Chapter 23

Sun Wu Kung was terribly frightened, for at the first glance he saw that this was the truth. Yet outwardly he pretended that he was not convinced, said he would take another look, and tried to make use of the opportunity to escape. But Buddha covered him with his hand, shoved him out of the gate of Heaven, and formed a mountain of water, fire, wood, earth and metal, which he softly set down on him to hold him fast. A magic incantation pasted on the mountain prevented his escape.

Here he was obliged to lie for hundreds of years, until he finally reformed and was released, in order to help the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang fetch the holy writings from out of the West. He honored the Monk as his master, and thenceforward was known as the Wanderer. Guan Yin, who had released him, gave the Monk a golden circlet. Sun Wu Kung was induced to put it on, and it at once grew into his flesh so that he could not remove it. And Guan Yin gave the Monk a magic formula by means of which the ring could be tightened, should the ape grow disobedient. But from that time on he was always polite and well-mannered.

Note: This tale, like "The Pilgrim's Progress," is an allegory, the ape symbolizing the human heart. Yet despite its allegorical character, a number of mythological and fairy-tale motives are incorporated in it. The ape himself suggests Hanumant, the companion of Rama. Yo Huang is the Lord of the Heavens. The stone ape is the stone heart of natural man. The Buddhas, blessed spirits and gods, represent the ideals of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Sun Wu Kung: In Chinese apes are called Hu Sun, but the word Hu having an unlucky meaning, the Master chooses Sun as a family name, while at the same time the letter-sign is freed from the radical indicating an animal. Wu Kung--"the magic awaking to nothingness" (Nirwana). The different ways: magic, the way of raising spirits; the sciences: The three faiths are: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism; to these are added six "schools": the Yin-Yang School, the Mo-Di School, Medicine, War, Law, Miscellaneous, so that nine directions in all are represented. Quiescence is the Taoism for non-activity, while Action is the Taoism for care of the body, as inaugurated by We Be Yang. The Devil-King of Chaos, i.e., sensuality, whose seat is supposed to be in Kidneys. "Red garments," colors, here all have an allegorical meaning. Death, i.e., Yama. The Evening Star is the star of metal; Sun Wu Kung also personifies a metal, hence the Evening Star appears as his apologist. As regards Li Dsing and Notscha see No. 18. As regards the Queen Mother of the West, see No. 15. As regards Yang Oerlang, see No. 17. Guan Yin is generally worshipped throughout China as the Feminine goddess. The motive of the magic flight is found frequently in fairy-tales the world over. Guan Yin is often represented holding a vase, Bau Ping. Laotzse's circlet or ring is the Tao. The eight elemental powers, i.e., Ba Gua. Buddha: while Sun Wu Kung is equipped to struggle against all external powers, he is conquered by Buddha, who does not combat him, but subdues him by his omnipresence. The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang is Huan Dschuang, see No. 69. The circlet or ring which can be made tighter when the ape does not obey, reappears in Hauff's fairy-tale of "The Young Englishman," as a cravat.

THE END

Transcriber's Note

Archaic spelling, e.g. rimes, phenix, is preserved as printed. Variable spelling has been made consistent where there was a prevalence of one form; otherwise it is preserved as printed, e.g. Kaiutschou & Kiautschou, Laotzse & Laotsze.

Punctuation errors have been repaired. Hyphenation, and capitalisation of proper nouns, has been made consistent. Typographic errors, e.g. omitted or transposed letters, have been repaired.

The following amendments have been made:

Page 24--repeated 'the' deleted--"... "The Wolf and the Seven Kids," ..."

Page 76--(I) added to end of title for consistency with the table of contents--"THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (I)"

Page 82--omitted word Lan added--"Lan Tsai Ho, who is also pictured as a woman, ..."

Page 82--(II) added to end of title for consistency with the table of contents--"THE EIGHT IMMORTALS (II)"

Page 85--omitted word Yuan added--""We are Liu Tschen and Yuan Dshau. Only a few days ago ...""

Page 289--superfluous 'the' deleted before 'Evening'--"Only, the King had kept back Rose of Evening ..."

Page 186--mentions the "Su Tsi Hia"--other similar references in the text are to the "Sin Tsi Hia" but, as the transcriber has been unable to confirm whether this is from the same source, it has been preserved as printed.

Page 224--refers to a serving-maid holding a "red flabrum in her hand." Flabrum is a Latin word for breeze. This may be a typo for flagrum, a kind of scourge, but as it is impossible to be certain, it has been preserved as printed.

Page 227--mentions a man who "descended to the upper story"--this should probably read "ascended to the upper story" but has been preserved as printed.

Page 278--mentions a man "now, when young and old"--this may be an error for "young and bold" but has been preserved as printed.

A number of the notes to the stories refer to other stories. On page 17, there is a reference to No. 81. There is no story with this number, and, as the transcriber was unable to determine which story the author was referring to, it has been preserved as printed.

The following amendments to references have also been made:

Page 17--67 amended to 68, and Fee amended to Fe--"... (see No. 68, "Yang Gui Fe")."

Page 24--48 amended to 49--"... the same beast as "the talking silver fox" in No. 49, ..."

Page 41--37 amended to 34--"... (comp. "Sky O'Dawn," No. 34); ..."

Page 52--73 amended to 74--"... occurs in the tale of Sun Wu Kung (No. 74)."

Page 64--68 amended to 69--"As regards the Monk of the Yangtze-kiang, comp. with No. 69."

Page 75--31 amended to 30--"... frequently used in the preparation of the elixir of life (comp. No. 30)."

Page 83--63 amended to 51--"As regards the field-god, see No. 51."

Page 137--62 amended to 63--"... the old river-god Ho Be (Count of the Stream), also mentioned in No. 63, ..."

Page 142--75 amended to 74--"As regards the Dragon-King of the Eastern Sea, see Nos. 18 and 74."

Page 142--45 amended to 46--"With regard to So Pi-Lo and Lo-Dsi-Tschun, see No. 46."

Page 251--64 amended to 65--"... the Prince of Tang mentioned in No. 65."

Page 251--49 amended to 50--"... and the ten princes of the Nether World, comp. Nos. 38 and 50."

Page 251--73 amended to 74--"As regards one of the legendary companions of Huan Dschuang on his journey, see No. 74."

Page 329--68 amended to 69--"The Monk of the Yangtze-kiang is Huan Dschuang, see No. 69."

Illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph. The frontispiece illustration and advertising material has been moved to follow the title page.