Where amid duckweed and algae the gold scales shine.
Then there is the Kiosk of Ink Flowers,
The Kiosk of Strange Boxes,
The Interesting Kiosk,
The Kiosk for Admiring the Clouds
Where bubbles like green ants float on the wine in jade ladles and goblets.
Around the pools and pavilions
Stand rocks from Lake Taihu,
Rocks of purple crystal,
Yingluo rocks,
Jin River rocks,
Greenish and overgrown with tiger-whisker rushes.
East and West of the kiosks and balls are found
A Wooden Mountain,
A Turquoise Screen Mountain,
A Howling Wind Mountain,
A Jade Mushroom Mountain,
All covered in phoenix-tail bamboo.
Trellises of briar roses,
And garden roses,
Growing by a swing,
As a curtain of silk and brocade.
A Pine Pavilion,
A Magnolia Pavilion,
Opposite a Saussurea Pavilion,
Forming a wall of jade with embroidered hangings.
Herbaceous and tree peonies are rivals in luxuriance;
The night-closing magnolias and the jasmine
Are charming every year.
Moist with dewdrops are the purple buds:
They ought to be painted or drawn.
The red hibiscus fills the sky with flaming splendor,
A marvellous subject for poetry.
When it comes to fine scenery
This makes Lang Garden or Penglai not worth a mention;
And as for the flowers,
The finest peonies of Luoyang count for nothing beside them.
In the battle of the blossoms late in the spring
The garden lacks only the flowers of jade.
The venerable elder led the she-devil by the hand as they strolled in the garden, admiring the endless displays of rare and exotic blooms. As they went through many a hall and pavilion he really did seem to be going into an exquisite place. Looking up, he realized that he was by the peach grove. Monkey pinched his master's head to remind him.
Flying to a branch of a peach tree Brother Monkey shook himself and turned into a red peach, and a most fetchingly red one at that. “Lady,” the venerable elder said to the evil spirit, “what beautifully scented flowers and ripe fruit you have in this garden.
The blooms are so fragrant bees vie for their nectar;
The birds all compete for the fruit on the branches.
Why are some of the peaches on the trees red and some green?”
“If there were no Yin and Yang in the heavens the sun and moon would not be bright,” the evil spirit replied with a smile. “If there were no Yin and Yang in the earth the plants and trees would not grow. And if there were no Yin and Yang among people there would be no sexual difference. The peaches on the Southern Yang side of these trees are red because they ripen first in the sun's heat. The peaches on the Northern Yin side are green because they get no sun and are still unripe. It's all because of the Yin and the Yang.”
“Thank you, lady, for your explanation,” Sanzang replied. “I did not know that.” He then reached out and picked a red peach, while the evil spirit also picked a green one.
Sanzang bowed as he handed the red one respectfully to the evil spirit with the words, “Lady, you love what is attractive, so won't you take this red peach and give me the green one?”
The she-devil made the exchange, thinking with concealed delight, “What a nice monk. He really is a good man. He is being so loving to me even before we're man and wife.” With great pleasure she paid him her affectionate respects. As the Tang Priest started to eat the green peach at once the evil spirit was delighted to do likewise, opening her mouth to bite into the red one. When she parted her red lips and revealed her silver teeth the impatient Monkey did not give her time to bite him but rolled straight down her throat into her stomach.
“Reverend gentleman,” the terrified evil spirit said, “that peach is a terror. Why did it roll straight down and not let me bite it?”
“Lady,” Sanzang replied, “the first ripe fruits of a garden are very delicious. That is why it went down so fast.”
“But it shot straight down before I'd had time to spit the stone out,” the evil spirit replied.
“Because you are such a lover of what is fine and beautiful and enjoyed it so much,” said Sanzang, “you swallowed it before you could bring the stone out.”
Once inside her stomach Monkey turned back into himself. “Master,” he called, “no need to argue with her now. I've succeeded.”
“Don't be too hard on her, disciple,” Sanzang replied.
“Who are you talking to?” the evil spirit asked when she heard this. “I am talking to my disciple Sun Wukong,” Sanzang replied.
“Where is he?” the evil spirit asked.
“In your stomach,” Sanzang replied. “He was the red peach you have just eaten.”
“That's the end of me,” exclaimed the evil spirit in horror. “If that ape's got into my stomach I'm dead. Sun the Novice, why did you go to such lengths to get into my stomach?”
“No particular reason,” replied Monkey from inside her. “I just wanted to eat the six leaves of your liver and your lungs, and your heart with its three hairs and seven apertures. I'm going to clean your insides right out and leave you a skeleton spirit.”
This sent the evil spirit's souls scattering in terror and shivering and shaking she clung tightly to the Tang Priest and said, “Reverend gentleman, I had thought that
Our destinies were from former lives joined by a red thread;
Our love was as close as the water and the fish.
I never imagined that we lovebirds would be parted
Or that the phoenixes would fly to East and West.
When the waters rose under Lan Bridge the rendezvous failed;
The meeting came to nothing in the misty temple.
After brief joy we are parted once more;
In whatever year will I meet you again?”
When Monkey heard all this from inside her stomach he was afraid that the venerable elder would have another attack of benevolence and let her talk her way out of the problem. Thereupon he started to wield fist and foot, striking out in martial postures and leveling everything around him. He punched her stomach almost to ribbons. Unable to bear the pain, the evil spirit collapsed in the dust, not daring to utter a single word for some time. As she was not speaking Monkey imagined that she must be dead and eased off.
She then recovered her breath to some extent and called out, “Where are you, little ones?” Now once in the garden, the creatures had all had the understanding to go off picking flowers, playing in the grass and amusing themselves, leaving the she-devil alone with the Tang Priest for a romantic conversation. As soon as they heard her calling they rushed over to see the evil spirit lying on the ground, her face a terrible color as she groaned, unable to move.
They hurriedly helped her up, crowding round and asking, “What's wrong, madam? Have you had a heart attack?”
“No, no,” the evil spirit replied. “Don't ask any questions. I've got someone inside me. Take the monk outside if you want to save my life.”
The junior devils actually did start to carry the Tang Priest, at which Monkey yelled from inside her belly, “Don't any of you dare carry him. You must take my master out yourself. I'll only spare your life when you've carried him outside.”
This left the evil spirit with no choice as all she cared about was saving her skin. At once she struggled to her feet, lifted the Tang Priest on her back and headed outside, followed by the junior devils asking, “Where are you going, Madam?”
To this the evil spirit replied,
“'As long as the lakes and the bright moon remain
I'll surely find somewhere to put my golden hook.'
Once I've taken this wretch outside I'll find myself another man.”
The splendid evil spirit went straight by cloud to the mouth of the cave, where the clang of weapons and wild shouts could be heard.