Tang Sanzang and his two disciples crossed the Yellow Wind Mountain and continued their journey westward.
Before long, the travelers came upon a vast river with turbulent waters. On its bank stood a stone tablet. The three approached and discovered that it simply read: River of Flowing Sands.
As they were reading the inscription, the waters suddenly surged and churned, raising waves as high as mountains. From its depths emerged a monster of savage and horrifying appearance.
Like a whirlwind, the beast turned toward the shore and lunged at Tang Monk. Fortunately, Wukong seized him by the shoulders and, with a single leap, carried him to a higher and safer place. Meanwhile, Bajie set aside the luggage, grabbed his rake, and struck the enemy with a terrible blow.
They clashed for more than twenty rounds, neither gaining a clear advantage.
Retreat into the Water
When the monster saw Wukong step forward to join the battle, it abruptly turned around and dove back into the river.
“You shouldn’t have come!” Bajie shouted in frustration.
“The monster was already nearing exhaustion. Just four or five more strikes and I would have defeated him. You frightened him off. Would you care to explain what we should do now?”
“Did you capture the monster?” Tripitaka asked.
“No,” replied the Monkey King.
“He couldn’t withstand our attack and took refuge in the turbulent waters of this ill-fated river.”
Then the Monkey King suggested to Piggy Bajie:
“I think the best plan is for you to go into the water and fight him again—pretend to be defeated. It’s essential to lure him onto land so I can assist you.”
“Excellent idea!” exclaimed Bajie.
“I’ll go now.”
Meanwhile, the monster had returned to his underwater palace. When he heard someone skillfully stirring the waters, he looked up and saw Bajie approaching with his rake. He quickly grabbed his staff and rushed out to meet him, shouting:
“Where do you think you’re going, meddling monk?”
The two leapt into battle, stomping across the water’s surface and hopping nimbly from wave to wave.
The fight lasted for over two hours, with no clear victor.
Suddenly, Bajie seemed to lose ground and, pretending to be defeated, turned and fled toward the eastern shore. The monster immediately gave chase.
Just as the monster was about to reach the riverbank, the Monkey King raised his iron bar and delivered a mighty blow to the monster’s head. The beast refused to face him and decided to flee back into the water.
“Cursed Monkey!” Bajie shouted angrily.
“How impulsive can you be? Can’t you show even a little patience? If you had just waited until I lured him a bit farther inland, we could have cut off his escape and captured him without difficulty. Now how are we supposed to draw him out again?”
A Second Attempt
The next morning, Tripitaka asked Wukong:
“What shall we do today?”
The Monkey King replied:
“There’s not much else to do. As for Bajie, he’ll have to enter the water again.”
Bajie made his way to the riverbank. He parted the waters and swam toward the monster’s mansion, just as he had done before. The beast had just woken up when he heard the splashing. He turned quickly and saw the pig approaching with his rake. He leapt up and shouted:
“Stop right there! Try my staff!”
The battle lasted more than thirty exchanges, but neither fighter gained the upper hand. Again, Piggy pretended to be defeated and fled, dragging his rake behind him. The monster chased after him, splashing through the waves—but stopped short at the river’s edge.
“Cursed beast!” Bajie shouted.
“Why won’t you come ashore? Fighting on solid ground would be much better.”
The monster replied:
“No. You’re trying to lure me there so your companion can cut off my retreat. Do you think I haven’t figured out your trick? If you want to continue the fight, you’ll have to return to the water.”
The monster had grown wise and refused to approach the shore.
Later, Wukong and Bajie climbed up to where Tang Monk was resting and reported everything that had happened.
Tripitaka, eyes filled with tears, asked:
“How shall we cross this river if it’s so difficult to capture the monster?”
“Don’t worry, Master,” said the Monkey King.
“I’ve thought of something more practical. Wait here while I go to the Southern Seas.”
With a leap, the Monkey King soared into the clouds and headed toward the Southern Seas.
Seeking Help from Bodhisattva Guanyin
Guanyin Bodhisattva asked:
“Why aren’t you with the Tang Monk? What brings you all the way here?”
Wukong replied:
“Venerable Bodhisattva, after leaving the Yellow Wind Range, we arrived at the River of Flowing Sands—a massive body of water nearly eight hundred miles wide, which Master Tang cannot cross. To make matters worse, there lives in the river a monster who is a true master of martial arts. Wu Neng has fought him three times beneath the water but has failed to defeat him—an outcome most regrettable indeed. This beast seems determined to block our path to the other shore, and that is precisely why I have come to seek your help.”
Guanyin explained:
“As it happens, the monster of the River of Flowing Sands is none other than the reincarnation of ‘The Curtain-Raiser Officer’, one of my attendants. I convinced him, though not without great effort, to accompany the scripture seekers on their long journey westward. Had you simply told him that you were the pilgrims from the Eastern Lands, he would not only have allowed you to pass—he would have helped you cross.”
She added:
“I had already persuaded the monster to accompany the seekers of scriptures. If you had told him who you were, he would not have hindered you but instead assisted you gladly.”
At once, the Bodhisattva summoned Hui An Moksa to accompany Wukong and summon the monster from the river.
Soon, the travelers arrived at the River of Flowing Sands, descending from the clouds.
The Sand Monk’s Submission
Moksa mounted a cloud and hovered above the river’s surface, shouting loudly:
“Wu Jing! The scripture seeker has been waiting here for a long time! How is it that you still haven’t fulfilled your promise to help him?”
Fearing the Monkey King, the monster had taken refuge deep within the river and dared not emerge. But when he heard himself called by his religious name, he instantly realized it was Bodhisattva Guanyin—and all fear vanished. With a leap, he surfaced from the water and was overjoyed to see Moksa.
Wu Jing asked:
“Where is the scripture traveler?”
Moksa pointed with his finger and answered:
“He is the one sitting on the eastern shore.”
The Sand Monk laid aside his staff and went to the shore. Kneeling before Tripitaka, he said:
“Master, I am truly sorry. I did not mean to offend you. Please forgive my blindness.”
The Sand Monk then turned to Bajie and the Monkey King and respectfully bowed to them.
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