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28 The Purple-Gold Bells

Now when the wind had passed, the crowd beneath the tower found the proclamation gone and were struck dumb with terror. The eunuchs and guards set to watch over it searched everywhere. Coming to where Bajie stood, they saw the edge of a paper peeping from his breast, and hastened to shake him awake. "Was it you who took down the royal proclamation?" they asked. Bajie jerked up his head and thrust out his snout, and the eunuchs and guards stumbled and fell over one another in fright. Bajie rose to go, but a few bolder guards seized him, saying, "You took down the royal proclamation calling for a physician, so you must go to court and cure our king!" Bajie cried angrily, "Your son took down the proclamation! Your grandson knows how to cure!" One of the guards asked, "Then what is that you have in your breast?" Bajie pulled out the paper tube, unfolded it, and saw that it was indeed the royal proclamation. He gnashed his teeth and swore, "That monkey has done for me!" and turned to go. But the crowd held him fast. "Since the proclamation is in your breast, you must surely know the art of healing. Come with us at once to see the king!" Bajie shouted, "It was my elder brother Sun Wukong who took down this proclamation, and then he slipped it into my breast. If you want the truth of it, I will take you to find him." But the crowd would not listen to his explanation. They closed in a ring about him, pushing and pulling. Bajie then used a spell, planted his feet firm, and stood as though rooted to the spot; six or seven men could not budge him. Two of the older eunuchs, seeing this, said to Bajie, "Since you say it was your elder brother who took the proclamation, then take us to him. He must have skill in medicine, and be able to cure our king." Bajie saw the sense in this and agreed. He withdrew his spell and led the eunuchs and guards to the Huitong Hostel. When they reached the hostel and entered the guest room, Bajie pointed at Wukong and said, "This is my elder brother. His powers are boundless; he can subdue demons and catch monsters, and curing an illness is nothing at all to him." At this the eunuchs and guards fell on their knees and kowtowed, begging Wukong to come to the royal palace and heal the king. Wukong said, "It is true that I took down this proclamation. As the saying goes, good medicine is not sold cheap, and a physician does not go begging for patients. Since your lord is ill, let your lord come himself and invite me, and I will cure him as soon as my hand touches him." The two old eunuchs thought to themselves, "This man speaks boldly; he must have real skill." And they went straight back to the palace to report to the king. The two eunuchs entered the palace and went directly to the foot of the throne, where they cried, "Ten thousand joys, my lord!" The king and the Tang Monk were talking idly together, and hearing this the king asked at once what the matter was. The eunuchs told him the whole story of how Wukong had taken down the proclamation. When the king had learned from the Tang Monk that he truly had such a disciple, he ordered his civil and military officers to go in his place and invite Wukong to court. The officers received the order and went with the two eunuchs to the Huitong Hostel, where they all bowed to Wukong in homage. Wukong said, "Why has your king not come himself?" The officers explained the reason. Wukong said, "That being so, I beg you to go first; I will follow." The officers gave thanks, and each in his proper rank formed a procession and returned to the palace. Wukong charged Bajie and Sandy, saying, "I am going to the royal palace to treat the king. You two stay here. If anyone brings medicine, take it all in and count it carefully, and keep it until I come back for it." The two promised readily. Wukong came to the royal palace and walked straight into the hall. When the king saw his appearance he gave a great cry of terror and fell back upon the dragon throne. The ladies of the court and the eunuchs hurriedly helped the king into the inner palace. Wukong said with a laugh, "Since this king cannot bear the sight of strangers, I will feel his pulse by hanging threads and so find out his illness." The Tang Monk asked anxiously, "You have never read a medical book and know nothing of the nature of medicine. How can you treat an illness?" Wukong said, "Set your heart at rest, Master. I have a few simple herbal prescriptions that can cure grave diseases." The attendants told the king, and the king consented to let Wukong try. Wukong followed the attendants into the inner court of the palace and took his stand outside the king's bedchamber. He plucked out three hairs, changed them into three silk threads, each two zhang and four chi long, and held them on his hand according to the twenty-four solar terms. Wukong had the eunuchs carry the three golden threads inside and tie one end of them, according to the cun, guan and chi positions, while the other end was passed out through the window. Wukong took the ends of the threads, felt the pulse through them one by one, and when he had finished he shook himself and drew the golden threads back in. Then he called aloud, "Your Majesty is suffering from an illness of fright, sorrow and brooding, the sickness of two birds that have lost their mate."

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