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32 The Bottomless Cave

The Tang Monk said helplessly, "We will go down the mountain with this lady. When we come upon some household we will leave her there, and our mercy will not have been in vain." So the Tang Monk walked ahead, Sandy shouldered the baggage, Bajie led the horse, and Wukong, rod in hand, brought up the woman behind. They had gone less than thirty li when the light began to fail. The Tang Monk saw towers and halls before them and said, "Disciples, let us lodge here. Wait a while, and I will go and speak with the master of this house." He went over and found that it was an ancient monastery, long untended, its halls fallen in and ruinous, all choked with withered grass. The sight of it struck a pang of sorrow into the Tang Monk's heart. He pushed open the gate and entered the courtyard, where a bronze bell lay upon the ground, green with rust after years of rain. The Tang Monk laid his hand upon the bell and sighed, "O bell, you too once hung in a lofty tower; why are you come to such a sorry pass?" Even as he spoke, the bell suddenly gave a single clang. The Tang Monk tumbled to the ground in fright and cried, looking up, "O bell, can it be that after so many years you too have come to life?" Just then a monk came out from the side and helped the Tang Monk to his feet, saying, "Fear not, sir; it was only a brick I threw that set the bell ringing." The Tang Monk said, The monk led the Tang Monk through another great gate, and within all was changed: walls of grey brick set with coloured clouds, a glazed-tile hall roofed in green, holy images gilded with gold, and steps cut from white jade. The Tang Monk was greatly astonished, and asked, "Why is the front of this monastery so wretched, and the back so fine?" The monk said with a smile, "Sir, you do not know: these mountains swarm with demons and robbers, who come by night to shelter in the temple. The monks here are weak folk and dare not quarrel with them, so we gave them the ruined front and built ourselves a new temple behind." The Tang Monk understood at last. A few steps further on they saw five great characters written above the mountain gate: Zhenhai Chanlin Temple. In the distance an old monk came out to greet them, and asked the Tang Monk, "Whence do you come, great master?" The Tang Monk answered, "This poor monk has come from the great Tang in the east, bound for the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures. Passing your noble temple, I beg lodging for a single night." The old monk did not believe him, and said with a laugh, "A thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers lie between here and the eastern land. How could you have come so far all alone?" The Tang Monk said, "Your reasoning is just, abbot, but I have three disciples waiting outside the mountain gate." The old monk called hastily to his novices, "Quickly, beg the three venerable ones to come in!" Two young monks ran outside, and in a moment came running back. "Sir," they said, "your disciples are nowhere to be seen. At the gate there are only three monsters: one with a thunder god's beak, one with a pig's snout, one blue-faced with fangs, and a woman besides." The Tang Monk said with a smile, "Those three ugly ones are my disciples. Ugly they are, but their powers are very great. Pray bring them in at once; wait any longer, and the one with the thunder god's beak may well make trouble." The young monks ran out again in haste and brought Wukong and the others into the temple. There were many monks in the temple, and hearing that scripture-seeking monks had come from the eastern land, with a woman in their company, they all came running out to gape. When the old monk had seen the Tang Monk and the others served their meal, he asked, "Where shall we lodge this lady benefactor?" The Tang Monk explained, "Abbot, you need suspect nothing. This woman I saved out of pity; give her whatever corner you please." The abbot told the young monks to take her to the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, lay out a bed of straw, and let her sleep there. Master and disciples were weary from the road, and they too went early to rest. At dawn next day the Tang Monk ached in every limb and burned with fever, and could not rise from his bed. Bajie said with a laugh, "Master must have seen last night that the alms food cost nothing, and eaten a bowl or two too many, and now cannot digest them." "Silly fellow, hold your tongue," Wukong shouted, "and let Master tell us the reason."

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