Chapter 15: Wukong’s Three Battles with the White Bone Demon
Summary
In this chapter, Wukong battles the White Bone Demon three times, each time seeing through its disguises and saving Tang Sanzang from peril. However, the naive Tang Sanzang repeatedly doubts him and punishes him with the tightening spell under Zhu Bajie’s influence. Eventually, after Wukong kills the demon once and for all, Tang Sanzang still fails to appreciate his loyalty and formally expels him. Heartbroken, Wukong leaves, foreshadowing the difficulties Tang Sanzang will soon face without him.
Content
After leaving Wuzhuang Temple, the master and his three disciples continued their westward journey. One day, they encountered a towering mountain blocking their path. Seeing its steep and treacherous slopes, Tang Sanzang grew anxious and warned, “Disciples, this mountain looks dangerous. We must be careful.”
Wukong reassured him, saying, “Master, don't worry. With us around, you have nothing to fear.” He then brandished his golden cudgel and led the way. After a short distance, Tang Sanzang felt hungry and said, “Wukong, I am a bit famished. Go and beg for some food.”
Wukong frowned. “Master, this is a barren mountain wilderness. Where am I supposed to find alms?”
Tang Sanzang was displeased and scolded him, “You ungrateful monkey! If I hadn’t saved you, you would still be trapped under Five Elements Mountain. Now you refuse to exert any effort?”
Wukong, seeing his master’s anger, relented. “Fine, Master. Don’t be upset. Sit here and rest while I go take a look.”
Leaping into the sky, Wukong shaded his eyes with his hand and scanned the surroundings. He saw no signs of human habitation for thousands of miles, except for a peach grove on a southern mountain. Descending back to the ground, he said, “Master, I see some ripe peaches in the south. I’ll fetch a few for you.”
Tang Sanzang agreed, and Wukong soared toward the southern mountain.
The Demon’s First Deception Unbeknownst to them, a demon residing in the mountain noticed Wukong’s cloud-traveling light and was alarmed. Looking down, it saw Tang Sanzang sitting on the ground and rejoiced. “What luck! I have long heard that this monk from the East has cultivated virtue over ten lifetimes. Eating just a piece of his flesh grants immortality.”
The demon, however, noticed two strong warriors guarding the monk and decided on a more cunning approach. It transformed into a beautiful young woman carrying a blue sandpot in one hand and a green porcelain bottle in the other, then walked toward Tang Sanzang.
Tang Sanzang, seeing the woman, turned to his disciples. “Wukong said this place was deserted, yet here comes a person. How strange!”
Eager, Zhu Bajie rushed forward, straightened his robe to look presentable, and greeted her with a deep bow. “Fair lady, where are you headed? What are you carrying?”
The demon replied sweetly, “This pot contains fragrant rice, and the bottle holds fried gluten. I am here to offer them as alms to monks.”
Overjoyed, Zhu Bajie hurriedly informed Tang Sanzang. Hearing this, Tang Sanzang rose and respectfully asked, “Benefactress, why are you traveling alone in this remote place?”
The demon, posing as the woman, replied, “Reverend, this mountain is called White Tiger Ridge. There are villages before and behind it, so it’s not desolate at all. I live nearby with my aged parents, and we recently married into a good family. My husband is currently farming with our workers on the northern hill, and I was just bringing them food when I saw you three monks. Remembering my parents' teachings to be charitable, I decided to offer you this meal.”
Tang Sanzang hesitated. “If we eat this food, won’t your husband be upset?”
The demon reassured him, “My husband is kindhearted. He would be delighted to know that monks have eaten this meal.”
Hearing this, Zhu Bajie could not contain his hunger and eagerly reached for the food.
At that moment, Wukong returned, floating in the air with peaches in hand. Upon spotting the woman, he immediately recognized her true form—a demon! Without hesitation, he drew his iron staff and leapt down to strike.
Tang Sanzang quickly intervened. “Wukong, stop! She is just a kind-hearted woman offering us food.”
Wukong insisted, “Master, she is a demon in disguise! Had I arrived a moment later, she would have killed you.”
Tang Sanzang remained unconvinced. Wukong, growing impatient, sneered, “Master, I see you’ve fallen for her charms. Shall we build you a hut here so you can marry her? That way, we can all go our separate ways, and there will be no need to travel west for scriptures.”
Embarrassed and angered, Tang Sanzang scolded him. But Wukong seized the moment, swinging his staff. The demon used a corpse-dissolving spell to escape, leaving behind a fake lifeless body.
Tang Sanzang was horrified. “You reckless monkey! Why did you kill an innocent woman?”
Wukong replied, “Master, check what she was carrying.”
Upon closer inspection, the pot contained maggots instead of rice, and the bottle held toads instead of fried gluten. Tang Sanzang started to believe Wukong but still harbored doubts. Zhu Bajie, dissatisfied at losing his meal, muttered, “Master, he just doesn’t want you to recite the tightening spell, so he’s tricking you.”
Tang Sanzang, being gullible, believed Bajie’s words and chanted the spell. Wukong fell to the ground, clutching his head in pain, and pleaded, “Master, stop! Please!”
Tang Sanzang rebuked him, “A true monk values all life. You kill indiscriminately—what use are you on this journey? Leave at once!”
Wukong argued, “If I leave, you’ll never reach the West.”
Tang Sanzang retorted, “If I am fated to be eaten by demons, so be it. It has nothing to do with you.”
Wukong sighed, “If you truly wish me gone, I must at least repay my debt to you.”
Tang Sanzang asked, “What debt?”
Wukong explained, “When I was imprisoned under Five Elements Mountain, Bodhisattva Guanyin and you freed me. If I abandon you now, I will be ungrateful and bear the scorn of history.”
Hearing this, Tang Sanzang softened. “Very well, I will give you another chance. But if you kill recklessly again, I will chant the spell twenty times!”
Wukong, relieved, quipped, “Even thirty times, I’ll bear it.” He then handed Tang Sanzang the peaches, helped him onto his horse, and they continued westward.
The Demon’s Second and Third Deception The demon, now furious, transformed into an old woman and pretended to search for her missing daughter. Once again, Wukong saw through the trick and struck her, but she escaped, leaving another fake corpse.
Tang Sanzang was terrified. Believing Wukong had again killed an innocent, he recited the spell twenty times. Writhing in pain, Wukong begged for mercy, but Tang Sanzang was adamant—Wukong was to leave.
The demon, unwilling to give up, changed into an elderly man with prayer beads and hobbled toward them, claiming to search for his missing wife and daughter. Tang Sanzang, moved by the sight, sighed, “This is truly a devout old man.”
Wukong, however, recognized the deception and cleverly trapped the demon with the help of local deities. He struck it dead, revealing its true form—a skeleton labeled “White Bone Demon.”
Even with the evidence before him, Tang Sanzang hesitated. Zhu Bajie once again planted doubt, leading the master to chant the spell once more.
Heartbroken, Wukong declared, “Master, you refuse to see the truth. I will leave, but when you are captured by demons, don’t expect my help.”
Tang Sanzang angrily wrote a letter of expulsion, officially severing ties with Wukong. Taking the letter, Wukong bid a sorrowful farewell and flew back to Mount Huaguo.