Chapter Summaries

Nezha recounted how Bodhisattva Guanyin recruited demons to protect the scripture pilgrim, while Sun Wukong listened and judged Tathagata’s plan. Nezha ended his account by spotting Sun Wukong beneath the mountain where he had been imprisoned.

• Sun Wukong criticized Tathagata for offering Tightening Headbands and incantations to recruit demon bodyguards for the scripture pilgrim.
• Nezha described how Bodhisattva Guanyin and he traveled east, where Sha Wujing agreed to become the pilgrim’s disciple after revealing his former role in the Heavenly Court.
• Nezha recounted how a wild boar demon revealed he was Marshal Tianpeng, and Bodhisattva Guanyin gave him the Dharma name Zhu Wuneng after he agreed to protect the pilgrim.
• Nezha said Bodhisattva Guanyin secured the Jade Emperor’s pardon for Ao Lie, the punished third prince of the West Sea Dragon King.
• Nezha and Bodhisattva Guanyin encountered a mountain marked with Buddha Tathagata’s Six-Syllable Mantra and Taishang Laojun’s warning, where Nezha recognized Sun Wukong below it.

Sun Wukong read Bodhisattva Guanyin’s letter and learned he could earn his freedom by protecting a future scripture pilgrim. The letter confirmed a fortune-teller’s prediction that Sun Wukong would escape his restraints after several hundred years.

• Sun Wukong read Muzha’s letter to Nezha, while Nezha had stopped reading before its final lines inviting him to Chang'an.
• Nezha pointed out that Muzha’s letter mentioned a separate letter Bodhisattva Guanyin had left beneath Sun Wukong.
• Sun Wukong found and read Bodhisattva Guanyin’s letter, which said he could be freed if he became a future scripture pilgrim’s disciple and protected him on his journey.
• Sun Wukong recalled how Zhang San, a fortune-teller, had predicted he would regain his freedom in a few hundred years.
• Sun Wukong realized Bodhisattva Guanyin’s letter had revealed the dawn of his freedom.

Sun Wukong and Nezha reunited beneath Five Elements Mountain before Nezha left, and Sun Wukong continued waiting for the scripture seeker as centuries passed. In the Great Tang, the temple-raised Jiang Liu'er became a gifted monk and martial artist, and the chapter leaves him fighting a wild boar to save a passerby.

• Nezha shared food and wine with Sun Wukong for three days, promised they would meet again after Sun Wukong was freed, and then departed.
• Sun Wukong continued cultivating while imprisoned, and more than four hundred and eighty years passed.
• A temple abbot found an infant in a wooden basin drifting downriver, adopted him, and named him Jiang Liu'er.
• Jiang Liu'er mastered Buddhist teachings, martial arts, and the temple's magic manual, becoming the temple's strongest and most learned monk.
• Jiang Liu'er encountered a passerby trapped in a tree by a wild boar, wounded the boar with his axe, and threw his clothing over its face when it charged.

Jiang Liu'er killed a boar and rescued a frightened traveler, who took the carcass for his hungry family. As they crossed the forest after dark, wolves attacked; Jiang Liu'er killed one and drove the other away.

• Jiang Liu'er killed the boar that had chased the traveler and persuaded him to climb down from a tree.
• The traveler asked for the boar's carcass, and Jiang Liu'er agreed; the traveler hoisted it onto his shoulder and followed him.
• Night fell as Jiang Liu'er and the traveler hurried through the forest toward the temple.
• When two wolves attacked, the traveler threw the boar's carcass at them and climbed a tree.
• Jiang Liu'er killed one wolf with his axe, and the other fled.

Jiang Liu'er rescued a man from a boar and wolves, and the man's praise spread word of Jiang Liu'er's abilities throughout the town. After Jiang Liu'er won the Great Tang's Buddhist debate contest and prepared to lecture, Bodhisattva Guanyin appeared on the route with the kasaya and monk's staff, offering them for sale.

• Jiang Liu'er saved a man from a wild boar and two wolves, then explained his late return to the temple abbot.
• The rescued man praised Jiang Liu'er around town, spreading news of his Buddhist knowledge and martial skills.
• Emperor Taizong of Tang announced a nationwide Buddhist debate to choose someone to retrieve the Sanzang True Scriptures, and the abbot took Jiang Liu'er to compete.
• Jiang Liu'er won the contest and agreed to give a public lecture on Buddhist teachings.
• Bodhisattva Guanyin brought the kasaya and monk's staff to the lecture route, then quoted a passing monk five thousand taels for each treasure.

Bodhisattva Guanyin offered his kasaya and monk's staff to Emperor Taizong of Tang after learning they were meant for Dharma Master Xuanzang. Xuanzang wore the treasures to the Dharma assembly, where a challenge to his teaching left the story poised for a debate.

• Bodhisattva Guanyin rebuked a fake monk who complained about the treasures’ price, then explained that he would sell them to evil monks but give them freely to virtuous ones.
• The chancellor invited Bodhisattva Guanyin to the palace, hoping to buy the treasures for Jiang Liu'er, who lacked a fine kasaya.
• Emperor Taizong of Tang asked why the treasures cost five thousand taels apiece and said he wanted them for the virtuous Dharma Master Xuanzang.
• Bodhisattva Guanyin gave the kasaya and monk's staff to Xuanzang without payment, then vanished despite Emperor Taizong of Tang trying to stop him.
• The chancellor delivered the treasures to Xuanzang, who wore them at the next day's assembly and began expounding the Dharma.
• Someone declared that Xuanzang's teaching was only Hinayana Dharma and could neither deliver the dead nor enable them to ascend to heaven.

Bodhisattva Guanyin preached the Sanzang of Mahayana Dharma, and Tang Xuanzang volunteered to travel west and retrieve the scriptures. After leaving Chang'an, Tang Xuanzang fled a tiger and learned from Guanyin that he should free the monster pinned beneath Five Elements Mountain and take him as a disciple.

• Bodhisattva Guanyin revealed his true form, preached the Mahayana Dharma, and vanished, prompting Emperor Taizong of Tang to seek a volunteer to travel west for the scriptures.
• Tang Xuanzang volunteered, vowed to obtain the true scriptures, and became Emperor Taizong of Tang's sworn younger brother.
• Emperor Taizong of Tang suggested Tang Xuanzang use Sanzang as his courtesy name and gave him an alms bowl and the White Dragon Horse before his departure.
• Tang Xuanzang traveled west and escaped a hungry tiger near Five Elements Mountain by fleeing to a ruined temple.
• Bodhisattva Guanyin manifested before Tang Xuanzang and told him to free the monster pinned beneath Five Elements Mountain and make him his disciple.

After nearly being killed by a tiger, Tang Xuanzang learned from Bodhisattva Guanyin that a monkey imprisoned beneath Five Elements Mountain would become his disciple and protect him. He found Sun Wukong, accidentally sat on his head, and left after Sun Wukong jabbed him; the chapter ended with Tang Xuanzang returning to ask about the imprisoned monkey.

• Bodhisattva Guanyin told Tang Xuanzang to find the monkey beneath Five Elements Mountain and promised that the monkey would become his disciple and guard him.
• Tang Xuanzang rode to Five Elements Mountain, failed to find the monkey, and sat on a rock that was actually Sun Wukong's head.
• Sun Wukong jabbed Tang Xuanzang as he sat down, and the two traded insults before Tang Xuanzang rode away.
• Sun Wukong lamented his loneliness and wondered when the scripture pilgrim would free him.
• Tang Xuanzang rode back and told Sun Wukong that Bodhisattva Guanyin had sent him to free the monkey imprisoned beneath the mountain.

Tang Xuanzang discovered that the monkey trapped beneath the Five Elements Mountain was Sun Wukong, who agreed to become his disciple and escort him to Western Heaven. Sun Wukong explained why two seals blocked his escape, leaving Tang Xuanzang to decide whether to remove them.

• Sun Wukong told Tang Xuanzang that the monkey he sought was buried in the rocks right before him, and Tang Xuanzang recognized him as Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
• Sun Wukong confirmed that he would become Tang Xuanzang's disciple and protect him on the journey to obtain the scriptures.
• Sun Wukong told Tang Xuanzang to remove the two seals atop the Five Elements Mountain so he could regain his strength and escape.
• Tang Xuanzang questioned why Sun Wukong was trapped by two seals after losing a wager to Tathagata.
• Sun Wukong explained that Tathagata's seal weakened him and Taishang Laojun's seal then suppressed all his Law Power.

Tang Xuanzang climbed Five Elements Mountain and removed the slips pinning Sun Wukong there after Wukong convinced him their threats were bluffs. Wukong prepared to overturn the mountain, while Tang Xuanzang ran away and checked whether he was far enough to be safe.

• Tang Xuanzang climbed to the summit of Five Fingers Mountain to remove the slips trapping Sun Wukong.
• Tang Xuanzang withdrew from both slips after golden threats appeared beneath them.
• Sun Wukong assured Tang Xuanzang that Buddha Tathagata and Taishang Laojun had written the threats to frighten anyone who tried to remove the slips.
• Tang Xuanzang gathered his courage, tore down both slips, and brought them to Sun Wukong.
• Sun Wukong told Tang Xuanzang to move away before he overturned the mountain, and Tang Xuanzang ran about a li before asking if he was safe.

Sun Wukong broke free of Five Elements Mountain after nearly five hundred years and reunited with Tang Xuanzang. After accidentally striking Tang Xuanzang with a stone and calming his frightened horse, Sun Wukong went to bathe while Tang Xuanzang waited by the river.

• Tang Xuanzang hid behind a hill while Sun Wukong shattered Five Elements Mountain and freed himself.
• Sun Wukong kicked a stone that struck Tang Xuanzang, then concealed his role by claiming no one else was nearby.
• Tang Xuanzang accepted Sun Wukong's explanation and found that his white horse had been frightened by the mountain's destruction.
• Sun Wukong calmed the white horse, and Tang Xuanzang told him to wash after more than five hundred years without a bath.
• Sun Wukong bathed in a river while Tang Xuanzang waited on the bank and stared at the filthy water.

Sun Wukong washed himself in a river, poisoning the water and killing many fish, then tried to roast two fish for Tang Xuanzang. Tang Xuanzang stopped him from killing them, and Sun Wukong released them before the pair continued their journey.

• Sun Wukong washed the grime off his body in the river, leaving fish dead and turtles and ducks fleeing the polluted water.
• Sun Wukong offered Tang Xuanzang two large fish and headed to gather firewood so he could roast them.
• Tang Xuanzang stopped Sun Wukong and explained that Buddhist disciples should not kill living creatures or eat meat.
• Sun Wukong apologized, released the two fish back into the river, and was moved by Tang Xuanzang's concern for him.
• Tang Xuanzang praised Sun Wukong for obeying the Buddhist precepts, and Sun Wukong urged them to continue their journey.

As Sun Wukong led Tang Xuanzang toward Western Heaven, he asked why Tang Xuanzang had undertaken the scripture journey. Tang Xuanzang explained how Guanyin’s appearance at a Buddhist debate inspired Emperor Taizong of Tang to seek Mahayana scriptures, and how Tang Xuanzang volunteered to fetch them.

• Sun Wukong reminded Tang Xuanzang that they needed to travel to Western Heaven, and Tang Xuanzang mounted the White Dragon Horse.
• Sun Wukong asked Tang Xuanzang why he was going to fetch scriptures despite the long journey and offered to take him there on his Somersault Cloud.
• Tang Xuanzang began recounting his infancy, but Sun Wukong stopped him and asked for the important details.
• Tang Xuanzang explained that Guanyin had appeared at a Buddhist debate in Chang'an and presented Mahayana Dharma to Emperor Taizong of Tang.
• Tang Xuanzang said Emperor Taizong had asked for a volunteer to fetch the scriptures, and Tang Xuanzang had stepped forward and become the emperor’s sworn younger brother.
• Sun Wukong summarized that Tang Xuanzang had accepted the journey on behalf of Emperor Taizong, and Tang Xuanzang agreed.

Tang Xuanzang and Sun Wukong rested in a fruit grove, then continued toward the Western Heaven until a hungry tiger confronted them. Tang Xuanzang insisted on fighting it himself and charged before it could attack.

• Sun Wukong suggested picking fruit, and Tang Xuanzang agreed to rest and eat.
• Sun Wukong brought Tang Xuanzang peaches, then other fruit, and they continued their journey after eating.
• Sun Wukong offered to fight a tiger they encountered, but Tang Xuanzang refused and claimed he had learned minor spells as a child.
• Sun Wukong reluctantly let Tang Xuanzang face the tiger and took the white horse aside to watch over them.
• Tang Xuanzang charged at the tiger, startling it before it had attacked.

Tang Xuanzang defeated a tiger with five Law Techniques, then explained to Sun Wukong that he killed it to protect people and planned to make Wukong clothes from its skin. They continued west and found a household, where Tang Xuanzang asked to borrow a needle and thread; the chapter ended as he told the homeowner to close his mouth.

• Tang Xuanzang used five Law Techniques to kill the tiger after knocking it unconscious.
• Tang Xuanzang told Sun Wukong he had seen human clothing in the tiger's mouth and killed it to prevent future attacks, then said he would make Wukong clothes from its skin.
• Sun Wukong skinned the tiger and burned and buried its remains, then thanked Tang Xuanzang for caring about him.
• Tang Xuanzang and Sun Wukong continued west and found a household where they could ask to borrow a needle and thread.
• Tang Xuanzang went to the door instead of Sun Wukong, introduced himself to the homeowner, and told him to close his mouth.

Tang Xuanzang borrowed needle and thread to make Sun Wukong a garment from the tiger skin, then learned that his host’s wife was gravely ill after their child was killed by a tiger. He revealed that he and Sun Wukong had already killed the tiger and used the Universal Deliverance Mantra to cure the woman.

• Tang Xuanzang explained that he needed needle and thread to sew a garment from the tiger skin, and the householder invited him and Sun Wukong inside.
• After hearing the householder’s wife cough, Tang Xuanzang learned that she had fallen ill with grief after a tiger carried off their child.
• Tang Xuanzang told the householder that he and Sun Wukong had killed the tiger and offered to treat his wife.
• The householder begged Tang Xuanzang to help, and Tang Xuanzang examined his wife and cured her with the Universal Deliverance Mantra.

A Chang and A Qing thanked Tang Xuanzang for healing A Qing and avenging their child, and Tang Xuanzang made Sun Wukong a tiger-skin outfit before the pair continued west. At Eagle Grief Ravine, a huge creature swallowed Tang Xuanzang’s white horse, and Sun Wukong realized his master might be in danger.

• A Qing woke up, and A Chang told her Tang Xuanzang had cured her and avenged their child by killing the tiger.
• A Qing thanked Tang Xuanzang, who urged her to rest and keep the promise she had made with A Chang.
• Tang Xuanzang sewed Sun Wukong a tiger-skin vest and skirt, and Sun Wukong tried them on and thanked him.
• A Chang invited Tang Xuanzang and Sun Wukong to stay the night, and they left for the west the next morning.
• At Eagle Grief Ravine, Sun Wukong tied up the white horse and went to find food, while a huge creature flew out of the ravine and swallowed it.
• Sun Wukong heard a noise behind him and realized Tang Xuanzang might be in danger.

Sun Wukong tracked down the white dragon that had stolen Tang Xuanzang’s horse, only to learn that the dragon had already eaten it. The dragon recognized the Ruyi Jingu Bang and realized he had provoked Monkey Sun, leaving him worried for his life.

• Sun Wukong found Tang Xuanzang unharmed but learned that a creature had seized and eaten his white horse.
• Sun Wukong plunged into the ravine and stirred the water with his Ruyi Jingu Bang until a white dragon emerged.
• Sun Wukong demanded that the dragon become Tang Xuanzang’s mount, either willingly or after being beaten.
• The white dragon asked about Sun Wukong’s weapon and recognized him as the monkey who had wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.
• The white dragon decided that begging for mercy was safer than confronting Sun Wukong.

The white dragon apologized to Sun Wukong and offered to become Tang Sanzang’s mount after admitting he had eaten the white horse. Sun Wukong learned that the dragon’s father was Ao Yan, the Dragon King of the West Sea, and asked who the white dragon was.

• The white dragon begged Sun Wukong for forgiveness, explained that hunger had led him to take the white horse, and chose to carry Tang Sanzang and his luggage.
• Sun Wukong accepted the white dragon’s apology and asked about the father who had told him to show respect.
• The white dragon reminded Sun Wukong that his father owned the Golden Chain Mail, and Sun Wukong pretended his memory had been damaged beneath the Five Elements Mountain.
• The white dragon first blurted out that his father was Zhang Erhe, then corrected himself and said his father was Ao Yan, the Dragon King of the West Sea.
• Sun Wukong asked the white dragon to reveal his own identity and name.

Sun Wukong brought Ao Lie, the white dragon who had eaten Tang Xuanzang’s horse, to meet his master and arranged for him to serve as their mount. Ao Lie recognized Tang Xuanzang as the monk Bodhisattva Guanyin had told him to await and declared himself Tang Xuanzang’s disciple.

• Ao Lie introduced himself to Sun Wukong as the third prince of the West Sea Dragon King and explained that he could not change into human form because his Law Power made him turn into a frightening half-human, half-dragon.
• Sun Wukong brought Ao Lie to Tang Xuanzang and explained that Ao Lie had eaten the white horse but would carry Tang Xuanzang and his luggage from then on.
• Tang Xuanzang accepted Sun Wukong’s explanation, and Ao Lie asked who their master was.
• Ao Lie told Sun Wukong that Bodhisattva Guanyin had secured his release from the Jade Emperor and instructed him to await a monk traveling west for scriptures.
• Ao Lie realized Tang Xuanzang was the monk he had been waiting for, embraced Sun Wukong as his Eldest Senior Brother, and declared himself Tang Xuanzang’s disciple.