OriginChapter 1
The poem says:
When chaos had not yet divided, Heaven and Earth were in disorder;
Vast and dim, dim and vast, none had yet seen them.
Since Pangu cleaved apart the primordial obscurity,
Creation from that time distinguished the clear from the turbid.
Covering and supporting all living things, they looked up to supreme benevolence;
Bringing forth and illuminating the myriad things, all became good.
If you would know the meritorious work of Creation through the cycles of the kalpas,
You must read *The Journey to the West: A Record of Dispelling Calamities*.
It is said that in the calculations of Heaven and Earth, twelve myriad nine thousand six hundred years make one yuan. One yuan is divided into twelve hui, namely the twelve earthly branches: zi, chou, yin, mao, chen, si, wu, wei, shen, you, xu, and hai. Each hui comprises ten thousand eight hundred years. Let us speak, for example, of a single day: at the zi hour, yang energy is obtained; at chou, the cock crows; at yin, light has not yet spread; at mao, the sun rises; at chen, it is after the meal; at si, things are arranged in succession; at wu, the sun is in the middle of Heaven; at wei, it begins to decline westward; at shen, it is the afternoon meal; at you, the sun sets; at xu, dusk falls; and at hai, people settle down. If compared with the great reckoning, when the xu hui reaches its end, Heaven and Earth become dim and obscure, and the myriad things are obstructed. After another five thousand four hundred years, at the beginning of the hai hui, darkness prevails, and all persons and things between Heaven and Earth disappear; hence it is called chaos. After another five thousand four hundred years, the hai hui nears its end. With the completion of one cycle, the next yuan begins, approaching the zi hui, and things gradually open into brightness. Shao Kangjie said:
“Winter Solstice, halfway through zi;
The heart of Heaven undergoes no change.
Where a single yang first stirs,
The myriad things have not yet been born.”
At this point, Heaven first had a root. After another five thousand four hundred years, it was precisely the zi hui. Light and purity rose aloft; there were the sun, the moon, the stars, and the celestial bodies. The sun, moon, stars, and celestial bodies are called the Four Images. Hence it is said that Heaven opened in zi. After another five thousand four hundred years, the zi hui neared its end and approached the chou hui, and things gradually became solid. The *Book of Changes* says: “Great indeed is Qian Yuan! Supreme indeed is Kun Yuan! The myriad things draw life from them, and thus follow and receive Heaven.” At this point, Earth first began to congeal. After another five thousand four hundred years, it was precisely the chou hui. Heavy turbidity congealed below; there were water, fire, mountains, stones, and earth. Water, fire, mountains, stones, and earth are called the Five Forms. Hence it is said that Earth opened in chou. After another five thousand four hundred years, the chou hui ended and the beginning of the yin hui arrived, and the myriad things came into being. The calendar says: “Heavenly qi descends, earthly qi rises; Heaven and Earth unite, and all creatures are born.” At this point, Heaven was clear and Earth was fresh, and yin and yang united. After another five thousand four hundred years, it was precisely the yin hui. Human beings, beasts, and birds were born; this was exactly Heaven, Earth, and humanity, the Three Powers taking their places. Hence it is said that humanity was born in yin.
Moved by Pangu’s creation, the rule of the Three Sovereigns, and the establishment of human relations by the Five Emperors, the world was consequently divided into the Four Great Continents: the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity, the Western Continent of Ox-Herder Felicity, the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa, and the Northern Continent of Kuru. This book speaks only of the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity. Beyond the seas there was a country called the Kingdom of Aolai. Near that kingdom was a great sea, and within the sea stood a famous mountain called Flower-Fruit Mountain. This mountain was the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents and the originating dragon of the Three Islands. It had stood since the opening of the clear and turbid, and had taken shape after the primordial obscurity was divided. It was truly a fine mountain! A fu and rhapsody serve as proof.
The rhapsody says:
Its might steadies the vast ocean; its majesty pacifies the Jade Sea.
Its might steadies the vast ocean: tides surge like silver mountains, and fish enter their caves;
Its majesty pacifies the Jade Sea: waves turn over snowy billows, and mirages depart the abyss.
The quarters of water and fire rise in lofty accumulation;
At the eastern sea, a towering summit thrusts upward.
Cinnabar cliffs and strange rocks, sheer walls and unusual peaks.
Upon the cinnabar cliffs, paired phoenixes sing;
Before the sheer walls, a qilin lies alone.
At the peak, one sometimes hears the brocade fowl call;
In the stone caves, one often sees dragons entering and leaving.
Within the forests are long-lived deer and immortal foxes;
In the trees are numinous birds and dark cranes.
Jade-like grasses and wondrous flowers never fade;
Green pines and emerald cypresses remain in everlasting spring.
Immortal peaches constantly bear fruit; cultivated bamboo often holds the clouds.
A single ravine is dense with creeping vines;
On all four sides, the grass upon the broad banks is fresh.
Indeed, it is the pillar that supports Heaven where a hundred rivers meet,
The root of the great earth unmoved through ten thousand kalpas.
At the very summit of that mountain was a piece of immortal stone. The stone was three zhang and six chi and five cun high, and its circumference was two zhang, four chi, and a round measure. Its height of three zhang, six chi, and five cun corresponded to the three hundred sixty-five degrees of the Circumference of Heaven; its circumference of two zhang and four chi corresponded to the twenty-four qi of the administrative calendar. Above it were nine apertures and eight holes, corresponding to the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. On all four sides there were no trees to shade it, while to its left and right grew glossy ganoderma and orchids as adornments. From the opening of Heaven and Earth onward, it had continually received the true essence of Heaven and the beauty of Earth, as well as the essences of the sun and moon. Having absorbed these for a long time, it eventually acquired a spirit of responsiveness. Within it an immortal embryo was nurtured. One day it burst open and produced a stone egg, as large as a round ball. When the wind touched it, it transformed into a stone monkey, with all five features complete and all four limbs whole. It immediately learned to crawl and walk, and bowed toward the four quarters. His eyes sent forth two rays of golden light that shot upward and struck the Dipper Palace.
This startled the Great Heavenly Worthy, Dark Vault, Supreme High Emperor, Jade Emperor, the Greatly Compassionate and Benevolent One, who sat enthroned in the Golden Watchtower Cloud Palace, the Numinous Heaven Treasure Hall. He gathered the assembled Immortal Ministers. Seeing brilliant golden light, he ordered Thousand-Mile Eye and Clairaudient Ear to open the Southern Heavenly Gate and observe. The two generals indeed obeyed the decree and went outside the gate. They saw truly and heard clearly. In a short while they returned and reported: “Your ministers, having received the decree to observe and listen at the place of the golden light, have found that it is within the territory of the small country of Aolai, east of the sea in the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity. There is a Flower-Fruit Mountain, and upon the mountain is an immortal stone. The stone produced an egg, which, touched by the wind, transformed into a stone monkey. There he bowed to the four quarters, and his eyes sent golden light shooting upward to the Dipper Palace. He is now taking food and water; the golden light is about to subside.” The Jade Emperor bestowed benevolent grace, saying: “The thing below was born of the essence of Heaven and Earth. It is not sufficiently strange to merit attention.”
That monkey in the mountains could walk and leap, eat grasses and trees, drink from ravine springs, gather mountain flowers, and seek tree fruits. He made companions of wolves and insects, formed groups with tigers and leopards, befriended roebuck and deer, and treated macaques and gibbons as kin. At night he slept beneath rocky cliffs; in the morning he roamed among the peak caves. Truly:
“In the mountains there are no sexagenary years;
When the cold is over, one knows not the year.”
One day the weather became hot. Together with the troop of monkeys, he sought relief from the heat, and all played beneath the shade of the pines. Look at them, one by one:
They leaped into trees and climbed branches, gathered flowers and sought fruits; tossed pellets, played at childish games; ran through sand pits, built treasure pagodas; chased dragonflies, pounced upon small insects; joined the Old Heaven, bowed to the Bodhisattvas; pulled kudzu vines, wove grass mats; caught lice, biting and pinching them; smoothed their fur garments and picked their fingernails. One pressed against another, one rubbed against another; one pushed, one sat upon another; one tugged, one pulled: beneath the green pines they played as they pleased, and beside the green-water ravine they washed themselves at will.
The troop of monkeys played for a while, then went to the mountain ravine to bathe. They saw the stream rushing onward, truly like a rolling melon boiling and splashing. The ancients said: “Birds have the speech of birds, and beasts have the language of beasts.” All the monkeys said: “We do not know where this stream’s water comes from. Today we have nothing to do; let us follow the ravine upward and seek its source, going to play!” With a shout, they brought sons and led daughters, called for brothers and summoned siblings, and all ran together. Following the ravine, they climbed the mountain until they reached the source, which was a flying waterfall and leaping spring. But behold:
One sweep of white rainbow rises;
A thousand fathoms of snowy waves fly.
The sea wind cannot break it;
The river moon shines upon it still.
Cold air divides the green cliffs;
The remaining stream moistens the emerald heights.
Gurgling and murmuring, it is called a waterfall;
Truly it resembles a hanging curtain.
The monkeys clapped their hands and praised it, saying: “Good water, good water! As it turns out, this place reaches far beneath the mountain’s foot and connects directly with the waves of the great sea.” Then they said: “Whoever has the ability to enter and find the source, and comes out without injury, shall be honored by us as king.” They called out three times. Suddenly a stone monkey sprang from among the tangled growth and cried loudly in response: “I will enter! I will enter!” A fine monkey indeed! For he was also:
Today his fragrant name is revealed;
The time has come, and great fortune flows.
With destiny, he dwells in this place;
The king will send him into an immortal palace.
You see him close his eyes and crouch down, then spring with all his strength and leap straight into the waterfall spring. Suddenly he opened his eyes and raised his head to look. Within there was no water and no wave, but a bright and clear bridge. He steadied himself and composed his spirit, then looked closely again. It was originally an iron bridge. The water beneath the bridge rushed through the openings in the stone, flowed out upside down, and blocked the bridge entrance. He bent and climbed onto the bridgehead, then walked onward and looked again. It seemed just like a dwelling where people lived. Truly it was a fine place! But behold:
Green moss piled up blue; white clouds floated over jade;
Light shook fragments of smoke and rosy clouds.
Empty windows and quiet chambers, smooth benches and flowering boards.
Dragon pearls leaned suspended in a milk cave;
Strange blossoms wound and circled, carpeting the ground.
Beside the cliff, the stove and hearth retained traces of fire;
By the table, vessels and jars showed scraps of food.
Stone seats and stone beds were truly delightful;
Stone basins and stone bowls were even more worthy of praise.
There were also one or two stalks of tall bamboo, and three or five plum blossoms.
Several pine trees constantly bore rain;
All of it naturally resembled a human dwelling.
After looking for a long while, he leaped to the middle of the bridge and observed left and right. In the very center stood a stone tablet. Upon the tablet was a line of regular-script characters carved in large letters: “Flower-Fruit Mountain, Blessed Land; Water-Curtain Cave, Grotto-Heaven.”
The stone monkey was beside himself with joy. He quickly withdrew and went outside, then again closed his eyes and crouched down, leaping out of the water. He gave two great laughs and said: “A great good fortune! A great good fortune!” The monkeys surrounded him and asked: “What is it like inside? How deep is the water?” The stone monkey said: “There is no water! No water! It turns out to be an iron bridge, and beyond the bridge is a dwelling created by Heaven and formed by Earth.” The monkeys said: “How do you know it is a dwelling?” The stone monkey laughed and said: “This stream rushes beneath the stone bridge, then hangs downward to cover and close the entrance. Beside the bridge are flowers and trees; it is a stone house. Inside are stone hollows, a stone stove, stone bowls, stone basins, a stone bed, and stone benches. In the middle, upon a stone tablet, is carved: ‘Flower-Fruit Mountain, Blessed Land; Water-Curtain Cave, Grotto-Heaven.’ It truly is a place for us to settle ourselves. Inside it is also spacious enough to hold a thousand or a hundred old and young. We should all go in and live there, and be spared the breath of Old Heaven. Within this place:
When the wind blows, there is a place to hide;
When rain falls, a good place to remain.
Frost and snow need never be feared;
The sound of thunder is never heard.
Smoke and rosy clouds constantly shine;
Auspicious signs often steam and rise.
Pines and bamboo flourish year after year;
Wondrous flowers are fresh each day.”
Hearing this, all the monkeys rejoiced. They all said: “You go first and lead us inside. Go in, go in.” The stone monkey once more closed his eyes and crouched down, then leaped inside, calling: “All of you, follow me in! Come in!” Those monkeys who were brave leaped in; the timid ones stretched their heads forward and drew back their necks one by one, scratching their ears and cheeks and shouting loudly. After lingering a while, they all entered as well. Once past the bridgehead, each scrambled for basins and seized bowls, occupied the stove and contended for beds, moving things here and shifting things there. Such was the unruly nature of monkeys: not one moment of peace remained. They only stopped after their strength was exhausted and their spirits worn out.
The stone monkey sat upright above them and said: “Gentlemen, ‘If a person has no trustworthiness, one does not know what he is good for.’ You just said that whoever had the ability to enter and leave without injuring his body should be made king. I have now entered and gone out, gone out and entered again; I have found this Grotto-Heaven where you may sleep securely and peacefully, and where all may enjoy the blessings of establishing a household. Why do you not make me king?”
Hearing this, the monkeys immediately folded themselves down in submission, without the slightest objection. Arranging themselves according to age, they lined up in order and bowed toward him, all calling him the “Great King of a Thousand Years.” From this time onward, the stone monkey ascended to the throne. He concealed the character “stone,” and thereafter was called the Handsome Monkey King. A poem serves as proof.
The poem says:
The Three Yangs unite in harmony, producing all living things;
Within an immortal stone, an embryo contains the essence of sun and moon.
Borrowing an egg to transform into a monkey, he completes the Great Dao;
Borrowing another’s name and surname, he matches them to form the elixir.
Within, he observes yet knows not, for there are no forms;
Without, he joins with the bright and knows clearly that forms exist.
Through the ages, every person belongs to this;
Whether called king or sage, one may roam unhindered.
The Handsome Monkey King led a troop of gibbons, macaques, macaques, and other monkeys, and assigned among them the offices of ruler, ministers, assistants, and envoys. In the morning he roamed Flower-Fruit Mountain; at dusk he lodged in Water-Curtain Cave. United in accord and sympathy, they did not enter the company of flying birds, nor follow the kind of running beasts. He alone was king, and he could not have been more joyful. Thus:
In spring he gathered a hundred flowers for food and drink;
In summer he sought every fruit to make his living.
In autumn he harvested taro and chestnuts to prolong the season;
In winter he sought yellow essence to pass the years.
The Handsome Monkey King enjoyed the natural joys of life, never expecting that three or five hundred years would pass. One day, while happily feasting with the troop of monkeys, he suddenly grew sorrowful and tears fell. The monkeys hurriedly knelt and bowed, saying: “Why is the Great King troubled?”
The Monkey King said: “Although I am in a time of joy, I have a little concern for the distant future, and so I am troubled.”
The monkeys laughed again and said: “How insufficient is the Great King’s contentment! Every day we rejoice together in an immortal mountain and blessed land, in an ancient cave and divine continent. We are not subject to the qilin’s authority, nor under the phoenix’s governance, nor constrained by the royal offices of the human world. We are free and at ease—this is immeasurable fortune. Why should you worry over the distant future?”
The Monkey King said: “Today I do not return to the laws of human kings, and I do not fear the majesty of birds and beasts. But when I grow old and my blood declines, there will be Old Lord Yama secretly in control of me. Once I die, will it not mean that I was born in vain into the world, unable to remain long among gods and humans?”
Hearing these words, all the monkeys covered their faces and wept bitterly, each troubled by impermanence.
Suddenly, from among the ranks, a long-armed gibbon sprang forth and cried in a stern voice: “If the Great King is troubled by such distant concerns, this truly is what may be called the awakening of the Dao-heart. Within the Five Kinds of Creatures, only three classes and names are not governed by Old Lord Yama.”
The Monkey King said: “Do you know which three classes they are?”
The gibbon said: “They are the Buddha, the Immortal, and the Sage. These three escape the cycle of rebirth, are neither born nor extinguished, and share longevity with Heaven, Earth, mountains, and rivers.”
The Monkey King said: “Where do these three dwell?”
The gibbon said: “They are only within the Jambudvipa world, inside ancient caves and immortal mountains.”
Hearing this, the Monkey King’s heart was filled with joy. He said: “Tomorrow I shall take leave of you and descend the mountain. I will roam the ends of the seas and travel to the furthest horizons. I must seek out these three, learn a method of agelessness and eternal life, and forever evade the calamity of the King of Hell.”
Ah! These words immediately caused him to leap beyond the net of rebirth, and brought about the achievement of the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven. The monkeys clapped and praised him, all saying: “Excellent! Excellent! Tomorrow we shall cross ridges and climb mountains, seek out an abundance of fruits, and arrange a great banquet to send off the Great King.”
The next day, the monkeys indeed went to gather immortal peaches, pluck unusual fruits, dig mountain medicines, and cut yellow essence. Glossy ganoderma, fragrant orchids, jade grasses, and wondrous flowers—each and every thing was made neat and orderly. Stone benches and stone tables were set out, and immortal wines and immortal dishes arranged. But behold:
Golden pellets, pearl-like berries; red blooms and yellow fat.
Golden-pellet pearl cherries, waxy and crimson, their color truly sweet and beautiful;
Ripe plums, red-bloomed and yellow-fleshed, their taste fragrant and sour.
Fresh longans, sweet flesh and thin skins;
Fiery lychees, small pits and crimson sacs.
Green fruits of the crabapple were offered upon their branches;
Loquat buds, yellow silk, were raised with their leaves.
Rabbit-head pears and chicken-heart dates,
Quenching thirst, dispelling vexation, and further relieving drunkenness.
Fragrant peaches and rotten apricots, sweet and rich as jade fluid and jade nectar;
Crisp plums and waxberries, deeply sour like fat, cream, and curds.
Ripe watermelons with red flesh and black seeds;
Large persimmons with four petals and yellow skins.
Pomegranates split open, cinnabar grains appearing like fiery crystal pearls;
Taro and chestnuts opened, their firm flesh like golden agate.
Walnuts and ginkgo nuts could be passed around with tea;
Coconuts and grapes could be made into wine.
Hazelnuts, pine nuts, torreya nuts, and crabapples filled the plates;
Oranges, sugarcane, mandarins, and sweet oranges were spread across the tables.
Ripe, roasted mountain yams; yellow essence boiled soft.
Poria and coix seeds were pounded fine;
In a stone pot, over a gentle fire, soup slowly simmered.
Though the human world possesses delicacies of precious flavor,
How could they compare with the monkeys’ greater peace and joy in the mountains?
The troop of monkeys honored the Handsome Monkey King by seating him above. Each arranged himself below according to age and shoulder rank. One after another they came forward to present wine, flowers, and fruit, drinking heartily for an entire day.
The next day, the Handsome Monkey King rose early and ordered: “Little ones, gather some dry pine branches for me and weave them into a raft. Take a bamboo pole to serve as a punt, and prepare some fruits and such things. I am going now.”
He alone boarded the raft, exerted all his strength to push it off, and drifted and rocked straight into the waves of the great sea, taking advantage of the heavenly wind to cross toward the territory of the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa. This journey was indeed:
A celestial-born immortal monkey, his cultivation path exalted,
Leaves the mountain, driving a raft upon the heavenly wind.
He drifts across the seas to seek the immortal path,
With firm resolve and absorbed mind to establish great merit.
With destiny and affinity, he sets aside worldly desires;
Free of worry and care, he will meet the primordial dragon.
Surely he will encounter one who understands his heart,
Who explains the source and current, and makes all dharmas clear.
His fortune had indeed arrived and his time had come. After he boarded the wooden raft, strong southeast winds blew for several days and carried him before the northwestern shore, which was the territory of the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa. He tested the water with his pole and happened upon shallow water. Abandoning the raft, he leaped ashore. There by the sea he saw people catching fish, hunting geese, digging clams, and gathering salt. He approached them, performed a trick, and disguised himself as a fierce tiger. The people were so frightened that they threw down baskets and abandoned nets, scattering in all directions. He seized one who could not run, stripped off his clothes, and imitated human beings by putting them on. Swaying and swaggering, he passed through prefectures and districts, learning human etiquette and human speech in the markets.
He ate in the morning and lodged at night, with his whole heart devoted to asking about the ways of Buddhas, Immortals, and Sages, seeking a method of agelessness and eternal life. He saw that the people of the world were all disciples of fame and profit, and not one cared for the preservation of his own life. Truly:
When will the struggle for fame and profit ever cease?
Rising early and sleeping late, never free!
Riding a donkey or mule, one thinks of a fine steed;
Serving as a minister, one longs for princely rank.
They only fear that clothing and food will bind them to toil;
Why do they not fear the King of Hell coming to claim them?
They extend the family line and shade descendants, plotting wealth and rank;
Not one is willing to turn back.
The Monkey King sought the immortal path and visited many places, but had no destiny to encounter it. In the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa, he traversed the long walls and visited small counties. Before he knew it, more than eight or nine years had passed. Suddenly he traveled to the Western Ocean. He thought that beyond the seas there must surely be Immortals. Alone, as before, he made another raft, floated across the western sea, and went straight to the territory of the Western Continent of Ox-Herder Felicity.
After landing, he searched everywhere for a long time. Suddenly he saw a high and beautiful mountain, its forests and foothills deep and secluded. He did not fear wolves and insects, nor dread tigers and leopards, but climbed to the mountaintop to look around. It truly was a fine mountain:
A thousand peaks stand in ranks like halberds;
Ten thousand fathoms unfold like screens.
The sun reflects mountain haze, lightly locking the green;
After the rain, dark green hues coldly hold the blue.
Thin vines coil around old trees;
An ancient ford marks the secluded road.
Strange flowers and auspicious grasses, tall bamboo and lofty pines.
Tall bamboo and lofty pines remain ever green for ten thousand years, surpassing blessed lands;
Strange flowers and auspicious grasses never fade through the four seasons, rivaling Penglai.
The cries of secluded birds sound near;
Clear springs ring as they flow.
Layer upon layer, valleys and ravines are encircled by glossy ganoderma and orchids;
Everywhere, steep cliffs give birth to moss and lichen.
The undulating mountain heads have a fine dragon vein;
There must be a lofty person hiding his name.
As he was looking around, he suddenly heard human speech from deep within the forest. He hurried forward, entered the woods, and listened with his head inclined. It turned out to be a song.
The song says:
“Watching chess, the axe-handle rots; chopping wood, ding ding;
At the cloud’s edge and the valley mouth, I walk slowly.
Selling firewood and buying wine, laughing wildly to delight my heart.
Upon a pale mountain path beneath the autumn moon,
I pillow my head on a pine root and sleep until Heaven brightens.
Recognizing the old forest, climbing cliffs and crossing ridges,
I take my axe and sever withered vines.
Gathering it into a single load, I sing through the market streets,
Exchanging it for three sheng of rice.
There is no slightest contention; the current price is fair.
I know nothing of schemes or clever calculations;
Without glory or disgrace, I quietly prolong my life.
Wherever I meet another, he is either Immortal or Daoist,
Sitting in silence and discussing the *Huangting*.”
The Handsome Monkey King was delighted upon hearing this and said: “The Immortal was originally hiding here!” He hurried inside and looked closely again. It was a woodcutter, raising an axe to chop firewood. His appearance was most unusual:
Upon his head he wore a rain hat of ruoye leaves, made from the sheath newly shed by young bamboo shoots.
Upon his body he wore a cloth garment, woven from spun cotton.
Around his waist he tied a ringed cord, silk spun from an old silkworm’s mouth.
Upon his feet he wore grass sandals, cool sandals made from withered sedge.
In his hand he held a pure-steel axe, and over his shoulder hung a rope of fire hemp.
He braced himself against pine and split dry trees;
What woodcutter could equal him?
The Monkey King approached and called: “Old Immortal, this disciple pays his respects.”
The woodcutter hurriedly threw down his axe, turned, and returned the courtesy, saying: “Not a person worthy of it, not a person worthy of it. I am a clumsy fellow whose clothing and food are incomplete. How could I dare accept the two words ‘Immortal’?”
The Monkey King said: “If you are not an Immortal, how can you speak words of an Immortal?”
The woodcutter said: “What words of an Immortal have I spoken?”
The Monkey King said: “I had just reached the edge of the forest when I heard you say: ‘Wherever I meet another, he is either Immortal or Daoist, sitting in silence and discussing the *Huangting*.’ The *Huangting* is the true speech of the Dao and virtue. If that is not the speech of an Immortal, what is it?”
The woodcutter laughed and said: “Indeed, I will not conceal it from you. The name of this lyric is *Man Ting Fang*, and an Immortal taught it to me. That Immortal lives next door to my home. Seeing that my household affairs were laborious and that I was troubled every day, he taught me that whenever I encountered vexation, I should recite this lyric: first, to ease my mind, and second, to relieve my troubles. I happened to have some insufficiency and concerns in my thoughts, and so I recited it repeatedly. I did not expect you to hear me.”
The Monkey King said: “Since your home is next to an Immortal’s, why do you not cultivate under him? Learning a method of agelessness would not be a fine thing?”
The woodcutter said: “My whole life has been hard. From childhood, my parents raised me until I was eight or nine, when I first came to understand human affairs. Unfortunately, my father died, and my mother was left a widow. I have no brothers or sisters, only myself; there was no alternative but to serve her morning and evening. Now my mother is old, and I dare even less to leave her. Moreover, the fields and gardens are barren, and clothing and food are insufficient. I can only cut two bundles of firewood, carry them into the market, sell them for a few coins, and buy several sheng of rice. I cook for myself and make the arrangements, preparing tea and meals to support my aged mother. Therefore I cannot cultivate.”
The Monkey King said: “According to what you have said, you are a gentleman who practices filial piety. In the future you will surely have good fortune. I only hope you will point out where that Immortal lives, so that I may pay him a visit.”
The woodcutter said: “It is not far, not far. This mountain is called Mount Lingtai Fangcun. Within the mountain is a cave called the Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars. In that cave is an Immortal named Patriarch Subhuti. The disciples who have gone out from that Patriarch cannot be counted; even now, thirty or forty people are still cultivating under him. Follow that little path south for about seven or eight li, and you will reach his home.”
The Monkey King seized the woodcutter’s hand and said: “Elder brother, come with me. If I gain some benefit, I will certainly never forget the kindness of your guidance.”
The woodcutter said: “You are a most inflexible fellow. I have just explained this to you, and you still do not understand? If I went with you, would that not ruin my livelihood? Who would support my aged mother? I have to chop wood. Go on your own, go on your own.”
Hearing this, the Monkey King could only take his leave. He left the deep forest, found the path, and crossed a slope. After traveling about seven or eight li, he indeed saw a cave dwelling. He straightened himself and looked. What a fine place! But behold:
Smoke and rosy clouds scattered their colors; sun and moon shook their light.
A thousand old cypresses, ten thousand joints of tall bamboo.
A thousand old cypresses, rain-soaked, their green gently unfolding halfway to Heaven;
Ten thousand joints of tall bamboo, holding mist, their blue filling one ravine.
Beyond the gate, strange flowers spread like brocade; beside the bridge, jade grasses exhaled fragrance.
Rocky cliffs stood abruptly, their moss moist; hanging walls rose high, their emerald lichens flourishing.
At times one heard immortal cranes cry; often one saw phoenixes soar.
When immortal cranes cried, their voices shook the Ninefold Marshes and reached the distant sky;
When phoenixes rose, their five-colored feathers shone like clouds of colored light.
Dark gibbons and white deer appeared and vanished at will;
Golden lions and jade elephants roamed and hid as they pleased.
Look closely at this numinous blessed land—
It truly rivaled Heaven.
He then saw that the cave gate was tightly shut, silent and still, without the faintest trace of people. Suddenly he turned his head and saw a stone stele standing at the cliff’s edge. It was more than three zhang high and more than eight chi wide. Upon it was a line of ten large characters: “Mount Lingtai Fangcun, Cave of the Slanting Moon and Three Stars.”
The Handsome Monkey King was exceedingly delighted and said: “The people here are indeed simple and honest; surely this mountain and cave truly exist.” After looking for quite some time, he did not dare knock on the gate. Instead, he leaped onto the tips of the pine branches, plucked pine nuts, ate them, and played.
After a short while, he heard an “a” sound. As the cave gate opened, an immortal youth walked out. He truly possessed a handsome and imposing bearing and an extraordinary appearance, unlike ordinary worldly people. But behold:
His hair was tied in two strands atop his head;
His broad robe let the wind fill both sleeves.
His countenance was harmonious, his body naturally distinct;
His mind was united with form, yet both were empty.
A guest beyond the world for long years;
An eternal-longevity youth of the mountains.
Not stained by a single speck of dust;
He let the sexagenary cycles turn as they pleased.
The youth came out through the gate and called loudly: “Who is here causing this disturbance?”
The Monkey King sprang down from the tree, stepped forward, bowed, and said: “Immortal youth, I am a disciple who has come seeking the Dao and studying to become an Immortal. I would never dare cause a disturbance here.”
The youth laughed and said: “Are you one who seeks the Dao?”
The Monkey King said: “I am.”
The youth said: “My master has only just risen from his couch and mounted the altar to expound the Dao. Before he had spoken the reason, he instructed me to come out and open the gate. He said: ‘A cultivator has arrived outside; go and receive him.’ Surely you must be the one?”
The Monkey King laughed and said: “It is I, it is I.”
The youth said: “Follow me inside.”
The Monkey King straightened and composed his garments, then followed the youth straight into the depths of the Grotto-Heaven. He saw tier upon tier of deep pavilions and jade towers, court after court of pearl palaces and shell halls; the quiet chambers and secluded abodes could not all be described. At last, beneath a jade terrace, he saw Patriarch Subhuti seated upright upon the platform, with thirty little Immortal attendants standing below on either side. Truly he was:
The Greatly Awakened Golden Immortal, bearing an unstained form;
The wondrous Western visage, Patriarch Bodhi.
Neither born nor extinguished, moving through the Three Threes;
Complete in vital energy and spirit, possessed of ten thousand thousand mercies.
Empty and still, natural, following transformations;
True suchness and original nature, acting as they please.
A body of solemn majesty sharing longevity with Heaven;
A great Dharma teacher whose mind has been illumined through kalpas.
The moment the Handsome Monkey King saw him, he threw himself down in worship and knocked his head countless times, saying only: “Master, Master, this disciple offers wholehearted reverence, wholehearted reverence.”
The Patriarch said: “Of what region are you a native? State clearly your native place and surname and name, then worship again.”
The Monkey King said: “This disciple is a native of the Water-Curtain Cave of Flower-Fruit Mountain in the Kingdom of Aolai, Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity.”
The Patriarch shouted an order: “Drive him out! He is plainly a deceiver who fabricates falsehoods. What Dao-fruit could he cultivate?”
The Monkey King hurriedly knocked his head without stopping and said: “This disciple speaks honest words; there is absolutely no deceit.”
The Patriarch said: “If you are honest, how can you speak of the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity? That place is separated from here by two great seas and one Southern Continent of Jambudvipa. How could you have reached this place?”
The Monkey King bowed his head and said: “This disciple drifted across the seas, traveled through territories and regions, and spent more than ten years before finally finding this place.”
The Patriarch said: “If you came here gradually, then so be it. What is your surname?”
The Monkey King again said: “I have no xing. If people curse me, I do not become angry; if they strike me, I do not resent it. I merely offer an apology and let the matter end. I have no xing throughout my life.”
The Patriarch said: “Not that kind of xing. What was your parents’ surname originally?”
The Monkey King said: “I have no parents either.”
The Patriarch said: “Since you have no parents, perhaps you were born in a tree?”
The Monkey King said: “Although I was not born in a tree, I grew within a stone. I only remember that there was an immortal stone on Flower-Fruit Mountain. That year the stone broke, and I was born.”
Hearing this, the Patriarch was secretly pleased and said: “According to this, you were formed by Heaven and Earth. Rise and walk about for me to see.”
The Monkey King sprang up and walked with a crooked gait twice. The Patriarch laughed and said: “Though your body is somewhat coarse and uncouth, you resemble a husun who eats pine fruits. I shall take a surname for you from your body. The meaning is that you should have the surname ‘Hu.’ If the beast radical is removed from the character hu, it becomes the character gu yue. ‘Gu’ means old, and ‘yue’ means yin. Old yin cannot transform and nurture. It would be better to give you the surname ‘Sun.’ If the beast radical is removed from the character sun, it becomes zi xi. ‘Zi’ means a male child; ‘xi’ means an infant. This accords precisely with the original nature of an infant. I shall give you the surname ‘Sun.’”
Hearing this, the Monkey King was filled with joy. He bowed toward the platform and knocked his head, saying: “Good! Good! Good! Today I finally know my surname. I earnestly beseech my master’s compassion: now that I have a surname, please bestow upon me a name as well, so that I may be called by it.”
The Patriarch said: “Within my school there are twelve characters, assigned in order for the giving of names. You are a junior disciple of the tenth generation.”
The Monkey King said: “What are those twelve characters?”
The Patriarch said: “They are Guang, Da, Zhi, Hui, Zhen, Ru, Xing, Hai, Ying, Wu, Yuan, and Jue. In the order, you fall precisely under the character ‘Wu.’ I shall give you the Dharma name Sun Wukong. Is that acceptable?”
The Monkey King laughed and said: “Good! Good! Good! From this day onward I shall be called Sun Wukong.”
Indeed:
When the primordial obscurity first opened, originally there were no surnames;
To break through stubborn emptiness, one must awaken to emptiness.
In the end, what Dao-fruit he cultivated afterward remains unknown. Listen to the explanation in the next chapter.