Chapter 31: Quicksand Hard To Cross
However, after Wukong learned the whole story, he asked Dragon King of West Sea Ao Run to go and persuade him to surrender.
The two rode clouds and soon arrived at Flowing Sand River.
Wukong said: “We’re here, old Dragon King. Go down and see your nephew!”
Dragon King of West Sea Ao Run looked at the river, then at the boundary marker on the shore, hesitated to speak, but due to Wukong’s urging, still entered the river.
Tiger Vanguard was patrolling the diving spot, saw Ao Run come in, and hurried down to report: “Great King, Uncle Lord has come!”
Ao Tu heard this and immediately came out to greet him.
Seeing Ao Run, he asked: “Uncle, didn’t we say no more contact? Why have you come again?”
Ao Run then told Ao Tu everything about Sun Wukong going to Dragon Palace to find them.
After hearing this, Ao Tu shook his head and sighed: “This monkey.”
Ao Run also asked Ao Tu why he had turned this place into Black Water River.
Ao Tu avoided Sha Seng and simply told Ao Run how he had turned Flowing Sand River into Black Water River to obstruct Tang Sanzang and his disciples on the Journey for Sutras.
After hearing this, Ao Run earnestly advised: “Dear nephew, our Dragon Clan is declining and can’t compete! Since you have such talent, why not cultivate peacefully? Wouldn’t that be better?”
Cultivate peacefully?
Ao Tu laughed, shook his head, and said: “Alright, Uncle, don’t say these things. This time, I’ll have to trouble you!”
With that, Ao Tu cast a spell to bind Ao Run, and tied him together with Tang Sanzang and Ba Jie at the river bottom.
Outside, Wukong waited on the shore.
Soon, waves surged and billows flipped as Ao Tu emerged from the water.
Wukong laughed: “You little dragon, have you come to your senses?”
Ao Tu said: “You monkey, asking my uncle to come persuade me to surrender— you truly don’t understand Buddhist Dharma.”
Wukong asked puzzled: “How is asking your uncle not understanding Buddhist Dharma?”
Ao Tu laughed: “Don’t you know? I am a man of Buddhism, once Bell Ringer under the Buddha Ancestor. All Buddhist monks sever ties and renounce love, not recognizing kin. That old West Sea Dragon King is now locked by me at the river bottom, keeping your Master company!”
Wukong realized Ao Tu was slandering Buddhism and almost couldn’t hold back his laughter. He forced himself to say:
“You demon dragon, how dare you be so rude? Release my Master at once, or don’t blame Old Sun for being merciless!”
Ao Tu said: “Sun Wukong, I’ve heard of your abilities and admire your loyalty. I can release your Master, but now is the cold winter month, not suitable for travel. Twenty-four days from now is the Beginning of Spring solar term. I guarantee to send your Master out then.”
Hearing this, Wukong frowned and said:
“You demon dragon, what trick are you playing? If you’re releasing my Master, do it now. Why wait for Beginning of Spring? Do you monsters still check the almanac and feng shui?”
Ao Tu said:
“Monkey, if you trust me, agree to it. When the time comes, I will definitely release your Master without breaking my word! You don’t know yet, but earlier I gave you a month’s vacation. Use this time to go home and visit!”
Wukong thought for a moment and said:
“Fine, I see you’re honest and keep your word, so I’ll agree. But you must take good care of my Master, with three teas and six meals a day, no shortages. If he loses weight, I’ll hold you accountable!”
Ao Tu laughed: “I’ll go move a Crystal Palace over to take care of him!”
Thus, the agreement was made.
Wukong went east, straight to Eastern Continent of Divine Sands, Proud Coming Country, Flower Fruit Mountain.
Ao Tu returned to the water and indeed kept his word; he cast a spell to build a palace for Tang Sanzang to live in; he also spent money to hire a few old monks from outside to accompany Tang Sanzang in meditation and scripture chanting; he ordered Tiger Vanguard to go into the mountains daily to gather mountain delicacies and wild vegetables, mushrooms, fragrant mushrooms, bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, daylily, stone vegetable, yam, polygonatum, etc., to make vegetarian meals for Tang Sanzang.
On the other side, Wukong rode the cloud and soon saw Eastern Ocean Sea and the Flower Fruit Mountain range. He sighed endlessly: “I haven’t taken this road in five hundred years!”
He saw: misty waves surging, giant waves rolling. Tides surging fiercely, water flooding the bays. Wild birds rising and falling, sand birds sinking and floating. Waves rolling thousand-year snow, wind bringing winter chill.
He landed the cloud head and looked with wide eyes.
The mountain had no flowers or grass, smoke and clouds all gone; peaks and rocks collapsed, trees scorched and withered.
Wukong gazed at the ruined mountain and desolate scene, his mind stunned, feeling even more sorrowful.
There is a poem that says:
Looking back at the immortal mountain, tears fall; facing the mountain’s misery, sorrow deepens.
Back then I thought the mountain undamaged; today I know the land is ruined.
Skies’ mists and clouds all dispersed, earth’s winds and clouds scattered thin.
East ridge no longer hears spotted tigers roar, west mountain no white apes cry.
Green Stone burned to thousand clumps of earth, green sand turned to a pile of mud.
Where did the birds of yore fly? To which mountains did the beasts flee?
In his grief, Wukong saw seven or eight little monkeys jump out from the grassy slope and mountain hollow, crowding forward to kowtow around him. They cried loudly: “Great Sage Grandpa! You’re home today?”
Wukong said: “Why aren’t you playing or frolicking? Why are you all hiding away?”
The monkeys, hearing this, shed tears and said:
“Since Great Sage was captured by the Upper Realm, we’ve suffered at the hunters’ hands, truly unbearable! How could we withstand their hard crossbows and Strong Bow, yellow eagles and vicious dogs, nets, traps, spears, and hooks? Thus, we each cherish our lives, not daring to come out and play; we just hide deep in Cave Mansions, far in our nests. When hungry, we steal grass food from the slopes; when thirsty, we drink from the stream. Just now, hearing Great Sage Grandpa’s voice, we came especially to greet you.”
Hearing this, Wukong felt even more sorrowful. He asked: “How many of you are left on this mountain?”
The monkeys said: “Old and young, only about a thousand.”
Wukong said: “Back then, I had forty-seven thousand group of monsters. Where have they all gone?”
The monkeys said: “After Great Sage Grandpa left, we were mostly burned and killed by the heavenly divine generals; the survivors, over these years, have mostly been taken by hunters.”
Wukong said: “What business do they have taking you?”
The monkeys said: “They take those of us shot by arrows, speared, poisoned, or beaten to death, peel our skins, extract our bones, braise in sauce, steam in vinegar, fry in oil, stir-fry with salt, and eat us with rice. Those caught in nets or traps, they make jump through hoops for shows, do somersaults, stand on heads like dragonflies, beat gongs and drums, performing on the streets.”
Hearing this, Wukong was furious and said: “Who is in charge in the cave?”
The group of monsters said: “Marshal Ma and Marshal Liu, General Ben and General Ba are managing.”
Wukong said: “Go report to them that I have come.”
Those little demons rushed in to report: “Great Sage Grandpa has come home.”
Hearing the report, Ma, Liu, Ben, and Ba hurried out to kowtow and welcome Wukong into the cave.
Wukong sat in the center, the group of monsters prostrating before him.
They offered fruits and coconut wine to welcome Wukong.
Wukong said: “No drinking yet. I ask you: when do those hunters come to my mountain?”
Ma and Liu said: “Anytime, they often come to harass.”
As they spoke, a little monkey came to report: “Those hunters have come.”
Wukong went to the mountain peak and saw from the southern side drums booming dong-dong, gongs clanging dang-dang, as over a thousand men and horses appeared, all with eagles and dogs, holding knives and spears.
These were hunters from nearby countries, gathered here for hunting.
Seeing this, Wukong was furious. Having entered Buddhism, he restrained himself and didn’t act directly; he just pinched a spell, stirred up a gale, and blew them five hundred li away so they couldn’t return.
After dealing with them, Wukong used magic power to restore the mountains; he went to Four Seas, borrowed some sweet rain, and ordered the monkeys to plant elms, willows, pines, firs, peaches, plums, dates, apricots, restoring the former appearance.
Now Flower Fruit Mountain: green as cut jade, high as scraping clouds. Brooks babbling, springs dripping. Morning and evening cliffs and peaks with sheer walls, the whole mountain with new trees and new flowers.
The monkeys were overjoyed and couldn’t help asking: “Great Sage Grandpa, this homecoming, will you leave again?”
Wukong said: “I still have to go west, staying here only twenty-four days.”
The monkeys reluctantly said: “Why only twenty-odd days, not staying a few more years?”
Wukong laughed: “These twenty-four days are already hard to get. I still have to thank my dragon brother!”
