Chapter 97

We shall not speak of Tang Seng and the others enduring the rainy night in that dilapidated Huaguang Temple. But in the city of Diling County within Tongtai Prefecture, there was a gang of ruffians who, having spent their family fortunes on whoring, drinking, and gambling, had no means to live, so they banded together over a dozen men to become thieves. They calculated which family in this city was the richest, which the second richest, to rob some gold and silver for their use. One among them said: "We need not investigate, nor calculate; only today, the family of Squire Kou who saw off the Tang monk is extremely wealthy. Taking advantage of this night rain, the people on the streets are not on guard, and the fire watchmen are not patrolling. Let us strike now, rob some capital, and then we can go whoring and gambling again—would that not be splendid?" The thieves were delighted, united in purpose, and all took short swords, caltrops, cudgels, clubs, ropes, and torches, and came through the rain, opened Kou's main gate, and with a shout burst in. Panic seized the household, old and young, male and female, all hid themselves: the old lady hid under the bed; the old man slipped behind the door; Kou Liang and Kou Dong, along with several of their close children, all trembled and scattered in all directions to save their lives. The gang, holding swords and lighting torches, opened his chests and boxes, and plundered all the gold, silver, treasures, jewelry, clothing, utensils, and household goods. The squire, unable to bear parting with them, risked his life and went out the door, begging the robbers: "Gentlemen kings, take enough for your use, but leave a few garments for this old man to wear at his funeral." But the robbers would not listen; they rushed forward and kicked Squire Kou in the groin, knocking him to the ground. Alas, his three souls drifted dimly to the underworld, and his seven spirits wandered away from the world of men! The thieves, having got what they wanted, left the Kou house, made a rope ladder along the city wall, and one by one lowered themselves over the wall, and fled west through the rain all night. The Kou servants, seeing the thieves gone, finally came out. When they looked, the old squire was dead on the ground. They cried out: "Heavens! The master has been beaten to death!" All threw themselves on the corpse and wept, wailing bitterly. As the fourth watch approached, the old lady, harboring resentment against Tang Seng and the others for not accepting her alms-offering, and because the colorful send-off had brought this calamity, conceived a jealous and harmful intention to frame the four of them. She supported Kou Liang and said: "My son, do not weep any more. Your father today gave alms to monks, tomorrow gave alms to monks—who would have known that today, at the completion ceremony, he gave alms to that gang of death-bringing monks?" His brother said: "Mother, what do you mean by 'death-bringing monks'?" The old lady said: "The bandits were fierce and violent; they burst into the room. I hid under the bed and, trembling, carefully watched by the torchlight and saw clearly. Who do you think they were? The one lighting the fire was Tang Seng, the one holding a knife was Zhu Bajie, the one carrying away gold and silver was Sha Heshang, and the one who beat your father to death was Sun Wukong." The two sons, hearing this, took it as true: "Since Mother saw clearly, it must be them. These four stayed in our house for half a month and became familiar with our gates, walls, windows, and alleys. Wealth moves the heart, so they took advantage of this night rain to return to our house, not only robbing our property but also killing our father—how poisonous is this! At dawn, we will go to the prefectural office to submit a theft complaint and accuse them by name." Kou Dong said: "How should the complaint be written?" Kou Liang said: "Just follow Mother's words." He wrote: Tang Seng lit the fire, Bajie shouted to kill. Sha Heshang carried away gold and silver, Sun Wukong beat my father to death. The whole family clamored and bustled, and before they knew it, day broke. On one side they sent for relatives and prepared coffins; on the other, the Kou Liang brothers went to the prefectural office to submit their plaint. Now this Prefect of Tongtai Prefecture, the chief magistrate: Throughout his life he was upright and just, by nature virtuous and good. In his youth he studied hard at his desk; early on he answered the imperial questions in the golden hall. He always cherished loyal and righteous intentions, and ever held kindly and benevolent thoughts. His name spread through the blue annals for a thousand years—a second Gong and Huang; his fame resounded in the yellow hall for eternity—a rebirth of Zhuo and Lu. At that time he took his seat in court, disposed of all official business, and then ordered the complaint-receiving placard to be brought out. The Kou Liang brothers, holding the placard, entered, knelt, and cried out loudly: "Your Excellency, we have come to report a grave case of robbery and homicide." The prefect took the complaint, read it through, and then asked: "Yesterday it was rumored that your family had completed a grand alms-giving to four eminent monks, Arhats from the Tang dynasty in the East, and gave them a colorful send-off with drums and music through the streets—how then could this matter have occurred?" Kou Liang and the others kowtowed and said: "Your Excellency, my late father Kou Hong had been giving alms to monks for twenty-four years. Because these four monks came from afar, they exactly made up the number of ten thousand monks, so we held the completion ceremony and kept them for half a month. They then became familiar with our roads, gates, and windows. On the day we saw them off, that very night they returned, taking advantage of the dark and windy rain, and with torches and weapons burst into the house, robbed gold, silver, valuables, clothes, and jewelry, and also beat our father to death on the ground. We beg Your Excellency to seek justice for us commoners." The prefect, hearing this, immediately mustered cavalry and infantry constables and militia, altogether one hundred and fifty men, each bearing sharp weapons, and went out the west gate, straight after the four Tang monks. Now the master and disciples, having waited in that dilapidated hut of Huaguang Temple until dawn, finally set out on the road heading west. As it happened, those robbers who had plundered the Kou house that night and climbed over the city wall also took the main western road, and after traveling through the dawn, they passed west of Huaguang Temple for about twenty li, then hid in a mountain hollow to divide the gold, silver, and other goods. While they were still dividing, they suddenly saw the four Tang monks coming along the road. The thieves' hearts were still restless; pointing at Tang Seng, they said: "Isn't that the monk we saw off yesterday?" The thieves laughed: "Good, good. We are also in this unrighteous business. These monks have come along this road and stayed long at the Kou house—who knows how much they have on them? Let's just intercept them, seize their travel funds, and take the white horse for our share—would that not be a satisfying thing?" So the thieves took up their weapons, raised a shout, ran onto the main road, and spread out in a line, calling out: "Monks, don't go! Quickly leave your road-toll money and we'll spare your lives; if you so much as utter a 'no,' we'll cut you down one by one without mercy." Tang Seng, terrified, trembled on his horse; Sha Seng and Bajie were panicked, and said to Wukong: "What to do? What to do? We endured half a night of rain, and now we meet with robbers blocking the road—truly it is said, 'misfortunes never come alone.'" Wukong laughed: "Master, don't be afraid; brothers, don't worry. Let old Sun go ask them." Good Great Sage, he straightened his tiger-skin kilt, shook his brocade直裰, stepped forward, crossed his hands before his chest, and said, "What are you gentlemen doing?" The bandits shouted, "This wretch knows not life from death, and dares to ask me. Have you no eyes beneath your brow, that you do not recognize me as the Great King? Quickly hand over your road-toll, and we will let you pass." When the行者 heard this, his face broke into a smile, and he said, "So you are highway robbers." The bandits grew fierce and shouted, "Kill him!" The行者 feigned terror and said, "Great King, Great King, I am but a monk from the countryside, unskilled in speech. If I have given offense, pray do not take it amiss, do not take it amiss. If you want road-toll, do not ask those three—only ask me. I am the one who keeps the accounts. All the sutra-money, donation-money, alms collected, and offerings given are in the bundles, and I alone manage what goes in and out. That one on horseback is my master, but he only knows how to recite scriptures and concerns himself with nothing else; wealth and lust he has utterly forgotten, and he has not a single coin. That black-faced one is a young fellow I took on midway, and he only knows how to tend the horse. That long-snouted one is a hired laborer I employ, and he only knows how to carry the loads. Let those three pass, and I will give you all my traveling funds and my alms-bowl and robes." All the bandits said, "This monk is indeed an honest fellow. Since that is so, we will spare your life. Tell those three to abandon their luggage and let them pass." The行者 turned his head and gave a signal with his eyes; the Sha Monk immediately set down the luggage-pole, and together with the master, leading the horse, he and Bajie headed straight west. The行者 lowered his head, opened the bundle, scooped up a handful of dust from the ground, sprinkled it upward, and recited a spell—a method of body-fixing. He shouted, "Stop!" That band of thieves, some thirty or more in number, every one of them gritted their teeth, stared with wide eyes, and hung their hands, standing stock-straight, unable to speak or move. The行者 leaped out to the crossroads and called out, "Master, come back, come back." Bajie was alarmed and said, "Bad, bad—elder brother has given us away. He has no money on him, and there is no gold or silver in the bundles. He must be calling the master to ask for the horse, and calling us to strip off our clothes." The Sha Monk laughed and said, "Second brother, do not talk nonsense. Elder brother is a capable one. In the past, even those venomous demons and savage monsters he could subdue—why fear these few mangy thieves? He is calling us over; he must have something to say. Let us hurry back and see." When the elder heard this, he cheerfully turned his horse and came back to the front, saying, "Wukong, what matter do you have that you called us back?" The行者 said, "Look at these thieves—what do you think of them?" Bajie stepped forward and pushed one, saying, "Thieves, why do you not move?" The thieves were completely oblivious, not speaking a word. Bajie said, "They have gone dumb and silly." The行者 laughed and said, "It is I, Old Sun, who fixed them with a body-fixing spell." Bajie said, "If you fixed their bodies but not their mouths, why do they not even make a sound?" The行者 said, "Master, please dismount and sit down. There is a saying: 'One may arrest by mistake, but one does not release by mistake.' Brothers, turn these thieves over and bind them all, and make them give a confession—see whether they are greenhorn bandits or veteran bandits." The Sha Monk said, "But we have no ropes." The行者 at once plucked some of his hairs, blew on them with immortal breath, and turned them into thirty ropes. Together they set to work, turned the thieves over, and bound them all with their four legs trussed together. Then he recited the release spell again, and the band of thieves gradually revived. The行者 invited Tang Monk to sit in the place of honor, and the three of them each took up their weapons and shouted, "Mangy thieves! How many of you are there in all? How many years have you been in this trade? How much loot have you plundered? Have you ever killed or wounded anyone? Is this your first offense, or is it the second or third?" The bandits spoke up, saying, "Spare us, Grandfathers." The行者 said, "Do not cry out—confess truthfully." The bandits said, "Venerable Sirs, we are not old hands at thievery; we are all sons of good families. It is only because we were worthless, drinking wine, gambling, visiting prostitutes, and wasting our fathers' and grandfathers' estates until we had nothing left. For a long time we had no work and no money. We learned that the寇 household in Copper Terrace Prefecture was enormously wealthy, so yesterday we joined forces and, taking advantage of the rainy darkness that night, went to rob them. We seized some gold, silver, and clothing, and were just dividing the spoils in this hollow to the north of the road when we saw you gentlemen coming. Among us there were some who recognized you as the ones whom Master寇 was seeing off, and we knew you must have valuables on you. We also saw your heavy luggage and the swift white horse; human greed is insatiable, so we came to intercept you again. We never expected that you, Venerable Sirs, would possess such great divine powers and dharma strength as to trap us. We beg you, Venerable Sirs, in your mercy, to take away the goods we stole and spare our lives." When Tripitaka heard that it was goods stolen from the寇 household, he started in alarm, hastily rose to his feet, and said, "Wukong, old Master寇 was exceedingly kind and charitable—how could such a calamity befall him?" The行者 laughed and said, "It was only because when they saw us off, with all those colorful canopies and banners and the great display of drums and music, they caught people's attention, so these scoundrels went to strike his house. Now, luckily, we encountered them and seized all this gold, silver, and clothing." Tripitaka said, "We troubled him for half a month, and we are deeply grateful for his great kindness, with no way to repay it. Would it not be a good deed to escort these goods back to his house?" The行者 agreed. He at once took Bajie and the Sha Monk to the hollow to gather up all the stolen goods, packed them up, and loaded them onto the horse. He also had Bajie carry one load of gold and silver, and the Sha Monk carry his own luggage. The行者 was about to kill all these bandits with one blow of his staff, but feared that Tang Monk would blame him for taking lives; so he merely shook his body and withdrew the hairs. The bandits had their hands and feet freed, scrambled up, and fled in all directions. Tang Monk turned around and set off to return the goods to the old gentleman. But this trip was like a moth flying into the fire—it would only bring disaster upon him. There is a poem as witness: Rare in this world is kindness repaid with kindness; Instead, kindness turned to enmity. Who saves a drowning man may yet come to grief; Think thrice before you act, and you shall have no sorrow. The Tripitaka master and disciples carried the gold, silver, and clothing back on their way, when suddenly they saw a cluster of spears and swords approaching. Tripitaka was greatly alarmed and said, "Disciples, look at those weapons closing in—are they good or bad?" Bajie said, "Disaster, disaster—these are the bandits we released. They have taken up arms, gathered more men, and circled back to fight us." The Sha Monk said, "Second brother, those coming are not bandits in formation. Elder brother, look closely." The行者 quietly said to the Sha Monk, "The master's calamitous star has arrived again. These must be government soldiers come to arrest bandits." Before he finished speaking, the soldiers arrived before them, spread out in a ring formation, and surrounded the master and disciples, saying, "Fine monks you are—robbing people's goods and still swaggering about here!" They surged forward, first grabbing Tripitaka and pulling him off his horse, binding him with ropes; then they bound the行者 and the other two as well. They put carrying-poles through the ropes, two men carrying each one, drove the horse forward, seized the luggage, and headed straight back to the prefectural city. There one could see: Tripitaka, trembling with fear, weeping in silence; Zhu Bajie, grumbling and muttering, nursing his resentment in his heart. Sha Heshang, frowning and troubled, hesitating within; Sun Wukong, grinning broadly, about to employ his arts. All the soldiers crowded around to carry and shoulder them, and in a moment they were brought into the city and taken straight to the yellow hall, where they reported: "Your Lordship, the constables and swift folk have captured the bandits." The prefect sat upright in the hall, rewarded the constables and swift folk, inspected the stolen goods, and ordered that the Kou family come to retrieve them. Then he had the three monks and the others brought near the front of the hall and asked: "You monks, you claim to have come from afar from the East to worship the Buddha in the Western Heaven, yet you turn out to be thieves who scheme and spy out gateways, plundering homes and robbing houses." Tripitaka said: "Your Excellency, allow me to tell you: this poor monk is truly no thief, and I would never dare to deceive you. I have with me now a travel permit which can be examined. It was because Squire Kou's family had hosted us for half a month with deep kindness and affection, and because we encountered bandits on the road and seized back the goods they had stolen from the Kou household, that we returned them to the Kou family to repay their kindness. Unexpectedly, the constables and swift folk apprehended us and took us for thieves, but we are truly not thieves. I beg Your Excellency to examine this thoroughly." The prefect said: "You scoundrel, now that the soldiers have captured you, you spin clever words about repaying kindness. If you truly encountered bandits on the road, why did you not capture them as well, and report them to the authorities to repay your debt? Why are there only the four of you? Look—Kou Liang has submitted a complaint naming you directly, and you still dare to struggle?" When Tripitaka heard this, it was as if the great sea swallowed a boat—his soul flew away and his spirit perished. He called out: "Wukong, why don't you come forward to argue?" Wukong said: "The stolen goods are real evidence—what is there to argue?" The prefect said: "Exactly! The evidence is right here, and you still dare to deny it?" He ordered his men: "Bring the head-hoop and hoop this bald thief's shaven head first, then beat him." Wukong grew flustered and thought to himself: "Though my master is fated to suffer this ordeal, I still must not let him endure too much pain." Seeing the constables preparing the ropes and tying the head-hoop, he immediately spoke up: "Your Excellency, do not hoop that monk. Last night when the Kou house was robbed, the one who lit the lamp was me, the one who held the knife was me, the one who stole the goods was me, and the one who killed was me. I am the bandit chief. If you want to beat someone, beat only me—the others have nothing to do with it. Only do not release me." When the prefect heard this, he ordered that this one be hooped first. The constables all came forward, slipped the head-hoop onto Wukong, tightened it with a pull—and the rope snapped with a crack. They tied it again and hooped him, and again it snapped with a crack. They went on hooping him three or four times in succession, yet not a single wrinkle appeared on his scalp. As they were changing the ropes and tying them anew, someone came to report: "Your Lordship, Lord Chen, the Junior Guardian from the capital, has arrived. Please, Your Lordship, go beyond the city walls to welcome him." The prefect immediately ordered the clerk of the criminal court: "Put the thieves in the prison and keep a good watch on them. After I have received my superior, I shall conduct further interrogations." The criminal clerk then pushed the four monks into the prison gate. Eight Precepts and Sha Monk carried their own luggage in with them. Tripitaka said: "Disciples, what is the meaning of all this?" Wukong laughed and said: "Master, go in, go in—there are no dogs barking in here; it's actually quite fun." Pitiable—the four of them were shoved inside, each pushed onto a restraint bed, with belly-ropes, head-boards, and chest-bindings fastened and pulled tight. The jailers then came and beat them indiscriminately. Tripitaka could hardly bear the pain and cried out: "Wukong, what shall we do? What shall we do?" Wukong said: "They beat us because they want money. As the saying goes: 'In a good place, settle your body; in a bitter place, spend your money.' Now if we give them some money, it will be done." Tripitaka said: "Where would I get money?" Wukong said: "If you have no money, clothing will do. Give them that cassock." When Tripitaka heard this, it was as if a knife stabbed his heart. But seeing that he could not endure the beating, he finally spoke up: "Wukong, do as you wish." Wukong then called out: "Gentlemen officers, you need not beat us any more. In those two bundles we carried in, there is a cassock of brocaded silk, worth a thousand pieces of gold. Untie them and take it away." When the jailers heard this, they all set to work and untied the two bundles to look through them. Though there were a few cloth garments and a small pouch, none were worth much. But wrapped in several layers of oiled paper was an object that cast glowing rays of many-colored light, and they knew it was a fine treasure. When they shook it open and looked, they saw: Ingenious pearls were sewn upon it, Rare and wondrous Buddha-treasures gathered; Coiled dragons embroidered in woven knots, Flying phoenixes along the borders. As they all crowded to look, they disturbed the warden of the prison, who came over and shouted: "What is all this clamor about?" The jailers knelt and said: "Elder, just now after the interrogation, four monks were sent down—they are a major bandit gang. Seeing that we gave them a few lashes, they gave us these two bundles. When we opened them and looked, we found this object and did not know how to dispose of it. If we tore it apart and divided it among ourselves, it would truly be a pity; if we gave it to one man alone, the others would get no benefit. Fortunately, Elder, you have come—please decide how to split it fairly." When the warden saw it, it was a cassock. He also inspected the other clothing and the small pouch. He then opened the pouch and looked at the travel permit, and seeing the official seals and endorsements of various countries, he said: "It's a good thing I came to look—otherwise, you would all have landed yourselves in trouble. These monks are not thieves; do not touch their clothing. Wait until tomorrow when the prefect conducts another trial, and then the truth will be known." When the jailers heard this, they returned the bundles to them, wrapped them up as before, and handed them over to the warden for safekeeping. Gradually evening came, and they heard the drums from the watchtowers and the night patrols making their rounds. They waited until the third watch and the third quarter. Wukong saw that none of them were groaning any more and had all fallen asleep. He thought to himself: "My master is fated to endure this one night of prison suffering. The reason old Sun did not speak up to argue and did not use his magic powers was precisely because of this. Now the fourth watch is almost over, and the ordeal is about to be complete—I must make some preparations so we can leave the prison at daybreak." Look at him as he displayed his skill—he shrank his body down and slipped out of the restraint bed. With a shake of his body, he changed into a tiny grasshopper and flew out through the cracks between the roof tiles. He saw the stars shining and the moon bright—it was a clear, calm, and still night. Getting his bearings, he flew straight toward the Kou family's front gate, where he saw a house to the west of the street with a lamp brightly lit. Flying closer and looking through the doorway, he saw it was a bean-curd maker's shop. Inside, an old man was tending the fire, while an old woman was squeezing the bean pulp. The old man suddenly called out: "Mother, Squire Kou certainly has sons and wealth, but he lacked longevity. When we were boys, we studied together—I am five years older than him. His father was called Kou Ming, and at that time he owned less than a thousand acres of land, put out some rent accounts, and couldn't collect much either. When Kou reached twenty, the old man Kou Ming died, and he took over the household. Actually, it was also a stroke of good luck for him: he married the daughter of one Zhang Wang, whose childhood name was Chuanzhen'er, and she turned out to be a husband-booster. From the moment she entered his door, the fields they planted yielded harvests, the accounts they put out prospered, everything they bought turned a profit, and everything they undertook made money—until he had amassed a hundred thousand in family wealth. Then at forty, he turned his heart toward goodness and fed ten thousand monks. Who would have thought that last night he would be kicked to death by bandits? Pitiable—this year he was only sixty-four, just the age to enjoy life. How could it be that with such devotion to goodness he reaped no good reward, but died a violent death? Alas! Alas!" The traveler listened to all of this, and it was already the first watch of the fifth geng. He then flew into the Kou household, and there he saw that in the main hall a coffin had already been set down; at the head of the coffin a lamp was lit, with incense, candles, flowers, and fruits laid out in offering, and the old lady was weeping beside it. He also saw her two sons come to bow and weep, and the two daughters-in-law bring two bowls of rice as offerings. The traveler then fixed himself at the head of the coffin and gave a cough. The two daughters-in-law were so frightened that they flung their hands and feet about and ran outside; Kou Liang and his brother prostrated themselves on the ground and dared not move, only crying, “Father! Wu wu wu...” The old lady was bolder and patted the head of the coffin, saying, “Old Master, are you alive?” The traveler, imitating the old master’s voice, said, “I am not alive.” The two sons were even more terrified, and kept kowtowing and weeping, crying only, “Father! Wu wu wu...” The old lady, steeling herself, asked again, “Old Master, if you are not alive, how can you speak?” The traveler said, “I have been escorted back home by a demonic emissary sent by King Yama to speak with you. That Zhang-shi, Wearer of Needles, has spoken falsely with her glib tongue and wronged the innocent.” When the old lady heard him call her childhood name, she fell to her knees in panic and kowtowed, saying, “Good old man! At such a great age you still call me by my childhood name! In what way have I spoken falsely with a glib tongue, and what innocent have I wronged?” The traveler shouted, “There was something about ‘Tang Sanzang lighting a fire, Bajie shouting murder, Shaseng carrying off silver and gold, and the traveler beating your father to death.’ It is only because of your lying words that those good people have suffered. Those four venerable masters of the Tang court, encountering brigands on the road, seized their goods and brought them to thank me — what fine intention was that! Yet you fabricated a false loss report and had your sons lodge a complaint with the officials. The officials again made no careful inquiry, and now they have them imprisoned. The prison gods, the earth spirits, and the city gods are all alarmed, unable to sit or stand at ease, and have reported to King Yama. King Yama in turn sent demonic emissaries to escort me home to tell you to release them without delay; if not, he will have me cause havoc in this house for a full month, leaving not a single one of the old and young of the whole family, including the fowls and dogs, alive.” Kou Liang and his brothers again kowtowed and pleaded piteously, “Father, please return, and by all means do not harm the old and young. At daybreak we will go straight to the prefectural office and submit a petition for release, and we are willing to confess and withdraw the charge, only begging that both the living and the dead may be at peace.” Hearing this, the traveler at once called out, “Burn paper money, I am going.” And the whole family came to burn paper. The traveler spread his wings and flew up, then flew straight into the residence of the prefect. Looking down, he saw that there was already lamplight inside the rooms, and the prefect had already risen. He flew into the main hall and saw that on the rear wall in the middle hung a painting: it was of an official riding a piebald horse, with several attendants carrying a blue umbrella and holding up a folding bed; he could not tell what story it depicted. The traveler then perched himself in the middle of it. Suddenly the prefect came out of his chamber, bending over to wash and comb. The traveler suddenly gave a cough, startling the prefect so that he hurriedly retreated into his room. After he had finished washing and combing, he put on his formal robes, came out, faced the painting, burned incense, and prayed: “Spirit seat of my late uncle, Lord Qian Yi of the Jiang clan: your filial nephew Jiang Kun-san, by the inherited virtue of our ancestors, was unworthily placed in the highest civil examination rank, and now by grace holds the prefecture of Tongtai. Morning and evening I offer incense and fire without cease. Why did you make a sound today? Pray do not act as an evil or troublesome spirit, lest you frighten the household.” The traveler laughed to himself, “This is the spirit tablet of his deceased elder uncle.” He then took up the tone and called out, “Virtuous nephew Kun-san, although you hold office by your ancestral heritage and have always been upright and incorruptible, how could you be so ignorant yesterday as to take the four holy monks for thieves, without examining the facts, and imprison them in the jail? The prison god, the earth spirit, and the city god were ill at ease and reported to King Yama, and King Yama sent demonic emissaries to escort me here to tell you to weigh the circumstances and examine the truth, and release them quickly; if not, he will have you go to the netherworld to confront them.” Hearing this, the prefect was filled with dread and said, “Uncle, please return. When your nephew holds court, he shall release them at once.” The traveler said, “If so, burn paper money, and I will go see King Yama to report.” The prefect again added incense, burned paper, and bowed in thanks. The traveler flew out again and saw that the east was already growing light. When he flew to Diling County, he saw that all the county officials were assembled in the hall. He thought, “If a grasshopper speaks, and people see it, it will not do if my true nature shows.” So in midair he changed into a great dharmakāya, and reached down one foot from the sky, filling the entire county hall. He called out, “All you officials listen: I am the Wandering Rambling Spirit sent by the Jade Emperor, and I say that in your prefectural prison you have wrongly beaten the Buddhist pilgrims on their scripture quest, disturbing the many gods of the three realms so that they are ill at ease. I have been sent to tell you to release them promptly; if there is any negligence, I shall come again with one foot, first kicking to death all the prefectural and county officials, then trampling to death the residents of the four borders, and reducing the city walls to ashes.” All the county officials and functionaries, panic-stricken, fell to their knees together, kowtowing and bowing, saying, “Holy one, please return. We shall now go to the prefectural office and report to the prefect, and order their release at once. By all means do not move your foot and frighten us lower officials to death.” Only then did the traveler withdraw his dharmakāya, change back into a grasshopper, fly in through the cracks of the prison roof tiles, and again crawl into the middle of the bed frame to lie down. Now when the prefect held court, he had just put out the placard for receiving petitions when Kou Liang and his brothers were already holding their placard and kneeling at the gate, shouting. The prefect ordered them in. The two presented their petition for withdrawal. When the prefect saw it, he became angry and said, “Yesterday you submitted a loss report, and I had the thieves arrested for you, and you also received back the stolen goods. How is it that today you come again to submit a petition for withdrawal?” The two wept and said, “Your Honor, last night our late father appeared in spirit and said: ‘The holy monks of Tang had originally captured the brigands and recovered the goods, then released the brigands and in good faith brought the goods back to our house to repay our kindness. How could you instead treat them as thieves and have them imprisoned to suffer in jail? The earth spirit and city god of the prison were ill at ease and reported to King Yama, and King Yama sent demonic emissaries to escort me here to tell you to go again to the prefectural office and lodge a new complaint to release Tang Sanzang, so as to avoid calamity and misfortune; if not, old and young will all perish.’ Therefore we have specially come to submit this petition for withdrawal. We beg Your Honor to be accommodating.” When the prefect heard these words, he thought to himself, “His father was a corpse still warm, and a new ghost appearing in spirit — that might still be a retribution; but my uncle has been dead for five or six years — how is it that he too came to appear in spirit last night, telling me to examine and release? Looking at it, it must be a case of injustice.” While he was still pondering, the magistrate of Diling County and the other officials came running hurriedly into the hall, all in confusion, saying, “Senior official, terrible, terrible! Just now the Jade Emperor sent the Wandering Rambling Spirit down to the mortal world, instructing you to release quickly the good men in prison. Those monks arrested yesterday are not robbers; they are the Buddhist pilgrims on their scripture quest. If there is the least delay, he will kick us officials to death, and also trample the city walls and the common people into ashes.” The prefect was again greatly startled and changed color, and at once ordered the clerk of the penal section to prepare a release writ with all speed. They then opened the prison gate and brought them out. Bajie said worriedly, “Today I wonder how they will beat us again.” The traveler laughed and said, “Rest assured, not a single blow will fall on you. Old Sun has already taken care of everything. When we enter the hall, by no means kneel; he will come down and invite us to take the seat of honor. But wait until I ask him for our luggage and our horses; if even a little is missing, watch me beat him for you.” Before they could finish speaking, they had already reached the hall entrance. When the prefect, the county magistrate, and all the officials, large and small, saw them, they all came down to welcome them, saying, "When the holy monk arrived yesterday, on the one hand we were busy receiving the superior official, and on the other hand we had just seen the recovered stolen goods, so we had no time to inquire into the details." Tripitaka pressed his palms together and bowed, then recounted the whole affair from the beginning in detail once more. All the officials nodded in agreement, all saying, "Wrong, wrong. Forgive us, forgive us." They then asked whether there had been any negligence in the prison. Wukong stepped forward, glared with wide eyes, and shouted in a stern voice, "My white horse was taken by the people in the hall, and the luggage was taken by the people in the prison—quickly return them to me. Today it is my turn to interrogate you: you have wrongly arrested an innocent man as a thief—what crime do you deserve?" When the prefect and county officials saw how fierce he was, not one of them was not afraid, and they immediately ordered the horse-keeper to bring the horse and the luggage-keeper to fetch the luggage, and everything was delivered and accounted for. You see how the three of them each displayed their ferocity, while the officials only tried to cover up the matter by referring to the Kou family. Tripitaka tried to mediate, saying, "Disciples, even so we cannot get to the bottom of this. Let us go to the Kou household, first to offer condolences, and second to confront them face to face—let us see who claimed to have seen us committing theft." Wukong said, "Well said. Let old Monkey call up that dead man and see who struck him." Sha Wujing then lifted Tripitaka onto the horse in the prefectural hall, and with shouts and calls, they all surged out together. All those prefectural and county officials also arrived one by one at the Kou home. The Kou brothers, Kou Liang and the others, were so terrified that they kept kowtowing at the gate as they ushered them into the hall. There they saw that in the mourning hall, the entire family was weeping inside the white mourning curtains. Wukong called out, "You old woman who told lies and slandered innocent people, stop crying for a moment. Let old Monkey call your husband here, and let him say who struck him to death—it will shame you all." The officials only thought that Sun Wukong was joking. Wukong said, "Honorable lords, please keep my master company for a while. Bajie, Wujing, take good care of him. Wait while I go and return shortly." Great Sage, leaping out of the gate, rose into the air. At once, colorful clouds covered the residence all around, and auspicious radiance protected his divine spirit. Only then did the crowd realize that he was an immortal who rode clouds and mist, a sage who could bring the dead back to life. They all burned incense and bowed in worship—but we shall not dwell on that. The Great Sage, with one somersault cloud, went straight to the underworld realm and crashed directly into the Hall of Senluo. In panic: The Ten Kings of the Underworld bowed with clasped hands to receive him; The Five Directions’ ghost judges kowtowed to welcome him. A thousand trees of sword-leaves all leaned aside; Ten thousand stacked mountains of blades all leveled flat. In the City of Wrongful Death, the demons transformed; Under the Bridge of Naihe, the ghosts attained rebirth. Just as when the divine light shone like a heavenly pardon, Everywhere in the dark netherworld was made bright. The Ten Kings of Yama received the Great Sage, and after greetings, asked him why he had come and what business he had. Wukong said, "The ghost of Kou Hong, the alms-feeding layman of Diling County in Tongtai Prefecture—who has taken him in? Quickly look him up and bring him to me." The Ten Kings of Yama said, "Kou Hong was a virtuous man, and no ghost messenger was sent to summon him. He came here on his own and met the Golden-Robed Boy Attendant of Ksitigarbha, who led him to see Ksitigarbha." Wukong then took his leave and went straight to the Cuiyun Palace to see Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha. After exchanging courtesies, the Bodhisattva fully related the matter. The Bodhisattva said with pleasure, "Kou Hong's allotted span of life had reached its end according to the trigram calculation; he passed away without lingering on his sickbed. Because he gave alms to monks and was a good man, I took him in as the chief registrar of the good-karma ledger. Since the Great Sage has come to fetch him, I will extend his lifespan by another twelve years and let him go with the Great Sage." The Golden-Robed Boy Attendant then led out Kou Hong. When Kou Hong saw Wukong, he called out repeatedly, "Master, Master, save me, save me!" Wukong said, "You were kicked to death by bandits. This is the place of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha in the underworld. I, old Monkey, have come especially to take you back to the world of the living to clarify this matter. Since you have been graciously allowed to return by the Bodhisattva and have also been granted an additional twelve years of life, after twelve years you will come back here." The squire bowed endlessly in gratitude. Wukong thanked and took leave of the Bodhisattva, blew Kou Hong into a vapor, tucked him into his sleeve, and departed from the underworld, returning to the world of the living. Riding his cloud, he arrived at the Kou home and immediately called Bajie to pry open the coffin lid, then pushed the soul back into its own body. In an instant, the body breathed out and came back to life. The squire crawled out of the coffin and kowtowed to Tripitaka and his four companions, saying, "Masters, Masters, Kou Hong died an untimely death, but by the Masters' grace I have been revived from the underworld—this is a kindness of rebirth." He thanked them endlessly. When he turned his head and saw the officials arrayed there, he kowtowed again, saying, "Honorable fathers, why are you all here at my humble home?" The prefect said, "Your sons first submitted a robbery complaint, naming the holy monks as defendants, and I dispatched men to arrest them. Unexpectedly, the holy monks encountered on the road the very bandits who had robbed your house, seized the goods, and returned them to your home. My subordinates wrongly arrested them without thorough investigation, and they were sent to prison. Tonight, your manifested soul appeared, and my late uncle also came to plead at my home; moreover, in the county, the Wandering Wandering Spirit descended to the world, and all these manifestations occurred at once. So I released the holy monks, and then they went and revived you as well." The squire knelt and said, "Honorable father, indeed these four holy monks were wronged. That night there were more than thirty bandits, with torches and weapons, who robbed my family property. I was loath to part with it and reasoned with the thieves, but unexpectedly one of them kicked me in the groin and killed me. What has this to do with these four? Call my wife here—who was it that kicked me to death, that you dared to make a false accusation? Please, honorable father, pronounce the sentence." At that, the whole family, old and young, only kowtowed. The prefect, with lenient mercy, excused them from punishment. Kou Hong ordered a banquet to be prepared to thank the prefectural and county officials for their great kindness. Each of them took their seats and then returned to their offices. The next day, he again put up the alms-offering sign for monks and insisted on keeping Tripitaka and his companions. Tripitaka absolutely refused to stay. Then they invited relatives and friends, prepared banners and canopies, and saw them off as before. Ah! It is truly this: Though the earth may conceal wicked deeds, Heaven on high never fails the kind-hearted. At ease they trod the path to Tathagata, Straight to the blissful gate of the Vulture Peak. But as to whether they would see the Buddha or not, hear the explanation in the next installment.