This is a fresh, complete English translation of Wu Cheng’en’s public-domain one-hundred-chapter novel, produced with GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark assistance. It is an AI-assisted first edition, not a reproduction of an existing translation.

Wealth and rank are settled by former karma; let no one for the sake of being a person ever deceive the heart. Be upright and bright; let loyalty and goodness bear fruit deeply. Every bit of arrogance, when it rises, heaven comes to punish; what is bad in front now must wait until its time arrives. Ask the Lord of the East: why have disasters and calamities closed in now? It is because the heart aimed too high and without limit, not distinguishing upper from lower, upsetting the proper order and all admonitions.

When the Great Sage of Equal Heaven was seized by the heavenly soldiers and taken beneath the altar where demons are slain, they tied him to the demon-subduing pillar, and swords hacked, axes chopped, spears thrust, and sabres cleft—never a hair of him was harmed. Then the Southern Dipper stars ordered the Fire Department gods to burn him, yet even fire could not scorch him. Next they ordered the Thunder Department gods to strike him with thunder-splinters; still he was not even nicked. The Great Demon King and his attendants reported together: “Your Majesty, this brute—who knows from where he learned this body-protection method? I have cut and hacked him with swords and axes; thunder and fire have done nothing. How are we to deal with him?” The Jade Emperor asked, “How can this brute be punished?” The Supreme Elder Lord Lao reported: “This monkey has eaten the peaches of immortality, drunk the celestial wine, and stolen immortal elixirs. My five cauldrons of cinnabar, both raw and ripened, he has swallowed all. Through the use of samādhi fire he has forged his body into a block of gold-stone [gold steel], so it is not easily wounded. Better take him to me and place him in the Eight-Chart Furnace, refine him there with civil and martial fire, and after my elixir is extracted, his body will be reduced to cinders.” The Jade Emperor then ordered the Six-Ding and Six-Jia to unbind him and hand him to the Old Lord. Lao Jun went at once. Elsewhere, Erlang Xiansheng conferred upon him gifts of golden flowers, a hundred jars of imperial wine, one hundred pills of restorative elixir, rare jewel-orbs, and brocade and such things, and told his sworn brothers to share them. The True Lord thanked him and returned to the Guanjiang mouth; no further account is given.

When the Old Lord arrived at Doushita Palace, he untied the Great Sage, removed the pipa-bone restrainer, and thrust him into the Eight-Trigram Furnace. He ordered the Taoist in charge of the furnace and the boys who stoked it to raise the fire and begin tempering him. The furnace was arranged with Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui. He placed him exactly under the Xun-trigram seat. Xun is wind: where there is wind, there is no fire. Only that wind stirred the smoke and burned both eyes red to flames, creating a diseased, old sore-eye condition, so it came to be called “Fire-Eye Golden-Pupil.”

Time passed quickly; it was not long before forty-nine days had elapsed. The Old Lord’s tempering was complete. One day he opened the furnace to withdraw the elixir. The Great Sage, with both hands pressing at his eyes, was rubbing and wiping tears, when suddenly he heard the sound at the furnace mouth. He abruptly opened his eyes to the brilliance, could not restrain himself, leapt once, and jumped out of the cauldron, letting out a loud ‘hu-la,’ kicking over the Eight-Trigram Furnace and making straight for the exit. Alarmed, the fire-stokers, furnace-watchers, and the Ding and Jia attendants rushed to pull him, but he knocked them all down one by one, like a white tiger in a seizure, like a wild unicorn-drake in a storm. Lao Jun rushed in to grab him, but the Great Sage jerked him with one pull, flipping him over in a backward somersault and breaking away. Then from his ear he drew out the Ruyi staff, whirled it in the wind; though its width was like a bowl mouth, it remained in his hand, and without regard to right or wrong he again threw the celestial court into chaos, knocking the Nine Luminaries to close doors and shutters and making the Four Heavenly Kings vanish from sight. There is a poem to bear witness, it said:

The true body is rooted in the Primordial Source, for ten thousand kalpas and countless cycles it is simply so. Subtle and formless, all-mixed Great Taiyi; unmoving and unmoved, it is called primal Mystery. Long forged in the furnace, not from lead and cinnabar, life beyond objects is an original immortality. Transforming without end, changing still again and again, all talk of the Three Refuges and Five Precepts is to be set aside. And again: A single spark of spirit-light pierces the Great Void; this staff I hold is of that same nature. At times long, at times short as a man requires, crossing or upright, it winds and uncoils at will. And again: A monkey-bodied Way matches the human heart; in the heart the monkey way is profound. The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, is not an empty claim; with what can an office of Bi-ma truly understand? Horse and monkey make one heart and one intent, tightly bound and no further search outside. All forms return to true reality from one principle; Tathagata and I abide together in Shuanglin.

In this phase, the Monkey King paid no heed to rank and station, striking east and west with his iron staff. No god in heaven could block him; he only kept advancing to the Hall of Clarity and beyond Lingxiao Hall. By good fortune, Wang Lingguan, the assistant of You Sheng Zhenjun, was stationed there and saw the Great Sage rampaging, so he stepped forth with a golden whip to block him: “Where are you headed, splashed-with-monkey-madness one? As long as I stand here, do not run wild.” The Great Sage gave no reply and struck with his staff. Lingguan snapped out his whip in return. In front of Lingxiao Hall, the two clashed in one place, ferocious combat ensued:

Red-blooded and loyal, upright and righteous, to deceive Heaven and taunt Heaven’s high ones ruins one’s fame. At one time low, at one time high, yet they wrestle on in mutual hold; stalwart heroes contend like gamblers in contest. The iron staff is fierce, the golden whip swift; how can upright fairness endure this? This one is Taiyi Thunder-Voice Responsive and Transforming Lord, that one is the Great Sage of Equal Heaven, monkey demon. Iron whip and iron staff, two houses each with divine and immortal weapons. Today in the Lingxiao Precious Hall they display might and prestige, each truly splendid. One with deceitful mind seeks to seize the Bull-and-Ox palace, one with all his force protects the mysterious holy realm. They quarrel and do not yield, showing divine powers without decisive victory.

The two fought in one place with no winner yet decided. Already, You Sheng Zhenjun again sent orders to the Thunder Court, summoning thirty-six Thunder Generals to gather in haste and surround the Great Sage at the Great Wondrous Center, while each of the troops fought savagely. The Great Sage showed not a trace of fear. With one Ruyi staff he blocked left and right and front and back. At once he saw the thunder gods’ knives, spears, halberds, whips, drums, and hammers, axes, battle-axes, golden melons, sickles, and moon-sickles and shovels coming thickly. He changed his body at once: he became three heads and six arms. He flicked the staff once and made it three; with six hands he extended three staves, like a spinning wheel as it whirls, streaming and circling in the center of the sky-field. No Thunder God could come near. Truly:

Round and complete, shining bright—how can people through the ages learn this? It cannot be burned by fire, nor have it drowned in water. One jewel of light, like a mani pearl, is not harmed by sword, halberd, spear, or blade. He can do good and he can do evil; here and now, good and evil depend on what he does. In goodness he becomes Buddha and becomes an immortal. In evil he grows fur and bears horns. Boundless transformations make trouble through Heaven’s Court; even thunder-god armaments cannot seize him.

At that time the gods packed the Great Sage in one place, but still could not come near him, and they fought in noise and confusion. This at once alarmed the Jade Emperor, who then ordered Youyi Lingguan and Yisheng Zhenjun to go west to request Buddha’s arrival to subdue him.

Receiving the jade edict, the two saints immediately went to the Leiyin Precious Stupa before the exalted realm of Ling Mountain. After bowing to the Four Vajra Kings and Eight Bodhisattvas, they immediately conveyed the matter. The host gods then followed down to the base of the Pearl-Lotus Terrace and announced, “Buddha summons you.” The two circled the Buddha three times and stood below the terrace. Buddha asked, “For what matter from the Jade Emperor has brought you to trouble me?” They replied: “At one time a monkey was born on Huaguo Mountain. There he performed sorcery, gathered hordes of monkeys, and disturbed the world. The Jade Emperor issued an imperial recall, bestowed on him the title Bima-wen to pacify him; he despised the office as too low and rebelled. Li Tianwang and Prince Nezha were sent to capture him but failed. He was then invited again and made Great Sage Equal to Heaven, with office but no stipend at first. He was appointed to oversee the Peach Garden and promptly stole the peaches. He also went to the Jade Pool Court, stole delicacies and wine, disrupted the great assembly; drunk, he slipped into Doushui Palace, stole Lao Jun’s immortal elixir, and came out of Heaven. The Jade Emperor again sent ten thousand heavenly soldiers, and still he could not be subdued. Later, at Guanyin’s request, he was chased by Erlang True Lord as his sworn elder-brother. He constantly changed form; only after Lao Jun threw the golden-steel mallet at him and struck him was Erlang finally able to seize him. Brought before the throne, he was ordered to be beheaded, cut by sword and axe, burned and thunderstruck, yet none could injure him. Lao Jun petitioned and was allowed to take him for tempering by fire. Forty-nine days later the furnace was opened; yet he again leapt out of the Eight-Pattern Crucible, drove off the heavenly officers, and directly entered the Hall of Clarity, outside Lingxiao Hall. At the threshold, the aide of You-sheng Zhenjun, Wang Lingguan, blocked him and they fought bitterly; then the thirty-six thunder generals trapped him in the heart of the field, yet he could not be approached. As the matter was urgent, the Jade Emperor especially invited Buddha to come for rescue.” On hearing this, Buddha told the assembly, “You all sit steadily in this Dharma hall and do not disturb this meditation seat. I will go to subdue the demon and save this matter.”

Buddha summoned the two elders A-ha and Kashyapa to accompany him, left Leiyin, and came straight to the outside of Lingxiao Gate. Suddenly a cry resounded in the air: the thirty-six thunder generals were surrounding the Great Sage. Buddha’s Dharma command was sent: “Tell the thunder generals to cease hostilities, open their ranks, and call out the Great Sage to come forth so I may ask him what powers he has.” They all withdrew. The Great Sage withdrew his illusory form and appeared in his true form before Buddha, angrily fierce, crying out, “Who are you, good holy man, to dare to stop this sword-and-spear fighting and question me?” Buddha smiled, “I am Śākyamuni Buddha of the Western Pure Land of Amitabha. Namo Amitabha Buddha! I have heard you, from the start, have been unruly and wild, repeatedly defying Heaven and returning to it. I do not know from which region you were born, in what year you attained the Way, and why you are so violent.” The Great Sage answered:

In heaven and earth, my spirit was formed from the primal mix, a single old ape in Flower-Fruit Mountain. At Water Curtain Cave I made my home, and seeking masters with sworn companions, I awakened the Great Mystery. I forged long-life arts in many kinds, learned transformations vast and boundless. Since in the mortal realm the land was narrow to me, I resolved in my heart to dwell in Jade Heaven. Lingxiao’s Precious Hall is not his alone; through generation after generation, kings have passed down their allotted shares. If the strong are honored, let them yield me way; only a hero dares to contend for primacy. Buddha laughed coldly: “You there, monkey spirit in beast form, dare to harbor such thoughts and seek to usurp the Jade Emperor’s seat? From youth you claim cultivation and have endured one thousand seven hundred fifty kalpas. Every kalpa is one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred years; tell me how many years you say this gives you to enjoy the boundless Great Way. As for this beastly life that began as human, how can you speak so high? You are no child of man, no child of man at all—preserve your years. Submit at once and cease this nonsense. Otherwise deadly harm may come and life will end this instant; pity your original form is wasted.” The Great Sage replied: “Though he has long practiced from youth, he should not occupy it so long. As the saying goes, ‘The emperor’s turn passes round, and next year it comes to my house.’ Merely tell him to move out and give me the celestial hall, then it is enough. If he refuses, there will be endless uproar and no peace.” Buddha said, “Apart from longevity arts and transformation, what else do you have to dare seize Heaven’s realm?” The Great Sage said: “My methods are many: I have seventy-two transformations; my life does not age for myriad kalpas; I can ride the jingu cloud and in one leap go a distance of 108,000 li. How could I not sit in the seat of Heaven?” Buddha said, “Let us wager. If you can hurl yourself out of my right hand with one jingu-cloud leap, then you win and need not use weapons again; I will ask the Jade Emperor to move westward and reside in the west, and give this heaven palace to you. If you cannot strike out of my palm, return to the lower world as a demon, practice for some kalpas more, and come back to quarrel.” The Great Sage laughed to himself: “This Buddha is easy to fool. My jingu cloud goes one leap of 108,000 li; his right palm is not even a foot across. How could I not get out?” he cried, “Then make such a proposition?” Buddha said, “Yes, yes,” and spread out his right hand, which seemed to be only the size of a lotus leaf.

The Great Sage put down the Ruyi staff, gathered his divine might, and with one leap stood in Buddha’s palm, saying, “I will go out as well.” In one line of cloud-light he was gone, no form and no shadow. Buddha used his wisdom-eye and saw that the monkey king resembled a windmill-like thing, never still, always moving forward. As he advanced, suddenly he saw five red, flesh-colored columns, propping up a stream of green-blue qi. “This is the end of the road,” he thought. “When I return, Buddha will bear witness—Lingxiao Palace is surely where I will sit.” Then he thought, “Wait, I’ll leave a mark, then I can speak with Buddha about what happened.” He pulled out one fine hair, blew a trace of immortals’ breath, and cried, “Transform!” It became a thick black two-tipped brush. On the middle column he wrote one line: “Great Sage Equal to Heaven, I visited here.” Having done so, he gathered back the hair and, without concern, urinated once at the base of the first column. Then he flipped his jingu cloud and returned directly to where he had been, standing in Buddha’s palm and saying, “I have gone and now I am back. Instruct the Jade Emperor to give him the Heavenly Palace.”

Buddha scolded, “You urine-spirit monkey, you truly have not even left my palm.” The Great Sage said, “You know nothing. I went to the edge of Heaven and saw five red flesh-colored columns holding up a stream of blue qi. I left a mark there; dare you come and look with me?” Buddha said, “No need to go. Just lower your head and see.” The Great Sage opened his blazing-gold eyes and looked down. On Buddha’s right middle finger, he saw the words “Great Sage Equal to Heaven, I visited here.” In the grasp of that big finger there was still some monkey-urine stench. The Great Sage was startled, saying, “Can this be? Can this be? I wrote these words on the pillar that propels Heaven—how did they appear on his finger? Could there be a foreknowing magic? I do not believe it, no, I do not believe. Let me go once more and test it.”

The Great Sage leapt up quickly again, trying to jump out. The Buddha gave a sweeping slap with his palm, sending this Monkey King out beyond the Western Heaven gate; he turned his five fingers into five linked mountains of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, called them the Five-Element Mountains, and softly pressed him down beneath them. All the Thunder gods and Ahu, with Kashyapa, one by one pressed their palms together in praise and said: “Excellent! Excellent!”

In former ages he came forth from an egg and was born a man, setting his mind to cultivation and to the true Way. Through ten thousand kalpas he dwelt in the realm of excellence without changing, but in one day a change came and his spirit scattered. He deceived Heaven and mocked his superiors to seek high position, and by stealing elixirs he disrupted the Great Order. His evil has reached fullness and now bears retribution; who can know when he will turn back?

When the Buddha quelled the demon monkey, he at once called for Ahu and Kashyapa and together turned to the Western Pure Land. At that moment Tianpeng and Tianyou hurriedly came out from the Lingxiao Treasure Hall and said, “Great Buddha, please remain a little while—the lord of my master is now arriving.” The Buddha heard, and turned to look. Soon, they beheld an eight-vision roc chariot, nine radiant treasure canopies, songs of profound melody and exquisite music, and countless divine verses being intoned, while treasure flowers were scattered and true incense sprayed, until they arrived before the Buddha and thanked him: “By your Great Dharma you have subdued this demon evil. If the Buddha would stay one more day, we would invite the Immortals and make one feast of thanks.” The Buddha dared not oppose, and with palms joined replied, “I only obeyed the Great Heavenly King’s command in coming here. By what magic did I do this? It was all the merit of the Great Heavenly Ruler and the abundant blessings of the gods; how could I receive thanks?” The Jade Emperor sent orders: let the Thunder-hosts dispatch all to invite the Three Purities, Four August Ones, Five Elders, Six Offices, Seven Primordials, Eight Poles, Nine Luminaries, Ten Dukes, Thousand Truths, and Myriad Saints to come here to offer thanks together. He also ordered the Four Great Celestial Masters and the Nine Heavenly Maidens to open the Jade Capital Golden Gate, the Taixuan Treasure Palace, and the Dongyang Jade Hall, to bring a high seat for the Buddha on the seven-treasure spirit platform, arrange all seated rows, and provide dragon liver, phoenix marrow, jade wine, and peaches of immortality.

Before long, the Jade-Clarity Primordial Lord, the Supreme Pure Treasure Lord, the Great Pure Lord of Daoist Virtue, the Five Qi True Lords, the Lords of the Five Dipper Stars, the Three Officials and Four Saints, the Nine Luminary Lords, Left Assistant, Right Aide, the Celestial Kings, and Nezha—along with Xuanxu and all responsive spirits—arrived with matching banners and paired canopies. In pairs they came bearing luminous pearls, wondrous treasures, longevity fruit, and strange flowers, and knelt before the Buddha offering: “By your immeasurable Dharma power you have subdued the demon monkey. By the Great Heavenly Ruler’s command, we have been invited all together to offer our thanks. Please set a name for this assembly.” The Buddha, receiving the gods’ entrustment, said, “If a name is to be given now, call it the An-Tian Assembly.” The immortals immediately all spoke in one voice: “What a fine ‘An-Tian Assembly’! What a fine ‘An-Tian Assembly’!” When they had spoken, each took his seat; cups and vessels passed in sequence, flowers in hairpins were raised, zithers sounded—truly a splendid gathering. This was confirmed in verse:

The peach banquet had been disturbed when the monkey had churned it; the Assembly that Pacifies Heaven surpasses the Peach Feast. Dragon banners and phoenix chariots spread auspicious splendor, while precious streamers and canopies of banner banners wafted lucky Qi. Celestial music and mystic song had beautiful resonance; phoenix flutes and jade pipes sounded their tones high. Pearl-fragrant incense wound among the gathered immortals, and the universe turned calm and peaceful in celebration of this holy court.

All in attendance rejoiced openly and heartily. At once they saw the Queen Mother of the West lead ranks of heavenly maidens, fairy maidens, graceful maidens, and beauties, drifting and swaying as they danced before the Buddha, then offering obeisance: “When the demon monkey had previously disrupted the peach banquet, all the immortals and Buddhas were together asked to assist. Now, by the Buddha’s great Dharma, that unruly monkey has been chained. We celebrate the An‑Tian Great Assembly and have nothing with which to make amends. Therefore, with my own pure hands, I have plucked a few peaches from a thick branch and offer them.” Truly:

Half red, half green, they emit sweet fragrance; their enchanting beauty endures for ten thousand ages. It is laughable that they are only planted at Wuling Spring, while in the Heavenly Treasury the wonders are even more wondrous and strong. In all the world, there are few that are as tender and purple-veined; with pale yellow kernels and clear sweetness, none can match them. They prolong life and years and can transform the body; whoever is destined to eat them is indeed extraordinary.

The Buddha joined his palms and thanked the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother then had the celestial maidens sing and the nymphs dance; the gathered immortals all praised them again. Truly:

Azure mists and heavenly fragrance fill the hall, with dazzling fairy pollen and flowers; Jade Capital and Golden Towers shine in great splendor. Rare kinds and strange treasures are beyond price. They stand in pairs equal to heaven in longevity; in pair after pair, they add to life for ten thousand kalpas. Let the mulberry fields and blue seas change as they may—the host remains without surprise or alarm.

The Queen Mother kept on with singing and dancing, and cups were passing back and forth; before long, they all suddenly heard:

A strange fragrance drifted to the nose, startling all the stars and constellations throughout the hall. The celestial immortals and Buddha set down their cups, each raising his head and waiting. In mid-sky there appeared an old man, carrying a sprouting lingzhi in his hands. A gourd stored ten-thousand-year elixirs; a precious register held names for a thousand years of longevity. In his cave, Heaven and Earth may be at will; in the flask, the sun and moon achieve completion. He roams the Four Seas in carefree ease, and though the ten isles may gather crowds, he remains at peace. He has come to the peach banquet many times in drunken revelry; when he wakes, the bright moon still remains. With long hair and big ears and a short body, in the Southern Polar region he is called Lord Old-Longevity. The Longevity Star came too. Seeing he had finished offering respects to the Jade Emperor and then to the Buddha, he said in thanks: “It was first heard that the demon monkey had been taken by the Lord Lao to Doushuai Palace for forging and training, and that he would surely be set right; yet unexpectedly he broke out again. I am fortunate that the Buddha has safely subdued this monster and therefore held this banquet to give thanks. There is nothing else to offer, so I have brought only purple ginseng, jade grass, and blue lotus-root gold elixir in offering.” A verse says: Blue-lotus-root gold elixir is offered to Śākyamuni; may the Buddha’s life be as enduring as aeons of sand. Tranquil peace and eternal joy, the Buddha’s three vehicles in brocade-like splendor; health and longevity of a full nine grades flourish. In the gate beyond form, he is the true Dharma lord; color and emptiness in heaven above are the immortal way. The cosmos and earth alike call him grandfather; six-and-a-half-foot golden-bodied one, fortune and life both come slowly in blessing. The Buddha joyfully accepted and thanked him. Longevity Star took a seat and still went to pour cups as before. Then the bare-footed Immortal arrived, bowing to the Jade Emperor and offering respect, then again to the Buddha: “With sincere feeling, I appreciate Your Dharma power for subduing the demon monkey. With nothing else to show my reverence, I offer two pears and some fire dates.” A verse says: Great bare-footed Immortal, your pears and dates are fragrant; I respectfully offer them to Amitabha, wishing for long life. May the seven-treasure lotus platform stand firm like a mountain; the thousand-gold seat is adorned like brocade. To say that life equals heaven and earth is no falsehood; can blessing be less than the roaring flood? If longevity and fortune arrive in their due time, that is truly so, and all is calm and carefree in the Western Pure Land. The Buddha thanked him again and told Ahua and Kashyapa to collect each presented item and set it aside, then carry it before the Jade Emperor in thanks for the banquet. All became drunken and intoxicated. Then a Patroling Spirit Officer came to report: “The Great Sage has thrust out his head.” The Buddha said, “Never mind, never mind.” From his sleeve he took out a note with six golden words: “唵嘛呢叭咪吽.” He handed it to Ahua and ordered him to paste it on the mountain peak. The ascetic took the note out of heaven’s gate and pasted it tightly to a square stone atop the Five-Element Mountain; instantly that mountain took root and sealed shut. With his breath under control, the hands could crawl out and writhe and writhe. Ahua reported: “The note has been pasted.”

The Buddha then took leave of the Jade Emperor and all the gods, and with the two venerable disciples left through the Heavenly Gate. He generated a compassionate heart, chanted the true mantra, and summoned from the Five-Element Mountain a local Earth deity, together with the Five-Directions Qiedi, to dwell on this mountain and guard him. Yet when he was hungry, he was to eat iron pellets; when he was thirsty, he was to drink melted copper juice. When his misdeeds and punishment had fully run their course, someone would come to save him. Truly:

The demon monkey dared to rebel against Heaven’s court, but the Buddha subdued him with his hand alone. In thirst he drank melted copper through years; in hunger he ate iron pellets and passed the days. He was worn by heavenly disasters and misfortune; human affairs were cold and pitiful, though his life lasted long. If he can receive heroes again and again unfold his strength, in later years he will offer himself to Buddha in the Western regions. Another verse says: He once flaunted bravado and force, and his influence rose high; he subdued dragons and tamed tigers, practicing perverse tricks. He stole peaches, stole wine, and roamed the Heavenly Treasury; he received scriptures and grace within Jade Capital. Evil filled him to overflowing and he was bound in confinement, yet his virtuous roots were not severed and his qi still rose. Indeed he shall escape the Buddha’s hand, and later a holy monk will arise in the Tang dynasty.

In the end, it is still unknown in what later year and what month this calamity will fully run out; listen closely and in the next installment we will untie it.