When goodness and righteousness gather all worldly bonds, one's fame spreads across the four continents . With wisdom and enlightenment, one reaches the far shore ; a gentle breeze stirs, and clouds gather at the edge of heaven. All Buddhas respond in kind, dwelling eternally in the jade tower for countless autumns. Breaking free from the mortal butterfly dream , let it be; wash away the dust of this world and invite no sorrow.
Having cleared the foul and filthy alleyway, the Tang Monk and his disciples resumed their journey on an unobstructed road. Time passed quickly, and soon summer arrived, bringing with it sweltering heat. Truly: The pomegranate blossoms unfurled like brocade cushions; the lotus leaves spread open like emerald plates. On either side of the road, green willows sheltered young swallows, while travelers fanned themselves against the summer heat.
Before long, they spotted a city in the distance. The Tang Monk reined in his horse and said, “Disciples, what place is that?”
The Pilgrim replied, “Master, can it be that you do not recognize characters? How shameful, for one who received the Tang Emperor’s decree to venture forth!”
The Tang Monk said, “I have been a monk since childhood and have read every sutra . How dare you say I cannot read?”
The Pilgrim said, “If you can read, then the apricot-yellow banner fluttering atop the city wall clearly bears three large characters. Why do you not recognize them and instead ask what place it is?”
The Tang Monk scolded him, “You insolent ape, babbling nonsense! The banner is whipping wildly in the wind—even if there were characters, they would be impossible to read!”
The Pilgrim said, “But I can see them perfectly clearly!”
Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing quickly chimed in, “Master, do not listen to Senior Brother’s wild talk. From this distance, even the city walls are blurry; how could anyone make out the writing?”
The Pilgrim said, “Doesn’t that banner say ‘ Purple-Gold Kingdom ’ in three characters?”
The Tang Monk said, “The Purple-Gold Kingdom must be a nation in the West. We shall need to exchange our travel credentials to pass through.”
The Pilgrim said, “What else is there to say!”
Soon, the master and his disciples arrived at the city gate. They dismounted, crossed the bridge, and passed through three layers of gates. The capital of the Purple-Gold Kingdom was truly magnificent! One could see: Lofty gate towers rose high, with crenellations neatly arrayed. Living waters flowed all around, while tall mountains guarded the north and south. The six streets and three markets were filled with goods; ten thousand households and a thousand shops thrived in commerce. Truly, this was an imperial capital , a heavenly metropolis . Travelers from the farthest lands arrived bearing tribute; treasures of jade and silk overflowed from distant regions. The majestic terrain stretched into the distant mountains, and the palace walls reached up to the clear Milky Way. The three passes were tightly locked, and the land had enjoyed peace and prosperity for ten thousand years .
As the master and his disciples walked through the main thoroughfare , they observed that the people here were neatly dressed, dignified in manner, and spoke clearly—scarcely different from the Tang capital . The merchants on both sides, upon seeing Zhu Bajie’s ugliness, Sha Wujing’s dark and towering frame, and the Pilgrim’s hairy face, all abandoned their business to crowd around and stare.
The Tang Monk quickly said, “Do not cause trouble! Keep your heads down and walk!”
Zhu Bajie obediently tucked his long snout into his chest, and Sha Wujing dared not lift his head. Only the Pilgrim looked around in all directions, staying close by the Tang Monk’s side. Some well-mannered people took a few glances and withdrew, but idlers and children surrounded them, laughing, throwing tiles and bricks to tease Zhu Bajie. The Tang Monk was drenched in cold sweat, constantly urging, “Do not cause trouble! Do not cause trouble!” Zhu Bajie was so frightened he dared not raise his head.
After walking a bit further, they turned a corner and saw a gate tower bearing the inscription “ Hostel for Foreign Envoys .” The Tang Monk said, “Disciples, let us rest in this government office.”
The Pilgrim asked, “Why go in there?”
The Tang Monk said, “This hostel is where envoys from various nations come and go. There should be no problem with us lodging here. Let us rest inside first, then I shall go see the king to exchange our travel credentials. After that, we can leave the city and continue our journey.”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie immediately thrust his snout out, startling several dozen onlookers who fell backward. He stepped forward and said, “Master is right! Let us hurry inside to take shelter from these noisy people.”
So the master and his disciples entered the hostel, and the crowd outside gradually dispersed.
Now, the hostel was staffed by two officials, one chief and one deputy, who were in the main hall tallying their personnel in preparation to receive visiting dignitaries. When they saw the Tang Monk and his party enter, they were both startled and asked in unison, “Who are you, and where are you going?”
The Tang Monk placed his palms together and said, “We are monks from the Great Tang in the East, sent to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. Upon arriving in your esteemed kingdom, we dared not cross without permission and wish to exchange our travel credentials. We beseech you to allow us to rest here temporarily.”
Upon hearing this, the two officials dismissed their attendants, straightened their robes, and descended from the hall to welcome them. They also ordered that a guest room be cleaned and simple vegetarian fare prepared. The Tang Monk thanked them, and the two officials then left with their staff. The attendants invited the Tang Monk to rest in the guest room. As the Tang Monk was about to leave, the Pilgrim said angrily, “These people are so lazy! Why won’t they let me rest in the main hall?”
The Tang Monk said, “This place is not under Tang jurisdiction, nor is it adjacent to our country. Moreover, high-ranking officials and guests often come here, so it would be improper for us to stay in the main hall.”
The Pilgrim retorted, “If that’s the case, I insist that they entertain me in the main hall!”
Just as he spoke, a steward brought in their meal: a plate of white rice, a plate of white flour, two bunches of greens, four pieces of tofu, two pieces of gluten , a plate of dried bamboo shoots , and a plate of wood ear fungus . The Tang Monk told his disciples to accept the food and thanked the steward.
The steward then said, “The western room has a clean stove and firewood is convenient. You may cook for yourselves.”
The Tang Monk asked, “May I ask if the king is currently in the palace?”
The steward replied, “His Majesty has not held court for a long time. Today is an auspicious day, and he is discussing the posting of an imperial notice with his civil and military officials. If you wish to exchange your travel credentials, you should go quickly while you still can. If you wait until tomorrow, you may have to wait indefinitely.”
The Tang Monk said, “Wukong, you prepare the meal here while I hurry to exchange the credentials. I will return to eat, and then we can continue on our way.”
Zhu Bajie quickly brought out the cassock and the travel credentials. The Tang Monk straightened his robes and set off for court, repeatedly warning his disciples not to go out and cause trouble.
In no time, the Tang Monk arrived before the Five Phoenix Tower. The palace halls were tall and magnificent, beyond description. He walked to the Duan Gate and asked the duty officer to announce his arrival, stating that he wished to exchange his travel credentials. The yellow-garbed officer hurried to the jade steps and reported, “Outside the court gates, there is a monk from the Great Tang in the East who wishes to go to the Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Heaven to worship the Buddha and seek the scriptures. He requests to exchange his travel credentials. May it please Your Majesty to summon him to the hall.”
The king was delighted and said, “I have been ill for so long and have not held court. Today, I have just come out to post a notice seeking physicians, and a high monk arrives!” He immediately ordered that the Tang Monk be summoned to the hall.
The Tang Monk knelt and kowtowed. The king then invited him to sit on the golden hall and ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a vegetarian feast. The Tang Monk thanked him for the favor and presented his travel credentials.
After reading the document, the king was overjoyed and asked, “Dharma Master, how many wise rulers and virtuous ministers have there been in your Great Tang? His Majesty the Tang Emperor was once ill—how did he recover, and why did he send you so far to seek the scriptures?”
The Tang Monk bowed slightly, placed his palms together, and replied, “In my country: The Three Sovereigns ruled the world, and the Five Emperors established the social order. Yao and Shun took their rightful thrones; Yu and Tang brought peace to the people. The many sons of the Zhou dynasty each established their own domains. The strong bullied the weak, and states were divided under different lords. There were eighteen feudal lords, each guarding a corner of the frontier. Later, they became twelve, and the land was peaceful. But because there was no supreme authority, they devoured one another. The seven powerful states contended, and the six kingdoms were absorbed by Qin. Heaven gave birth to Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, but neither was benevolent. The land came under the Han dynasty, which established laws and honored them. Han fell to the Sima family, and the Jin dynasty descended into chaos. The Northern and Southern Dynasties saw twelve states, followed by Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen. Successive ancestors passed down the throne, until the great Sui dynasty restored order. But the Sui emperor indulged in pleasure and was unrighteous, bringing suffering to the people. My king, of the Li family, established the Tang dynasty. After the death of the founding emperor, the current ruler, Li Shimin, ascended the throne. The rivers were clear and the seas calm; his great virtue was broad and his benevolence deep. But north of the city of Chang’an, there was a strange water dragon who reduced the rainfall, and for this he was to be executed. One night, he appeared in the king’s dream, begging to be saved from punishment. The king promised to pardon him and summoned a wise minister. He detained the minister in the palace and played chess with him slowly. At noon, the wise minister beheaded the dragon in a dream.”
Upon hearing this, the king sighed and asked, “Dharma Master, that wise minister you mentioned—from which country was he?”
The Tang Monk replied, “He was the prime minister under our Tang Emperor, named Wei Zheng. He understood astronomy, geography, and the principles of yin and yang. He was a great minister who assisted the state. Because he beheaded the Jing River Dragon King in a dream, that dragon king lodged a complaint in the underworld, saying that the Tang Emperor had promised to save him but let him die. Thus, the Tang Emperor fell ill, and his condition grew worse. Later, Wei Zheng wrote a letter for the Tang Emperor to take to the underworld and give to Judge Cui Jue in the City of Fengdu. Soon after, the Tang Emperor died, but he revived three days later—thanks to Wei Zheng, for Judge Cui had altered the register of life and death, adding twenty years to the Tang Emperor’s lifespan. Now the Tang Emperor wishes to hold a Great Assembly of Water and Land, so he sent me, a humble monk, across ten thousand miles, through every kingdom, to seek the Buddha and obtain the Three Baskets of the Great Vehicle Sutras, so that the souls of the dead may be released and ascend to heaven.”
The king sighed again and said, “Truly, a great dynasty from the Heavenly Court—wise ruler and capable ministers! But I have been ill for so long, and not one of my ministers can save me.”
The Tang Monk secretly observed the king, noting his sallow complexion, emaciated frame, and listless spirit. He was about to inquire about the illness when the officials of the Imperial Kitchen announced that the king and the Tang Monk should dine. The king ordered that his own imperial meal be set in the Fragrant Incense Hall, where he would eat with the Tang Monk. The Tang Monk thanked him for the favor and accompanied the king to dine. We shall leave this matter for now.
Meanwhile, back at the hostel, the Pilgrim had Sha Wujing prepare tea and vegetarian dishes. Sha Wujing said, “Tea and rice are easy to cook, but vegetarian dishes are hard to make—we have no oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar.”
The Pilgrim said, “I still have a few coins. Let Bajie go to the market and buy some.”
Zhu Bajie, being lazy, said, “I dare not go! My appearance is too ugly. If I cause trouble, Master will blame me again.”
The Pilgrim said, “It’s a fair transaction. We’re not begging for alms or stealing. What trouble could there be?”
Zhu Bajie said, “Didn’t you see just now? When I poked my snout out at the hostel gate, I scared over a dozen people to the ground. If I go to a busy place, who knows how many I might frighten!”
The Pilgrim said, “You only know how to be afraid of people, but did you see what they were selling in the streets?”
Zhu Bajie said, “Master told me to keep my head down and not cause trouble. I really didn’t see anything.”
The Pilgrim said, “On the street, there are liquor shops, rice stores, flour mills, and silk shops, not to mention tea houses, noodle shops selling big sesame cakes and large steamed buns. The restaurants have good soups, fine seasonings, and fresh vegetables, as well as all kinds of sugar cakes, steamed pastries, snacks, fried cakes, and candied fruits… so many delicious things! What if I go buy some and treat you?”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Bajie’s mouth began to water, and he swallowed hard. He jumped up and said, “Brother! This time I’ll benefit from your generosity. Next time I have money, I’ll treat you!”
The Pilgrim chuckled to himself and said to Sha Wujing, “Sha Wujing, you cook the rice well. We’ll go buy the seasonings.”
Sha Wujing knew that the Pilgrim was teasing Zhu Bajie, so he played along, saying, “Go and buy plenty. Eat your fill before coming back.”
Zhu Bajie picked up a bowl and followed the Pilgrim out the door. Two attendants from the hostel asked, “Where are you elders going?”
The Pilgrim said, “To buy seasonings.”
The attendants said, “Go west, turn the corner at the Drum Tower, and there’s a Zheng family grocery store. They have everything you need—oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, pepper, tea leaves, all in stock.”
The two of them walked west hand in hand. The Pilgrim passed several tea houses and restaurants but neither bought what he should nor ate what he could. Zhu Bajie urged him, “Brother, let’s just buy some here.”
The Pilgrim, who was only teasing him, refused to buy anything, saying, “Worthy brother, you really don’t know how to live! Let’s walk a bit further and find a big place with good food.”
As they walked and talked, a crowd of onlookers followed behind them. Soon they reached the Drum Tower, where they found the area packed with people, clamoring and blocking the entire street.
Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, I’m not going any further! This crowd is too noisy. They might be here to catch monks. We’re strangers from another land. What if we get caught?”
The Pilgrim said, “Nonsense! Monks haven’t broken any law. Why would they catch us? Let’s just walk over to the Zheng family store and buy the seasonings.”
Zhu Bajie said, “Forget it, forget it! I’m not getting into this trouble. If I get squeezed into the crowd, and my ears twitch, I might scare people into falling and breaking their necks. Then I’d have to pay with my life!”
The Pilgrim said, “Since that’s the case, you wait here by the wall. I’ll go buy the seasonings, and then I’ll get you some vegetarian noodles and sesame cakes to eat.”
Zhu Bajie handed the bowl to the Pilgrim, pressed his snout against the wall, turned his back to the crowd, and refused to budge.
The Pilgrim walked to the Drum Tower, where the crowd was indeed dense. He squeezed his way in and heard that an imperial notice had been posted under the tower, and everyone was gathered around to read it. The Pilgrim pushed to the front, opened his fiery golden eyes, and examined the notice carefully. It read: “I, the King of the Purple-Gold Kingdom in the Western Continent of Cattle-Gift, have ruled since my ascension, and the four quarters have been peaceful and the people prosperous. Recently, however, our nation encountered an inauspicious event, and I fell gravely ill. I have been bedridden for a long time without recovery. The Imperial Academy of Medicine in our kingdom has selected many prescriptions, but none have cured me. Now I post this notice to recruit the world’s skilled physicians—whether from the north, the east, the Central Plains, or foreign lands. Anyone who is proficient in the medical arts is invited to come to the jeweled hall to treat me. If my illness can be cured, I am willing to divide my kingdom in half with him. This promise will never be broken. This notice is hereby posted for all to know.”
After reading it, the Pilgrim was overjoyed and thought, “As the ancients said, ‘Go out for a walk, and you’ll get three-tenths of a fortune.’ Good thing I didn’t stay sitting in the hostel. Forget buying seasonings—let’s put off the scripture quest for a day and let Old Monkey play doctor for fun.”
What a Great Sage! He bent down, threw away the bowl, grabbed a handful of dirt, and tossed it into the air. Reciting a spell, he used the invisibility technique, quietly stepped forward, and tore down the imperial notice. Then he faced the southeast, took a breath of immortal air, and blew it out, conjuring a whirlwind. He turned and went back to where Zhu Bajie was standing. There, he saw Zhu Bajie with his snout pressed against the wall, looking as if he were asleep. The Pilgrim did not wake him but folded the notice and tucked it into Zhu Bajie’s bosom. He then turned and went back to the hostel. We shall leave this matter for now.
Meanwhile, the people under the tower, seeing the whirlwind, covered their heads and closed their eyes. When the wind died down, the notice was gone, and everyone panicked. The twelve eunuchs and twelve imperial guards who had taken the notice out that morning had posted it less than three hours ago. Now they trembled with fear as they searched everywhere. Suddenly, they saw a corner of paper sticking out of Zhu Bajie’s bosom. The crowd stepped forward and asked, “Did you tear down the notice?”
Zhu Bajie jerked his head up and thrust his snout forward, causing several imperial guards to stumble and fall to the ground. He turned to leave, but a few bold ones grabbed him, saying, “You tore down the notice seeking a physician! Why aren’t you going to the palace to cure His Majesty? Where are you going?”
Zhu Bajie said in a fluster, “It’s your son who tore down the notice! It’s your grandson who can cure people!”
The guards said, “What’s that in your bosom?”
Zhu Bajie looked down and saw that there was indeed a piece of paper. He unfolded it, read it, and gnashed his teeth, cursing, “That monkey is trying to kill me!” In his rage, he wanted to tear the paper to shreds, but the crowd quickly stopped him: “Do you want to die? This is the current king’s imperial notice! Who dares to tear it? Since you have it in your bosom, you must have the skill to cure him. Come with us now!”
Zhu Bajie shouted, “You don’t understand! I didn’t tear down this notice. It was my senior brother, Sun Wukong, who did it! He secretly tucked it into my bosom and left on his own. If you want to get to the bottom of this, I’ll go with you to find him.”
The crowd said, “Stop your nonsense! ‘Why look for a bell that hasn’t been cast when you have a finished one right in front of you?’ You have the notice now. Who are we supposed to look for? No matter what—drag him to see the king!”
Without any regard for right or wrong, this group pushed and pulled, trying to drag Zhu Bajie away. But Zhu Bajie stood there like a tree with deep roots; a dozen men could not budge him. Zhu Bajie said, “You don’t know what’s good for you! If you pull me any more, I’ll get angry, and don’t blame me!”
In no time, the people on the street had all gathered around. Two elderly eunuchs pushed through the crowd and said, “You strange-looking fellow with the odd accent—where are you from? Why are you so obstinate?”
Zhu Bajie said, “We are monks from the Great Tang in the East, sent to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. My master is the Tang Emperor’s sworn brother and Dharma Master. He has just gone to the palace to exchange travel credentials. My senior brother and I came to buy seasonings. When I saw the crowd under the tower, I didn’t dare go near. My senior brother saw the notice, conjured a whirlwind to tear it down, secretly tucked it into my bosom, and went back on his own.”
The eunuch said, “I just saw a plump, fair-skinned monk walking toward the palace gate. That must be your master?”
Zhu Bajie said, “Yes! Yes!”
The eunuch asked, “Where did your senior brother go?”
Zhu Bajie said, “There are four of us. Master went to exchange the credentials. The other three of us, along with our luggage and horse, are all at the hostel. My senior brother played a trick on me and went back to the hostel.”
The eunuch said to the guards, “Don’t drag him anymore. We’ll all go to the hostel together and find out the truth.”
Zhu Bajie said, “You two old ladies here are the ones who understand reason.”
The guards said, “This monk doesn’t know what’s what! Why are you calling a eunuch a lady?”
Zhu Bajie laughed and said, “Shameless! Haven’t you reversed yin and yang? These two old women—if I don’t call them ‘ladies,’ what should I call them? ‘Gentlemen’?”
The crowd said, “Enough of your glib tongue! Hurry up and find your senior brother.”
The street was in an uproar, with several hundred people following along, all pressing toward the hostel gate. Zhu Bajie said, “Everyone, stop here. My senior brother is not as easygoing as I am. He’s a serious and impatient fellow. When you see him, you must bow deeply and call him ‘Lord Sun.’ Only then will he deign to speak with you. If he loses his temper, this matter will be ruined.”
The eunuchs and guards all said, “If your senior brother truly has the skill to cure the king’s illness, the king has promised to split the kingdom with him. It would only be proper for us to pay him homage.”
As the idle crowd clamored outside the gate, Zhu Bajie led the eunuchs and guards into the hostel. There they heard the Pilgrim and Sha Wujing in the guest room, laughing as they talked about tearing down the notice. Zhu Bajie stepped forward, grabbed the Pilgrim, and shouted, “Are you even human? You tricked me by saying you’d buy me vegetarian noodles, sesame cakes, and steamed buns—all lies! Then you conjured a whirlwind, tore down the imperial notice, and secretly tucked it into my bosom, making me the scapegoat! Is this how brothers treat each other?”
The Pilgrim laughed and said, “You fool, you must have taken the wrong road and gone somewhere else. I went past the Drum Tower, bought the seasonings, and came back. When I couldn’t find you, I returned first. When did I ever tear down an imperial notice?”
Zhu Bajie said, “The officials who were guarding the notice are right here!”
Before he could finish, several eunuchs and guards stepped forward and kowtowed, saying, “Lord Sun, today our king is fortunate. Heaven has sent you, a man of great ability. With just a little of your skill, you can cure the king’s illness. If you do, the king has promised to split the kingdom with you. He will not go back on his word.”
Only then did the Pilgrim stop laughing. He took the notice from Zhu Bajie’s hand and said to the crowd, “Are you the officials in charge of the notice?”
The eunuch kowtowed and said, “This humble servant is a eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and these are the Imperial Guard officers.”
The Pilgrim said, “I did indeed tear down this notice seeking a physician. That is why I had my junior brother bring you here. Since your king is ill, as the saying goes, ‘Medicine is not offered for sale, and illness does not seek the doctor.’ Go back and tell your king to come and invite me in person. I have the skill to cure him the moment my hand touches him.”
Upon hearing this, the eunuchs were all startled. The guards said, “With such bold words, you must indeed have skill. We’ll leave half of our men here to wait, and the other half will go to the palace to report.”
Thus, four eunuchs and six guards, without waiting for further announcement, went straight to the palace and reported at the hall: “Your Majesty, a most joyous event!”
The king was just finishing his meal with the Tang Monk and chatting. He heard the report and asked, “Where does this joy come from?”
The eunuch reported, “This morning, Your Majesty’s humble servants took the imperial notice seeking a physician and posted it under the Drum Tower. A holy monk from the Great Tang in the East, named Elder Sun, tore it down. He is now at the Hostel for Foreign Envoys and requests that Your Majesty go in person to invite him. He claims to have the skill to cure you the moment his hand touches you. For this reason, we have come to report.”
The king was overjoyed and asked the Tang Monk, “Dharma Master, how many worthy disciples do you have?”
The Tang Monk placed his palms together and replied, “I have three disciples.”
The king asked, “Which of your worthy disciples knows how to cure illness?”
The Tang Monk said, “To be honest with Your Majesty, my disciples are all rough mountain folk. They can only carry luggage, lead the horse, and accompany me over mountains and rivers. At most, they can subdue demons and monsters in dangerous places. None of them understands the properties of medicine.”
The king said, “Dharma Master, you are too modest! Today I held court for the first time and happened to meet you. This is truly fate. If your worthy disciple did not understand medicine, how would he dare to tear down my imperial notice and even ask me to go in person to invite him? He must have the skill to cure a great illness of the state.” Then he said to his civil and military officials, “I am too weak to ride in a carriage. You will go in my stead to the Hostel for Foreign Envoys and respectfully invite Elder Sun to come and treat me. When you see him, do not be discourteous. Address him as ‘Holy Monk, Elder Sun’ and treat him with the ceremony due a ruler and minister.”
The officials accepted the decree and, together with the eunuchs and guards who had been watching the notice, went to the hostel. They lined up and kowtowed. Zhu Bajie was so frightened that he hid in the side room, and Sha Wujing slipped behind the wall. Only the Pilgrim sat in the middle, completely unmoved.
Zhu Bajie muttered to himself, “This monkey is going to be the death of me! All these officials kowtowing, and he doesn’t even return the greeting or stand up!”
After a while, the officials finished kowtowing and reported in turn, “We respectfully report to the Holy Monk, Elder Sun. We are ministers of the King of the Purple-Gold Kingdom. By the king’s decree, we have come to respectfully invite the Holy Monk to the palace to treat the king’s illness.”
Only then did the Pilgrim stand up and say to the crowd, “Why didn’t your king come himself?”
The officials said, “The king is too weak to ride in a carriage. He has sent us to perform the rites of ruler and minister on his behalf and to invite the Holy Monk to the palace.”
The Pilgrim said, “Since that is the case, lead the way, and I will follow.”
The officials lined up in order of rank and walked ahead. The Pilgrim straightened his robes and followed. Zhu Bajie said, “Brother, don’t drag us into this.”
The Pilgrim said, “I won’t drag you in. I just need the two of you to help me collect the medicine.”
Sha Wujing asked, “What medicine should we collect?”
The Pilgrim said, “If anyone delivers medicine, you receive it in full and keep it for me to use when I return.” The two agreed. We shall leave this matter for now.
The Pilgrim followed the officials and soon reached the palace. The officials went in first to report. The king rolled up the pearl curtain, opened his dragon eyes, and asked, “Which one is the Holy Monk, Elder Sun?”
The Pilgrim stepped forward and said in a loud voice, “Old Sun is here!”
Hearing the fierce and harsh voice and seeing the Pilgrim’s cunning appearance, the king was so terrified that he trembled and fell off his dragon bed. The palace maids and eunuchs quickly helped him into the rear palace, where the king said, “He scared me to death!”
All the officials blamed the Pilgrim, saying, “You monk, how can you be so rude! How dare you tear down the imperial notice so casually!”
Upon hearing this, the Pilgrim laughed and said, “You gentlemen have wrongly blamed me. If you treat people with such disrespect, your king’s illness will never be cured, even in a thousand years.”
The officials said, “How long can a person live? A thousand years without a cure?”
The Pilgrim said, “Right now, he is a sick king. When he dies, he will be a sick ghost. In his next life, he will be reborn as a sick person. Isn’t that a thousand years without a cure?”
The officials said angrily, “You monk, you don’t know the rules! How dare you speak such nonsense!”
The Pilgrim laughed and said, “I am not speaking nonsense. Listen to me: The principles of medicine are subtle and profound; the key lies in the mind’s ability to turn and revolve. There are four things: looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse. If even one is missing, the method is incomplete. First, look at his spirit and complexion—whether he is moist or dry, fat or thin, whether he rises or sleeps. Second, listen to the clarity or turbidity of his voice—whether his words are true or delirious. Third, ask about the origin of the illness—how many days it has lasted, how his diet and bowel movements are. Fourth, feel the pulse to understand the meridians—whether it is floating or sinking, superficial or deep. Without these four methods, you will never find peace in this life.”
Among the civil and military officials were physicians from the Imperial Academy of Medicine. Upon hearing this, they said to the crowd, “This monk speaks with reason. Even if an immortal were to treat an illness, he would have to use looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse. Only then can he be considered skilled in medicine.”
Upon hearing this, the officials ordered the eunuchs at their side to report: “The elder wishes to use the methods of looking, listening, asking, and feeling the pulse to diagnose the illness before prescribing medicine.”
The king lay on his dragon bed and said repeatedly, “Send him away! I cannot bear to see strangers!”
The eunuch came out of the palace and said, “Monk, the king has decreed that you are to leave. He cannot bear to see strangers.”
The Pilgrim said, “If he cannot bear to see strangers, I can take his pulse with a suspended thread.”
The officials were secretly delighted and said, “Taking the pulse with a suspended thread is something we have only heard of but never seen. Let us report this to the king again.”
The eunuch went back into the palace and reported, “Your Majesty, Elder Sun says that if you cannot bear to see him, he can take your pulse with a suspended thread.”
The king thought to himself, “I have been ill for three years and have never tried this. Summon him in.”
The eunuch quickly transmitted the decree: “The king has agreed to let Elder Sun take his pulse with a suspended thread. Quickly summon Elder Sun to the palace to treat the illness.”
Only then did the Pilgrim ascend the jeweled hall. The Tang Monk came up to him and scolded him, saying, “You reckless ape, you are trying to kill me!”
The Pilgrim laughed and said, “Good Master, I