In Journey to the West, all pilgrims bear the weight of celestial crimes: the Golden Cicada’s negligence toward Buddhist law, the White Dragon Horse burning the Jade Emperor’s divine pearl, Sha Wujing shattering the crystal goblet, and Sun Wukong’s litany of offenses — extorting the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, tampering with the Book of Life, destroying heavenly property, leading a syndicate (as King of Flower-Fruit Mountain), and stealing immortal peaches, elixirs, and imperial wine.
But what was Bajie’s transgression? Why was he banished from heaven?
The novel only presents Bajie’s own accounts of his downfall, never independently verified.
The First Account: Downplaying to Guanyin
When confessing to Guanyin Bodhisattva, Bajie vaguely claimed he was exiled for “drunkenly teasing Chang’e.”
“I am neither a wild boar,” said the fiend, “nor am I an old sow! I was originally the Marshal of the Heavenly Reeds in the Heavenly River. Because I got drunk and dallied with the Goddess of the Moon, the Jade Emperor had me beaten with a mallet two thousand times and banished me to the world of dust. “
— Journey to the West, Chapter 8
He omitted details, deliberately downplaying his crimes to seek Guanyin’s intercession.
A More Revealing Admission: Confronting Wukong
Against Sun Wukong, Bajie grew bolder — even exaggerating to intimidate his foe. Here, his account neared the truth:
Because Queen Mother gave the Peaches Feast—
When she met her guests at the Jasper Pool—
My mind turned hazy for I got dead drunk,
A shameless rowdy reeling left and right.
Boldly I barged into Vast Cold Palace
Where the charming fairy received me in.
When I saw her face that would snare one’s soul,
My carnal itch of old could not be stopped!
Without regard for manners or for rank,
I grabbed Miss Chang’e asking her to bed.
For three or four times she rejected me:
Hiding east and west, she was sore annoyed.
My passion sky-high I roared like thunder,
Almost toppling the arch of Heaven’s gate.— Journey to the West, Chapter 19
His offense wasn’t mere teasing but drunkenly attempting to rape Chang’e.
The Full Confession: Facing the South Mountain King
Only when battling the South Mountain King did Bajie fully unveil his sins. Beyond the assault on Chang’e, he admitted to:
Emperor Jade made me Marshal Heavenly Reeds.
The boss of Heaven’s eighty-thousand marines,
Comforts and joys I had in the halls of light.
Because I mocked Chang’e when I was drunk
And flaunted my strength at a wrondful hour–
One shove of my snout toppled Tushita;
Queen Mother’s divine herbs(Linzhi) I then devoured
Emperor Jade pounded me two thousand times
And banished me from the Three Heavens realm.— Journey to the West, Chapter 85
Only Taibai Jinxing (God of Venus) pleading for mercy spared him execution. His banishment was itself an act of heavenly leniency.
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