《南游记》Vol. 3

As King Fengdu sat in state, Marshal Han and Marshal Guan were guarding the gates of Fengdu City. Suddenly, someone came to report that an envoy from the celestial realm had arrived, so King Fengdu invited him inside. What passed between them when they met, and how the couple were separated, need not be recounted here.

King Fengdu asked the celestial envoy, “What brings you here?” The envoy replied, “By order of the Jade Emperor, I have come to escort all the ghosts of Fengdu to the heavenly court to face trial and punishment.”

After hearing this, King Fengdu consulted the two marshals. Marshal Han and Marshal Guan said, “Since he claims to be a celestial envoy, it is hard to tell whether he is genuine. I’ll fetch the Demon-Illuminating Mirror and see.” But the envoy said, “There’s no need to use it.” The two marshals suspected a trick and picked up the Demon-Revealing Mirror.

When Huaguang heard this, he flew into the air. Marshal Han and Marshal Guan said to King Fengdu, “This man’s mother is the Holy Mother. Long ago, King Longrui seized her and imprisoned her here. He has now taken the form of a celestial envoy to rescue his mother. How could we not use the mirror to inspect him? In previous years, when prisoners were escorted away, the one who came was the Most High Lord Taiyi, Savior from Suffering, of Qinghua Palace—a revered Daoist deity who delivers departed souls from suffering. If this man were impersonating the Most High Lord to deceive us, he would nearly have succeeded.”

Hearing them from above, Huaguang returned and told the princess, “I went down to Fengdu, and they grew suspicious. They want to use the Demon-Revealing Mirror to expose my true identity. Just now, I heard them say from the air that if I impersonated the Most High Lord Taiyi, Savior from Suffering, I might be able to fool them. I’m going to transform into the Most High Lord Taiyi now.” The princess replied, “Since that is so, hurry and take the form of the Most High Lord.” After the couple had agreed on their plan, Huaguang transformed into the Most High Lord Taiyi, Savior from Suffering, and set off once more for the netherworld offices of Fengdu.

King Fengdu was seated in his hall when someone suddenly announced that the Celestial Worthy of Great Unity Who Relieves Suffering from Qinghua Palace had arrived. This revered Daoist deity was believed to save the souls of the dead. King Fengdu invited him in and asked, “What brings you here, Celestial Worthy?” Huaguang, impersonating the Celestial Worthy, replied, “I have come to escort demons and ghosts to the heavenly court.”

The Second Marshal said, “We must examine him first. Some time ago, Huaguang disguised himself as a heavenly messenger and deceived the mother of the demons and ghosts. So now I have to be especially cautious.” The false Celestial Worthy said, “Can’t you recognize me? Why bother with a mirror?” The Second Marshal replied, “This is no small matter.” He raised the mirror and shone it on him. Huaguang fled once again.

From the air, Huaguang heard the Second Marshal say to King Fengdu, “We nearly fell for his trick again.” King Fengdu asked, “How did you know he was an impostor?” The Second Marshal explained, “The true Celestial Worthy would not come to Fengdu this way. He rides in a carriage drawn by a nine-headed lion, accompanied by ten attendant disciples. He wears a golden dragon robe, with a Golden Boy on his left and a Jade Maiden on his right. He carries a nine-ringed monk’s staff and a golden alms bowl filled with sweet dew. He gives the demons and ghosts the sweet dew to drink, then uses a jade fan to open the gates of Fengdu and has the Golden-Eyed One-Eyed Ghost light the way inside. Only then can he enter. Otherwise, it is pitch-dark in there. How could anyone get in? When he came looking like this, how could I not examine him?”

Huaguang heard all this again from the clouds, then returned to Mount Lilou and spoke with the princess. “The mirror exposed me again. The Second Marshal says the true Celestial Worthy must ride in a carriage drawn by a nine-headed lion, bring ten disciples, wear a golden dragon robe, and have a Golden Boy and a Jade Maiden at his side. He also needs a nine-ringed monk’s staff, a golden alms bowl filled with sweet dew, a jade fan to open the gates of Fengdu, and the Golden-Eyed One-Eyed Ghost to light the way inside. How am I supposed to find all these treasures? It seems there’s no saving Mother.” With that, he burst into tears. The princess said, “Don’t worry. I can get these things for you.”

Huaguang asked, “Where can we find this princess?” The princess replied, “I have a younger sister who serves as a Jade Maiden at Qinghua Palace, attending the Supreme Lord Taiyi Who Relieves Suffering (a revered Daoist deity who governs the relief of suffering and the deliverance of the dead). I’ll ask my mother to summon her. If we need the Jade Fan, we can use my iron fan. My attendants can also transform their subordinates into ten disciple attendants. We need only find a nine-headed lion to pull the carriage, a nine-ringed monk’s staff, a golden brocade kasaya, a golden alms bowl, and the Golden-Eyed One-Eyed Demon. Then we can enter Fengdu, the underworld in Daoist legend.”

Huaguang said, “Please ask your mother to summon your younger sister at once. I’ll post a notice now and recruit people to go with us into Fengdu.”

Just then, the Golden-Eyed One-Eyed Demon came forward to take down the notice. “I was once imprisoned alongside your mother, the Old Madam, in the Exorcism Court. Later, the Heavenly King shattered the Saha Mirror and freed us. Since then, I have never dared to eat people again. Your mother, however, did not give up her old habits. She wanted to eat people again, and that is how things came to this. I heard the Heavenly King was going to Fengdu to rescue his mother, so I came to help. I have a hundred eyes, but I have sealed away ninety-nine and use only one. That is why I am called the Golden-Eyed One-Eyed Demon. I am willing to enter Fengdu with the Heavenly King, rescue the Old Madam, and repay the kindness I received back then.”

Huaguang was delighted. He transformed his fire skiff into a nine-headed lion, his golden spear into a nine-ringed monk’s staff, his golden bricks into a golden alms bowl, and his fire elixir into a kasaya. When everyone was ready, they set out for Fengdu to make a third attempt to rescue his mother.

At this time, the King of Fengdu was seated in his hall when someone suddenly arrived with news that the True Heavenly Venerable had come to Fengdu. The King hurried out to welcome him, and the two entered the hall together and exchanged formal greetings. Then the Heavenly Venerable and the King went to the gate of Fengdu. He waved his fan three times and struck the ground three times with his nine-ringed staff, a ritual staff bearing nine rings. The gate of Fengdu opened. The One-Eyed Ghost went inside and brought out the demon in custody. As the ghosts emerged, they cried out that they had been wronged. The Heavenly Venerable said, “Lock the other ghosts back up. Take only the Holy Mother Jizhituo to the Celestial Bureau.” The One-Eyed Ghost obeyed and led the Holy Mother Jizhituo away. The Heavenly Venerable then took his leave of the King of Fengdu.

The King of Fengdu asked the two marshals, “Why didn’t you use the demon-revealing mirror just now?” The marshals replied, “That truly was the Heavenly Venerable. We wouldn’t dare shine the mirror on him.” The King said, “Something about this seems suspicious. He didn’t take away any of the other ghosts; he took only the Holy Mother. Could he have been an impostor? We should use the mirror to put our doubts to rest.” One of the marshals raised the mirror and looked. The man turned out to have been Huaguang in disguise, and he had already escaped. The two marshals immediately mustered troops to pursue him, but they failed to catch up. The three were greatly troubled, so they sent someone to investigate.

When Huaguang descended to Fengdu, the underworld, for the third time, he rescued his mother, the Holy Mother Jizhituo, and was overjoyed. But she said, “My son, it was good of you to rescue me, but I want to eat Pi’e.” Huaguang asked, “What is Pi’e? I don’t know.” His mother replied, “If you don’t know, you can ask Qianliyan and Shunfenger, the divine generals who can see and hear over great distances.”

Huaguang went to ask them. They told him, “Pi’e is a person. Your mother wants to eat people again.” After hearing this, Huaguang said to his mother, “When you were suffering in Fengdu, I went to great lengths to rescue you. Why do you want to eat people again? You must not do this.” His mother said, “That’s filial impiety! If there’s no Pi’e for me to eat, why did you rescue me?” At a loss, Huaguang could only put her off: “In a couple of days, I’ll find a way to get one for you.”

Huaguang then hurriedly posted a notice seeking a doctor. It read: “Whoever can cure my mother’s craving for human flesh will receive a generous reward.”

When the King of Fengdu, ruler of the underworld, learned that Huaguang had posted a notice seeking a doctor, he planned to send someone to harm the Holy Mother Jizhituo and asked who was willing to go. A demon soldier stepped forward and reported, “I’m willing to disguise myself as a doctor and answer the notice. Once they believe I can cure her and give her my medicine, I’ll put some poison in it and kill her.” The King of Fengdu was delighted and sent him off.

When Huaguang heard that someone had answered the notice offering treatment for his mother’s illness, he was delighted and invited the person in to meet him. Then Huaguang went to his mother and said, “A doctor has come who can cure your desire to eat Pi’e.” His mother replied, “If there is such a doctor, bring him to see me.”

Huaguang brought the doctor in. The Holy Mother looked at him and said, “He is no doctor. He is a demon soldier from Fengdu, the Daoist underworld. He has surely come to harm me.” Huaguang flew into a rage and was about to kill him. The demon soldier hurriedly begged for mercy. “Don’t kill me. I’ll tell you a way to stop your mother from eating people.” Huaguang agreed to spare him if he revealed the method. The demon soldier said, “To stop your mother from eating people, you must find immortal peaches for her to eat. There are immortal peaches in the Golden Valley Garden of the Queen Mother of the West, and they happen to ripen this year. If Your Majesty can bring some back for your mother, she will no longer crave human flesh.”

After hearing this, Huaguang released the demon soldier and ordered the princess to look after his mother. He thought, “The only way to steal the peaches is to turn into a monkey.” So he transformed into the Great Sage Equal to Heaven of Flower-Fruit Mountain and went to the Queen Mother of the West’s Golden Valley Garden. A young servant was guarding the garden, but he had fallen asleep. Huaguang entered, climbed a tree, and saw that it indeed bore immortal peaches. He quickly picked five or six and left. When the servant woke up, he saw that five or six peaches were missing and that only monkey footprints remained.

The celestial official on duty hurried to report to the Queen Mother: “Five or six immortal peaches are missing from the garden, and the ground is covered with monkey footprints. It may have been the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, from the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit who stole them.”

After hearing this, the Queen Mother presented a memorial to the Jade Emperor the next day: “The immortal peaches in the garden have only just ripened this year. Before they could be picked and offered to Your Majesty, several were stolen by the Great Sage Equal to Heaven from the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. I ask Your Majesty to judge the matter.”

The Jade Emperor read the memorial and flew into a rage. He at once issued an order summoning Sun Wukong to the throne hall. The Jade Emperor asked, “The immortal peaches flower once every three thousand years, bear fruit after another three thousand, and ripen only after a further three thousand. I have not even seen these peaches yet. How dare you steal them?”

Wukong replied, “When rain falls across the land, who knows where it comes from? Since returning from the pilgrimage to obtain the scriptures, I have long since cast aside greed. How could I harbor thoughts of theft? I truly did not do this. I fear there is more to the matter than meets the eye.”

The Jade Emperor said, “You clearly stole them, and your footprints are still on the ground. How can you claim someone else did it? You are a disciple of the Buddha’s path and once escorted Tang Sanzang to obtain the scriptures. Now I command you to go to the Western Heaven and face judgment before the Tathagata.”

The assembled ministers reported, “We have heard that Wukong has now taken refuge in the Buddhist faith and is a disciple of Tang Sanzang. It seems this deed may not have been his. We are concerned that he may suffer an injustice, so we ask Your Majesty not to send him to the Western Heaven just yet. Give him one month to investigate the matter. If he finds the peach thief, let him be cleared of blame; if he cannot, there will still be time to send him to the Western Heaven.”

The Jade Emperor accepted their petition and said, “The ministers will vouch for you. For now, you may investigate what became of the immortal peaches. You have one month. Return and report what you find.”

After thanking the Jade Emperor, Wukong left the court and returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain. He said to his descendants, Qidu, Luohou, Yuebo, and the others, “I never expected to suffer such an injustice. Some demon must have taken on my appearance and gone to Golden Valley Garden to steal and eat the immortal peaches. The Queen Mother reported to the Jade Emperor that I was the thief. I explained that it wasn’t me, but the Jade Emperor wouldn’t listen. He meant to send me to the Buddha Tathagata in the Western Heaven to answer for my crime. Fortunately, the ministers pleaded on my behalf, so the Jade Emperor gave me one month to investigate and spared me punishment for now. If I can’t find a clue within a month, the accusation will still fall on me. Where can I look for a clue? It’s infuriating!”

His descendants said, “Great Sage, why not go to the South Sea and ask Bodhisattva Guanyin? Then you can get to the bottom of it. Where else could you investigate?”

Wukong listened and said, “That makes sense.” Then he somersaulted to the South Sea.

The Old Mother Guanyin (Bodhisattva Guanyin) was meditating in the Purple Bamboo Grove when she suddenly saw Wukong approaching. She asked what had brought him there. Wukong said, “The immortal peaches in Golden Valley Garden have been stolen. I don’t know which demon disguised himself as me to steal them. The Queen Mother reported the theft to the Jade Emperor, saying I was the thief, so the Jade Emperor ordered me taken to the Celestial Court to answer for it. Luckily, my colleagues pleaded on my behalf, and I was given a month to find out what happened. If I can’t discover where the peaches went, I’ll be held responsible in the end, whether or not I stole them, and I’ll have to accept punishment. I’m at a loss, so I’ve come to beg the Buddha Mother to guide me and tell me who stole the peaches.”

Guanyin looked with her wisdom eye and said to Wukong, “The thief is none other than Huaguang, who has stirred up trouble throughout the Three Realms.” Wukong asked, “Why did he steal the peaches?” Guanyin replied, “He descended to Fengdu, the underworld, three times and rescued the Holy Mother Jizhi Tuo. That demon wanted to eat people again, and Huaguang could do nothing to stop her, so he posted a notice seeking someone to cure her. A demon soldier said that if they could get immortal peaches for her to eat, she would stop wanting to eat people. So Huaguang disguised himself as you and stole the peaches.”

Hearing this, Wukong flew into a rage. He took his leave of Guanyin and returned to Flower-Fruit Mountain, where he told the monkeys what had happened. “He went and stole the peaches, but dragged me into trouble. I’ll take you all to Mount Lilou now and capture that thief.”

The Great Sage had a daughter named the Star of Yuebei. She had large eyes and a broad waist, a wide mouth and rough hands, long feet and a crooked head. When she walked, her footsteps sounded like thunder. People who saw her were often badly frightened. The Star of Yuebei said, “I want to go too.” The others tried to dissuade her: “You’re so ugly that Huaguang and the others will laugh at you if you go.” But she said, “I’m going to capture Huaguang no matter what.” No one was close enough to her to stop her, so they had no choice but to take her along. They reached Mount Lilou, where their cries of battle shook the heavens.

Ever since Huaguang had stolen the immortal peaches for his mother to eat, he had indeed stopped thinking about eating people, and was very pleased. Suddenly, one of his subordinates reported that the Great Sage Equal to Heaven from Flower-Fruit Mountain had led troops to attack. He said the Heavenly King had no business taking his form to steal peaches and causing him to suffer for it; he would capture the king and take him to the Celestial Court. Furious at this, Huaguang immediately descended the mountain to confront Wukong.

Wukong cursed him: “You stole the immortal peaches. It would have been bad enough if you’d turned into an ox or a horse to steal them. Why did you have to take my form and get me into trouble? Dismount at once and let yourself be bound. You’re coming with me to the Celestial Court.” Huaguang replied, “What does my asking for immortal peaches have to do with you? Even if I took your form, what harm would that do?” Wukong said, “You got me into trouble and still claim it has nothing to do with you!” As he spoke, he swung his Ruyi Staff at Huaguang. Huaguang hurled a triangular golden brick at him. Wukong gave a shout, and thousands upon thousands of monkeys rushed out, swarming Huaguang and fighting over the brick. Huaguang was defeated. Wukong pursued him, but Huaguang hurled a Fire Elixir, and flames shot up to the sky. Unable to withstand them, Wukong retreated to the Eastern Ocean.

Seeing her father flee, the Star of Yuebei beat on his skull and called out to Huaguang. At once, Huaguang’s head throbbed and his vision blurred, so he fled back to his cave. The Star of Yuebei’s skull had formidable power: anyone whose name she called out and whom she struck with it would die within three days.

Flame Radiance King-Light Buddha learned that Huaguang was fighting Wukong. He judged that Huaguang was no match for Wukong and would eventually fall into the hands of the Moon’s Dark Star, so he came especially to urge the two sides to make peace. When he arrived at the Great Sage’s camp, Wukong received him. After they exchanged greetings, the Buddha asked, “I hear that the Great Sage is now fighting my disciple. Is it because he took on a noble appearance, stole the immortal peaches, and damaged your reputation?”

“That is exactly right,” Wukong replied. “He should not have tarnished my name.”

The Buddha said, “He was certainly in the wrong. Please let me bring him here to admit his guilt. There is one other matter I wonder whether the Great Sage will agree to.” Wukong asked, “Please tell me.” The Buddha said, “My disciple offended the Great Sage and was tortured with a skull by your daughter. He is now close to death. Since ancient times, heroes have cherished one another. Please spare his life. I will mediate between you and help you become sworn brothers. What do you say?”

“Since you have asked, venerable master, I can hardly refuse,” Wukong said. “But the Jade Emperor intends to punish me. What will happen about that?”

“If the Great Sage is willing to do me this favor, I will handle matters in the Celestial Court. The Great Sage will not be implicated,” the Buddha replied.

“I only fear the Jade Emperor won’t agree,” said Wukong.

“Huaguang is the Jade Emperor’s nephew, and I will plead on his behalf. The Jade Emperor has every reason to pardon him,” said the Buddha.

“In that case, I’ll agree,” Wukong said.

Wukong immediately summoned the Moon’s Dark Star and told her, “The venerable master Flame Radiance has come to mediate. Spare him.” The Moon’s Dark Star removed the skull torture device and said to Flame Radiance, “I have taken off the device and spared his life.”

After thanking Wukong, the Buddha left for Mount Lilou, where he found Huaguang and told him what had happened. Huaguang then went with Flame Radiance to Wukong’s camp. They met Wukong and became sworn brothers. Wukong hosted a banquet for everyone, and afterward they parted ways. Wukong led his troops back to Flower-Fruit Mountain, while the Buddha went to report to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor pardoned Huaguang, and the fighting came to an end.

Huaguang instructed his subordinates to guard the temples of Manjushri Monastery and Qianda Kingdom, as well as Mount Lilou. He himself planned to travel throughout the land, helping those struck by disaster and rescuing those in danger, then return after some time.

The World-Honored One of Ling Mountain—an honorific title Buddhists use for the Buddha—said one day to the assembled arhats, accomplished disciples in their practice: “That fellow Huaguang once chased King Longrui all the way to Ling Mountain and angered me, so I took away his heavenly eye. He came to ask for it back, and I told him I would return it only if he first took refuge in the Buddha’s Way, accepting Buddhism and its teachings. He said he would come at once after finding his mother, and swore that if he failed to take refuge after finding her, his six faculties—sight, hearing, smell, taste, bodily sensation, and mind—would never be complete. Now he has rescued his mother and accomplished his goal, yet he still has not come to take refuge. He just wanders here and there in the world. Outsiders may think that Buddhist disciples refuse to accept people into the faith. You can take on the appearance of ordinary people and perform magical feats: cut off your hands and feet, then transform into dragons and tigers, and draw him over to watch. He will surely want to learn these arts. Trick him into cutting off his foot, then have the blue lion carry it in its mouth to Ling Mountain and lead him here. I will urge him to take refuge in the Buddha’s Way.”

The disciples followed his command, took leave of the World-Honored One, and transformed themselves into ordinary people to perform magical feats: after cutting off their hands, they conjured dragons; after cutting off their feet, they became tigers.

While Hua Guang was traveling, he saw someone performing tricks in the distance. He went closer to watch, found the techniques marvelous, and applauded quietly to himself. He asked the performers, “Would you be willing to teach this art to others?” They replied, “Yes.” Hua Guang said, “I would like to learn from you.” They told him, “We will teach you for one hundred taels of gold.” Hua Guang did not realize it was a trick, and handed over the gold.

They said, “Since you have the money, we’ll teach you. First, let us cut off your feet.” Hua Guang worried that it would hurt. They assured him, “Our master once said it wouldn’t hurt.” So Hua Guang let them cut off his left foot, and it indeed did not hurt. Then he asked them to cut off his right foot. They said, “You can cut this one off yourself.” Hua Guang cut off his right foot with his own hand. He felt no pain, but the foot could not be joined back to his leg.

Hua Guang asked, “How can I reattach my foot?” They replied, “You have already ruined it by cutting it off.” They called out, and a green-maned lion came forward, picked up the right foot in its mouth, and headed toward Mount Ling. Hua Guang looked up and saw that the performers had revealed their true forms and were leaving on clouds. In alarm, he sighed, “I’ve been tricked! They were disciples of Mount Ling all along.” Hua Guang thought, “There’s nothing for it but to ride the Wind-and-Fire Chariot to Mount Ling and see the Tathagata.”

When the Tathagata was seated upright, his disciples arrived with the Blue-Mane Lion, carrying Huaguang’s foot, which shone with a radiant light. The Tathagata was delighted. Huaguang hurried over too and knelt before the hall, begging for his life. The Tathagata said, “You swore here that once you found your mother, you would come and take refuge in the Buddha’s Way. You also swore that if you failed to do so, you would lose one of your six faculties. Now I shall make you lose one.”

Huaguang said, “Master, please reattach my foot, and your disciple will take refuge in the Buddha’s Way.” The Tathagata replied, “You beast! I’ll reattach it for you.” Huaguang’s nature had not changed. As soon as he saw the Tathagata had mended his foot, he got up and tried to flee. The Tathagata laughed. “You beast, where do you think you’re going?” Then he recited a spell. Huaguang passed through the mountain gate, and the foot that had been reattached fell off again. He fell to the ground and had no choice but to return to the Tathagata. The Tathagata asked, “Why have you come back?” Huaguang said, “Now I am willing to take refuge in the Buddha’s Way, and I will never again dare to go against it.” The Tathagata said, “I expect you won’t escape this time. I’ll restore your celestial eye and reattach your foot.” Huaguang bowed in gratitude.

The Tathagata said, “You were once a monk who cultivated the Way, and you even had a title among the immortals. Now, if you attain the true fruit, you can be granted a title. I have also checked the register of rebirths. It records that your parents will still suffer in their next lives. Now that you have taken refuge in the Buddha’s Way, they too should go to the Western Paradise and be freed from the suffering of rebirth. Your mother, the Holy Mother Jizhituo, has already abandoned her evil ways. She no longer wishes to eat people and may also go to the Western Paradise. Your younger sister Qiongniang is deeply filial. In the Western Paradise there is an immortal maiden who was her mother in a previous life: the venerable old woman Fan. Fan died unjustly for a time, and the King of Hell arranged for her to be reborn into the household of Minister Deng. She is now seven years old. Her roots of goodness remain; when she grows up, someone will guide and enlighten her, leading her to the Western Heaven. Your former elder brother, who lives on Ma’er Mountain, has also cultivated the Way and attained it. Now that you have taken refuge in the Buddha’s Way, he too can go to the Western Paradise.”

The Tathagata then wrote a memorial to the Jade Emperor. The Jade Emperor granted the request and enfeoffed Huaguang as the “Great Emperor, Official of Manifest Head, Supreme Good King among the Five Buddhas.” All the others were also sent to the Western Paradise in accordance with the Tathagata’s memorial. Huaguang was appointed to guard the Central Realm forever. When ordinary people prayed to him for children, those who asked for sons received sons, and those who asked for daughters received daughters. Merchants could turn their capital into ten times their profit, and scholars could attain top honors in the imperial examinations. Their prayers always proved effective, so people worshipped him generation after generation.