Chapter 84: The Dharani Cannot Be Destroyed; the Dharma King Returns to His Natural True Form

Now to return: Tripitaka had steadied his original yang and broken free of the bitter snare of desire. With Wukong leading the way west, they went on until summer had fully arrived. The warm breezes were beginning to stir, and the plum rains fell in threads. It was a lovely season:

Fresh green shade gathered thick; the breeze was light, and swallows led their young.
New lotuses turned the surface of the pond; slender bamboo grew more and more lush.
Fragrant grass spread green to the horizon; mountain flowers were laid all across the ground.
By the stream, cattails stood like planted swords; pomegranate fires strengthened the road of travel.

The four pilgrims suffered under the heat as they went. Then, just ahead of them, they saw two long rows of tall willows beside the road, and from among their shade came an old woman, with a child under her right arm, calling out to Tripitaka:

"Monk, do not go on. Turn your horse back at once. If you keep west, you are walking a road to death."

Tripitaka was so startled that he slipped from his horse and made his greetings. "Old bodhisattva, as the ancients say, 'The sea is wide enough for fish to leap, and the sky is open enough for birds to fly.' Why would there be no road west?"

The old woman pointed west and said, "About five or six li from here lies the Kingdom of Dharma Destruction. The king of that country, in a former life, made an old feud with someone and has now, for no reason at all, piled up sin in this life. Two years ago he made a great vow before Heaven to kill ten thousand monks. Over these two years he has killed nine thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-six nameless monks one by one, and now he is only waiting for four monks of renown to make up the round ten thousand and bring his vow to completion.

If you go there, you will be heading straight into the arms of death."

Tripitaka was frightened and said, trembling, "Old bodhisattva, I am deeply grateful for your kindness. But is there no way to go around the city?"

The old woman laughed. "There is no way around. Only one sort of traveler can pass."

Bajie, standing nearby, blurted out, "Mother, do not talk in riddles. We all know how to fly."

Wukong's fiery eyes saw through the truth at once. The old woman and the child were really Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, and Good Fortune Boy. He hurriedly threw himself down in prostration and cried, "Bodhisattva, your disciple failed to welcome you, failed to welcome you."

Guanyin rode up on a mass of auspicious cloud and drifted away softly. Tripitaka was so frightened he did not know where to stand, and could only kneel and bow again and again. Bajie and Sha Wujing also hurriedly knelt and paid their respects to the sky. In an instant the rosy cloud was already far off, drifting back toward the South Sea.

Wukong rose and helped his master up. "Please rise. The bodhisattva has already returned to her jeweled mountain."

Tripitaka stood and said, "Wukong, if you knew it was the bodhisattva, why did you not speak earlier?"

Wukong laughed. "You had not finished asking your questions, and I had already knelt. How could I call that too late?"

Bajie and Sha Wujing said, "Thanks to the bodhisattva's warning, the road ahead must be the Kingdom of Dharma Destruction, where they kill monks. What are we to do?"

Wukong said, "Do not be afraid, you fools. We have faced poison demons and savage monsters, tiger dens and dragon pools, and never suffered a scratch. This is only a country of ordinary mortals. What have we to fear? Only, this is no place to stay. The day is growing late, and if the country people coming in from the villages see that we are monks and shout about it, there will be trouble. Let us lead Master off the main road and find a quiet place to think it over."

Tripitaka followed his advice, and they all turned down from the road to a hollow by the roadside and sat down there. Wukong said, "Brothers, keep good watch over Master. I will change myself and go into the city to see the roads and find a better way. Tonight we will move on."

Tripitaka warned him, "Disciple, do not treat this lightly. The law of the land will not spare anyone. Be careful."

Wukong laughed. "Do not worry. I have my own method."

When he had said this, the Great Sage leaped up and in one bound was in the air. Strange indeed: nothing above pulled him, and nothing below propped him. Born of the same mother as all of us, he was simply lighter of bone. He stood in the clouds and looked down. In the city below he saw joy and prosperity everywhere, with lucky radiance rolling and spreading. He said, "What a fine place this is. Why should it be called a place where the law cannot be destroyed?"

He watched a while longer until the sky began to darken, and then he saw:

The lamp light of the cross streets shone brilliantly; from the ninefold palace came incense and bell tones.
Seven bright stars lit the blue heavens; from every quarter travelers had taken off their packs.
In the six army camps, painted horns were only then sounding; at the five-watch tower, the bronze kettle was beginning to drip.
On all four sides the night mist lay thick and dim; in the three market streets, cold smoke drifted pale.
Couples returned together to their embroidered curtains; a round moon rose in the east.

He thought to himself, "If I go down there now to scout the roads in this face, anyone who sees me will surely take me for a monk. I had better change."

He pinched his fingers in a spell, muttered the incantation, and changed himself into a moth:

Slender was its body, frail its wings, light and nimble; it quells lamps, strikes candles, and seeks the light.
Its true face changes and is newly born; within rotten grass it answers with spirit.
It loves best to brush against bright fire, darting to and fro without rest.
Purple robe, fragrant wings, chasing fireflies; best of all, when night is deep and the wind is still.

He fluttered and turned, flying over the six streets and three markets, skimming eaves and corners. As he went, he saw a house at the turn of the alley, every doorway hung with a lantern. He said to himself, "Are these people celebrating Lantern Festival? Why are all the lanterns lit in a row?"

He flapped his wings and came closer to look. In the middle house, the lantern board read, "Lodging for Traveling Merchants," and beneath it, "Wang Xiao'er Inn."

Only then did Wukong understand that it was an eating house. He craned his neck and looked again. Eight or nine people had finished supper, taken off their coats, removed their headcloths, washed their hands and feet, and gone to bed.

Wukong was secretly pleased. "Master can get through," he thought.

How did he know that? He meant to do a bad thing. Once they were asleep, he would steal their clothes and headcloths and dress the master like an ordinary man to get into the city.

Alas, things never go quite as planned. Just then the little waiter came forward and said, "Gentlemen, be careful. There is a difference here between gentlemen and common folk. Each of you must look after your clothes and baggage."

And who among traveling merchants is not careful? Hearing the landlord's warning, they grew even more cautious. They got up at once and said, "What the landlord says is right. Traveling is hard work, and we are afraid that if we fall asleep, we may not wake in time and lose our things. Please put away the clothes, headcloths, and belts, and when morning comes, hand them back to us so we can set out."

So Wang Xiao'er really did carry all the clothing and suchlike into his own room. Wukong, impatient as ever, spread his wings and flew inside, landing on a headcloth rack. Then he saw Wang Xiao'er take down the lantern from the door, lower the hanging curtain, close the windows, and go into the room to take off his clothes and sleep.

Wang Xiao'er had an old woman with him, along with two children. They were making a great noisy racket and could not fall asleep. The old woman had a torn garment and was busily mending and stitching it, still not sleeping.

Wukong thought to himself, "If I wait until the old woman falls asleep before making my move, will I not delay the master?"

Yet he also feared that if it grew too late, the city gates would be shut. Unable to endure it any longer, he swooped down and struck at the lamp. Truly, he was like someone who throws himself into fire, scorched at the brow while reaching for the last breath of life. The lamp went out at once.

He then changed himself into a mouse, squeaked twice, and leaped down, grabbing the clothes and headcloths and heading for the door.

The old woman cried out in panic, "Old man, this is bad. A night rat spirit has become a demon!"

Hearing that, Wukong changed his hand and blocked the doorway, shouting, "Wang Xiao'er, do not listen to your wife's nonsense. I am not some rat spirit. There are no dark deeds in daylight. I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, come down in person to escort Tang monk to the Western Heaven to seek the scriptures. Your king here is lawless, so I have borrowed these clothes and headcloths to dress my master. When we get through the city, we will return them at once."

When Wang Xiao'er heard this, he sprang up in confusion and, in the dark, fumbled around like a man in a panic, pulling on his trousers as if they were a coat. He could not get them on any which way.

The Great Sage cast a grabbing spell, rode out on the clouds, then turned back and returned to the hollow beneath the road.

Tripitaka, seeing the starlight and the bright moon, leaned forward and watched carefully. Seeing Wukong come near, he cried out, "Disciple, can we get through the Kingdom of Dharma Destruction?"

Wukong put down the clothes and said, "Master, if we are to get through the Kingdom of Dharma Destruction, then monks cannot look like monks."

Bajie said, "Brother, why keep tormenting us? It is easy enough not to be monks. We only need to go half a year without shaving, and hair will grow out again."

Wukong said, "Who can wait half a year? Right now all of you must become laymen."

The fool panicked. "You are talking nonsense in a way that makes no sense at all. We are monks now, and if we are to become laymen, how can we put on headcloths? Even if you fasten the edges, there is nowhere to tie the crown cord."

Tripitaka snapped, "Stop joking and do the real work. What is the plan?"

Wukong said, "Master, I have already looked at the city. Though the king is unjust and kills monks, he is still a true son of Heaven. The streets in the city I know. The local speech I have learned well enough to speak. Just now I borrowed these clothes and headcloths from the inn. Let us dress ourselves as laymen and go into the city to find lodging. At the third watch we will get up and tell the innkeeper to prepare a vegetarian meal for us. Then, when the fifth watch comes, we will slip out by the city gate and take the main road west. If anyone sees us and stops us, we can argue back and say we are imperial envoys from a higher country, and the King of Dharma Destruction would not dare hold us back, so he let us pass."

Sha Wujing said, "Senior Brother has the right of it. Let us do as he says."

Tripitaka had no choice, so he took off his outer robe, removed his monk's cap, put on the layman's clothes, and tied on a headcloth. Sha Wujing changed as well.

Bajie had such a large head that he could not wear the cloth properly. Wukong took out needle and thread, split one headcloth into two crowns, stitched them together into a single one, and draped it over his head. He picked a broad garment and put it on him.

Then he changed his own clothes and said, "Sirs, once we go in, let us put away the words 'master' and 'disciple.'"

Bajie asked, "If we drop those four words, what are we supposed to call each other?"

Wukong said, "We will call each other brothers. Master will be Tang Daguan, you will be Zhu Sanguan, Brother Sha will be Sha Siguan, and I will be Sun Erguan. But once we get to the inn, do not speak unless I speak first.

If anyone asks what sort of business we are in, just say we are horse merchants and point to the white horse as proof. Say that we are ten brothers altogether, and the four of us have come first to rent rooms and sell horses. Six more brothers are waiting outside the city with the rest of the herd because it was too late to bring them in. Once we have rented the rooms, they can come in tomorrow morning. Only after the horses are sold will we go home."

Tripitaka could only submit.

The four of them hurriedly led the horse and carried the luggage across to the other side. This was a peaceful place, and even at the closing of night the gates had not yet shut, so they went straight in.

When they reached Wang Xiaoer's inn, they heard voices from inside:

"I have lost my headcloth."

"I have lost my clothes."

Wukong acted as if he knew nothing and led the others to a house across the street to lodge.

The lanterns there had not yet been taken in. When he reached the door, he called out, "Innkeeper, do you have a room free? We want to stay the night."

Inside, a woman answered, "Yes, yes, yes. Gentlemen, please come upstairs."

Before she had finished speaking, a man came out to take the horse. Wukong handed it over. He led his master past the lantern glow and straight up the stairs, where there were tables and chairs ready for use. He pushed open the lattice windows, sat down in the moonlight, and watched as someone lit a lamp.

Wukong blocked the doorway and blew it out at once. "With a moon like this, there is no need for a lamp."

The man went down again. Then a maid came up with four bowls of clear tea, which Wukong accepted. Soon another woman, about fifty-seven or fifty-eight years old, came upstairs and stood nearby. She asked, "Where have the gentlemen come from? What goods are you selling?"

Wukong said, "We are from the north, and we have a few rough horses for sale."

The woman said, "Horse merchants are still young men."

Wukong said, "This one here is Tang Daguan, this one is Zhu Sanguan, this one is Sha Siguan, and I, your humble student, am Sun Erguan."

The woman laughed. "A family of strangers."

Wukong said, "Exactly. We are a family of strangers. Altogether we have ten brothers. The four of us have come ahead to rent rooms and light the fire. The other six are outside the city resting with the horses because it was too late to come in. Once we have rented rooms, they will come tomorrow morning. We will go home only after the horses are sold."

The woman asked, "How many horses are there in the herd?"

Wukong said, "A hundred and some, big and small, all about the size of this one, only with different coats."

The woman laughed. "Sun Erguan, you are truly an experienced merchant. You were lucky to come here. No other house would dare keep you. My compound is broad, the stalls are all in order, and there is plenty of fodder. Even if you had several hundred horses, I could feed them all. Only one thing: my family has been running this inn for many years, and we have our own lowly name. My late husband was surnamed Zhao. He died long ago, and so people call this place Widow Zhao's Inn. We have three sorts of lodging here. I will be plain with you first and polite afterward. Let us settle the room charge before we talk about anything else."

Wukong said, "Just so. What are your three sorts of lodging? As the saying goes, 'Goods have their prices in three grades, but guests are all viewed the same regardless of distance.' Why do you say there are three kinds of lodging? Let me hear them."

Widow Zhao said, "We have upper, middle, and lower."

Wukong asked, "And the upper?"

Widow Zhao said, "The upper sort includes a banquet of five fruits and five dishes, a table decorated with sugar figures and sweets, two men to a room, and a young singing girl to keep you company, sing for you, and sleep beside you. Each person pays five mace of silver, room included."

Wukong smiled. "That suits us well enough. Five mace would not even be enough to hire a young singing girl for me."

Widow Zhao said, "The middle sort is a shared table with fruit and warmed wine, and you draw lots and play drinking games as you please. No singing girl is needed. Each person pays only two mace."

Wukong said, "That also suits us well enough. And the lower sort?"

The woman said, "I would not dare speak of it before honored guests."

Wukong said, "Go on and say it. We can choose the one that suits us."

The woman said, "For the lower sort, there is no attendant. There is cooked rice in the pot for anyone who wants it, and after eating, you may lay down a straw mat and sleep wherever you can. In the morning, if you would be so kind as to leave a few cash for the meal, there will be no argument."

When Bajie heard that, he cried out, "Good fortune, good fortune! Old Zhu's business has come at last! Let me fill my belly from the pot and sleep by the stove!"

Wukong said, "Brother, what sort of talk is that? When we are out in the world, where can we not earn a few taels of silver? Choose the upper sort."

The woman was overjoyed and at once called for tea and told the kitchen to get busy. Then she went down and shouted, "Kill chickens and geese. Boil the salted dishes. Kill pigs and sheep too. We may not need them today, but they can be used tomorrow.

Boil the white rice, make flour cakes, and watch the wine."

Tripitaka heard this upstairs and said, "Sun Erguan, how can this be? She is killing chickens and geese, slaughtering pigs and sheep. If she sends the food up, we are all vowed to a vegetarian life. Who among us would dare eat it?"

Wukong said, "I have a plan."

He went to the stairway and stomped his feet. "Widow Zhao, come upstairs."

The woman came up and said, "What do you command, Second Gentleman?"

Wukong said, "Let there be no killing today. We are keeping a fast."

The widow was astonished. "Are you all keeping a long fast? Or a monthly fast?"

Wukong said, "Neither. We call it the Gengshen fast. Today happens to be a Gengshen day, so we must fast. After the third watch, when the day changes to Xinyou, the fast will be over. You may slaughter animals tomorrow. For now, bring us only vegetarian dishes, but keep the upper rate."

The woman grew even happier and ran down to tell them, "Do not kill anything. Do not kill anything. Get some black fungus, Min bamboo shoots, tofu, and gluten. Pull some greens from the garden. Make some rice noodle soup. Steam the dough rolls. Boil white rice. Brew fragrant tea."

The cooks were men and women who handled such work every day. In the blink of an eye everything was ready and carried upstairs, along with ready-made sugar sweets. The four of them enjoyed themselves as they pleased.

Widow Zhao asked, "Shall I bring wine with the meal?"

Wukong said, "Only Master Tang will not drink. The rest of us can have a few cups."

So the woman brought warm wine.

The three of them had just filled their cups when they suddenly heard a clatter of planks.

Wukong asked, "Madam, what in your lower room has fallen over?"

The widow said, "It is nothing. Some guests from my little outlying farm brought rent rice late and are sleeping below. Since we have honored guests here and no one to serve them, I told them to carry the sedan chairs into the courtyard and invite the young singing girls up to keep you company. I suppose the poles of the sedan chairs struck the floorboards."

Wukong said, "Since you mention it, do not send for them. First, because today is a fasting day; second, because our brothers are not here yet. It would be better for us to come in tomorrow, one young singing girl for each of us, and have a little fun here in the inn. Once the horses are sold, we will be off."

Widow Zhao said, "Good man, good man. That keeps the peace and preserves your strength."

She told the servants, "Bring in the sedan chairs, but do not go to fetch them."

After the four of them finished eating and drinking, the utensils were cleared away and the house settled. Tripitaka whispered in Wukong's ear, "Where shall we sleep?"

Wukong said, "Right here upstairs."

Tripitaka said, "That is not safe. We are all tired from the road, and if we fall asleep and someone comes in to tidy up, they may see a cap roll off or a bald head show through, recognize us as monks, and start making a scene. What then?"

Wukong said, "True enough."

He went to the stairway again and stamped his feet. Widow Zhao came back up and said, "What else do you need, Sun Gentleman?"

Wukong said, "Where are we supposed to sleep?"

The woman said, "Upstairs is the best place. There are no mosquitoes, the south wind is blowing, and the windows are wide open. It is very good for sleeping."

Wukong said, "That will not do. My Zhu Third Gentleman has a damp chill, Sha Fourth Gentleman has a leaking shoulder wind, and Tang Big Gentleman must sleep in the dark. As for me, I am ashamed of bright light. This is no place to sleep."

The woman went back downstairs and leaned against the counter, sighing.

She had a daughter, who came up holding a child and said, "Mother, as the saying goes, 'Ten days you may sit on the sandbar, but one day you may travel through nine sandbars.' Now it is summer. Even if business is slow, when autumn comes there will still be trade. Why are you sighing?"

The woman said, "Child, I am not worrying about lack of business.

This evening we are already shutting up the shop and it is nearly the middle watch. These four horse merchants came to rent rooms, and they wanted the upper sort of lodging. I hoped to make a few strings of cash from them, but then they chose fasting food, and I could not earn their money. That is why I am sighing."

The daughter said, "Since they have already eaten, it would not be good for them to go to another house. Tomorrow we can still arrange meat and wine. How can you not earn their money then?"

The woman said, "They all have sicknesses. One has a fear of wind, one is ashamed of light, and one must sleep in the dark. Look at our house: it is all single-tile roof and open rooms. Where can we find a dark corner? Better to give them one meal and send them to another house."

The daughter said, "Mother, there is a dark place in our home, and it is not windy. It is very good, very good."

The woman asked, "Where is it?"

The daughter said, "When Father was alive, he had a great chest made. It is four chi wide, seven chi long, and about three chi high. It can hold six or seven people inside. Let them sleep in that chest."

The woman said, "I do not know whether that will do. Let me ask them."

"Sun Gentleman, our humble house has no dark place left. There is only a great chest. It does not let in wind and does not let in light. How would it be if you slept in it?"

Wukong said, "Good, good, good."

At once he told the guests to carry out the chest, lift the lid, and invite them downstairs.

Wukong led his master, and Sha Wujing carried the luggage. They followed the light and went straight to the chest. Bajie, not caring good or bad, climbed in first. Sha Wujing handed in the baggage, helped Tripitaka into it, and then climbed in himself.

Wukong asked, "Where is my horse?"

The servant nearby said, "The horse is tied in the back room, eating fodder."

Wukong said, "Bring it here, and bring the fodder with it. Tie it close to the chest."

Then he went in and told Widow Zhao, "Put the lid on, drive in the locking pin, and lock the latch. Keep an eye out too. If there is any light leaking in, paste some paper over it. Come open it early tomorrow."

Widow Zhao said, "You are certainly careful."

So they all shut their doors and went to sleep.

Now, inside the chest, it was miserable indeed. First, they had only just put on headcloths, and second, the weather was hot, so the air was stifling and there was no breeze at all. They all took off the headcloths and clothes, and because they had no fan, they kept fanning themselves with their monk caps. Pressed shoulder to shoulder, they did not fall asleep until the middle watch.

Only Wukong had a mind for mischief, and he alone could not sleep. He stretched out a hand and pinched Bajie on the leg.

The fool drew back his foot and muttered, "Sleep, then. We are worn out. Why are you still playing with hands and feet?"

Wukong whispered nonsense. "The original price of our goods was five thousand taels. We sold the horses before for three thousand, and now in the two bundles there are four thousand taels ready at hand. If this herd of horses sells for another three thousand, that will be profit on top of profit. Good enough, good enough."

The sleepy Bajie did not answer him.

Who would have guessed that the inn's waiters, water-carriers, and fire-tenders all kept company with robbers? When they heard Wukong talking about so much silver, several of them slipped out and gathered twenty or more thieves. They came back openly with weapons and stormed in to rob the horse merchants. They broke the door open and rushed in.

Widow Zhao and her daughter were frightened out of their wits. They shut their room doors and crouched inside while the thieves did their work outside. The thieves did not want the inn's utensils; they were only after the guests.

When they reached the upper floor and found no obvious loot, they lit torches and looked everywhere. Then they saw, in the courtyard, a great chest with a white horse tied to one leg. The chest lid was locked tight and would not budge.

The thieves said, "Traveling merchants always have tricks. Looking at the weight of this chest, there must be baggage and silver inside. Let us steal the horse, carry the chest out of the city, and open it later to divide the spoils. Would that not be fine?"

So the thieves really did find ropes and carrying poles, hoist the chest, and carry it off, swaying this way and that.

Bajie woke and said, "Brother, go to sleep. Why is everything shaking?"

Wukong said, "Do not talk. No one is shaking us."

Tripitaka and Sha Wujing suddenly woke too and asked, "Who is carrying us?"

Wukong said, "Do not shout, do not shout. Let them carry us. If they carry us all the way to the Western Heaven, that saves us walking."

The thieves got their prize, but instead of heading west, they carried the chest east, killed the guards at the gate, and broke through the city gate.

At once the whole city was alarmed. The watchmen in the six streets and three markets hurried to report to the patrol general and the eastern military commissioner. The general and the officer made the matter their own, immediately raised men, archers, and soldiers, and gave chase beyond the city.

When the thieves saw that the government troops were too strong, they dared not resist. They set down the great chest, dropped the white horse, and scattered into the hills.

The soldiers did not catch a single thief. They only took back the chest and the horse and returned in triumph.

Under the lamplight, the general saw the horse and thought it a splendid animal:

Its mane parted like silver thread, its tail swept like jade ribbons.
What need to speak of the eight fine dragon horses? It outmatched even the famous stallions of old.
It was worth a thousand gold to buy the bones of a steed, and could race a thousand miles against the wind.
When it climbed a mountain, it seemed to meet the blue clouds; when it cried to the moon, it shone as pure as white snow.
It was truly a dragon loosed from a sea isle, a jade qilin brought joy to the human world.

The general did not ride his own horse. He mounted the white horse himself, led the troops back into the city, and had the chest carried to the prefectural office, where it was sealed and posted with an official notice. He ordered guards to watch it until dawn and then report to the throne for a decision. The soldiers dispersed.

Tripitaka, still inside the chest, blamed Wukong. "You hairy monkey, you have killed me. If we were outside, and the thieves seized us, the matter could still be argued before the King of Dharma Destruction. But now we are locked in a chest, stolen by thieves, then seized by soldiers. Tomorrow, when we are brought before the king, they will simply cut us down and ask questions later. Will that not complete his ten thousand?"

Wukong said, "If they open the chest outside, we will not merely be bound; we may be hung up or beaten. For now, endure it and avoid the hanging and the beating. Tomorrow, when we see that foolish king, Old Sun will have his answer and promise not to let a single hair on your head be harmed. Go on and sleep easy."

When the third watch came, Wukong made a move. He drew out his rod, blew on it with immortal breath, and cried, "Change!"

It changed at once into a three-pointed drill. He bored two or three times through the foot of the chest and made a hole. Then he put away the drill, shook himself, changed into an ant, and crawled out.

He resumed his true form, rode a cloud to the gate outside the imperial palace, and found the king still in a deep sleep.

He used his Great Dividing-Body divine art. From the hairs on his left arm he plucked out all the hairs, blew on them with immortal breath, and cried, "Change!"

They all changed into little Wukongs.

From the hairs on his right arm he plucked out the rest, blew on them with immortal breath, and cried, "Change!"

They all changed into sleep bugs.

He recited the spell syllable "Om" and ordered the local earth spirit to lead the little Wukongs and scatter them through the palace, the five government halls, the six ministries, and every official's residence. Wherever there was an office holder of rank, he sent one sleep bug to each of them, so that everyone would sleep soundly and not turn over in bed.

Then he took the Golden-Hooped Rod in hand, weighed it, shook it, and called out, "Baby, change!"

At once it changed into hundreds upon hundreds of razor-sharp barber knives. He took one knife and gave another to each little Wukong, and they all went off to shave the heads of the inner palace, the five ministries, and all the government offices.

Truly, this was:

The Dharma King destroys the Dharma, yet the Dharma is without end; through heaven and earth the great Way runs.
All dharmas return by cause to a single body; the wondrous forms of the Three Vehicles are one from the start.
Bore open the jade cabinet and the hidden matter shines; scatter the golden hairs and break through the veils of darkness.
Be sure the Dharma King attains true fruition, unborn and undying, gone and returned into emptiness.

The shaving was complete by the middle of the night. He recited the spell and dismissed the earth spirits. Then he shook his body once, and the hairs on both arms settled back down.

He pinched the shaving knives together into their original form. They became once more the Golden-Hooped Rod, which he shrank and tucked inside his ear. He then turned once more into an ant, crawled back into the chest, and resumed his true form, keeping watch with Tripitaka.

Now, in the inner palace, just before dawn, the palace ladies and attendant girls got up to comb their hair and wash their faces, only to find that every one of them had no hair at all. The lesser and greater eunuchs who went through the palace were bald as well. They all hurried in a crowd to the sleeping hall, beating music to wake the king, each of them holding back tears and not daring to speak plainly.

After a while, the three palace consorts woke too, and they too had no hair.

They hurriedly moved a lamp to the foot of the dragon bed and looked. In the embroidered quilt on the bed there was a monk sleeping soundly. The queen could not hold her tongue and spoke out, startling the king awake.

The king opened his eyes in a panic. Seeing that the queen had a bare scalp, he hurriedly got up and cried, "My lady, how did you come to this?"

The queen said, "My lord, you are the same."

The emperor felt his own head and was so frightened that his three souls groaned and his seven spirits flew away. "What am I to do now?" he cried.

In their panic they saw all the concubines, palace ladies, and eunuchs kneeling below, all bald-headed, and crying, "My lord, we have all become monks."

The king looked at them and burst into tears. "It must be because I have been killing monks."

He at once issued a command: "None of you may speak of the hair loss. I fear the civil and military officials will criticize the state for not being proper. Go up on the hall and hold court at once."

And so the officers of the five ministries and six government offices, together with all the officials, had to go to the audience hall before dawn. In truth, every one of them had also lost his hair in the night. Each man wrote up a memorial to report what had happened.

Only then did the story end:

The silent whip sounded three times to summon the emperor to court; the memorials were all about the reason the heads had been shaved. But how the general took the thieves' loot from the chest, and what became of Tripitaka and the others, must wait for the next chapter.