Chapter 3

The Four Seas and Thousand Mountains Bow Before Him; From the Nine Hells the Names of All Ten Kinds Are Erased

The Handsome Monkey King came home in triumph with the Demon King of Havoc's sword. Every day he drilled the young monkeys in arms, making them cut bamboo into spears, carve wooden swords, fashion banners, and make whistles. They practiced advances, retreats, and pitching camp, enjoying themselves for a long time. One day he sat in thought. “This play may turn serious. A human king, or king of birds or beasts, may think we're raising an army against him and attack. How can wooden swords and bamboo poles defend you? We need sharp swords and halberds. What can we do?” The monkeys were alarmed. “Your Majesty thinks ahead, but where can we find them?” Four old monkeys stepped forward, two red-rumped horse monkeys and two long-armed apes. “Weapons are easy to procure, Your Majesty.” “How?” “Two hundred li of water to the east lie the borders of Aolai. Its king rules a city full of soldiers and civilians; there must be craftsmen working gold, silver, copper, and iron. Buy or commission arms there, teach us to use them, and defend our mountain for the long term.” Wukong rejoiced. “Stay and play. I'll be back.”

The Monkey King leaped onto his somersault cloud and in an instant crossed the two hundred li of water. There stood a city with six avenues, three markets, and thousands of houses, thronged with people in broad daylight. “There must be ready-made weapons here,” he thought. “Why buy a few when I can find some by magic?” Making a hand sign and reciting a spell, he drew breath from the southeast and blew a mighty wind, flinging sand and stones. How terrifying:

Clouds like cannon smoke rose, shaking heaven and earth; black mist and darkness veiled the land.Waves rolled in rivers and seas, frightening fish and crabs; trees broke in mountain forests, sending wolves and tigers fleeing.No traders attended their merchandise; no one was seen at any occupation.The king fled from his hall to his inner court; his officials left the steps for their offices.The ancient throne blew over, and the five-phoenix tower shook to its foundations.

The wind scattered Aolai's king, and people in all the streets and markets barred their doors. Wukong descended, entered the palace gate, and found the armory. Inside lay innumerable swords, lances, halberds, axes, battleaxes, spears, sickles, whips, rakes, clubs, iron batons, bows, crossbows, forks, and pikes. “How many can I carry alone? I'll multiply myself and take them all.” He plucked hairs, chewed them, spat them out, recited a spell, and cried “Change!” Hundreds of little monkeys appeared. The strong grabbed five or seven weapons each, the smaller two or three, until the armory was empty. Wukong mounted his cloud, summoned the wind by magic, and led them home.

The monkeys at Mount Flower-Fruit were playing outside the cave when they heard the wind and saw a boundless swarm of monkeys overhead. They fled in fright. Then the Handsome Monkey King landed, dismissed his cloud, shook himself to reclaim his hairs, and heaped the weapons before the mountain. “Children, come take your arms!” Seeing Wukong standing alone on the plain, they ran up and bowed. He told them how he had raised the storm and seized the weapons. They thanked him and snatched up swords, axes, spears, bows, and crossbows, whooping and drilling all day.

The next day they resumed their formations. Wukong counted more than 47,000 monkeys. Their activities alarmed the mountain's creatures: wolves, insects, tigers, leopards, deer of every kind, foxes, raccoon dogs, badgers, lions, elephants, mythical lions, orangutans, bears, wild boars, mountain oxen, antelopes, blue rhinoceroses, cunning beasts, and divine mastiffs. The demon kings of seventy-two caves came to pay homage to the Monkey King. They offered annual tribute and reported for duty each season; some drilled with his troops, others gathered provisions. Mount Flower-Fruit became an iron fortress. Demon kings presented drums and gongs, colored flags, helmets, and armor, and daily the army trained in bustling ranks.

The Handsome Monkey King was pleased, but told the others: “You know your bows and weapons well, but this sword of mine is clumsy and doesn't suit me.” The four old monkeys said: “You are an immortal sage; mortal weapons cannot serve you. Can you travel underwater?” “Since learning the Way I've mastered the seventy-two transformations of the Earthly Fiends, and my somersault cloud has immense power. I can become invisible, escape, summon forces, and work magic. Heaven has a way in, earth a gate; I can walk through sunlight and moonlight without a shadow or through metal and stone unhindered. Water cannot drown me or fire burn me. Where couldn't I go?” “The water beneath our iron bridge connects to the Eastern Sea Dragon King's palace. Go down and ask the old Dragon King for a weapon worthy of you.” “I will!” Wukong replied delightedly.

At the bridge, the Monkey King made a water-parting sign, plunged beneath the waves, and entered the Eastern Sea. A sea-patrolling yaksha barred his way. “Who comes parting the water? Identify yourself so I can announce you.” “I am Sun Wukong, heaven-born sage of Mount Flower-Fruit, your Dragon King's close neighbor. Don't you recognize me?” The yaksha rushed to the crystal palace. “Your Majesty, Sun Wukong, heaven-born sage of Mount Flower-Fruit, calls himself your neighbor and is coming here.” The Eastern Sea Dragon King Ao Guang rose and came out with dragon sons and grandsons, shrimp soldiers and crab generals. “Come in, honored immortal!” He offered Wukong the seat of honor and tea. “When did you attain the Way? What art did you learn?” “Since birth I have practiced until my body became free of birth and death. Recently I began training my children to defend our cave, but I have no suitable weapon. I hear you enjoy the treasures of your jade and shell palace, and have come to request one.” Unable to refuse, the Dragon King had his mandarin-fish officer bring a great sword. “I don't use swords. Please give me something else.” A whitefish officer and eel strongman brought a nine-pronged fork. Wukong swung it, then set it down. “Too light. It doesn't suit me.” “But it weighs 3,600 catties!” “It doesn't suit me.” Frightened, the Dragon King had a bream admiral and carp general carry in a painted halberd weighing 7,200 catties. Wukong wielded it in several movements, planted it, and said: “Still too light.” “It's the heaviest weapon in my palace. There are no others.” “As they say, the Dragon King of the Sea never lacks treasures! Keep looking, and I'll pay for anything that suits me.” “Truly, there are none.”

The Dragon King's wife and daughters came forward. “Your Majesty, this sage is no ordinary visitor. For several days the divine iron that anchors the Milky Way at the bottom of our treasury has shone with radiant auspicious light. Perhaps it is destined to meet him.” “It's a measure used by Great Yu to gauge the depth of rivers and seas while controlling the floods. What use could he make of it?” “Give it to him, whether useful or not. Let him remake it as he likes, so he'll leave.” The Dragon King told Wukong about it. “Bring it here.” “We cannot lift or carry it. You'll have to go and see it yourself.” “Lead me there.”

In the middle of the treasury, they saw ten thousand shafts of golden light. “There it is,” said the Dragon King. Wukong lifted his robe and touched an iron pillar as thick as a bushel measure and over two zhang long. He gripped it with both hands. “Too thick and long. If only it were slimmer and shorter.” It shrank several feet and narrowed. “A little thinner still,” he said, and thinner it became. Delighted, he examined it outside: gold bands capped both ends of the black iron shaft. Beside one band were the words: “As-You-Will Gold-Banded Staff, weight 13,500 catties.” “So it answers my wishes,” he thought. As he walked, he spoke his thought aloud: “Shorter and thinner still.” By the time he came out it was two zhang long, the width of a bowl's mouth.

He swung the staff and practiced his moves through the crystal palace. The Dragon King trembled; his sons nearly fainted; turtles and tortoises drew in their necks, and fish, shrimp, and crabs hid their heads. Wukong sat with the staff in the palace hall and smiled. “Many thanks, neighbor. The iron is fine, but there's something else.” “What is it?” “Without the iron I'd have had no need; now I have it, but no clothes worthy of it. Give me a suit of armor too, and you'll have my thanks for both.” “I have none.” “I won't trouble another host. If you have none, I won't leave.” “Perhaps another sea has armor.” “Better to stay at one home than go to three. Please provide a suit.” “Truly I have none; otherwise I'd offer it.” “Then I'll test this iron on you!” “Please don't strike! Perhaps my brothers have armor to give you.” “Where are they?” “Ao Qin of the Southern Sea, Ao Shun of the Northern Sea, and Ao Run of the Western Sea.” “I'm not going elsewhere. A bird in the hand is worth two promised elsewhere.” “You need not go. When I sound my iron drum and golden bell in emergencies, they come at once.” “Then sound them!” A crocodile general struck the bell and a turtle commander beat the drum.

The other three Dragon Kings soon arrived. “What emergency calls us, elder brother?” asked Ao Qin. “A heaven-born sage from Mount Flower-Fruit came this morning claiming to be my neighbor. He demanded a weapon, found a fork too small and a halberd too light, then took the divine iron that anchors the Milky Way and swung it about. Now he sits inside demanding armor. I've summoned you because I have none. Give him a suit so we can send him away.” Ao Qin cried: “Why not muster our men and arrest him?” “His iron kills at a touch and wounds with a graze!” Ao Run replied: “Don't fight him. Let's give him armor and send him off, then petition heaven to punish him.” “I have lotus-silk cloud-walking shoes,” said Ao Shun. “I brought golden chain mail,” said Ao Run. “I have a purple-gold phoenix-winged crown,” said Ao Qin. Delighted, Ao Guang brought them in. Wukong put on crown, armor, and shoes, then fought his way out with the staff. “What a nuisance, what a nuisance!” he said to the dragons. The four kings were indignant and discussed submitting a petition to heaven.

The Monkey King parted the water and sprang onto the iron bridge. The four old monkeys and their companions waited there. Seeing him emerge utterly dry and glowing with gold, they knelt. “Your Majesty, how splendid you look!” Beaming, he sat on his throne and stood the staff in the middle. The monkeys tried to lift it, but like dragonflies shaking an iron tree they could not move it a hair's breadth. “How heavy! How did you carry it?” they cried. Wukong picked it up easily. “Every treasure has its master. It lay in the sea treasury for thousands of years, and only this year began to shine. The Dragon King thought it a lump of black iron, the divine anchor of the Milky Way. No one there could lift it, so I went to fetch it. It was more than two zhang long and thick as a bushel measure, but each time I asked it to shrink, it did. Its inscription says ‘As-You-Will Gold-Banded Staff, 13,500 catties.’ Stand back and watch.” He cried “Small! Small! Small!” and it became an embroidery needle, which he hid in his ear. “Show us again!” the astonished monkeys begged. He took it from his ear, placed it on his palm, and cried “Grow! Grow! Grow!” It became two zhang long and as thick as a bowl's mouth. Delighted, he sprang outside and invoked the magic of embodying heaven and earth. “Grow!” His body rose ten thousand zhang, head like Mount Tai, waist like a mountain ridge, eyes like lightning, mouth like a basin of blood, teeth like swords and halberds. His staff reached the thirty-third heaven above and the eighteenth hell below. Tigers, leopards, wolves, insects, mountain monsters, and the kings of seventy-two caves trembled and bowed. In an instant he returned to normal, shrank the staff to a needle, hid it in his ear, and returned to the cave. Demon kings from every cave hurried to congratulate him.

They raised flags, sounded drums and gongs, served countless dishes, and poured coconut and grape wine for a long feast. Then they resumed their drills. The Monkey King appointed the four elders his commanders: the two red-rumped horse monkeys became Marshals Ma and Liu; the two long-armed apes, Generals Beng and Ba. He entrusted them with camps, discipline, rewards, and punishments.

Free of cares, he traveled daily on clouds across the four seas and delighted in a thousand mountains. Seeking champions to test his martial skill and worthy friends to share his magic, he made six sworn brothers: the Bull Demon King, Flood Dragon Demon King, Roc Demon King, Lion-Camel King, Macaque King, and Snub-Nosed Monkey King. With the Handsome Monkey King they numbered seven. Every day they discussed literature and arms, passed cups of wine, played music, sang, and danced, coming home at night. Every pleasure was theirs. Ten thousand li felt like a walk through the family courtyard: a nod could carry them three thousand li, a turn of the waist eight hundred more.

One day he told his four commanders to prepare a feast in his cave for the six kings. They slaughtered oxen and horses, offered sacrifice to heaven and earth, and had the monsters sing and dance. Everyone drank heavily. After seeing his brothers off, he rewarded the leaders, then lay beneath a pine beside the iron bridge and fell asleep. The four commanders kept watch and would not speak aloud. In his sleep two figures approached with a warrant bearing the name “Sun Wukong.” Without explanation they put a rope around him, took hold of his soul, and led him stumbling to a city. As his drunkenness ebbed, he saw an iron sign above the gate: “Realm of Darkness.” “That is King Yama's home. Why have I come here?” “Your allotted life is over. We have a warrant to summon you.” “I've escaped the three realms and the five elements. He has no power over me! How dare you bring me here?” The two soul-catchers tried to drag him in. Furious, he drew the staff from his ear, enlarged it to a bowl's thickness, and reduced them both to pulp. He removed the rope and fought his way into the city. Ox-headed ghosts hid in every direction; horse-faced ghosts fled. The ghost soldiers rushed to the Hall of Judgment. “Your Majesties, disaster! A hairy-faced thunder god is fighting his way in!”

The ten kings of the underworld straightened their clothes and came out, saw his fierce appearance, and called in unison: “Honored immortal, tell us your name!” “If you don't know me, why send men to fetch me?” “Surely they made a mistake.” “I am Sun Wukong, heaven-born sage of Water Curtain Cave on Mount Flower-Fruit. Who are you?” “The ten kings of the underworld.” “State your names before I strike.” “We are King Qinguang, King Chujiang, King Songdi, King Wuguan, King Yama, King Pingdeng, King Taishan, King Dushi, King Biancheng, and the Wheel-Turning King.” “Kings ought to know better! I have cultivated immortality, live as long as heaven, and have passed beyond the three realms and five elements. Why seize me?” “Many people share names. Perhaps our agents took the wrong person?” “Nonsense! An official may make a mistake, but the one he sends does not. Bring me your register of life and death!” They invited him inside to inspect it.

Staff in hand, Wukong entered the Hall of Judgment and sat facing south at its center. The ten kings ordered the recording judge to bring the registers. He fetched five or six volumes and the books of the ten kinds of life. They searched among naked, furry, feathered, insect, scaled, and shelled creatures, but found no Wukong. Monkeys required a separate register: he looked human but was not listed among humans; like a naked creature but belonged to no human nation; like a beast but not subject to the qilin; like a bird but not ruled by the phoenix. Wukong examined their book himself. Under the 1,350th entry in the category “Soul” he found: “Sun Wukong, stone monkey born of heaven; destined to die peacefully at 342 years of age.” “Whatever my years, I'll strike out the name. Bring a brush.” The judge dipped a brush in dark ink. Wukong took the book and crossed out every monkey's name. “The account is settled. None of us are under your control now!” He fought his way out of the Realm of Darkness. The ten kings dared not approach. They went to the Palace of Emerald Clouds and consulted the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha about petitioning heaven.

Leaving the city, the Monkey King tripped over a tuft of grass and awoke with a start: all had seemed a dream. As he stretched, he heard his commanders and monkeys cry: “Your Majesty, how much did you drink? You've slept all night!” “Sleeping isn't the half of it! Two men came to summon me in a dream and led me to the Realm of Darkness. I fought into the Hall of Judgment and quarreled with the ten kings. I found our names in the registers of life and death and crossed them all out. They no longer rule us!” The monkeys bowed in thanks. From that time many mountain monkeys grew old without dying, for their names were gone from the underworld's books.

The commanders told the other demon kings, who came to congratulate him. A few days later his six sworn brothers arrived to celebrate too, delighted to hear how he had erased their names. They feasted daily.

One day the holy and merciful Jade Emperor sat in the Hall of Divine Mists in the Golden Cloud Palace, attended by his civil and military immortals. The Perfected Master Qiu Hongji announced: “Your Majesty, Ao Guang, Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, has a petition at the Hall of Pervading Light and awaits your summons.” “Admit him.” Ao Guang entered, bowed, and gave his petition to a celestial attendant. The Jade Emperor read it from beginning to end:

“Your servant Ao Guang, lesser dragon of the Eastern Sea of Eastern Superior Divine Continent, in the watery lower realm, petitions the supreme lord of heaven: The demon immortal Sun Wukong, born on Mount Flower-Fruit and dwelling in Water Curtain Cave, recently bullied your humble servant. He took possession of my watery palace and demanded a weapon, displaying fearsome magic; then demanded armor, threatening violence. He frightened our water creatures and scattered turtles and crocodiles. The Southern Sea Dragon trembled, the Western Sea Dragon despaired, and the Northern Sea Dragon surrendered. I bowed low and presented the divine iron staff, phoenix-winged gold crown, chain mail, and cloud-walking shoes, and courteously escorted him out. Even then he displayed his martial arts and powers, saying, ‘What a nuisance!’ He is indeed invincible and hard to restrain. I beg your sacred judgment: send heavenly troops to seize this monster and restore peace to seas and mountains and security to the lower world. Respectfully submitted.”

The Jade Emperor decreed: “Let the Dragon King return to the sea. I shall send a general to capture him.” Ao Guang bowed and withdrew.

The immortal Master Ge announced: “Your Majesty, King Qinguang of the underworld bears a petition from its lord, the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha.” A celestial maiden handed up the petition, and the Jade Emperor read it:

“The realm of darkness governs the earth's dead. Heaven has spirits and earth has ghosts, and yin and yang revolve; birds are born and beasts die, male and female succeed each other. Life begets life: girls and boys take form in the womb. Such is the unchanging order of nature. Yet the heaven-born demon monkey Sun Wukong of Water Curtain Cave on Mount Flower-Fruit has acted viciously, refusing our summons. By magic he killed the ghost messengers of the nine depths; trusting his strength, he terrorized the ten merciful kings. He stormed the Hall of Judgment and erased names by force. Monkeys are no longer under our authority; many now live unnaturally long, outside the round of death and rebirth. Your humble monk dares trouble your heavenly majesty with this petition. Send divine soldiers to subdue the demon, restore yin and yang, and secure the underworld forever. Respectfully submitted.”

The Jade Emperor decreed: “Let the king return to the underworld. I shall send a general to capture him.” King Qinguang bowed and withdrew.

The Jade Emperor asked his ministers: “When was this demon monkey born? How could he have acquired such powers?” Far-Seeing Eyes and Wind-Hearing Ears came forward. “He is the stone monkey born of heaven three hundred years ago. We thought nothing of him then. Somewhere in recent years he has become an immortal, subdued dragons and tigers, and erased names from the death registers.” “Which general will go down and capture him?” The Gold Star of Venus bowed. “Holy Majesty, anyone with nine openings can cultivate immortality. This monkey was formed by heaven and earth, nurtured by sun and moon. He lives beneath heaven on earth and feeds on dew and mist. Since he has attained the immortal Way and can subdue dragons and tigers, how is he unlike a human? Out of compassion for life, send an edict inviting him to heaven and grant him some official post, great or small. Enter his name on our rolls and keep him here under supervision. Reward him further if he obeys heaven; capture him if he defies it. That spares us the toil of mobilizing troops and gains us a capable immortal.” The Jade Emperor approved, ordered the Star of Literature to draft an edict, and sent the Gold Star of Venus to summon Wukong.

The Gold Star descended on an auspicious cloud to Water Curtain Cave. “I am a heavenly envoy bearing an edict inviting your king to heaven. Tell him at once.” The monkeys relayed the message inward. “Your Majesty, an old man outside has a document and says he's a messenger from heaven, inviting you there.” The Handsome Monkey King rejoiced. “I was just thinking of visiting heaven. Invite him in!” He dressed and greeted his guest outside. The Gold Star stood facing south and said: “I am the Gold Star of Venus, sent by the Jade Emperor to invite you to heaven and enter you among the immortals.” “Thank you for coming,” Wukong said, ordering a feast. “I carry an imperial edict and cannot linger. Come with me; once you have been promoted, we can talk at leisure.” “Forgive this empty welcome,” Wukong said. He told his commanders: “Train the children carefully. I'll go inspect heaven and later bring you to live with me.” They agreed.

The Monkey King and the Gold Star mounted clouds and rose into the heavens. As the verse says:

Promoted to the rank of high celestial immortal, his name entered the precious register of heaven's court.

What position would he receive? Listen to the next chapter to find out.

The Seas and the Mountains of a Thousand Peaks All Bow in Submission; In the Nine Dark Places the Ten Kinds Are Struck from the Rolls

Now the Handsome Monkey King came home in glory, and since he had destroyed the World-Troubling Demon King he owned a big knife. Day after day he drilled the troops and practiced the arts of war. He had the little monkeys split bamboo for spears and whittle wood for knives, make banners and whistles, advance and fall back, pitch camps and lay out fortifications, and they played at it for a long time. One day, sitting quiet, he began to think: "Here we are, and play could turn to earnest. We might startle some king of men, or some king of birds or beasts might take offense and say we are drilling troops to rise in revolt, and march an army against us. You would all be holding bamboo poles and wooden knives — how would you stand against them? We need real blades, sharp and true. What is to be done now?" The monkeys heard and trembled, every one: "What the Great King sees is far-sighted. Only there is nowhere to get them." While they spoke, four old monkeys came forward, two red-rumped horse monkeys and two gibbons, and said: "Great King, if you want fine sharp weapons, that is very easy." Wukong asked: "How is it easy?" The four monkeys said: "East from our mountain there are two hundred li of water, and beyond it is the border of the country of Aolai. In that country there is a king's seat, and the city is full of soldiers and people without number, so there must be workers in gold, silver, copper, and iron. If the Great King goes there and buys or has made some weapons, and drills us to guard the mountain, that is truly the way to keep this place safe and lasting." Wukong heard, and his heart was glad: "Stay here and play. I will go and be back."

Brave Monkey King: he rose at once on the somersault cloud, and in a blink he was over the two hundred li of water. There before him, sure enough, stood a walled city, six streets and three markets, ten thousand households and a thousand doors, with people coming and going under the open light of day. Wukong thought: "There are sure to be ready-made weapons here. I could go down and buy a few — but better to use a little magic and pick up a few for nothing." So he pinched the sign, spoke the charm, drew in a breath toward the southeast, the quarter of wind, and blew it out. At once a roaring gale rose, flying sand and rolling stones. How dreadful it was:

The storm cloud rose and shook heaven and earth; black fog and dark haze dimmed the great land.Rivers and seas heeled over in waves, and the fish and crabs were afraid; in woods and on mountains trees snapped, and tigers and wolves ran.In every market the merchants were gone; in every trade no man was to be seen.The king on his throne fled to the inner courts; the civil and military officers ran from their halls.The throne of a thousand autumns was blown flat over, and the root of the tall Five-Phoenix Tower swayed.

At the rising of the wind the king of Aolai was scared out of his wits; on the three markets and six streets every door and window slammed shut, and no one dared go out. Wukong let his cloud down, marched straight in through the palace gate, and made his way to the armories and weapons halls. He pushed open the doors and looked: inside were weapons past counting — sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, lances, sickles, whips, rakes, mallets, iron rods, bows, crossbows, tridents, pikes — every kind complete. He was delighted: "How much could one man carry? Better use the art of splitting the body and move the whole lot." Brave Monkey King: he plucked a handful of hairs, chewed them to pulp in his mouth, sprayed them out, spoke the charm, and cried: "Change!" They became hundreds and thousands of little monkeys, all grabbing and hauling, the strong ones taking five or seven weapons, the weak ones two or three, until every piece was carried off clean. He stepped onto the cloud, used his carrying art, called back the gale, and led the little monkeys home.

Now the monkeys of Mount Flower-Fruit, big and little, were playing outside the cave door when they heard the wind coming, and looked up to see the sky full of monkeys beyond counting, gabbling and scrabbling in mid-air. Terrified, they all scattered and hid. Before long the Handsome Monkey King set his cloud down, folded away the mist, shook himself, gathered in his hairs, and let the weapons lie heaped in front of the mountain, calling: "Little ones, come and draw your weapons." The monkeys looked: there stood Wukong alone on the level ground. They all ran up, knocked their heads, and asked what had happened. Wukong told the whole story of the gale and the moving of the weapons. When they had thanked him, they fell to grabbing sabers and snatching swords, seizing axes and fighting over spears, bending bows and working crossbows, whooping and hollering, and played with them all day.

The next day they drew up the camps as before. Wukong mustered the troop of monkeys: there were more than 47,000 of them. The muster startled every strange beast on the mountain — wolves and serpents, tigers and leopards, musk deer and muntjacs, river deer and wild goats, foxes and wild cats, badgers and pole cats, lions and elephants, suanni and orangutans, bears and deer, wild swine and mountain cattle, antelope and green rhinoceros, cunning creatures and divine hounds… demon kings of every kind, seventy-two caves of them, and they all came to bow to the Monkey King as their lord. Every year they brought tribute, and at all four seasons they answered the roll. Some drilled with the ranks; some paid in grain at the seasons. In good order they turned Mount Flower-Fruit into a city of gold in an iron barrel. The demon kings of the various roads also brought in golden drums, colored banners, and suits of armor, and bustle filled every day, with dancing and drilling and the mustering of armies.

In the midst of his joy the Handsome Monkey King said suddenly to them all: "You have all mastered bow and crossbow and know your weapons well. But this knife of mine is a clumping, clumsy thing and does not please my hand. What is to be done?" The four old monkeys came forward and said: "Great King, you are an immortal saint; mortal weapons are not fit for you. Can the Great King go into the water?" Wukong said: "Since I heard the Way, I have the 72 transformations of the earthly fiends and the boundless power of the somersault cloud. I can hide my body and slip away unseen, cast spells and carry things off. Upward there is a road to heaven, downward a door into the earth. I walk without shadow under sun and moon, pass without hindrance into metal and stone. Water cannot drown me, fire cannot burn me. Where is it I cannot go?" The four monkeys said: "If the Great King has such power, then under our iron-plated bridge the water runs through to the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea. If you are willing to go down and find the old Dragon King and ask him for some weapon or other, would that not please you?" Wukong heard and was delighted: "Wait here. I will go and come."

Brave Monkey King: he jumped to the bridgehead, made the sign for shutting out the water, pinched the formula, and dove with a splash into the waves. Parting the water, he went straight down to the floor of the Eastern Sea. As he went, he met a yaksha patrolling the sea, who barred his way and asked: "You who push the water apart — what holy one are you? Say plainly, so I may report and receive you." Wukong said: "I am Sun Wukong, the saint born of heaven on Mount Flower-Fruit, and your old Dragon King's next-door neighbor. Do you not know me?" The yaksha turned at once to the Crystal Palace and reported: "Great King, outside there is a Sun Wukong, a saint born of heaven on Mount Flower-Fruit, who says he is your next-door neighbor and is on his way to the palace." The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, Ao Guang, got up at once and, with the dragon sons and dragon grandsons, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, came out to meet him: "Come in, come in, exalted immortal." They went into the palace, met, and when he was seated above and served with tea, the Dragon King asked: "When did you find the Way, exalted immortal, and what immortal art were you taught?" Wukong said: "Since I was born I have left the world and cultivated, and I have won a body that is not born and does not die. Lately I have been drilling my children and grandchildren and guarding the mountain and cave, but I have no weapon, which is a hardship. I have long heard that my worthy neighbor lives in joy amid jade palaces and shell gates, and must have divine weapons to spare, so I have come to beg one of you." The Dragon King could not well refuse. He ordered the Mandarin-Fish Commander to bring out a long-handled saber and offer it up. Wukong said: "Old Sun does not know how to use a saber. I beg you for something else." The Dragon King ordered the Captain Milan and some eel strongmen to carry out a nine-pronged fork. Wukong jumped down, took it in his hands, and ran through one set of movements, then set it down: "Light, light, light — it does not fit my hand. I beg you for something else." The Dragon King laughed: "Exalted immortal, have you not looked? This fork weighs 3,600 catties." Wukong said: "It does not fit my hand, it does not." Fear grew in the Dragon King's heart, and he ordered the Admiral Bream and the General Carp to carry out a square-mouthed halberd with painted shaft, weighing 7,200 catties. Wukong ran up, took it in his hands, threw a few stances, spun through a couple of sets, then stuck it in the floor: "Still light, light, light." The old Dragon King was more frightened still: "Exalted immortal, this halberd is the heaviest thing in my palace. There is no other weapon." Wukong laughed: "The ancients say the Dragon King of the sea never lacks a treasure! Go look again. If you find anything to my liking, I will pay for every piece." The Dragon King said: "Truly there is nothing more."

While they spoke, the Dragon Queen and the dragon daughter stepped out from behind and said: "Great King, look at this holy one — no ordinary guest. In our sea treasury that piece of divine treasure iron that anchors the bottom of the River of Heaven has been glowing these last few days, its radiance splendid, its lucky vapor rising. Could it be that its time has come, and it is meant to meet this holy one?" The Dragon King said: "That is the pin Yu the Great used to fix the depth of the rivers and seas when he tamed the waters, a piece of divine iron. What good could it be to anyone?" The Dragon Queen said: "Never mind whether it is any use. Give it to him. Let him remake it as he likes, only see him out the palace gate." The old Dragon King followed her advice and told Wukong all of it. Wukong said: "Bring it out and let me see." The Dragon King waved his hands: "It cannot be borne on shoulders, it cannot be lifted. Your holiness must go and look at it himself." Wukong said: "Where is it? Lead the way."

The Dragon King led him into the middle of the sea treasury, and suddenly ten thousand rays of golden light met their eyes. The Dragon King pointed: "That shining thing is it." Wukong pushed back his gown and stepped up, put his hand on it, and felt a pillar of iron about as thick as a measure-bushel and a little over two zhang long. He took hold with both hands and lifted with all his strength: "Too thick and too long. A bit shorter and thinner would serve." The moment he said it, the treasure grew several chi shorter and a span thinner. He weighed it again: "A little thinner still would be better." And truly it thinned again by a few parts. Wukong was overjoyed. He carried it out of the treasury and saw that it had a gold band at each end and a stretch of black iron between; pressed against the bands was a line of engraved characters: "The As-You-Will Gold-Banded Staff, weighing 13,500 catties." He said in his heart: "So this treasure follows a man's wishes." As he walked he thought, and muttered, and weighed it in his hand: "A little shorter and thinner would be even better." Outside, it stood only about two zhang long, as thick as a bowl's mouth.

Watch him show his power: he threw his stances and whirled back into the Crystal Palace. The old Dragon King's gallbladder shook and his heart quaked; the little dragon princes' souls fled and scattered; tortoises, turtles, soft shells, and gators pulled in their necks, and fish, shrimp, and crabs all hid their heads. Wukong held the treasure in his hand and sat in the Crystal Palace hall, saying to the Dragon King with a smile: "Many thanks for your kindness, worthy neighbor." The Dragon King said: "Not at all, not at all." Wukong said: "This piece of iron serves me well, but there is one more matter." The Dragon King said: "What matter, exalted immortal?" Wukong said: "Without this iron it would have been all very well; but now that I hold it in my hand, I have no clothes to match it. What then? If you have a suit of armor here, give me one outright, and I will thank you for everything together." The Dragon King said: "That I do not have." Wukong said: "One guest does not plague two hosts. If you have none, I do not leave by this door." The Dragon King said: "I beg your holiness to try another sea; perhaps there is one there." Wukong said: "Calling at three houses is not as good as sitting in one. I beg you for a suit here, a thousand times." The Dragon King said: "Truly I have none; if I had, I would offer it gladly." Wukong said: "Really none? Then let you and me try this iron!" The Dragon King panicked: "Exalted immortal, do not strike, do not strike! Wait while I see whether my brothers may have one; then we will send you off with a suit." Wukong said: "Where is your brother?" The Dragon King said: "My brothers are Ao Qin, Dragon King of the Southern Sea; Ao Shun, Dragon King of the Northern Sea; and Ao Run, Dragon King of the Western Sea." Wukong said: "Old Sun is not going, not going. As the saying goes, three things promised are not worth two in hand. I only ask you to send me one suit, high or low as you can manage." The old Dragon said: "Your holiness need not go. Here I have an iron drum and a golden bell. Whenever there is urgent business, beat the drum or strike the bell, and my brothers will be here in a moment." Wukong said: "In that case, hurry and beat the drum and strike the bell." And so the gator general went to strike the bell, and the turtle marshal to beat the drum.

Before long, at the sound of bell and drum, the Dragon Kings of the three seas were startled and arrived in a moment, meeting together outside. Ao Qin said: "Eldest brother, what urgent business — beating the drum and striking the bell?" The old Dragon said: "Brother, it is not a pretty story. Some heaven-born saint or other from Mount Flower-Fruit came this morning and claimed me for his neighbor. Then he demanded a weapon: he scorned the steel fork as too small and the painted halberd as too light. Then he took that piece of divine treasure iron that anchors the River of Heaven, pulled it out with his own hand, and showed off with it. Now he sits in the palace and demands a suit of armor as well. I have none, so I rang the bell and beat the drum and asked you brothers to come. If you have any armor, give him a suit and see him out the door." Ao Qin was furious: "Shall we brothers not raise troops and seize him?" The old Dragon said: "Do not speak of seizing him, do not speak of it. That piece of iron — touch a man with it and he dies; brush him and he is gone; graze him and the skin breaks; scrape him and the sinews tear." Ao Run, Dragon King of the Western Sea, said: "Second brother, do not lay hands on him. Just patch together a suit of armor, see him out the door, then send up a memorial to heaven. Heaven will punish him." Ao Shun, Dragon King of the Northern Sea, said: "Well said. I have a pair of cloud-walking boots of lotus-root silk here." Ao Run said: "I brought a suit of golden chain mail with me." Ao Qin said: "I have a purple-gold cap with phoenix wings." The old Dragon was delighted, led them into the Crystal Palace to meet Wukong, and presented the pieces. Wukong put on the golden cap, the golden mail, and the cloud boots, set the As-You-Will staff whirling, and fought his way out the door, calling to the dragons: "Much obliged! Much obliged!" The Dragon Kings of the four seas were mightily put out, and drew apart to plan a memorial to the throne — but that is not our tale.

Watch the Monkey King: he parted the waters and came straight back to the iron-plated bridge, and shot up out of the waves. The four old monkeys stood there with all the troop, waiting by the bridge, and suddenly saw Wukong leap out of the water without one wet spot on him, glittering gold as he walked up the bridge. The monkeys all fell on their knees in fright, crying: "How splendid the Great King looks! How splendid!" Beaming, Wukong mounted his royal seat and stood the iron staff upright in the middle. The silly monkeys did not know what it was, and all came to take hold of the treasure, but they might as well have been dragonflies shaking an iron tree; it did not stir a hair. One by one they bit their fingers and put out their tongues: "Good gracious! So heavy — however did you carry it here?" Wukong stepped near, opened his hand, and picked it up with one grip, saying to them with a smile: "Everything has its master. This treasure lay anchoring the sea treasury for who knows how many hundreds and thousands of years, and only this year did it choose to shine. The Dragon King took it for a bar of black iron and called it the divine anchor of the River of Heaven. His people could not carry it or lift it, so they begged me to fetch it myself. At that time it was over two zhang long and as thick as a bushel. When I took hold of it and showed I found it big, it grew much smaller; I asked for smaller again, and again it shrank; again, and again it shrank. I held it up to the light of the sky and saw the line of letters on it: 'The As-You-Will Gold-Banded Staff, 13,500 catties.' Stand back, all of you, while I make it change again." He weighed the treasure in his hand and cried: "Small! Small! Small!" At once it shrank to the size of an embroidery needle, small enough to tuck away inside his ear. The monkeys were astonished and cried: "Great King, bring it out and play with it some more." The Monkey King really did take it out of his ear, laid it on his palm, and cried: "Big! Big! Big!" It swelled at once to bushel-thickness and two zhang length. As his delight came to a head, he jumped onto the bridge, walked out of the cave, gripped the treasure in his fist, and used the magic that makes himself like heaven and earth. He bowed at the waist and cried: "Grow!" Up he rose, ten thousand zhang tall, head like Mount Tai, waist like a mountain ridge, eyes like lightning, mouth like a basin of blood, teeth like swords and halberds; and the staff in his fist reached up to the thirty-three heavens and down to the eighteen levels of hell. Tigers, leopards, wolves, and serpents, the whole mountainful of strange beasts, the demon kings of the seventy-two caves — all were frightened into knocking their heads and bowing, shaking and pale, their souls gone from them. In a moment he folded away the giant shape, turned the treasure back into an embroidery needle, hid it in his ear, and went back into his cave. The demon kings hurried in a panic to call on him and offer their congratulations.

Then banners and drums were flung wide open, bronze gongs rang out, a hundred rare dishes were spread in plenty, and coconut milk and grape juice were poured brimming, and they feasted a long while; then back to the drilling as before. The Monkey King made the four old monkeys his four valiant captains: the two red-rumped horse monkeys he named his Two Marshals, Ma Liu, and the two gibbons his Two Generals, Beng Ba. All the business of camps and garrisons, rewards and punishments, he handed over to the four valiant captains to keep in order.

His heart now easy, he spent his days riding clouds and fog, roaming the four seas and taking his pleasure over a thousand mountains. He showed his war skill and called on heroes everywhere; he showed his magic power and made worthy friends on every side. At this time he also came together with seven sworn brothers: the Bull Demon King, the Flood-Dragon Demon King, the Roc Demon King, the Lion-Camel King, the Macaque King, and the Gibbon King — with the Handsome Monkey King himself, seven in all. Day after day they talked of letters and debated arms, passed the cups round, made music and sang and danced, off in the morning and home at night, lacking no kind of joy. For them ten thousand li was the walk across a courtyard — as the saying goes: a nod of the head, and three thousand li are crossed; a twist of the waist, and there go eight hundred and more.

One day, in his own cave, he told the four valiant captains to lay on a banquet and invited the six kings to drink. They slaughtered oxen and horses, sacrificed to heaven and feasted the earth, and had the strange beasts dance and sing for joy, and all drank themselves dead drunk. He saw the six kings out, rewarded the big and little headmen among the herd, lay back under the pines beside the iron-plated bridge, and in a moment was asleep. The four valiant captains led the troop around him to guard him, not daring to raise their voices. Then in his sleep the Handsome Monkey King saw two men come with a warrant in their hands, with the three characters "Sun Wukong" written on it. They came up to him, gave him no chance to argue, dropped the rope over him, and dragged away the Monkey King's soul, staggering and stumbling, all the way to the edge of a city. The Monkey King slowly sobered from the wine, looked up, and saw an iron plate on the wall with three great characters on it: "The Dark Realm." The Monkey King woke all at once: "The Dark Realm is where King Yama lives. What have I to do here?" The two men said: "Your years in the world of the living are up today. We two hold a warrant and have come to fetch you." The Monkey King said: "I, Old Sun, have passed beyond the three realms and stand outside the five forms; I am no longer under their rule. Why creep up by trickery and dare to arrest me?" But the two summoners went on hauling and tugging, determined to drag him in. Then the Monkey King's temper rose. He pulled the treasure from his ear, shook it once — thick as a bowl — lifted his arm a little, and beat the two summoners into meat paste. He untied his own rope, threw his hands free, whirled the staff, and fought his way into the city. The ox-headed demons hid east and west; the horse-faced demons fled south and north. The demon soldiers ran rushing up to the Senluo Hall, crying their report: "Great King, disaster! Disaster! Outside there is a hairy-faced thunder god fighting his way in!"

The ten kings of the dark world scrambled up in a flurry, put their robes in order, and came out to look. Seeing how fierce his face was, they fell into their ranks at once and called out: "Leave us your name, exalted immortal! Leave us your name!" The Monkey King said: "If you cannot even know me, why did you send men to arrest me?" The ten kings said: "We dare not, we dare not. Some mistake must have been made." The Monkey King said: "I am Sun Wukong, the saint born of heaven at Water Curtain Cave on Mount Flower-Fruit. What offices do you hold?" The ten kings bowed: "We are the ten kings of the dark world, the kings of the dead below." Wukong said: "Report your names quickly, and spare the beating." The ten kings said: "We are King Qin Guang, King Chu Jiang, King Song Di, King Wu Guan, King Yama, King Ping Deng, King Taishan, King Dushi, King Biancheng, and King Zhuanlun." Wukong said: "You sit on thrones as kings, numinous ones who answer prayers — how can you be so blind to what is proper? I, Old Sun, cultivated as an immortal and finished the Way; my span equals heaven's. I have risen beyond the three realms and leaped out of the five forms. Why did you send men to seize me?" The ten kings said: "Calm your anger, exalted immortal. Under all heaven there are many with the same name and surname. Perhaps the summoners went to the wrong man." Wukong said: "Nonsense! Nonsense! The proverb says: officials may err and clerks may err, but the man who comes to your door does not err. Bring out the ledger of life and death for me to see!" The ten kings hurried him up into the hall to look.

Wukong, holding the As-You-Will staff, marched straight up into the Senluo Hall and sat down in the middle, facing south. The ten kings ordered the clerk of records to bring out the registers and search. The clerk dared not be slow: he went to the record room and carried out five or six books of papers, along with the ledgers of the ten kinds. He searched them one by one: among the naked creatures, the furred creatures, the feathered creatures, the insects, and the scaled and shelled, there was no name for him. Then he came to the class of monkeys. This monkey had a man's looks but was not entered among men; he was like a naked creature but dwelt outside the borders of states; he was like a walking beast, yet the qilin did not govern him; he was like a bird, yet the phoenix held no rule over him. So there was a separate ledger, which Wukong went through with his own eyes, until at entry number 1,350 under the character for "soul" he found the name Sun Wukong written: "A stone monkey born of heaven; his allotted span 342 years; to die a natural death." Wukong said: "I do not much care what my span was. Strike the name out, and that is the end of it. Bring the brush." The clerk hurried to present the brush, dipped full in thick ink. Wukong took the ledger and crossed out every name it held of the monkey kind, all who had names. Then he threw down the book: "That is settled, that is settled. From now on we are not under your rule." One sweep of the staff carried him fighting out of the Dark Realm. The ten kings did not dare go near him. They all went to the Jade Cloud Palace, bowed together to the Bodhisattva Dizang, and laid plans to send up a memorial to heaven — but no more of that.

The Monkey King, fighting out of the city, suddenly tripped over a tuft of grass, stumbled, and woke with a start. It had all been a dream. As he stretched, he heard the four valiant captains and the monkeys calling: "Great King, how much wine did you drink, to sleep the whole night through and still not wake?" Wukong said: "The sleep was nothing. I dreamed two men came to arrest me and dragged me to the gate of the Dark Realm, and then I woke. I showed my power and fought my way straight to the Senluo Hall, quarreled with the ten kings, and made them show me the ledger of life and death. Every name of ours I crossed out myself, so none of us is under their rule any more." The monkeys knocked their heads and thanked him. From that time many of the mountain monkeys did not grow old, because their names were gone from the dark registry.

When the Handsome Monkey King had told his story, the four valiant captains carried the news to the demon kings of every cave, and they all came to offer congratulations. Within a few days the six sworn brothers also came to pay their respects, and when they heard how his name had been struck from the rolls, every one of them was delighted. They gathered day after day in merriment — but no more of that.

Now the Jade Emperor, the great holy and merciful one, the August Sovereign of the High Heavens, the High Lord of the Dark Vault, was sitting one day in the Golden Gate and Cloud Palace, in the Hall of Divine Mist, with all the civil and military immortal ministers at morning court, when the True Man Qiu Hongji came forward and reported: "Your Majesty, outside the Hall of Bright Passing the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, Ao Guang, waits with a memorial, for your judgment to call him in." The Jade Emperor gave the order: "Bring him in." Ao Guang was called to below the Hall of Divine Mist, bowed, and a page of state took the memorial from him and handed it up. The Jade Emperor read it from the first line. The memorial said:

"Your servant Ao Guang, the little dragon of the Eastern Sea, of the water element below, in the East Victory Divine Continent, bows and reports to the great holy sovereign, the High Lord of the Dark Vault: Lately the demon immortal Sun Wukong, born on Mount Flower-Fruit and living in Water Curtain Cave, has bullied your little servant, sat down by force in his house of waters, demanded weapons, and worked magic and menace; demanded armor, and raged and swaggered. He has terrified and wounded the water tribes and scared the turtles and gators out of their wits. The dragon of the Southern Sea trembles and shakes; the dragon of the Western Sea is sick at heart; the dragon of the Northern Sea has pulled in his head and surrendered. Your servant Ao Guang stretched out his body and bowed low, offered up the divine treasure staff, the golden phoenix-wing cap, the golden chain mail, and the cloud-walking boots, and saw him off with all courtesy. He went on flaunting his war skill and his magic, saying only, 'Much obliged! Much obliged!' Truly he has no equal, and he is very hard to restrain. Your servant now reports and begs for your sacred judgment. We beg for heavenly troops to take this demon, so that seas and mountains may be clean and quiet, and the lower world be at peace. Respectfully submitted."

The Sacred Emperor read it and gave his order: "Let the dragon god return to his sea. I will send a general to seize him." The old Dragon King knocked his head in thanks and went.

Below, the Celestial Master, the Old Immortal Ge, came forward and reported: "Your Majesty, King Qin Guang of the dark courts sends up a memorial from the Bodhisattva Dizang, lord and teacher of the dark realm." A jade maiden of state took the memorial and handed it up, and the Jade Emperor read it from the first line. The memorial said:

"The realm of darkness is the hidden court of the earth. In heaven there are gods and on earth there are ghosts, yin and yang turning in their wheel; birds are born and beasts die, male and female passing into one another. Birth upon birth, change upon change, a girl conceived becomes a man: this is the count of nature, and it cannot be altered. Now there is a demon monkey born of heaven, Sun Wukong of Water Curtain Cave on Mount Flower-Fruit, who does evil and works violence and will not answer a summons. He has used his magic and beaten down the ghost officers of the nine dark places; he has thrown his strength about and terrified and wounded the ten kindly kings of the age. He has raised havoc in the hall of judgment and wiped out his name by force, so that the whole monkey kind is free of all control, and the macaque breed lives long without end; rebirth and extinction alike are suspended, and there is neither birth nor death for them. Your poor monk sends up this memorial, trespassing on the majesty of heaven. We beg you to dispatch divine troops to take this demon and restore order to yin and yang, and keep the dark courts at peace forever. Respectfully submitted."

The Jade Emperor read it and gave his order: "Let the lord of the dark world return to his courts. I will send a general to seize him." King Qin Guang knocked his head in thanks and went.

The great sovereign called his civil and military ministers and asked: "This demon monkey — in what year was he born, in what age did he come forth, that he should have such powers?" Before the words were done, the Eyes of a Thousand Li and the Ears that Ride the Wind stepped from the ranks and said: "This monkey is a stone monkey born of heaven three hundred years ago. At the time no one thought much of it. Where he has cultivated into an immortal these past years, no one knows; he tames dragons and treads down tigers, and has struck his name from the death rolls by force." The Jade Emperor said: "Which god or general will go down and subdue him?" Before the words were done, the Gold Star of Venus stepped from the ranks, bowed low, and said: "Your Holiness, in the three realms any creature with nine openings may cultivate as an immortal. But this monkey is a body formed by heaven and earth, a frame conceived by sun and moon; he props the sky and treads the earth, feeds on dew and dines on rosy mist. Now that he has perfected the immortal way and has the power to tame dragons and subdue tigers, in what is he different from a man? Your servant begs your Majesty to remember the kind grace of giving life, and send down an edict of amnesty: summon him up to the higher world, give him some office, great or small, and enter his name on the roll, to hold him in check here. If he accepts heaven's command, promote and reward him later; if he defies heaven's command, seize him then. That way, first, you do not move the multitude and weary the army; and second, you gather in an immortal by the proper way." The Jade Emperor was much pleased: "Let it be as you say." He ordered the star officer Wenqu to draft the edict, and the Gold Star of Venus to carry out the summons.

The Gold Star took the edict, went out the South Gate of Heaven, set his lucky cloud down, and came to Water Curtain Cave on Mount Flower-Fruit, where he said to the little monkeys: "I am an envoy sent by heaven, with a sacred edict here, to invite your Great King to the upper world. Hurry and carry word to him." From monkey to monkey outside the cave the message passed inward to the deep places of the cave-heaven: "Great King, there is an old man outside with a scroll of papers on his back, who says he is an envoy sent from heaven with a sacred edict to invite you." The Handsome Monkey King heard and was overjoyed: "These two days I was just thinking of going up to heaven for a look — and here is an envoy to invite me." He called: "Show him in quickly." The Monkey King hurried to make his clothes and cap in order and went out the door to meet him. The Gold Star walked straight to the middle, stood facing south, and said: "I am the Gold Star of Venus of the west, bearing the sacred edict of the Jade Emperor's amnesty, come down to invite you to heaven to receive the roll of the immortals." Wukong laughed: "I am much obliged to the old Star for coming in person." He told the little ones to lay on a feast for the guest. The Gold Star said: "I carry the sacred edict and dare not stay. I beg the Great King to come with me now; after your promotion we can talk at our ease." Wukong said: "Since you have favored me with a visit, I will not send you away empty — no, no." He called the four valiant captains and charged them: "Drill the children carefully. I am going up to heaven to see the way, and then I will take you all up to live there with me." The four valiant captains agreed.

The Monkey King and the Gold Star rose on the clouds together, up into the open sky. It was just this:

Promoted high to the first rank of heaven's immortals; his name set down among the clouded court, in the precious roll.

What office and title would he be given? Listen to the next chapter to find out.