Chapter 9: Sun Wukong Shows Off and Loses the Robe

Summary

In this chapter, Tang Sanzang and Wukong stop at a temple for the night. The monks there, upon seeing the miraculous robe, plot to steal it. Wukong outsmarts them, using his powers to protect the robe and expose the monks’ greed. The old monk, in his desperation, meets a tragic end, and Wukong ultimately returns the robe to its rightful owner, Tang Sanzang.

Content

The journey of the two monks continued smoothly for two months, encountering only a few wild animals. One day, as the sun began to set, Tang Sanzang saw a house by the roadside and suggested, "Wukong, there is a house ahead. Let’s stop and rest for the night and continue tomorrow." Sun Wukong looked up and replied, "Master, that is not a house; it is a temple." They approached the entrance, and indeed, it was a temple.

As they were about to enter, a monk holding a wooden fish came out. Tang Sanzang greeted him, and the monk returned the greeting, asking, "Where is the abbot from?" Tang Sanzang replied, "I am a monk from the Eastern Tang, traveling to the West to seek scriptures. I am passing by and wish to stay for the night." The monk invited them in.

Once inside the temple, they saw the main hall marked with the words "Guanyin Chan Temple." Tang Sanzang, overjoyed, went straight to the Guanyin statue and offered his prayers. Meanwhile, Wukong tied up their horses and started striking the bell. The monk, having finished his drumming, asked, "Why are you still ringing the bell?" Wukong grinned and replied, "I’m just a monk for today, ringing the bell for today." The other monks were startled by the loud sound of the bell, and they rushed over, demanding to know who was causing the noise. When they saw Wukong, they were terrified and immediately fell to the ground, calling him "Thunder Lord." Tang Sanzang assured them, "Don’t be afraid. This is my disciple."

The temple’s abbot soon arrived and greeted Tang Sanzang. He invited the two monks for tea. After some time, two young attendants helped an old monk named Jin Chi enter the room. The monks saluted him as their elder. Jin Chi asked about their journey, and Tang Sanzang explained their long travel from the Eastern Tang to this place.

While talking, Wukong noticed a robe in Tang Sanzang’s bundle and suggested, "Master, I saw a robe in the bundle the other day; it is a treasure. Let’s show it to them." The monks, hearing this, laughed coldly. The old monk said, "We have accumulated hundreds of such robes over the years." However, when Wukong unveiled the robe, it emanated a brilliant light, stunning the monks. The old monk, greedy for the robe, concocted a plan to steal it.

The old monk pretended to have poor eyesight and asked if he could take the robe for one night to admire it in detail. Wukong reluctantly agreed. Later that night, the old monk and his disciples plotted to kill Tang Sanzang and Wukong to steal the robe. Wukong, however, was aware of their plot and used his magical powers to prevent the fire they set from harming the robe and the two monks.

The fire raged through the temple but did not touch the area where Wukong had protected the robe. Meanwhile, the old monk sent one of his disciples to steal the robe, but the disciple was intercepted by Wukong, who retrieved the robe. The old monk, realizing he could not keep the robe, died from the shock.

In the end, Wukong returned to the temple, and Tang Sanzang, still unaware of the full details, was relieved to have his robe back. The monks were frightened, and Wukong, in his usual mischievous manner, reminded them that they had failed in their plot.