Journey to the West (vol. 3)

by Wu Cheng-En

  The matching poem on the winter scene read:

  As skies clear after welcome snow the air is cold;

  Grotesque-shaped crags and boulders mark jade hills.

  As charcoal burns in the stove to warm the yogurt

  Singing with hands in their sleeves they lean on jade balustrades.

  The king was utterly delighted by the matching verses. “'Singing with hands in their sleeves they lean on jade balustrades' is really good,” he said with admiration, and ordered the royal orchestra to set the new poems to music. The banquet did not break up until the day was over.

  Brother Monkey and the other two were also having a splendid meal in the Pavilion of Lingering Spring. Each of them was feeling rather merry after downing a few cups, and they decided to go to see their master, who was in another building with the king. This made Pig start acting like the idiot he was.

  “This is great,” he yelled at once. “We're doing very nicely here. Today we've had a right good time. But now we're full we ought to go to sleep it off.”

  “You really are ill-bred, brother,” said Friar Sand with a grin. “How could you possibly go to sleep when you're as full as that?”

  “You wouldn't know,” said Pig. “There's a saying that goes,

  Unless you stretch out for a nap when you've dined

  How can your belly with fat be well lined?”

  When the Tang Priest had taken his leave of the king he went back to the pavilion and scolded pig: “Cretin! You acted coarser than ever. What sort of place do you think this is, to shout and yell like that? If you had made the king angry he would have had you killed.”

  “Don't worry,” Pig replied, “don't worry. We're being treated as his in-laws, so it would be very awkward for him to get angry with us. As the proverb goes,

  If you're related a beating can't rend it;

  If you are neighbors a cursing won't end it.

  We were only joking. He's nothing to be frightened of.”

  At this the venerable elder shouted, “Bring the idiot here. Give him twenty strokes of the dhyana staff.” Monkey then grabbed Pig and knocked him over, while Sanzang raised the cudgel to beat him.

  “Master, Royal Son-in-law,” the idiot shouted, “Spare me! Spare me!”

  One of the officials who was present at the banquet persuaded Sanzang not to hit Pig, who clambered back on his feet, grumbling, “You're a fine excellency; you're a fine royal son-in-law. Applying the royal law before you're even married!”

  “Stop that nonsense,” said Monkey, making a face at him, “stop that nonsense! Go to bed at once.” They then spent another night in the Lingering Spring Pavilion. The next morning they feasted as before.

  Before long they had been enjoying themselves for three or four days, by when it was that splendid day, the twelfth. The officials of the three sections of the Department of Foreign Relations all submitted a memorial that said, “Since we received the edicts on the eighth the palace for the Royal Son-in-law has been built, and all that we are waiting for is for the trousseau to be installed. The nuptial banquet has been prepared, with meat and vegetarian food for over five hundred guests.”

  This greatly pleased the king, who was just going to invite his future son-in-law to come to the banquet when a eunuch from the inner quarters of the palace reported to him, “Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen asks you to come.” The king then withdrew to the inner quarters of the palace, where the queens of the three palaces and the consorts of the six compounds brought the princess to the Sunlight Palace to talk and joke together. The place was truly a mass of flowers or brocade. The magnificence and beauty was more than a match for the halls of heaven or the moon's pavilions; nor was it inferior to the jade palaces of immortals.

  There are four new lyrics on the “Happy Gathering and Splendid Wedding” about it. The lyric “Happy” goes:

  Happy! Happy!

  Delight and bliss!

  The wedding is celebrated

  With its love and beauty.

  Elegant court dresses

  That the Lady of the Moon could never rival;

  Dragon and phoenix hairpins,

  Sumptuous threads of flying gold.

  Cherry lips, white teeth and rouge-red cheeks

  Sylphs with forms as delicate as flowers.

  Brocades upon brocades,

  An extravagance of color,

  Full of fragrance,

  A host of princesses.

  The lyric “Gathering” goes:

  Gathering! Gathering!

  Bewitching charms,

  Rivaling the great beauties of the past,

  Enough to topple a city or a state,

  Like flowers or jade.

  Dressed to make them lovelier still,

  Even more dazzling in their finery,

  And the splendor of their jewels.

  Their orchid hearts and natures were pure and lofty;

  Noble were their powder-white faces and ice-smooth skin.

  The lines of their painted eyebrows were like distant hills;

  They formed a throng of willowy elegance.

  The lyric “Splendid” goes:

  Splendid! Splendid!

  Jade girls, fairy maidens,

  Utterly adorable,

  Truly to be admired,

  Perfumed with fine fragrances,

  Adorned with cosmetics.

  Although far from the Tiantai paradise,

  This was no mere palace of a king.

  Sweet were their smiling words

  As the sound of pipes and songs was wafted around.

  A thousand beauties, massed flowers, a splendid brocade:

  How could its match be found in the world?

  The lyric “Wedding” goes:

  Wedding! Wedding!

  Orchid Fragrance,

  Ranks of fairy girls,

  Crowds of beauties.

  The royal concubines have put on new splendor;

  The princesses are in fresh garments.

  Piled clouds of raven hair,

  Rainbow gowns over phoenix skirts.

  Soft music of immortals,

  Two rows of purple and red.

  In the past they pledged to ride in one phoenix chariot;

  This morning is the happy occasion and the splendid wedding.

  When the king arrived his queens and consorts led the princess and the other palace ladies out to meet him. The delighted king took them into the Sunlight Palace to sit down. When the queens, consorts and others had made their obeisances the king said, “Princess, my good daughter, we think that your heart's desire was fulfilled when you had the good fortune to find the holy monk by throwing your ball from the decorated tower on the eighth. The officials of all the departments have been most understanding of our wishes, so that everything is now ready. As today is a lucky one let us hurry to the nuptial banquet and not be late.”

  The princess stepped forward, went down in a kowtow, and submitted this petition: “Your Majesty my father, I beg you to forgive your daughter for her effrontery, but I have a request to make. In the last few days it has been reported in the inner quarters of the palace that the Tang Priest has three extremely hideous disciples. I couldn't bring myself to see them: I'm afraid the sight would terrify me. So I beg you, Father, to send them out of the city. Otherwise the shock might be too much for my trail health and lead to disaster.”

  “If you had not mentioned them, child,” the king replied, “we would have very nearly forgotten about them. They are indeed rather ugly, and for the last few days we have had them entertained in the Lingering Spring Pavilion. When we go into the throne hall this morning we will return their passport and tell them to leave the city so that we can hold our banquet.” The princess then kowtowed again in thanks, after which the king left in his carriage to enter the throne hall and issue a decree inviting his son-in-law and the other three gentlemen to attend.

  Now the Tang Priest had been following the dates by counting on his fingers,
so when he reached the twelfth he had a discussion with his three disciples before dawn. “It is the twelfth today,” he said. “How are we to cope?”

  “I've already noticed something of an ill-omened air about the king,” Brother Monkey replied, “but the evil hasn't actually infected him or done any great harm. The only thing is that I've not yet had a look at the princess. If she comes out and lets me take a peep at her I'll know whether she's an impostor or not, then I'll do something. Don't worry. He's bound to summon us now and send us three away from the city. Accept the invitation and don't be afraid. I'll slip back and stay close to you to protect you.” As master and disciples were talking a royal equerry did indeed come with officials from the protocol office to bring an invitation.

  “Let's go,” said Monkey, “let's go. I'm sure they're going to see us three on our way and keep you here, Master, for the wedding.”

  “If they're seeing us off they're bound to give us hundreds and thousands of ounces of gold and silver,” said Pig. “We'll be able to buy some presents to take home with us. When I get back to my in-laws' place I'll be able to have a bit of fun again.”

  “Shut up, second brother,” said Friar Sand, “and stop talking such nonsense. We'll do what big brother says.”

  They then followed the officials to the foot of the throne hall steps, taking baggage and horse with them. When the king had greeted them he commanded Monkey and the other two to come forward. “Hand your passport up,” he said, “and we shall seal it, sign it and return it to you. You three gentlemen will be generously provided with funds for your journey and escorted on your way to see the Buddha on Vulture Peak. If you come back with the scriptures you will also receive generous rewards. We shall keep our son-in-law here: there will be no need for you to worry about him.”

  Monkey thanked the king, then told Friar Sand to take the passport out and hand it over. The king read it, sealed and signed it, then brought out ten ingots of gold and twenty of silver that he wanted to present to them as gifts for his in-laws. Pig, who always had been very keen on money and sex, stepped forward to accept them.

  Monkey then gave a respectful chant and said, “We've disturbed you.”

  As Monkey turned to go Sanzang hastily scrambled to his feet, grabbed hold of him, and said through clenched teeth, “You are all abandoning me.”

  Brother Monkey pinched the palm of Sanzang's hand, gave him a meaningful look and said, “Unwind and take your pleasure here while we go to fetch the scriptures. We'll call on you on our way back.” Not knowing whether to believe this or not, the venerable elder refused to let him go. When all the officials saw this they took it for a real parting. Soon the king invited his son-in-law back into the throne hall, ordering the officials to escort the three gentlemen out of the city, whereupon Sanzang had to let go of Monkey and enter the hall.

  As Brother Monkey and the other two went out through the palace gates they each took their leave.

  “Are we really going?” asked Pig. Monkey said nothing, and just walked back to the hostel, where the superintendent received them and provided tea and a meal.

  “You two stay here,” Monkey said to Pig and Friar Sand, “and whatever you do, don't show your faces. If the hostel superintendent asks what's happening, give him vague answers. Don't say anything. I'm going off to look after the master.”

  The splendid Great Sage pulled out one of his hairs, blew on it with magic breath, called “Change!” and turned it into his own double to stay in the hostel with Pig and Friar Sand, while he himself leapt up into mid air in a flash, turning himself into a bee.

  Yellow wings, sweet mouth and a sharp tail,

  He dances wildly in the wind,

  The brilliant thief of fragrance from the blossom

  Who sways his way through willows and flowers.

  With many a drenching for his troubles

  He flies to and fro, but all in vain.

  The thick delight be makes he never tastes;

  All he can do is leave his fame behind.

  Watch him as he flies lightly into the palace, where he saw the Tang Priest sitting on an embroidered stool at the king's left, frowning and worried at heart. Flying up to his master's Vairocana mitre, Monkey crept stealthily to his ear and said, “I'm here, Master, so don't fret.” These words were heard by the Tang Priest alone,-none of the ordinary mortals had any hope of hearing them-so he felt relief at last.

  Before long a eunuch came with an invitation: “Your Majesty, the nuptial banquet is set out in the Jay Palace. Her Majesty and the princess are awaiting you in the inner quarters. They invite Your Majesty and His Excellency to go in for the wedding.” Overwhelmed with happiness, the king went into the inner quarters with his son-in-law. Indeed:

  The wicked king's love of flowers led to disaster;

  When the dhyana mind starts thinking, each thought brings sorrow.

  If you don't know how the Tang Priest escaped once in the inner quarters of the palace, listen to the explanation in the next installment.

  Chapter 95

  False and True Form Combine When the Jade Hare is Captured

  The True Female Is Converted and Meets With Spiritual Origin

  The story tells how the Tang Priest was feeling thoroughly miserable as he accompanied the king into the inner quarters, from where a great sound of drums and music arose and fine perfumes could be smelt. He kept his head bowed, not daring to look up. Monkey, secretly very pleased, had fixed himself to the Vairocana mitre, from where he used his magic light to look around with his fiery eyes and golden pupils. There were two ranks of court ladies, making it seem like a palace of flowers or immortals, and finer than a spring breeze blowing past a brocade screen. Indeed, they were

  Graceful and charming,

  Jadelike, and with ice-smooth skin.

  Bewitching pairs more lovely than the girl of Chu,

  Beauties two by two, rivaling the lady Xi Shi.

  Their hair was coiled high like flying phoenixes;

  Their eyebrows were just visible, low lines of distant hills.

  Elegantly played the pipe and shawm;

  Fast sounded flute and drum.

  All the notes of the scale rang out,

  Rising then falling again together.

  Delightful were they as they danced and sang,

  A carpet of flowers, every one of them lovely.

  Seeing that his master was not in the least moved by this Monkey silently smacked his lips in admiration and said, “What a fine monk! What a fine monk!

  Dwelling amid splendor, his heart forms no attachment;

  Walking through magnificence, his mind is not confused.”

  A little later the princess came out of the Jay Palace surrounded by the queens and consorts so greet the king with cheers of “Long live the king! Long live the king!” This so alarmed the venerable elder that he trembled, not knowing what to do.

  By now Monkey had already noticed a touch of the demonic-though nothing very vicious-that could just be made out in the aura above the princess's head. Monkey crawled quickly to Sanzang's ear and said, “The princess is a fake, Master.”

  “If she is a fake,” the venerable elder replied, “then how are we to make her turn back into her real form?”

  “I'll give myself a magic body and catch her right here,” said Monkey.

  “That would terrify His Majesty,” said Sanzang. “Wait till he and his queens have withdrawn before using your magic.”

  Now Monkey had been impatient by nature all his life, so he could not restrain himself. With a great and angry roar he resumed his true from, rushed up and grabbed the princess. “You're a fine, evil beast,” he said abusively. “You've had no end of luxury here, you impostor, but it wasn't enough for you. You're so sex-crazed you had to try to trick my master and destroy his primal masculinity.” This struck the king speechless with fright, and made the queens and consorts fall about. The palace beauties all ran off to hide, fleeing for their lives. It was just like

>   A roaring wind in spring,

  The howling autumn gale.

  When the roaring wind in spring blows through the wood

  A thousand blossoms are shaken;

  When the howling autumn gale hits the park

  Ten thousand leaves all swirl and fly.

  The tree peony beneath the balustrade is snapped;

  Herbaceous peonies beside the balcony fall over.

  Hibiscus on the pond's banks are shaken all about.

  While chrysanthemums are flung in heaps at the foot of the terrace.

  The delicate begonia collapses in the dust;

  The fragrant rose is now sleeping in the wilds.

  The spring wind smashes caltrop, lotus and pear;

  Winter snows weigh down the plum tree's tender blossoms.

  The petals of the pomegranate

  Are scattered all around the inner courtyard;

  The branches of the willow

  Are blown sideways within the royal palace.

  Fine blooms, and a night of raging wind and rain:

  Countless red petals carpet the ground with brocade.

  Sanzang hastily put his trembling arms round the king and said, “Don't be afraid, Your Majesty. It is only my wicked disciple using his magical powers to find out whether she is an impostor or not.”

  Seeing that things were going badly for her, the evil spirit broke free, tore off her clothes, flung down her jewelry and hair ornaments and ran to the shrine of the local deity in the palace garden. From here she brought out a short club shaped like the head of a trip-hammer, with which she started hitting wildly at Monkey as she turned quickly towards him. Monkey, who had caught up with her at once, struck back at her face with his iron cudgel, Shouting and roaring at each other, the two of them started fighting in the palace gardens. Then each began a great display of magic powers, riding clouds as they battled in mid air. In this fight