again.”
“Where are you going this time, brother?” Pig asked.
“The marquis really believed what I told him and is being reverent, good and kind,” Monkey replied, “and he's sincerely invoking the Buddha's name. So I'm going back to submit another request for rain to the Jade Emperor.”
“If you're going, don't lose any time, brother,” said Friar Sand. “This is holding us up on our journey. But do get a fall of rain: it'll be another true achievement for us.”
The splendid Great Sage set his cloud off once more and went straight to the gate of Heaven, where he met Heavenly King Lokapala again.
“What have you come for now?” Lokapala asked.
“The marquis has mended his ways,” Monkey replied, which pleased the Heavenly King. As they were talking the Straight Spell Messenger arrived at the gate of Heaven to deliver letters and documents written by Taoist and Buddhist clergy.
When he saw Monkey the messenger bowed and said, “This is all the result of your successful conversion, Great Sage.”
“Where are you taking those letters?” Monkey asked.
“Straight to the Hall of Universal Brightness,” the messenger replied, “to give to the heavenly teachers to pass on to the Great Heavenly Honoured One, the Jade Emperor.”
“In that case you'd better go first and I'll follow,” Monkey said. The messenger then went in through the heavenly gate. “Great Sage,” said Heavenly King Lokapala, “there's no need for you to go to see the Jade Emperor. You should go to borrow some thunder gods from the Office of Response to the Primary in the Ninth Heaven, then set off thunder and lightning. After that there'll certainly be rain.”
Monkey accepted this suggestion and went in through the gate of Heaven. Instead of going to the Hall of Miraculous Mist to ask for an edict he at once turned his cloud-treading steps towards the Office of Response to the Primary in the Ninth Heaven, where the Envoy of the Thunder Gate, the Corrector of Records and the Inspector of Probity appeared to bow and say, “Why are you here, Great Sage?”
“There's something I'd like to see the Heavenly Honoured One about,” Monkey replied, and the three envoys passed this on in a memorial to the Heavenly Honoured One, who then came down from behind his screen of red clouds and nine phoenixes in full court dress.
When they had exchanged greetings Monkey said, “There is something I would like to request of you.”
“What might that be?” the Heavenly Honoured One asked.
“While escorting the Tang Monk I have reached the prefecture of Fengxian,” said Brother Monkey, “and as they have long been suffering from drought there I promised to make it r
ain for them. The reason I have come here is to ask for the loan of some of your subordinate officials and generals in order to ask for rain.”
“I am aware that three things have been set up because the marquis there offended Heaven,” the Heavenly Honoured One replied, “but I have not yet heard that rain is due to fall there.”
“When I went to ask the Jade Emperor for an edict yesterday,” Monkey replied with a smile, “he told the heavenly teachers to take me to see the three things in the Hall of Fragrance: the mountain of rice, the mountain of flour and the golden lock. Rain isn't due to fall till these three things have been knocked down or broken. When I was feeling very upset because it was so difficult the heavenly teachers advised me to persuade the marquis and his people to do good deeds because Heaven is bound to help anyone who has a good thought. So there's a good chance of persuading Heaven to change its mind and delivering them from this disaster. Now good thoughts are happening everywhere, and all ears are filled with good sounds. Not long ago the Straight Spell Messenger took letters showing that they had mended their ways and turned towards goodness to the Jade Emperor, which is why I've come to your illustrious palace to ask for the help of your thunder officials and thunder generals.”
“In that case,” the Heavenly Honoured One replied, “I'll send Deng, Xin, Zhang and Tao to take Mother Lightning and go with you to Fengxian Prefecture to make thunder, Great Sage.”
Before long the four generals and the Great Sage had reached the boundaries of Fengxian and started performing their magic in mid air. A great ramble of thunder could be heard, and there were sizzling flashes of lightning. Indeed:
The lightning was like snakes of purple gold;
The thunder was like the noise of sleeping insects awakened.
Flashes of light like flying fire,
Thunderclaps like landslides in the mountains.
The jagged lines lit up the whole of the sky;
The great noise caused the earth itself to move.
When the red silk flashed like sprouts of plants
