After bidding farewell to the villagers, Tang Sanzang and his disciples followed the main road westward. Within thirty or forty miles, they entered the territory of the Western Liang Kingdom of Women . Seated on his horse, the Tang Monk pointed ahead and said, "Wukong, the city ahead is drawing near. The clamor in the streets must surely be the Western Liang Kingdom of Women. You must all be cautious, observe proper conduct, and refrain from losing your tempers, lest you violate the rules of the Buddhist faith." His three disciples nodded obediently in agreement.
Before he had even finished speaking, they arrived at the street entrance outside the Eastern Gate. The people here, young and old, were all women—some in long skirts, others in short jackets, each one heavily powdered and rouged. They were conducting business in the streets, but the moment they saw the four masters and disciples approaching, they clapped their hands with joy, adjusted their clothing, and shouted excitedly, "Men have come! Men have come!" The Tang Monk was so startled he reined in his horse and could not move forward. In an instant, the street was packed solid, filled with the sound of laughter.
Zhu Bajie began to shout recklessly, "I'm a gelded pig! I'm a gelded pig!"
Wukong said, "Fool, stop your nonsense. Just show them your old ferocious face."
Zhu Bajie indeed shook his head, flapped his ears, which were as large as palm-leaf fans, twisted his mouth, which was shaped like a lotus seedpod, and let out a great roar. This sent the women stumbling and falling over each other in fright. Truly, as a poem describes:
The holy monk, seeking the Buddha, came to Western Liang, a land where only yin existed, lacking yang . Farmers, scholars, merchants, artisans—all were women; fishermen, woodcutters, herdsmen, farmers—all wore rouge and powder. The streets were filled with beautiful women calling out for a mate; young girls lined the roads, welcoming the charming groom. Had it not been for Wuneng showing his ugly face, they would have been surrounded and tormented by these temptresses.
Now no one dared to come forward. They all shrank back, hunched their shoulders, shook their heads, bit their fingers, and huddled trembling by the roadside, staring at the Tang Monk. The Great Sage Sun also deliberately made himself look ugly to clear the way, while Sha Wujing put on a fierce, tiger-like expression to help maintain order. Zhu Bajie led the horse, pouting and flapping his ears, and the group slowly made their way forward.
They saw that the houses along the street were neat and orderly, the shops spacious and well-stocked, just like anywhere else, with vendors selling salt and rice, taverns and teahouses. In the marketplace stood drum towers and bell towers, and the doors of the courier inns were hung with curtains. After turning a few corners, they suddenly saw a female official standing by the roadside, who shouted loudly, "Travelers from afar, you cannot enter the city gates at will! Go first to the courier inn to register your names. I will take your list and present it to the king. Only after your travel documents have been inspected and verified will you be allowed to enter."
Hearing this, the Tang Monk quickly dismounted and looked closely. Above the door of the courier inn hung a plaque inscribed with three characters: " Welcome the Yang Inn ." The elder said, "Wukong, the villagers before did not deceive us. There really is a 'Welcome the Yang Inn.'"
Sha Wujing smiled and said, "Second Brother, why don't you go to the Reflection Spring and see if you have two shadows?"
Zhu Bajie replied, "Don't mock me! I drank that bowl of water from the Abortion Spring long ago and expelled the fetus. What is there to reflect?"
The Tang Monk turned his head and admonished, "Wuneng, do not speak recklessly!" Having said this, he stepped forward and bowed to the female official.
The female official led them into the inn and seated them in the main hall, immediately ordering tea to be served. All the attendants in the inn were women, with their hair combed into three coils and wearing two-piece garments. Even the tea servers were smiling. After a while, when the tea was finished, the female official leaned forward and asked, "Honored guests, where do you come from?"
Wukong said, "We have been sent by the king of the Great Tang in the Eastern Land to journey to the Western Heaven to pay homage to the Buddha and seek the scriptures. My master is the sworn brother of the Tang king , and his Dharma name is Tang Sanzang. I am his senior disciple, Sun Wukong. These two are my junior brothers: Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing. Including the horse, there are five of us. We carry travel documents. Please inspect them and allow us to pass."
The female official took up a brush and recorded their information, then knelt and kowtowed, saying, "Forgive my offense, my lords! I am the steward of this Welcome the Yang Inn. Had I known you were lords from a great kingdom, I would have come far to welcome you." After bowing, she rose and immediately ordered her staff to prepare a meal. "Please, honored sirs, sit for a while. I will go into the city to report to the king, exchange your travel documents, and complete the formalities, so that I may see you on your way westward." The Tang Monk sat down happily to wait, and we will leave him there for now.
Meanwhile, the steward tidied her clothes and cap and went straight into the city. Arriving before the Five Phoenix Tower , she said to the gatekeeping Yellow Gate official , "I am the steward of the Welcome the Yang Inn. I have urgent business to see the king." The Yellow Gate official immediately went in to report. The queen summoned her to the hall and asked, "Steward, what matter do you have to report?"
The steward said, "Your servant has received at the inn the Tang Sanzang, sworn brother of the Great Tang king of the Eastern Land. He has three disciples named Sun Wukong, Zhu Wuneng, and Sha Wujing. Together with the horse, there are five beings. They are journeying to the Western Heaven to pay homage to the Buddha and seek the scriptures. I have come especially to report this to Your Majesty. May I ask if we should exchange their travel documents and allow them to pass?"
Upon hearing this, the queen was overjoyed and said to her civil and military officials, "Last night I dreamed that the golden screen emitted a colorful glow and the jade mirror shone brilliantly bright. This must have been an omen of today's joyous event!"
The female officials knelt at the foot of the steps and said, "Your Majesty, how do you know it is a joyous event today?"
The queen said, "A man has come from the Eastern Land, and he is the sworn brother of the Tang king! Since the creation of heaven and earth, throughout the ages, no king of our kingdom has ever seen a man arrive. Now the sworn brother of the Tang king has come; he must be a gift from heaven. I am willing to offer the wealth of an entire kingdom to take the sworn brother as my husband. I will be his queen. We will marry and bear children, so that the royal lineage may be passed down forever. Is this not today's joyous event?"
The officials all knelt and cheered, and not one was displeased.
The steward then reported, "Your Majesty's idea is a good one, but the sworn brother's three disciples are extremely fierce and hideous in appearance."
The queen asked, "What does the sworn brother look like? How fierce are his disciples?"
The steward replied, "The sworn brother is dignified and graceful in bearing. He is truly a fine man from the great Central Kingdom, a rare and handsome figure in Jambudvipa . But his three disciples are as ferocious as ogres , looking like demons and monsters ."
The queen said, "Since that is the case, let us process their documents, exchange their travel permits, and send them on their way to the Western Heaven. We will only keep the sworn brother. What could be wrong with that?"
The officials knelt and said, "Your Majesty speaks wisely. We shall obey your decree. However, for a matter of marriage, a matchmaker is indispensable. As the ancients said, 'Marriage is bound by the red leaf, and husband and wife are tied by the old man under the moon with his red cord.'"
The queen said, "Let it be as you say. Appoint the Grand Preceptor of the court as the matchmaker and the steward of the Welcome the Yang Inn as the host of the wedding. They shall go first to the courier inn to propose marriage to the sworn brother. Once he agrees, I will prepare the royal procession and go out of the city to receive him." The Grand Preceptor and the steward received the imperial decree and left the court.
Meanwhile, the Tang Monk and his disciples were eating in the main hall of the courier inn when they suddenly heard someone outside announce, "The Grand Preceptor of the court and our steward have arrived."
The Tang Monk asked, "Why has the Grand Preceptor come?"
Zhu Bajie said, "Perhaps the queen is inviting us into the palace."
Wukong said, "It is not an invitation. They have come to propose a marriage."
The Tang Monk said, "Wukong, if they refuse to let us go and force me to marry, what shall we do?"
Wukong replied, "Master, just agree to it. Old Monkey will have a plan."
Before he had finished speaking, the two female officials arrived and bowed to the elder. The elder returned their bows and said, "I am a humble monk, without any merit. How dare I trouble you, honored officials, to bow to me?"
Seeing the elder's dignified appearance, the Grand Preceptor was secretly delighted: "Our kingdom is truly blessed. This man is a perfect match for our queen." After bowing, the two officials rose and stood to the side, saying, "Sworn brother, a great joyous event has come!"
The Tang Monk said, "I am a monk. What joyous event could there be?"
The Grand Preceptor bowed and said, "This is the Western Liang Kingdom of Women. In this kingdom, there have never been any men. Now, by great fortune, we have welcomed the sworn brother. Your servant, acting on the king's decree, has come especially to propose a marriage."
The Tang Monk said, "Goodness, goodness! I came to your land alone, without any children. I only have three unruly disciples. I do not understand what kind of marriage you are proposing."
The steward said, "Your servant went into the city to report earlier. Our king was overjoyed. She said that last night she had a good dream, dreaming that the golden screen emitted a colorful glow and the jade mirror shone brilliantly bright. Knowing that the sworn brother is a man from the great Central Kingdom, she is willing to offer the wealth of an entire kingdom to take you, the sworn brother, as her husband. You shall sit facing south as king, and our queen will be your consort. She decreed that the Grand Prector be the matchmaker and your servant the host of the wedding. Therefore, we have come especially to propose this marriage."
Hearing this, the Tang Monk hung his head and remained silent. The Grand Preceptor said, "A true man should not miss a good opportunity. To be summoned as a king in such a manner is rare in this world, though it happens. But to gain the wealth of an entire kingdom is something seldom seen. Please, sworn brother, give your consent quickly, so that I may report back to the king." The elder still hung his head and did not utter a word.
Zhu Bajie, who was standing nearby, twisted his coarse mouth and shouted, "Grand Preceptor, go back and tell your king: My master has been cultivating as an arhat for a long time. He certainly does not covet your kingdom's wealth or the queen's beauty. Quickly exchange the travel documents and send him on his way westward. Leave me here to be summoned as a husband. How about that?"
Hearing this, the Grand Preceptor was so frightened that her heart trembled and she dared not reply. The steward said, "Although you are a man, you are too ugly. You do not suit our queen's fancy."
Zhu Bajie laughed and said, "You are far too inflexible. As the saying goes, 'Coarse willow is used for winnowing baskets, fine willow for measures. Since when in this world has anyone scorned a man for being ugly?'"
Wukong said, "Fool, stop your nonsense! Listen to what the master has to say. If he can agree, let him agree. If not, we will think of another way. Do not delay the matchmaker's business."
The Tang Monk said, "Wukong, you handle this as you see fit."
Wukong said, "In Old Monkey's opinion, it would be good for you to stay here. As the ancients said, 'A thousand miles of marriage are bound by a single thread.' Where could you find a more suitable match than this?"
The Tang Monk said, "Disciple, if we stay here to indulge in wealth and honor, who will go to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures? Would that not betray the trust of the Great Tang king?"
The Grand Preceptor said, "Sworn brother, your servant dare not conceal the truth from you. Our king's intention is only to marry you. Your three disciples will have their documents processed, their travel permits exchanged, and they will be sent on their way to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures."
Wukong said, "The Grand Preceptor's words are reasonable. We will not make things difficult. We are willing to leave our master here to marry your king. Quickly exchange the travel documents and send us on our way westward. After we have fetched the scriptures and returned, we will come back to pay our respects to our new parents and ask for some travel money to return to the Great Tang."
The Grand Preceptor and the steward bowed to Wukong and said, "Thank you, teacher, for your understanding!"
Zhu Bajie said, "Grand Preceptor, do not just talk and not deliver. Since we have agreed, have your king prepare a feast of wine so that we can drink a cup of wedding wine. How about that?"
The Grand Preceptor said, "Yes, yes, yes! We will arrange it immediately." The steward and the Grand Preceptor returned to report to the queen, overjoyed, and we will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, the Tang elder grabbed hold of Wukong and scolded him, "You monkey, you are trying to ruin me! How could you say such a thing, making me stay here to marry while you go to the Western Heaven to pay homage to the Buddha? Even if I died, I would never dare to do such a thing!"
Wukong said, "Master, rest assured. Do you think Old Monkey does not know your temperament? But here we are, faced with this situation, and we must use their own scheme against them."
The Tang Monk asked, "What do you mean by using their own scheme against them?"
Wukong said, "If you stubbornly refuse, she will not exchange the travel documents and will not let us go. If she becomes ruthless and orders many people to cut off your flesh to make sachets, what good outcome could we have? We would then have to use our demon-subduing skills, but you know that our blows are heavy and our weapons are deadly. If we fight, all the people of this kingdom will be killed. Although they are blocking us, they are not monsters or demons; they are the common people of a nation. You are a compassionate man who would not even harm an ant along the way. If you were to kill so many innocent people, could your heart bear it? That would be far from merciful."
Hearing this, the Tang Monk said, "Wukong, you speak the truth. But I am afraid that if the queen takes me into the palace and wants to be husband and wife with me, how can I bear to lose my primordial essence, violate the precepts of the Buddhist faith, and forfeit my true spirit, thus falling from my status as a member of the Buddhist order?"
Wukong said, "Today, you agree to the marriage. She will certainly use the imperial rites and come out of the city with a grand procession to receive you. You must not refuse. Just sit in her dragon-and-phoenix carriage, go to the Golden Throne Hall, sit facing south, and ask the queen for the imperial seal. Have us brothers enter the court, stamp the travel documents, and have the queen sign and seal them with her own hand, then hand them over to us. Meanwhile, order a banquet to be prepared, as if to celebrate the wedding with the queen and to send us off. When the banquet is over, order the procession to be prepared again, saying that you will see us three out of the city, and then return to marry the queen. Trick their ruler and ministers into being happy, so that they do not block us or harbor any ill intentions. Once they have escorted us out of the city, you step down from the dragon-and-phoenix carriage. Let Sha Wujing attend you from the side and help you mount the white horse. Old Monkey will then use a body-fixing spell to immobilize their ruler and ministers, and we will simply follow the main road westward. After we have traveled for a day and a night, I will recite the spell to release them, so that their ruler and ministers will wake up and return to the city. In this way, we will neither harm their lives nor damage your primordial spirit. This is the plan of 'feigning marriage to escape.' Is it not a good strategy that serves two purposes?"
Hearing this, the Tang Monk felt as if he had awakened from a drunken stupor or emerged from a dream. His joy overcame his worry, and he thanked him repeatedly, "I am deeply grateful for my worthy disciple's excellent plan." The four masters and disciples were all in agreement and were discussing the matter, and we will leave them for now.
Meanwhile, the Grand Preceptor and the steward, without waiting to be summoned, went straight into the court and knelt on the white jade steps, saying, "Your Majesty's good dream was truly accurate. The great matter of marriage has been accomplished!"
Hearing this report, the queen rolled up the pearl curtain, descended from her dragon bed, parted her cherry-like lips, revealing her snow-white teeth, and asked in a charming, delicate voice, "Honored minister, when you saw the sworn brother, what did he say?"
The Grand Preceptor said, "Your servants arrived at the courier inn, paid our respects to the sworn brother, and then proposed the marriage. The sworn brother hesitated a little, but fortunately, his senior disciple readily agreed. He is willing to leave his master here to marry Your Majesty and sit facing south as king. He only asks that we first exchange the travel documents and send the three of them on their way westward. After they have fetched the scriptures and returned, they will come back to pay their respects to their new parents and ask for travel money to return to the Great Tang."
The queen laughed and said, "Did the sworn brother say anything else?"
The Grand Preceptor said, "The sworn brother did not speak, but he is willing to marry Your Majesty. However, his second disciple wants to drink a cup of wedding wine first."
Upon hearing this, the queen immediately issued a decree, ordering the Office of Imperial Banquets to prepare a feast. At the same time, she ordered the royal procession to be prepared to go out of the city to receive her husband. The female officials immediately obeyed the decree, sweeping the palace halls and decorating the courtyards. Those preparing the feast hurried to their tasks, while those preparing the procession worked with great speed. Although this Western Liang Kingdom was ruled by women, its procession was in no way inferior to that of the Central Plains. Behold:
Six dragons sprayed with color, a pair of phoenixes brought forth auspicious signs. The six dragons, spraying color, supported the carriage as it emerged; the pair of phoenixes, bringing auspicious signs, drove the imperial chariot forward. Rich and exotic fragrances filled the air; a dense, auspicious aura spread wide. Many officials, adorned with golden fish and jade pendants, crowded around; rows of women, with jeweled hairpins and cloud-like tresses, formed ranks. Mandarin duck fans and palm-leaf fans shaded the phoenix carriage; emerald pearl curtains cast shadows over the phoenix hairpins. The sounds of reed pipes and songs were beautiful; the notes of strings and pipes were harmonious. A wave of joy surged into the azure heavens; boundless happiness emerged from the heart. The three-tiered silk canopy swayed against the sky; the five-colored banners reflected the imperial steps. This land had never before seen the nuptial cup; today, the queen was to be matched with a man of talent.
Before long, the procession left the city and soon arrived at the Welcome the Yang Inn. Suddenly, someone reported to the Tang Monk and his disciples, "The king has arrived!" The Tang Monk and his three disciples quickly adjusted their clothes and went out of the hall to welcome her.
The queen rolled up the carriage curtain and descended from her chariot, asking, "Which one is the sworn brother of the Great Tang?"
The Grand Preceptor pointed and said, "The one in official robes standing before the incense table outside the inn gate is he."
The queen opened her phoenix eyes and furrowed her moth-like eyebrows, scrutinizing him carefully. He was indeed a man of striking appearance. Behold him:
His bearing was heroic and majestic, his features dignified and imposing. His teeth were as white as silver, his lips red and his mouth square. His forehead was flat and broad, his temples full; his eyes were bright, his brows clear, his chin well-formed. His ears were well-rounded, a true sign of a hero; his whole person was refined, a man of talent. A fine, handsome, and charming youth, well-suited to be the husband of the graceful maiden of Western Liang.
Seeing him, the queen's heart was stirred with passion, and she was filled with tender feelings. She parted her cherry-like lips and called out, "Sworn brother of the Great Tang, will you not come and sit with me in the dragon-and-phoenix carriage?"
Hearing this, the Tang Monk's ears turned red and his cheeks flushed with shame. He dared not lift his head.
Zhu Bajie, standing nearby, squinted his eyes and looked at the queen. She was truly beautiful. Indeed:
Her eyebrows were like kingfisher feathers, her skin like sheep's fat. Her face was set off by peach blossom petals; her hair was piled up with golden phoenix strands. Her autumn eyes were deep and limpid, full of charm; her spring bamboo-shoot fingers were slender and delicate, exuding grace. A red silk scarf fluttered, adding to her colorful beauty; a high hairpin of pearls and jade shone with brilliance. Need one speak of Wang Zhaojun's beauty? She truly surpassed Xi Shi. Her willow waist swayed gently, making her golden pendants jingle; her lotus steps moved lightly, revealing her jade limbs. The moon's Chang'e could hardly match her; the celestial maidens of the Nine Heavens could not compare. Her palace attire was exquisite, unlike any common kind; truly, it was as if the Queen Mother of the West had descended from the Jasper Pool.
Seeing her beauty, the Fool could not help drooling, and his heart pounded. In an instant, his whole body went weak, like a snow lion that melts the moment it approaches a fire.
Then the queen approached, took hold of Sanzang, and said in a soft, delicate voice, "Sworn brother, please get on the dragon carriage and come with me to the Golden Throne Hall to become husband and wife."
The elder was so frightened that he could barely stand, as if he were drunk and dazed. Wukong said from the side, "Master, do not be too polite. Get into the carriage with your wife. Quickly exchange the travel documents so that we may go and fetch the scriptures." The elder dared not reply. He secretly tugged at Wukong's clothes, unable to hold back his tears. Wukong said, "Master, do not worry. With such great wealth and honor, why wait to enjoy it?" Sanzang had no choice but to agree. He wiped away his tears, forced a happy expression, and stepped forward to sit in the dragon carriage with the queen.
The queen was overjoyed at the prospect of marriage, while the elder was dejected, thinking only of paying homage to the Buddha. One desired the nuptial chamber and to be husband and wife; the other wished to go west to see the Buddha. The queen was sincere, but the Tang Monk was feigning. The queen truly wished to spend her life with him; the Tang Monk, under a false front, concealed his true intention to preserve his primordial spirit. One, seeing a man, was delighted and wished to be with him day and night; the other, fearing women, only thought of escaping quickly to the Western Heaven. The two rode together in the carriage, but who knew what the Tang Monk had in mind!
The civil and military officials, seeing their ruler and the elder sitting side by side in the dragon-and-phoenix carriage, were all beaming with joy. They turned the procession around and re-entered the city. The Great Sage Sun told Sha Wujing to carry the luggage and lead the white horse, following behind the procession. Zhu Bajie, running wildly ahead, arrived before the Five Phoenix Tower and shouted, "So carefree! So ready-made! But this won't do! This won't do! We must drink the wedding wine before the marriage!" This so frightened the officials carrying the ceremonial objects and leading the way that none dared to move forward. They returned to the procession and said, "Your Majesty, that one with the long mouth and big ears is shouting before the Five Phoenix Tower that he wants to drink the wedding wine."
Hearing this, the queen, leaning shoulder to shoulder and cheek to cheek with the elder, called softly, "Sworn brother, which of your disciples is that one with the long mouth and big ears?"
Sanzang said, "He is my second disciple. His belly is enormous, and all he thinks about is eating. We must first prepare some wine and food for him to eat before we can proceed with the business."
The queen quickly asked, "Has the Office of Imperial Banquets prepared the feast?"
A female official reported, "It is ready. Both vegetarian and meat dishes have been prepared in the Eastern Pavilion."
The queen asked, "Why two kinds?"
The female official said, "Your servant feared that the sworn brother of the Great Tang and his disciples might normally eat vegetarian food, so I prepared both kinds."
The queen, still smiling, rubbed against the elder's cheek and said, "Sworn brother, do you eat meat or vegetarian food?"
Sanzang said, "This humble monk eats vegetarian food, but my disciples have not taken a vow to abstain from wine. Please give my second disciple a few cups of vegetarian wine."
Before he had finished speaking, the Grand Preceptor reported, "Please, Your Majesty and the sworn brother, go to the Eastern Pavilion for the feast. Tonight is an auspicious day, perfect for the sworn brother to marry. Tomorrow is a yellow-road auspicious day. Please, sworn brother, ascend the throne hall, sit facing south, change the reign title, and become king."
The queen was overjoyed. She took the elder by the hand, descended from the dragon carriage, and together they entered the Duan Gate. Behold:
The wind carried celestial music down from the towers; in the midst of the heavenly gates, the emerald chariot came. The phoenix palace gates opened wide, radiating a gentle light; the imperial palace, unclosed, was arrayed with brocades. Within the Unicorn Hall, incense smoke curled from the burner; beside the Peacock Screen, the shadows of fans moved back and forth. The pavilions and towers were magnificent, as if in a superior kingdom; the jade hall and golden horse were even more wondrous.
When they arrived at the Eastern Pavilion, they heard another burst of beautiful reed-pipe and song, and saw two rows of lovely palace maids. In the main hall were two large banquet tables: the one on the left, at the head of the table, was a vegetarian feast; the one on the right, at the head of the table, was a meat feast. Below, on both sides, were single tables. The queen gathered her robe sleeves, stretched out her slender fingers, held a jade cup, and came to arrange the seating. Wukong stepped forward and said, "All of us masters and disciples eat vegetarian food. Please have the master sit at the head of the left vegetarian table. Then, below, arrange three tables, one on each side, for us brothers to sit." The Grand Preceptor said happily, "Right, right! Master and disciple are like father and son; they cannot sit side by side." The female officials quickly adjusted the seating. The queen offered wine to each one in turn and seated Wukong and his two brothers. Wukong then gave the Tang Monk a meaningful look, signaling him to return the courtesy. Sanzang stood up, also holding a jade cup, and arranged the queen's seat. The civil and military officials, having thanked the emperor for their favor, sat down according to their rank. Only then did the music stop, and everyone was invited to drink.
Zhu Bajie, regardless of propriety, ate with wild abandon. He devoured everything in sight: jade-like rice, steamed cakes, sugar cakes, mushrooms, fragrant mushrooms, bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus, daylily buds, stone flower, seaweed, turnips, taro, radishes, yams, and sealwort. He ate it all in one breath. After drinking five or six cups of wine, he shouted, "Add more wine! Bring big cups! Let's have a few more cups, and then each of us can attend to our own business."
Sha Wujing asked, "With such a fine feast before us, what other business is there to attend to?"
The Fool laughed and said, "As the ancients said, 'Let the bow maker make bows, and the arrow maker make arrows.' Now, some of us are to be married, some to be given away in marriage. Those who are to fetch the scriptures will go fetch the scriptures, and those who are to travel will continue their journey. Let us not waste time drinking. Quickly exchange the travel documents. Truly, 'The general does not dismount; each one hastens to his own destination.'"
Hearing this, the queen immediately ordered large cups to be brought. The attendants quickly fetched several parrot cups, cormorant ladles, golden *poluo* cups, silver *zhuoluo* cups, glass goblets, crystal bowls, Penglai bowls, and amber cups. They filled them with fine wine, and everyone drank a round.
Sanzang stood up, pressed his palms together before the queen, and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your generous hospitality. I have had enough wine. Please go to the throne hall and exchange the travel documents. While it is still early, send my three disciples out of the city."
Hearing this, the queen took the elder by the hand, cleared the banquet, and went up to the Golden Throne Hall. She then invited the elder to become king. Sanzang said, "No, no! The Grand Preceptor just said that tomorrow is a yellow-road auspicious day. This humble monk can only become king tomorrow. Today, let us first stamp the travel documents and exchange them, and send them on their way."
Hearing this, the queen returned to her dragon bed and ordered a golden armchair to be placed to the left of the dragon bed. She invited the Tang Monk to sit down and told the disciples to bring the travel documents. Wukong told Sha Wujing to open the bundle and take out the travel documents. Wukong presented them with both hands. The queen examined them carefully. On them were the nine precious seals of the Great Tang emperor, and below them were the seals of the Precious Elephant Kingdom, the Black Chicken Kingdom, and the Chechi Kingdom. After reading them, the queen smiled charmingly and said, "Sworn brother, your surname is Chen, is it not?"
Sanzang said, "My lay surname is Chen, and my Dharma name is Xuanzang. Because the Tang king showed me favor and recognized me as his sworn brother, he bestowed upon me the surname Tang."
The queen asked, "Why are your disciples' names not written on the travel documents?"
Sanzang said, "My three disciples are not from the Great Tang."
The queen asked, "Since they are not from the Great Tang, why are they willing to follow you?"
Sanzang said, "My senior disciple is from the Aolai Kingdom in the Eastern Continent of Superior Divinity. My second disciple is from the Wusi Village in the Western Continent of Cattle-Gift. My third disciple is from the Flowing Sands River. All three of them had committed offenses against the laws of heaven. The Bodhisattva Guanyin of the Southern Sea saved them, made them turn from evil to good, and allowed them to atone for their crimes by performing meritorious deeds. They willingly protect me on my journey to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. I took them on along the way, so their Dharma names are not written on the documents."
The queen said, "Let me add their Dharma names for you. How would that be?"
Sanzang said, "As Your Majesty wishes."
The queen immediately ordered an ink brush to be brought. She ground the ink thick, dipped the brush fully, and wrote the three names—Sun Wukong, Zhu Wuneng, and Sha Wujing—on the back of the document. Then she took out the imperial seal and stamped it squarely. She also signed it with her own hand and handed it down. The Great Sage Sun received it and told Sha Wujing to wrap it up.
The queen then took out a tray of broken gold and silver, descended from the dragon bed, and handed it to Wukong, saying, "Take this, the three of you, as travel expenses. Go quickly to the Western Heaven. When you return with the scriptures, I will have a rich reward for you."
Wukong said, "We monks do not accept gold or silver. We can beg for food along the way."
Seeing that he refused, the queen took out ten rolls of brocade and said to Wukong, "You are leaving in a hurry and have no time to make clothes. Take