Journey to the West (vol. 3)

Chapter 82

The Girl Seeks the Male

The Primal Deity Guards the Way

The story tells how Pig leapt down the mountainside and found a narrow path. After following it for nearly two miles he came across two she-monsters drawing water from a well. How did he know that they both were monsters? Each of them had on her head an extremely unfashionable hair-style held up by bamboo slivers that stood one foot two or three inches high.

“Evil monsters,” Pig called, going up to them.

The two of them looked at each other and said. “What an outrageous monk. We don't know him and we've never had words with him. So why did he call us evil monsters?” In their fury the monsters raised the pole with which they were going to carry the water and struck at Pig's head.

After a few blows that he could not ward off as he was unarmed, the idiot rushed back up the mountain with his head covered by both hands shouting, “Brother! Go back! The monsters are vicious.”

“What's so vicious about them?” Monkey asked.

“There were two evil spirits drawing water from the well in the hollow,” said Pig, “and they hit me three or four times with their carrying-pole just because I spoke to them.”

“What did you call them?” Monkey asked.

“Evil monsters,” Pig replied.

“You got off lightly then,” laughed Monkey.

“I'm most obliged for your concern,” replied Pig. “My head has swollen up where they hit it, and you tell me I've got off lightly.”

“Soft words will get you anywhere on earth; act rough and you won't move a single step,” replied Monkey. “As they're local fiends from round here and we're monks from far away you'd have had to be a bit polite even if you'd had fists growing all over your body. Do you think they should have hit me instead of you? You were the one who called them evil monsters. Courtesy first!”

“I never realized,” said Pig.

“Living on human flesh in the mountains since childhood as you have,” said Monkey, “can you recognize two kinds of tree?”

“I don't know,” Pig said. “Which two trees?”

“The willow and the sandalwood,” Monkey replied. “The willow has a very soft nature, so that craftsmen can carve it into holy images or make statues of the Tathagata out of it. It's gilded, painted, set with jewels, decorated with flowers, and many worshippers burn incense to it. It receives unbounded blessings. But the sandalwood is so hard that it's used as the pressing-beam in the oil-press with iron hoops round its head, and it's hit with iron hammers too. The only reason it suffers like this is because it's to hard.”

“You should have told me all this before,” said Pig, “then I wouldn't have been beaten.”

“Now go back and find out the truth,” said Brother Monkey.

“But if I go there again they'll recognize me,” Pig replied.

“Then turn into something else,” said Monkey.

“But even if I do turn into something else, brother, how am I to question them?” asked Pig.

“When you look different go up to them and bow to them,” Monkey replied. “See how old they are. If they're about the same age as us call them 'Miss,' and if they're a lot older call them 'Lady.'”

“What a terrible climb-down: why should we be treating them as our relations when they're strangers from this far away?” said Pig.

“That's not treating them as relations,” replied Monkey. “Its just a way of getting the truth out of them. If they're the ones who've got our master we'll be able to act; and if it isn't them we won't lose any time before going to fight elsewhere.”

“You're right,” said Pig. “I'm going back.”

The splendid idiot tucked his rake in his belt, went down into the hollow, shook himself and turned into a far, dark-skinned monk. He swaggered as he went up to the monsters, chanted a loud “na-a-aw” of respect and said, “Respectful greetings, ladies.”

“This monk's much better,” the two monsters said with delight. “He expresses his respects and knows how to address us properly.” Then they asked him, “Where are you from, venerable elder?”

“From somewhere,” Pig replied.

“And where are you going?” they asked.

“Somewhere,” Pig replied.

“What's your name?” they asked.

“What it is,” Pig replied again.

“Better he may be,” the monsters said with a laugh, “but he won't tell us about himself. He just echoes our questions.”

“Ladies,” Pig asked, “why are you fetching water?”

“You wouldn't know, monk,” the demons replied with smiles. “Our lady brought a Tang Priest back to the cave last night and she wants to look after him well. As the water in our cave is none too clean she's sent us two to fetch some of this good water produced by the mating of the Yin and the Yang. She's laid on a vegetarian banquet as well for the Tang Priest; she's going to marry him this evening.”

As soon as he heard this the idiot rushed straight back up the mountain shouting. “Friar Sand, bring the luggage here at once. We're dividing it up.”

“Why, brother?” Friar Sand asked.

“When we've divided it up you can go back to man-eating in the Flowing Sands River,” Pig replied, “I'll return to Gao Village to see my wife, Big Brother can play the sage on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, and the white dragon can be a dragon in the ocean again. The master's getting married in this evil spirits cave. Let's all go and settle down.”

“You're talking nonsense again, you idiot,” replied Brother Monkey.

“I bloody well am not,” Pig retorted. “Those two evil spirits who were carrying water said a moment ago that a vegetarian wedding feast is being laid on for the master.”

“How can you say things like that when the evil spirits are holding the master prisoner in the cave and he's longing for us to go in and rescue him?” said Monkey.

“How can we rescue him?” Pig asked.

“You two bring the horse and the luggage, while we go with the two she-monsters as our guides,” Monkey replied. “When we reach the entrance we can act together.”

The idiot could only go with Monkey as he followed the two monsters for five or six miles deep into the mountains before suddenly disappearing. “So the master was captured by a devil in broad daylight,” exclaimed Pig with surprise.

“You've got good eyesight,” said Monkey. “How can you possibly tell what they really were?”

“Those two monsters were carrying the water along when suddenly they disappeared. They must be daytime devils.”

“I think they went into a cave,” said Monkey. “Wait while I go to have a look.”

The splendid Great Sage opened his fiery eyes with their golden pupils and scanned the whole mountain. He saw no movement, but did spot a ceremonial archway most intricately made with many flowers and colours, triple eaves and fourfold decorations in front of the cliff. Going closer with Pig and Friar Sand he saw four large words written on it:

PITFALL MOUNTAIN: BOTTOMLESS CAVE

“Brothers,” said Monkey, “here's the evil spirits' archway, but I still don't know where the entrance is.”

“Can't be far,” said Friar Sand, “can't be far. Let's have a good look for it.” When they turned round to look they saw a great rock over three miles around at the foot of the mountain beneath the archway. In the middle of it was a hole the size of a water-vat, which had become very slippery by repeated climbing.

“Brother,” said Pig, “that's where the evil spirits go in and out of their cave.”

“That's very strange,” said Monkey. “To be frank with the two of you, I've captured quite a few evil spirits since I started escorting the Tang Priest, but I've never seen a cave palace like this one before. Pig, you go down first and find out how deep it is. Then I'll be able to go in and rescue the master.”

“It'll be hard,” said Pig with a shake of his head, “very hard. I'm very clumsy. If I tripped and fell in it might take me two or three years to reach the bottom.”

“How deep is it then?” Monkey asked.

“Look,” Pig replied, and as the Great Sage leant over the edge of the hole to take a careful look he saw to his astonishment that it was very deep indeed and must have measured over a hundred miles around.

“It's very, very deep, brother,” he turned round to say.

“Go back then,” Pig replied. “The master's beyond saving.”

“What a thing to say!” Monkey retorted. “'Have no thoughts of being lazy; put idleness out of your mind.' Put the luggage down, and tether the horse to one of the legs of the archway. You and Friar Sand must block the entrance with your rake and staff while I go inside to explore. If the master really is inside I'll drive the evil spirits out with my iron cudgel, and when they reach the entrance you mustn't let them out. We'll only be able to kill the evil spirits and rescue the master if we work together.” The other two accepted their orders.

Monkey sprang into the hole, and under his feet tea thousand coloured clouds appeared, while a thousand layers of auspicious mist shielded him. He was soon at the bottom, which was a very long way down. Inside all was bright; there was the same sunshine, winds, flowers, fruit and trees as in the world above.

“What a splendid place,” Monkey thought. “It reminds me of the Water Curtain Cave that Heaven gave me in the place where I was born. This is another cave paradise.” As he looked around he saw a gate-tower with double eaves around which grew many clumps of pine and bamboo. Inside were many buildings.

“This must be where the evil spirit lives,” he thought. “I'll go in and find out what's up. No, wait. If I go in like this she'll recognize me. I'd better transform myself.” With a shake and a hand-spell he turned himself into a fly and flew lightly up to land on the gate-tower and listen in. From here he saw the monster sitting at her ease in a thatched pavilion. She was dressed far more beautifully than she had been when they rescued her in the pine forest or when she had tried to catch Monkey in the monastery:

Her hair was piled in a crow-black coiffure;

She wore a green velvet waistcoat.

Her feet were a pair of curving golden lotuses;

Her fingers were as delicate as bamboo shoots in spring.

Her powdered face was like a silver dish,

And her red lips were as glossy as a cherry.

She was a regular beauty,

Even more lovely than the lady on the moon.

After capturing the pilgrim monk that morning

She was going to know the pleasure of sharing his bed.

Monkey said nothing as he listened out for what she might say. Before long the cherry of her lips parted as she said with great pleasure, “Lay on a vegetarian feast, my little ones, and quick. My darling Tang Priest and I are going to be man and wife afterwards.”

“So it's true,” thought Brother Monkey, grinning to himself. “I thought Pig was just joking. I'd better fly in and find the master. I wonder what state of mind he's in. If he's been led astray I'm leaving him here.” When he spread his wings and flew inside to look he saw the Tang Priest sitting in a corridor behind a trellis covered with opaque red paper below and left clear above.

Butting a hole through the trellis paper Monkey landed on the Tang Priest's bald head and called, “Master.”

“Save me, disciple,” replied Sanzang, who recognized Monkey's voice.

“You're useless, Master,” said Monkey. “The evil spirit is laying on a feast, and when you've eaten it you two are getting married. I expect you'll have a son or a daughter to start another generation of monks and nuns. What have you got to be so upset about?”

When the venerable elder heard this he gnashed his teeth and said, “Disciple, in all the time since I left Chang'an, accepted you as my follower at the Double Boundary Mountain and started my journey West, when have I ever eaten meat or had any wicked ideas? Now the evil spirit has captured me she is insisting that I mate with her. If I lose my true masculine essence may I fall from the wheel of reincarnation and be fixed for ever behind the Dark Mountains, never to rise again.”

“No need to swear any oaths,” said Monkey with a grin. “If you really want to fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven I'll take you there.”

“I can't remember the way I came in,” Sanzang replied.

“Never mind about forgetting,” said Monkey. “You won't get out of here as easily as you came in, which was from the top downwards. If I save you now you'll have to go from the bottom upwards. If you're very lucky you'll squeeze out through the entrance and get away. But if your luck's out you won't be able to squeeze through and sooner or later you'll die of suffocation.”

“This is terrible,” said Sanzang, the tears pouring from his eyes. “What are we to do?”

“No problem,” said Monkey, “no problem. The evil spirit's getting some wine prepared for you. You'll have to drink a goblet of it whether you want to or not. But you must pour it out quickly so that it makes a lot of froth. Then I can turn myself into a tiny insect and fly under the bubbles. When she gulps me down into her belly I'll tear her heart and liver to shreds and rip her guts apart. Once I've killed her you'll be able to escape.”

“But that would be an inhuman thing to do, disciple,” said Sanzang.

“If all you're interested in is being kind you're done for,” Monkey replied. “The evil spirit's a murderess. What do you care so much about her for?”

“Oh well,” said Sanzang, “never mind. But you will have to stay with me.” Indeed:

The Great Sage Sun guarded Tang Sanzang well;

The pilgrim priest depended on the Handsome Monkey King.

Master and disciple had not even finished their discussion when the evil spirit, who had arranged everything, came in along the corridor, unlocked the doors and called, “Reverend sir.” The Tang Priest dared not reply. She addressed him again, and again he dared not reply. Why was that? He was thinking that

Divine energy is dispersed by an open mouth;

Trouble starts when the tongue begins to move.

He was thinking with all his heart that if he obstinately refused to open his mouth she might turn vicious and murder him in an instant. Just when he was feeling confused, wondering which difficult alternative to choose and asking himself what to do, the evil spirit addressed him as “Reverend sir” for the third time.

The Tang Priest had no choice but to answer, “Here I am, madam.” For him to give this reply was to make all the flesh fall off him. Now everybody says that the Tang Priest is a sincere monk, so how could he reply to the she-devil when he was on his way to worship the Buddha and fetch the scriptures from the Western Heaven? What you would not realize is that this was a crisis in which his very survival was at stake, that he had absolutely no alternative; and although he went through the form of replying he was free of desire inside. But when the evil spirit heard his reply she pushed the door open, helped the Tang Priest to his feet, held his hand, stood with her side pressed against his and whispered in his ear. Just look at her as she lays on the charm and makes herself alluring in every possible way. She did not realize that Sanzang was full of revulsion.

“From the way she's making herself so seductive,” Monkey thought with a wry grin to himself, “I'm worried that she might get the master interested.” Indeed:

The monk in demon trouble met a pretty girl;

The she-devil's beauty was truly superb.

Her slender jade eyebrows were like two willow leaves;

Her round face was set off with peach blossom.

Embroidered shoes gave a sight of a pair of phoenixes;

Her crow-black hair was piled high at the temples.

As smiling she led the master by his hand

His cassock was tinged with orchid and musk.

Her arms around him, the she-devil took the master to a thatched pavilion and said, “Reverend sir, I've had a drink brought here to have with you.”

“Lady,” said the Tang Priest, “as a monk I can take no impure food.”

“I know,” the evil spirit replied. “As the water in the cave isn't clean I've sent for some of the pure water from the mating of the Yin and the Yang up on the mountain, and had a banquet of fruit and vegetables prepared. After that you and I are going to have some fun.” When the Tang Priest went into the pavilion with her this is what could be seen:

All within the gates

Was decked in silks and embroideries;

Throughout the hall

Incense rose from golden lion censers.

Black-painted inlaid tables were set in rows,

On which stood dark-lacquered bamboo dishes.

On the inlaid tables

Were all kinds of delicacies;

In the bamboo dishes

Were vegetarian delights:

Crab apples, olives, lotus seeds, grapes, torreya-nuts,

hazelnuts, pine-nuts, lichees, longans, chestnuts, water caltrops, jujubes, persimmons, walnuts, gingko nuts, kumquats and oranges.

There was the fruit that grows on every hill,

The fresh vegetables of each season;

Beancurd, wheat gluten, tree-ear fungus, fresh bamboo shoots, button mushrooms, gill fungus, yams, sealwort, agar, day lily fried in vegetable oil,

Hyacinth beans, cowpeas prepared with mature sauces.

Cucumbers, gourds, gingko, turnip greens.

Peeled aubergines were cooked like quails;

Seeded wax gourds

Taro stewed tender and sprinkled with sugar,

Turnips boiled in vinegar.

Pungent chili and ginger made it all delicious;

All the dishes were a balance of bland and salty.

Revealing the tips of her jade fingers she raised a dazzling golden goblet that she filled with fine wine. “Dearest reverend gentleman,” she said, handing it to him, “my darling, have a drink to celebrate our happy union.” Sanzang was covered with embarrassment as he took the wine.

He poured a libation into the air as he prayed silently, “Devas who guard the Dharma, Guardians of the Four Quarters and the Centre, Four Duty Gods: your disciple Chen Xuanzang has benefited from the secret protection of all you deities sent by the Bodhisattva Guanyin on my journey to pay my respects at the Thunder Monastery, see the Buddha and seek the scriptures. I have now been captured by an evil spirit on my way. She is forcing me to marry her and has now handed me this cup of wine to drink. If this really is pure wine I can force myself to drink it and still be able to succeed and see the Buddha. But if it is impure wine I will be breaking my vows and fall for ever into the bitterness of the wheel of rebirth.”

The Great Sage Sun made himself tiny and was like a secret informant behind his master's ear. When he spoke Sanzang was the only one who could hear him. Knowing that his master was normally fond of the pure wine of grapes he told him to drain the goblet. Sanzang had no choice but to do so, quickly refill the goblet and hand it back to the evil spirit. As he filled it bubbles of happiness formed on the surface of the wine. Brother Monkey turned himself into the tiniest of insects and flew lightly under the bubbles. But when the spirit took the goblet she put it down instead of drinking from it, bowed twice to the Tang Priest and spoke loving words to him with charming bashfulness. By the time she lifted the cup the bubbles had burst and the insect was revealed. Not realizing that it was Monkey transformed the evil spirit took it for a real insect, lifted it out with her little finger and flicked it away.

Seeing that as things were not going as he intended he would be unable to get into her belly Monkey turned himself into a hungry eagle.

Indeed:

Jade claws, gold eyes and iron wings;

In terrible might he rose above the clouds.

Cunning hares and foxes felt faint at just the sight,

And hid among mountains and rivers for hundred of miles around.

When hungry it chased small birds into the wind,

And rose to the gate of heaven when replete.

Murderous were its talons of steel;

In times of triumph it stayed aloof in the clouds.

Monkey flew up, swung his jade claws, and noisily overturned the tables, smashing all the fruit, vegetables and crockery, and leaving the Tang Priest alone there as he flew off. This was so terrifying that the she-devil's heart and gall were split open, and the Tang Priest's flesh and bones were turned crisp. Shivering and shaking, the evil spirit threw her arms round the Tang Priest and said, “Dearest reverend gentleman, wherever did that come from?”

“I don't know,” Sanzang replied.

“I went to a great deal of trouble to arrange this vegetarian feast for you,” the she-devil said. “Goodness only knows where that feathered brute flew in from and smashed our crockery.”

“Smashing the crockery doesn't really matter,” the junior demons said, “but all the food has been spilt on the floor. It's too dirty to eat now.” Sanzang by now realized that this was all the result of Monkey's magic, but he dared not say so.

“Little ones,” said the she-devil, “I realize now. It must be heaven and earth that sent that thing down here because they can't tolerate my holding the Tang Priest prisoner. Clear all the broken dishes up and lay on another banquet. Never mind whether it's vegetarian or not. Heaven can be our matchmaker and the earth our guarantor. After that the Tang Priest and I will become man and wife.” We will say no more of her as she took the Tang Priest to sit in the East corridor.

Instead the story tells of how Monkey flew out, turned back into himself, reached the entrance to the cave and shouted, “Open up!”

“Friar Sand,” Pig shouted, “our big brother's here.” As the two of them drew their weapons away Monkey sprang out.

“Is there an evil spirit in there?” Pig asked, grabbing hold of him. “Is the master in there?”

“Yes, yes,” said Monkey.

“The master must be having a hard time in there,” said Pig. “Are his arms tied behind his back? Or is he all roped up? Is she going to steam him or boil him?”

“None of them,” Monkey replied. “She'd just had a vegetarian feast served and was going to do it with him.”

“So you've been lucky then,” said Pig. “You must have drunk a wedding toast.”

“Idiot!” retorted Monkey, “Never mind about having a wedding drink. I can hardly keep him alive.”

“Then why are you here?” Pig asked.

Monkey told how he had seen the master and done his transformations, ending, “Don't let your fears run away with you, brothers. The master's here, and when I go back in this time I'll definitely rescue him.”

Going back inside, Monkey turned into a fly and landed on the gate-tower to listen. He could hear the she-devil snorting with fury as she gave instructions within the pavilion.

“Little ones, bring whatever there is, vegetarian or not, and burn paper as offerings to the deities. I'll ask heaven and earth to be the matchmakers. I'm definitely going to marry him.”

When Monkey heard this he smiled to himself and thought, “That she-devil's completely shameless. She's locked a monk up in her home and now she's going to mess around with him in broad daylight. But don't be in too much of a hurry. Give me time to go in and have a look round.” With a buzz he flew along the corridor to see the master sitting inside, tears streaming down his face.

Monkey squeezed in, landed on Sanzang's head and called, “Master.” Recognizing the voice, Sanzang sprang to his feet and said with tooth-gnashing fury, “Macaque! Other people get their courage from a big gall, but they have to wrap their bodies around it. Your gall is so big that you wrap it round your body. You used your magical powers of transformation to smash the crockery, but what use is that? By fighting that she-devil you've only made her more sex-crazed than ever. She is arranging a banquet with vegetarian and impure food all mixed up and is determined to mate with me. Where will this all end?”

Smiling to himself again, Monkey replied, “Don't be angry with me, Master. I've got a way to save you.”

“How will you save me?” the Tang Priest asked.

“When I flew up just now,” said Monkey, “I saw that she has a garden behind here. You must lure her into the garden to fool around and I'll rescue you from there.”

“How will you rescue me from the garden?” the Tang Priest asked.

“Go to the peach trees in the garden with her and stay there. Wait till I've flown to a branch of the peach tree and turned into a red peach. When you want to eat a peach pick the red one first-that will be me. She'll be bound to pick one too. You must insist on giving her the red one. Once she's swallowed it I'll be in her stomach. When I tear her stomach to pieces and rip her guts to shreds she'll be dead and you'll be freed.”

“With your powers you ought to fight her,” said Sanzang. “Why do you want to get into her stomach?”

“You don't understand, Master,” Monkey replied. “If it were easy to get in and out of this cave of hers I would be able to fight her. But this place is very hard to get into or out of: the way out is complicated and difficult. If I started a fight with her all the fiends in her den, young and old, would overpower me. Then how would it end? We must act carefully if we're all to make a clean getaway.”

Sanzang nodded, believing all that Monkey said, adding only, “You must stay with me.”

“I know,” said monkey, “I know. I'll be on your head.”

When master and disciple had settled their plan Sanzang leaned forward, took hold of the bars in the corridor's gates and called out, “Lady, lady.”

As soon as she heard this the evil spirit came rushing over, a simpering smile on her face, to ask, “What do you have to say to me, my wonderful darling?”

“Lady,” replied Sanzang, “ever since leaving Chang'an and starting on my journey to the West I have had to cross mountains and rivers every single day. When I was staying in the Zhenhai Monastery last night I caught a bad chill and I have been in a sweat today. I was just beginning to feel a little better today when in your kindness, good lady, you brought me into your immortals' palace. As I have been sitting here all day I am now feeling in rather low spirits again. Could you take me somewhere to cheer myself up and have a little fun?”

The evil spirit was utterly delighted. “So you're feeling a bit interested, are you, my wonderful darling?” she said. “You and I will go into the garden for some fun. Little ones,” she called, “fetch the key, open the garden gates, and sweep the paths in the garden.” The demons all hurried off to open the gates and tidy the place up.

Meanwhile the evil spirit was opening the screen and helping the Tang Priest out. Just watch the many young demons-all willowy beauties with oiled hair and powdered faces-crowding around the Tang Priest as they head for the garden. What a splendid monk he was, walking amid these beauties in their gauze and brocade for no other purpose than to be deaf and dumb. If instead of having an iron heart set on the Buddha he had been any ordinary man susceptible to wine and women he would never have succeeded in fetching the scriptures.

When they reached the entrance to the garden the evil spirit whispered seductively, “My wonderful darling, let's have some fun here-it'll cheer you up.” They went into the garden hand in hand, and when he looked up he saw that it was indeed a splendid place. This is what could be seen:

All over the winding paths

Bluish lichens grow.

Secluded gauze windows

Kept dark by embroidered curtains.

When the breeze arises

Silks and brocades float in the air.

When the gentle rain stops falling

The smooth white skin and jade-like flesh are revealed.

The sun-scorched apricot

Is red as an immortal's rainbow clothes spread out to dry;

The plantain in the moonlight

Is bluer than Lady Taizhen waving her feather fan.

Whitewashed walls enclose

The golden orioles that sing in ten thousand willows.

Within the empty halls

Butterflies flit among begonias in the courtyard.

Look at the Hall of Crystallized Perfumes,

The Green Moth Hall,

The Hall to Recover from Drunkenness,

The Hall of Longing,

Rolling up the brilliance, one behind the other.

On the red curtains

Hooks hold tassels like prawn whiskers.

Now look at the Pavilion to Ease Pain

The Pavilion of Simplicity,

The Pavilion of Thrushes,

The Four Rains Pavilion,

All towering and lofty,

And bearing on decorated tablets

Their names in archaic script.

Look too at the Pool Where Cranes Bathe,

The Goblet-washing Pool,

The Pool of Delight in the Moon,

The Pool for Cleansing Tassels,

Where amid duckweed and algae the gold scales shine.

Then there is the Kiosk of Ink Flowers,

The Kiosk of Strange Boxes,

The Interesting Kiosk,

The Kiosk for Admiring the Clouds

Where bubbles like green ants float on the wine in jade ladles and goblets.

Around the pools and pavilions

Stand rocks from Lake Taihu,

Rocks of purple crystal,

Yingluo rocks,

Jin River rocks,

Greenish and overgrown with tiger-whisker rushes.

East and West of the kiosks and balls are found

A Wooden Mountain,

A Turquoise Screen Mountain,

A Howling Wind Mountain,

A Jade Mushroom Mountain,

All covered in phoenix-tail bamboo.

Trellises of briar roses,

And garden roses,

Growing by a swing,

As a curtain of silk and brocade.

A Pine Pavilion,

A Magnolia Pavilion,

Opposite a Saussurea Pavilion,

Forming a wall of jade with embroidered hangings.

Herbaceous and tree peonies are rivals in luxuriance;

The night-closing magnolias and the jasmine

Are charming every year.

Moist with dewdrops are the purple buds:

They ought to be painted or drawn.

The red hibiscus fills the sky with flaming splendor,

A marvellous subject for poetry.

When it comes to fine scenery

This makes Lang Garden or Penglai not worth a mention;

And as for the flowers,

The finest peonies of Luoyang count for nothing beside them.

In the battle of the blossoms late in the spring

The garden lacks only the flowers of jade.

The venerable elder led the she-devil by the hand as they strolled in the garden, admiring the endless displays of rare and exotic blooms. As they went through many a hall and pavilion he really did seem to be going into an exquisite place. Looking up, he realized that he was by the peach grove. Monkey pinched his master's head to remind him.

Flying to a branch of a peach tree Brother Monkey shook himself and turned into a red peach, and a most fetchingly red one at that. “Lady,” the venerable elder said to the evil spirit, “what beautifully scented flowers and ripe fruit you have in this garden.

The blooms are so fragrant bees vie for their nectar;

The birds all compete for the fruit on the branches.

Why are some of the peaches on the trees red and some green?”

“If there were no Yin and Yang in the heavens the sun and moon would not be bright,” the evil spirit replied with a smile. “If there were no Yin and Yang in the earth the plants and trees would not grow. And if there were no Yin and Yang among people there would be no sexual difference. The peaches on the Southern Yang side of these trees are red because they ripen first in the sun's heat. The peaches on the Northern Yin side are green because they get no sun and are still unripe. It's all because of the Yin and the Yang.”

“Thank you, lady, for your explanation,” Sanzang replied. “I did not know that.” He then reached out and picked a red peach, while the evil spirit also picked a green one.

Sanzang bowed as he handed the red one respectfully to the evil spirit with the words, “Lady, you love what is attractive, so won't you take this red peach and give me the green one?”

The she-devil made the exchange, thinking with concealed delight, “What a nice monk. He really is a good man. He is being so loving to me even before we're man and wife.” With great pleasure she paid him her affectionate respects. As the Tang Priest started to eat the green peach at once the evil spirit was delighted to do likewise, opening her mouth to bite into the red one. When she parted her red lips and revealed her silver teeth the impatient Monkey did not give her time to bite him but rolled straight down her throat into her stomach.

“Reverend gentleman,” the terrified evil spirit said, “that peach is a terror. Why did it roll straight down and not let me bite it?”

“Lady,” Sanzang replied, “the first ripe fruits of a garden are very delicious. That is why it went down so fast.”

“But it shot straight down before I'd had time to spit the stone out,” the evil spirit replied.

“Because you are such a lover of what is fine and beautiful and enjoyed it so much,” said Sanzang, “you swallowed it before you could bring the stone out.”

Once inside her stomach Monkey turned back into himself. “Master,” he called, “no need to argue with her now. I've succeeded.”

“Don't be too hard on her, disciple,” Sanzang replied.

“Who are you talking to?” the evil spirit asked when she heard this. “I am talking to my disciple Sun Wukong,” Sanzang replied.

“Where is he?” the evil spirit asked.

“In your stomach,” Sanzang replied. “He was the red peach you have just eaten.”

“That's the end of me,” exclaimed the evil spirit in horror. “If that ape's got into my stomach I'm dead. Sun the Novice, why did you go to such lengths to get into my stomach?”

“No particular reason,” replied Monkey from inside her. “I just wanted to eat the six leaves of your liver and your lungs, and your heart with its three hairs and seven apertures. I'm going to clean your insides right out and leave you a skeleton spirit.”

This sent the evil spirit's souls scattering in terror and shivering and shaking she clung tightly to the Tang Priest and said, “Reverend gentleman, I had thought that

Our destinies were from former lives joined by a red thread;

Our love was as close as the water and the fish.

I never imagined that we lovebirds would be parted

Or that the phoenixes would fly to East and West.

When the waters rose under Lan Bridge the rendezvous failed;

The meeting came to nothing in the misty temple.

After brief joy we are parted once more;

In whatever year will I meet you again?”

When Monkey heard all this from inside her stomach he was afraid that the venerable elder would have another attack of benevolence and let her talk her way out of the problem. Thereupon he started to wield fist and foot, striking out in martial postures and leveling everything around him. He punched her stomach almost to ribbons. Unable to bear the pain, the evil spirit collapsed in the dust, not daring to utter a single word for some time. As she was not speaking Monkey imagined that she must be dead and eased off.

She then recovered her breath to some extent and called out, “Where are you, little ones?” Now once in the garden, the creatures had all had the understanding to go off picking flowers, playing in the grass and amusing themselves, leaving the she-devil alone with the Tang Priest for a romantic conversation. As soon as they heard her calling they rushed over to see the evil spirit lying on the ground, her face a terrible color as she groaned, unable to move.

They hurriedly helped her up, crowding round and asking, “What's wrong, madam? Have you had a heart attack?”

“No, no,” the evil spirit replied. “Don't ask any questions. I've got someone inside me. Take the monk outside if you want to save my life.”

The junior devils actually did start to carry the Tang Priest, at which Monkey yelled from inside her belly, “Don't any of you dare carry him. You must take my master out yourself. I'll only spare your life when you've carried him outside.”

This left the evil spirit with no choice as all she cared about was saving her skin. At once she struggled to her feet, lifted the Tang Priest on her back and headed outside, followed by the junior devils asking, “Where are you going, Madam?”

To this the evil spirit replied,

“'As long as the lakes and the bright moon remain

I'll surely find somewhere to put my golden hook.'

Once I've taken this wretch outside I'll find myself another man.”

The splendid evil spirit went straight by cloud to the mouth of the cave, where the clang of weapons and wild shouts could be heard.

“Disciple,” said Sanzang, “why can I hear weapons outside?”

“It's Pig rubbing his rake,” replied Monkey. “Give him a shout.”

“Bajie,” Sanzang shouted.

“Friar Sand,” said Pig when he heard this, “the master's out.” The two of them drew back their rake and staff, letting the evil spirit carry the Tang Priest out. Indeed:

The Mind Ape had subdued a monster from the inside;

The Earth and Wood door guards welcomed the holy monk.

If you don't know whether the evil spirit's life was spared listen to the explanation in the next installment.