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02 The Golden-Hooped Rod

In a little while Ao Qin of the Southern Sea, Ao Shun of the Northern Sea, and Ao Run of the Western Sea had all arrived in the Eastern Sea. Ao Qin, being hasty by nature, called from afar, ‘Elder Brother, you have summoned us — what is the pressing matter?’ The Dragon King answered, ‘Sun Wukong of Flower-Fruit Mountain came demanding a weapon. I gave him the Sea-Taming Divine Iron, yet he lingers still and asks for a suit of armor. I truly have none, and so I could only ask my good brothers to devise some way.’ At this Ao Qin flew into a rage. ‘The insolence of this ape! Let us muster our troops and seize him!’ The Dragon King said hastily, ‘On no account! Sun Wukong’s powers are vast and his martial skill unmatched, and that golden-hooped rod of his is deadlier still — one touch of it and your life is done.’ Ao Run of the Western Sea thought for a moment. ‘We must not fight him. Let us put together a suit of armor and send him on his way; then we may petition the heavenly court to bring punishment down upon him.’ The four kings conferred on the spot. Ao Qin of the Southern Sea brought forth a phoenix-winged purple-gold crown, Ao Run of the Western Sea a suit of chainmail golden armor, and Ao Shun of the Northern Sea a pair of lotus-thread cloud-walking boots. Thus a full suit of armor was made up and laid before Wukong. Wukong was delighted. He donned the armor, said ‘Begging your pardon,’ and swaggered out of the Dragon Palace. The four Dragon Kings watched him go, seething with indignation. The monkeys were waiting beside the Iron Plate Bridge when suddenly Wukong rose from the water, glittering gold from head to foot, and they all broke into cheers. Wukong sat beaming upon his throne with the golden-hooped rod standing in their midst. Several curious young monkeys came forward to lift it, but it was as a dragonfly trying to shake a mountain — it did not budge a hair. The monkeys were astonished. Wukong said with a laugh, ‘This is the As-You-Will Golden-Hooped Rod. It weighs over ten thousand catties and can grow and shrink at will. Stand back, all of you, and watch.’ He balanced the rod upon his palm and cried, ‘Shrink! Shrink! Shrink!’ — and the rod became no bigger than an embroidery needle. The monkeys gave a start, and Wukong cried, ‘Grow! Grow! Grow!’ The rod swelled again to the thickness of a bushel measure and a length of some twenty feet. At this the monkeys cheered without end. Growing ever more spirited, Wukong strode out of the cave, gripped the rod, and bowed his back. ‘Grow!’ he cried — and in an instant he stood ten thousand fathoms tall, his head like Mount Tai, his waist like a towering ridge. The rod in his hand grew with him without ceasing, thrusting straight up into the clouds. The rod reached upward to the Thirty-Third Heaven and pressed downward to the eighteen layers of hell. The demon kings and fiends of the surrounding hills saw it and their souls scattered in terror; all of them fell to their knees and kowtowed. After this Wukong raised his banners and beat his drums, chose marshals and appointed generals from among the monkeys, and went on drilling and training them. With all this settled, Wukong set his heart at ease. From then on he rode the clouds over a thousand mountains, and swore brotherhood with six demon kings: the Bull Demon King, the Flood-Dragon Demon King, the Roc Demon King, the Lion-Camel Demon King, the Macaque Demon King, and the Gibbon Demon King. Each day he departed at dawn and returned at dusk, drinking and talking, giving himself over to pleasure. One day Wukong spread a great feast for the Bull Demon King, the Flood-Dragon Demon King, and the rest of the six demon kings, and drank himself dead drunk.

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