Journey to the West
Now, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was, after all, a demon monkey. He knew nothing of official ranks or court hierarchy, cared nothing for salary grades or prestige. As long as his name was entered on the celestial rolls, that was enough. Beneath the Hall of Great Peace, two bureaus of immortal clerks attended him morning and night, providing three meals by day and a single couch by night. With no duties to bind him, he lived free and untroubled.
In idle hours, he wandered the palaces, making friends and forging bonds. To the Three Pure Ones he called out "Elder"; to the Four Sovereigns he bowed and said "Your Majesty." With the Nine Luminaries, the Five Regional Generals, the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Twelve Time Officers, the Five Directions' Five Elders, every star and deity across the heavens, the Milky Way's entire host of gods—he treated them all as brothers, addressing them by name. Today he roamed the east, tomorrow he drifted west, riding clouds, vanishing and reappearing at whim.
One morning, the Jade Emperor held court. From the ranks stepped Lord Xu Jingyang, bowing low with his tablet raised. "Your Majesty, this Great Sage Equal to Heaven idles his days away, befriending every star in heaven regardless of rank, calling them all 'friend.' I fear that from such idleness, trouble will sprout. Better to give him some duty, lest he breed disorder."
The Jade Emperor heard this and immediately summoned the Monkey King. Wukong arrived beaming. "Your Majesty, you summon old Sun—what promotion or reward awaits?"
The Jade Emperor said, "I see you have nothing to occupy your time. I give you this charge: you shall temporarily oversee the Peach Garden of Immortality. Tend it well, morning and evening."
The Great Sage bowed in delight, thanked the Emperor, and withdrew.
He could hardly wait and immediately entered the Peach Garden to inspect. At the gate, a local earth deity blocked his path. "Great Sage, where do you go?"
"I am commissioned by the Jade Emperor to manage this garden. I come to survey it."
The earth god hurriedly bowed and called forth the laborers: those who hoed the trees, those who carried water, those who pruned the branches, those who swept the grounds. All came before the Great Sage, kowtowing, and led him inside.
There he beheld:
Young-bright, flame-bright—tree after tree, trunk after trunk.
Blossoms packed the boughs; fruit weighed down the branches.
Heavy fruit hung like brocade-shot pellets;
thick blooms gathered like rouge on a cheek.
They flower and set again and again, yet ripen only after a thousand years—
no summer hurries them, no winter cuts them short; they linger through ten thousand.
The ripe ones blush like drunkards' faces; the unripe still cling green-stemmed.
Mist condenses on their emerald skin; sunlight reveals their crimson form.
Beneath the trees, exotic flowers and rare herbs bloom in eternal color;
on either side, towers and pavilions stand veiled in cloud and rainbow.
These are no mortal cultivars from Xuandu—
the Queen Mother of the Western Seas planted them herself beside the Jasper Pool.
The Great Sage admired them for some time, then asked the earth god, "How many trees are there?"
"Three thousand six hundred. In the front, one thousand two hundred trees bear small flowers and small fruit. They ripen once every three thousand years. Those who eat them attain the Way, become immortal, their bodies light and strong. In the middle, one thousand two hundred trees bear layered blossoms and sweet fruit. They ripen once every six thousand years. Those who eat them rise on clouds, ascend to heaven, and live forever without aging. In the rear, one thousand two hundred trees bear purple-veined fruit with apricot-colored pits. They ripen once every nine thousand years. Those who eat them live as long as Heaven and Earth, ageless as the sun and moon."
The Great Sage heard this and rejoiced beyond measure. That day he counted the trees, inspected the pavilions, and returned to his residence. From then on, every three to five days he came to enjoy the garden. He made no more friends, roamed no more.
One day, he saw that on the old trees, more than half the peaches had ripened. He longed to taste one fresh, but the earth god, the laborers, and the clerks from the Hall of Great Peace followed him closely, making it inconvenient.
Suddenly, he devised a plan. "All of you wait outside. Let me rest a while in this pavilion."
The immortals withdrew. The Monkey King removed his crown and robes, climbed a great tree, selected the ripest, largest peaches, plucked many, and ate his fill right there among the branches. Only when satisfied did he leap down, replace his crown and robes, and summon his attendants to return home.
Two or three days later, he found another excuse to steal peaches and ate to his heart's content.
One morning, the Queen Mother of the West prepared a banquet. She opened the Treasure Pavilion and held the Grand Feast of Immortal Peaches in the Jasper Pool. She commanded seven fairy maidens—Red-Robed, Blue-Robed, White-Robed, Black-Robed, Purple-Robed, Yellow-Robed, Green-Robed—each carrying a flower basket, to go to the Peach Garden and gather fruit for the feast.
The seven maidens arrived at the garden gate. There stood the earth god, the laborers, and the two bureaus' clerks from the Hall of Great Peace, all guarding the entrance.
The maidens approached. "We are commanded by the Queen Mother to pick peaches and prepare the banquet."
The earth god said, "Immortal maidens, wait. This year is different from years past. The Jade Emperor has commissioned the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to supervise this place. We must inform him before we dare open the garden."
"Where is the Great Sage?"
"He is inside the garden. He grew weary and fell asleep in the pavilion."
"Then find him. Do not delay."
The earth god led them inside. They searched the flower pavilion but found only his crown and robes. He was nowhere to be seen. They looked everywhere but could find no trace.
In truth, the Great Sage had played for a while, eaten a few peaches, then transformed himself into a two-inch-tall figure and fallen asleep among the thick leaves at the top of a great tree.
The seven maidens said, "We are commanded by the Queen Mother. If we cannot find the Great Sage, how dare we return empty-handed?"
A celestial attendant said, "Since you are commanded, do not hesitate. Our Great Sage is accustomed to wandering. He has likely left the garden to meet friends. You may pick the peaches, and we will report for you."
The maidens obeyed. They entered the groves and began picking: two baskets from the front trees, three baskets from the middle trees. When they reached the rear trees, they found the branches sparse with fruit—only a few green, fuzzy ones remained. All the ripe ones had been eaten by the Monkey King.
The seven fairies looked around. On a southern branch, they saw only one peach, half-red, half-white. The Blue-Robed maiden pulled the branch down; the Red-Robed maiden plucked the fruit and tossed the branch upward.
The Great Sage had transformed and was sleeping on that very branch. He was jolted awake.
Immediately he revealed his true form, drew the Golden-Hooped Rod from his ear, shook it once until it was as thick as a bowl, and roared, "What manner of monster dares to steal my peaches?"
The seven maidens dropped to their knees in terror. "Great Sage, spare your anger! We are no monsters. We are the seven fairy maidens sent by the Queen Mother of the West to gather immortal peaches for the Grand Feast. We arrived and first met the earth god and others. We searched for you but could not find you. We feared delaying the Queen Mother's command, so we began picking before you appeared. We beg your forgiveness."
The Great Sage's anger turned to joy. "Rise, immortal maidens. The Queen Mother opens her pavilion and prepares a feast. Whom has she invited?"
The maidens replied, "By the old rules of past feasts, she has invited the Buddhas of the Western Heaven, the Bodhisattvas, the Holy Monks, the Arhats; from the south, the Southern Pole Immortal Guanyin; from the east, the Cong Eng Sacred Emperor and the immortal sages of the Ten Continents and Three Islands; from the north, the Northern Pole Mysterious Spirit; from the center, the Yellow Ultimate Yellow-Angle Great Immortal. These are the Five Directions' Five Elders.
"Also the Five Dipper Star Lords; the Upper Eight Caverns' Three Pure Ones, Four Sovereigns, and Taiyi Celestial Immortals; the Middle Eight Caverns' Jade Emperor, Nine Terraces, and Ocean-Mountain Immortals; the Lower Eight Caverns' Underworld Teaching Masters and Earthly Immortals of the Mortal Realm. All palaces, all halls, great and small deities—all gather together for the Peach Banquet."
The Great Sage laughed. "Have I been invited?"
"We have heard no such thing."
"I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Would it not be fitting to seat old Sun as the guest of honor?"
"These are the old rules. For this feast, we do not know."
"Fair enough. You wait here. Let old Sun first inquire whether I am invited or not."
The Great Sage pinched his fingers into a seal, chanted a spell, and commanded the maidens, "Hold. Hold. Hold."
This was the Body-Freezing Spell. The seven maidens stiffened one by one beneath the peach trees, eyes wide and blank, as if their souls had stepped half an inch aside.
The Great Sage rode a cloud out of the garden and headed straight for the Jasper Pool. As he traveled, he beheld:
A sky of auspicious mist shimmered and swayed;
five-colored auspicious clouds flew without end.
White cranes cried, their voices shaking the nine marshes;
purple fungi glowed, their hues dividing into thousand petals.
In their midst appeared an immortal,
his features natural, his bearing unlike all others.
He danced in rainbow mist that waved across the heavens;
at his waist hung a precious talisman of birthless extinction.
His name: the Bare-Foot Great Luo Immortal,
come to add his years to the Peach Banquet's celebration.
The Bare-Foot Immortal met the Great Sage face to face. The Great Sage lowered his head and formed a scheme. He would deceive the true immortal and secretly attend the feast himself.
"Where do you go, venerable one?"
"I am summoned by the Queen Mother to attend the Peach Banquet."
"You do not know, then. The Jade Emperor, seeing that old Sun's tumble-cloud is swift, has commanded me to invite all of you in five directions. You must first come to the Hall of Clear Light to rehearse the rites, and only then proceed to the banquet."
The Bare-Foot Immortal was an upright man. He took the lie as truth. "In past years we rehearsed at the Jasper Pool itself to thank the Emperor. Why must we go to the Hall of Clear Light first?"
Nevertheless, he turned his cloud and headed straight for the Hall of Clear Light.
The Great Sage rode his cloud, chanted a spell, shook his body once—and transformed into the Bare-Foot Immortal's very appearance. He flew straight toward the Jasper Pool.
In little time, he arrived at the Treasure Pavilion. He reined in his cloud, stepped lightly, and entered.
There he beheld:
Jade incense curled and drifted;
auspicious mist scattered in profusion.
Jasper terraces were laid with colored knots;
the Treasure Pavilion breathed forth fragrant haze.
Phoenixes soared and phoenixes circled, their forms ethereal;
golden flowers and jade sepals cast floating shadows.
Arranged above: nine-phoenix crimson screens,
eight-treasure purple-rainbow cushions,
five-colored tables traced with gold,
thousand-flower basins of green jade.
Upon the tables: dragon liver and phoenix marrow,
bear paw and ape lip.
Every delicacy of hundred flavors, each one beautiful;
every rare fruit and fine dish, each one fresh.
All was set in perfect order, but no immortals had yet arrived.
The Great Sage's eyes could not take it all in. Suddenly, a wave of wine fragrance struck his nostrils. He turned his head and saw, beneath a long corridor to the right, several wine-making immortals, lees-pounding laborers, water-carrying daoists, and fire-tending children, all washing vats and scrubbing jars. They had already created jade nectar and wine，fragrant brews and fine vintages.
The Great Sage's mouth watered uncontrollably. He longed to drink, but all those people were present.
He performed a miracle: he plucked several hairs, threw them into his mouth, chewed them to bits, and spat them out. He chanted a spell and cried, "Transform!"
The hairs became several sleepiness insects. They flew onto the faces of the workers.
At once, their hands went limp, their heads drooped, their brows closed, their eyes shut. They dropped their tools and fell asleep.
The Great Sage took some of the hundred flavors and eight treasures, the fine dishes and rare delicacies, walked into the corridor, and pressed himself against the vats and jars. He drank to his fill. After some time, he grew thoroughly drunk.
He patted himself and muttered, "Bad, bad. If I stay longer, the guests will arrive and blame me. If they catch me, how will I survive? Better to return home and sleep."
The Great Sage swayed and staggered, drunk and reckless, crashing blindly. After a while, he realized he had taken the wrong path. This was not the Hall of Great Peace—it was the Tushita Palace.
At once, he understood: "Tushita Palace lies above the thirty-three heavens. This is the realm of Li Hen Heaven, where the Supreme Lord Laozi dwells. How did I come here by mistake? No matter, no matter. I have long wished to visit this old one but never had the chance. Since I am here by chance, I may as well pay my respects."
He straightened his robes and barged in. Inside, he found no sign of Laozi. There was no one at all.
In truth, the Supreme Lord was on the three-story Vermilion Dan Platform with the Ancient Buddha of Burning Lamp, expounding the Dao. All the immortal children, immortal generals, immortal officials, and immortal clerks stood to the left and right, listening.
The Great Sage went inside the elixir chamber but did not find him. Beside the elixir furnace, he saw fire burning. To the left and right of the furnace stood five gourds, each filled with refined golden elixir pills.
The Great Sage rejoiced. "This is the supreme treasure of the immortals. Since old Sun attained the Way, I have understood the principle that inner and outer are the same. I too wished to refine golden pills to help others, but I never had time at home. Today, by fate, I encounter this treasure. While the old one is absent, let me eat a few pills to taste the new."
He tipped every gourd and poured the pills into his palm, swallowing them as casually as roasted beans.
In a moment, his belly was full of elixir and the wine-fog cleared from his head. He pondered again: "Bad, bad. This trouble is bigger than Heaven itself. If the Jade Emperor hears of it, my life won't stay in my body. Go, go, go. Better to become a king in the mortal realm."
He ran out of the Tushita Palace. Instead of taking his old path, he exited through the West Heaven Gate, used the invisibility spell, and fled.
He reined in his cloud and returned to the border of Flower-Fruit Mountain. There he saw flags flashing, spears gleaming. The four generals and the seventy-two caves demon kings were there, practicing martial arts.
The Great Sage cried loudly, "Little ones, I have returned!"
The demons dropped their weapons and knelt. "Great Sage, you have left us for so long without care. Where have you been?"
"Not long, not long."
Speaking and walking, he went straight into the depths of the heavenly cave. The four generals cleaned and prepared his resting place. After they bowed and kowtowed, they all said, "Great Sage, you have been in Heaven for over a hundred years. What position did you truly hold?"
The Great Sage laughed. "I remember only half a month. How do you speak of over a hundred years?"
The generals said, "One day in Heaven equals one year in the mortal realm."
The Great Sage said, "I am pleased that the Jade Emperor showed me favor this time. He indeed conferred upon me the title Great Sage Equal to Heaven. He built a Hall of Great Peace for me and established the Bureaus of Silence and Serenity, each with immortal clerks to serve. Later, seeing I had nothing to do, he put me in charge of the Peach Garden.
"Recently, the Queen Mother held the Grand Peach Banquet but did not invite me. So I did not wait for her invitation. I went to the Jasper Pool first and stole all her immortal delicacies and immortal wine. Leaving the Jasper Pool, I stumbled drunkenly into the old one's palace and stole his five gourds of golden elixir pills. I fear the Jade Emperor will punish me, so I have fled the heavenly gates."
The demons heard this and rejoiced greatly. They prepared wine and fruit to welcome him, filling a stone bowl with coconut wine and presenting it.
The Great Sage took one sip and immediately grimaced. "Not good, not good. This does not taste right."
The two generals Beng and Ba said, "Great Sage, you have eaten immortal wine and immortal food in Heaven, so coconut wine no longer pleases your palate. As the saying goes: 'What is beautiful is the water of one's homeland.'"
The Great Sage said, "And you are 'What is dear is the people of one's homeland.' This morning, when I enjoyed myself at the Jasper Pool, I saw many bottles and jars beneath the long corridor, all filled with jade nectar and wine。None of you have ever tasted it. Let me steal a few bottles and bring them back. Each of you drink half a cup, and you will all live forever without aging."
The monkeys rejoiced beyond measure.
The Great Sage left the cave entrance, turned a somersault, used the invisibility spell, and flew straight back to the Peach Banquet. He entered the Jasper Palace and found the wine-makers, lees-pounders, water-carriers, and fire-tenders still snoring, not yet awakened.
He tucked two large bottles under his arms, carried two more in his hands, turned his cloud, and returned. He gathered all the monkeys in the cave and held an immortal wine banquet. Each drank several cups. Their joy need not be described.
Now, the seven fairy maidens, having been trapped by the Great Sage's freezing spell, could not break free until one full day had passed. Each lifted her flower basket and returned to report to the Queen Mother.
"Great Sage Equal to Heaven used magic to trap us. That is why we are late."
The Queen Mother asked, "How many immortal peaches did you pick?"
The maidens replied, "Only two baskets of small peaches and three baskets of medium peaches. When we reached the rear trees, there were no large peaches at all. We suspect the Great Sage stole them all. While we were searching, the Great Sage suddenly appeared. He threatened and beat us, then asked whom the banquet had invited. We explained the affairs of past feasts. He then froze us and vanished. We only just now awakened and returned."
The Queen Mother heard this and immediately went to see the Jade Emperor, recounting everything.
Before she finished speaking, the wine-makers and immortal officials arrived to report, "We do not know what person disturbed the Peach Banquet. They stole the jade nectar and wine。All the eight treasures and hundred flavors were also stolen."
Then four great heavenly masters came and reported, "The Supreme Lord Laozi has arrived."
The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother went out to greet him.
After Laozi performed his court rites, he said, "This old one refined nine-cycle golden elixir pills in my palace, preparing them for Your Majesty's Pill-Base Grand Assembly. Unexpectedly, a thief stole them. I come specially to inform Your Majesty."
The Jade Emperor heard this and trembled with fear.
Shortly after, a clerk from the Hall of Great Peace kowtowed and said, "The Great Sage Sun has not kept to his duties. Since yesterday he went out wandering and has not returned. We do not know where he has gone."
The Jade Emperor grew more suspicious.
Then the Bare-Foot Immortal bowed and reported, "Your servant was summoned by the Queen Mother to attend the banquet yesterday. On the way, I met the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. He told me that the Emperor had commanded him to invite us all to first come to the Hall of Clear Light to rehearse the rites, and only then proceed to the banquet. Your servant obeyed his words and returned at once to the Hall of Clear Light. But I did not see Your Majesty's dragon chariot or phoenix carriage. I hurried back here to wait."
The Jade Emperor was now greatly alarmed. "This creature has falsely transmitted imperial commands and deceived my worthy ministers. Quickly command the Inspectorate Spirit Official to track down this scoundrel's whereabouts."
The Spirit Official received the command, went out from the hall, searched everywhere, and learned all the details. He returned and reported, "The one who disturbed Heaven is the Great Sage Equal to Heaven." He recounted all the preceding events.
The Jade Emperor was furious. He immediately dispatched the Four Heavenly Kings to cooperate with Heavenly King Li and Prince Nezha. He mobilized the Twenty-Eight Constellations, the Nine Luminary Star Officers, the Twelve Time Officers, the Five Directional Revealers, the Four Value Merit Gods, the Eastern and Western Stars, the Northern and Southern Two Deities, the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers, and every star and deity across the heavens—altogether one hundred thousand celestial soldiers.
They deployed eighteen layers of heavenly nets and earthly snares, descended to the mortal realm, surrounded Flower-Fruit Mountain, and resolved to capture that creature and punish him.
The celestial hosts immediately raised their army and left the heavenly palace. As they went, they beheld:
Yellow wind rolled, choking the sky to darkness;
purple mist surged, shrouding the earth in gloom.
All because the demon monkey deceived the Supreme Emperor,
causing all the saints to descend into the mortal dust.
Four Heavenly Kings, Five Directional Revealers:
the Four Kings commanded the whole;
the Five Revealers mobilized the multitude.
Li, the Pagoda-Bearer, held the central command;
evil Nezha led the vanguard.
Rahu Star served as chief inspector;
Ketu Star followed, towering behind.
Moon Star stood spirited and vigorous;
Sun Star shone bright and clear.
Five Elements Stars excelled in heroism;
Nine Luminary Stars delighted most in combat.
Time Officers stood at zi, wu, mao, you—
each one a mighty heavenly warrior.
Five Plague Gods and Five Sacred Peaks arrayed east and west;
Six Ding and Six Jia marched left and right.
Four River Dragon Spirits divided above and below;
Twenty-Eight Constellations formed dense layers.
Horn, Neck, Root, and Room served as generals;
Wall, Stomach, and Ang were skilled at upheaval.
Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Danger, Chamber, and Wall—
every star capable.
Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Wings, and Chariot—
brandishing swords and spears, displaying their power.
They halted clouds, lowered mist, and descended to the mortal world,
making camp before Flower-Fruit Mountain.
A poem says:
Heaven-born Monkey King, transformations beyond measure,
stole elixir, stole wine, and rejoiced in his mountain lair.
All because he disturbed the Peach Banquet,
one hundred thousand celestial soldiers wove their net and snare.
Heavenly King Li transmitted his orders. The celestial soldiers made camp, surrounding Flower-Fruit Mountain so tightly that not even water could leak through. Above and below, they deployed eighteen layers of heavenly nets and earthly snares. First, they sent the Nine Luminous Evil Stars to challenge.
The Nine Stars led their troops straight to the cave entrance. Outside, large and small monkeys were leaping and playing.
The Star Officer cried loudly, "You little demons, where is your Great Sage? We are celestial gods dispatched from the upper realm to subdue this rebellious Great Sage. Tell him to come out quickly and surrender. If he speaks even half a word of refusal, you will all be executed."
The little demons hurriedly transmitted the message inside: "Great Sage, disaster! Disaster! Outside there are nine fierce gods, claiming to be heavenly gods sent from above to subdue you."
The Great Sage was drinking immortal wine with the seventy-two demon kings and the four generals。Upon hearing this report, he openly ignored it. "Today we have wine, today we are drunk. Do not trouble yourself with what happens at the gate."
Before he finished speaking, a group of little demons leaped in again. "Those nine fierce gods are shouting insults and cursing us at the gate!"
The Great Sage laughed. "Do not heed them. In poetry and wine, seek only today's joy. Ask not when fame and achievement will come."
Before he finished, another group of little demons came running. "Grandfather! The nine fierce gods have broken down the gate. They are killing their way in!"
The Great Sage was enraged. "These hairy, impudent gods show such gross disrespect. I did not wish to contend with them, but how dare they come to my gate and bully me?"
He immediately commanded the Single-Horn Demon King, "Lead the seventy-two demon kings out to form battle lines. Old Sun will follow with the four generals."
The Demon King swiftly led the demon troops out to meet the enemy. But the Nine Luminous Evil Stars attacked together, forcing them back to the iron bridgehead. They could not break through.
In the midst of the clamor, the Great Sage arrived. He cried, "Clear the way!"
He drew his iron rod, shook it once until it was as thick as a bowl and twelve feet long, dropped his stance, and charged out.
None of the Nine Stars dared resist. At once, they were beaten back.
The Nine Stars reformed their battle lines and shouted, "You ignorant Bimawen, you do not know death when it faces you! You have committed ten great crimes: first you stole peaches, then you stole wine, you disturbed the Peach Banquet, you stole the old one's immortal elixir, and you brought stolen imperial wine here to enjoy yourself. Your crimes pile upon crimes. Do you not know this?"
The Great Sage laughed. "These matters are true, all true. But what will you do about it?"
The Nine Stars said, "We obey the Jade Emperor's golden command. We have led our hosts here to subdue you. Submit quickly, lest you cause these living beings to lose their lives. Otherwise, we will flatten this mountain and overturn this cave."
The Great Sage was furious. "You minor gods, what power do you possess that dares such empty boasts? Do not run. Taste old Sun's rod."
The Nine Stars leaped into action together. The Handsome Monkey King feared them not at all. He swung his Golden-Hooped Rod, blocking left and right.
He fought the Nine Stars until they were exhausted, their strength spent. One by one, they dragged their weapons and fled in defeat. They rushed into the central command tent and said to the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, "That Monkey King is indeed extremely brave and fierce. We could not defeat him. We have returned in defeat."
Heavenly King Li immediately deployed the Four Heavenly Kings and the Twenty-Eight Constellations to go out and fight together.
The Great Sage also showed no fear. He deployed the Single-Horn Demon King, the seventy-two demon kings, and the four generals。They formed battle lines outside the cave entrance.
This chaotic battle was truly astonishing:
Cold wind whistled; strange mist loomed dark.
On that side, flags flew in colored brilliance;
on this side, spears and halberds gleamed with light.
Rolling helmets shone bright; layered armor glittered.
Rolling helmets shone bright, reflecting the sun like silver chimes striking heaven;
layered armor glittered, piling upon cliffs like ice mountains pressing the earth.
Great-blade knives flew like clouds, drew like lightning;
Chu-white spears passed through mist, pierced clouds.
Square-heaven halberds, tiger-eye whips, arranged like a forest of hemp;
bronze swords, four-brightness shovels, lined like dense trees.
Bent bows and hard crossbows, feathered arrows;
short staffs and serpent spears carried stolen souls.
The Great Sage wielded one Wish-Fulfilling Rod,
turning it over and back to fight the heavenly gods.
He fought until no birds flew through the sky,
until tigers and wolves fled into the mountains.
Sand rose, stones flew, heaven and earth turned black;
soil scattered, dust flew, the universe grew dim.
Only the sound of clash and thud shocked the heavens;
only the terror and power shook the ghosts and spirits.
This battle began at the hour of the Dragon and continued in chaotic slaughter until the sun set behind the western mountains.
The Single-Horn Demon King and the seventy-two demon kings were all captured by the celestial gods. Only the four generals and the group of monkeys escaped, hiding deep beneath the Water-Curtain Cave.
The Great Sage, with his single rod, held off the Four Heavenly Kings, Heavenly King Li, and Prince Nezha. All fought in mid-air for a long time.
The Great Sage saw that evening was approaching. He plucked a handful of hairs, threw them into his mouth, chewed them to bits, spat them out, and cried, "Transform!"
They became hundreds of Great Sages, each wielding a Golden-Hooped Rod. They beat back Prince Nezha and defeated the Five Heavenly Kings.
The Great Sage gathered his hairs, turned quickly, and returned to the cave. At the iron bridgehead, he saw the four generals leading the crowd to greet him with kowtows.
The crowd sobbed loudly, crying three times, then laughed loudly, laughing three times.
The Great Sage said, "You see me and both cry and laugh. Why?"
The four generals said, "This morning, we led the troops to fight the Heavenly Kings. The seventy-two demon kings and the Single-Horn Demon King were all captured by the celestial gods. We escaped death, so we should cry. Now we see the Great Sage return victorious, unharmed, so we should laugh."
The Great Sage said, "Victory and defeat are the common fate of warriors. The ancients said, 'Kill ten thousand of the enemy, lose three thousand of your own.' Moreover, the leaders who were captured were tigers, leopards, wolves, snakes, badgers, deer, foxes, and such. Not one of my own kind was harmed. Why trouble yourself?
"Although I used my body-division spell to drive them back, they will still make camp at the foot of my mountain. Let us defend tightly. Eat a full meal, sleep peacefully, and restore our spirits. At dawn, watch me use my great supernatural power to capture these heavenly generals and avenge our comrades."
The Four Generals and the monkeys drank several bowls of coconut wine and slept peacefully.
The Four Heavenly Kings withdrew their troops and ceased battle. Each reported their merits: some had captured tigers and leopards, some had captured lions and elephants, some had captured wolves, snakes, foxes, and such. But they had not captured a single monkey spirit.
They made their camps, established their great stockades, rewarded the victorious generals, and commanded the soldiers of the heavenly nets and earthly snares to carry their bells and call their watchwords, surrounding Flower-Fruit Mountain and waiting for the great battle at dawn.
Each received their orders and kept watch at every post.
This is precisely:
The demon monkey's rebellion shocked heaven and earth;
nets and snares were spread, watched day and night.
How they would deal with him after dawn—listen to the explanation in the next chapter.