By the dim light of the oil lamps, Tripitaka spent a long time meditating on the King Liang’s Water Litany (Liang Dynasty Water Repentance Liturgy), followed by the recitation of the Authentic Sutra of the Peacock(True Peacock Sutra).
The Ghost King’s Plea
By the third watch of the night, he had grown so weary that his head sank heavily onto the desk and he drifted into a half-sleep.
In his drowsy state, the Master thought he heard a faint voice calling to him from outside:
“Master!”
Startled, the Tang Monk quickly raised his head and asked:
“Who are you? Surely you are not some demon or ghost come here merely to mock me without mercy? If so, know that I am no greedy or conscienceless man, but a simple monk who walks the righteous path.”
By now, the being outside had begun to push open the door, replying as it did:
“You are very mistaken, Master. There is neither monster nor demon out here.”
Tripitaka responded:
“If what you say is true, then why are you still awake at such a late hour?”
The voice answered:
“Master, my home lies about forty kilometers west of here, where there stands a city—my kingdom.”
“What is its name?” asked the Tang Monk.
The figure replied:
“The Kingdom of the Black Rooster. I am its king.”
Tripitaka inquired, increasingly surprised:
“May I ask why you seem so frightened, and what has brought you here tonight?”
The spirit of the King explained:
“About five years ago, this region was struck by a relentless drought. All vegetation dried up, and people began to starve—truly a horrifying time! Soon after the drought began, all the granaries in my kingdom were emptied, and there remained not a single grain in reserve. My officials, both civil and military, went unpaid for years. Day and night, for three full years, I offered sacrifices and prayers to Heaven, but all in vain. Our rivers remained dry, our wells stayed empty. Just when we were most desperate, a Taoist suddenly appeared from Zhongnan Mountain. He claimed to belong to the Absolute Truth Sect and boasted powers capable of summoning winds and bringing rain. We invited him to pray to Heaven—and his prayers were so effective that, the moment they ended, the heavens poured down in torrential rain.”
The Tang Monk interrupted:
“But what I do not understand is how, with such a man at your side, you came to abandon your city and come all the way here.”
A Kingdom’s Tragedy
The spirit continued:
“Seeing his great virtue, I decided to form a brotherhood with him. For two years, we shared everything. Spring returned once more to our land, and the peach and apricot trees bloomed with extraordinary beauty. One day, the Taoist and I walked hand-in-hand through the imperial garden. When we reached a well, he threw something into it that immediately began to glow with a golden light. Intrigued, I leaned closer to see what it was—but he mercilessly pushed me into the water. Then he covered the mouth of the well with a heavy stone slab. Not content with that, he sealed the well with mud and clay, even going so far as to plant a banana tree atop it. What terrible misfortune! I have been dead for three years now, my body remains below, and I am nothing but a wandering ghost.”
The ghost king added, continuing his tale:
“After killing me, he shook his body once and instantly transformed himself into an exact copy of me. No wonder he has ruled my kingdom effortlessly ever since. No one in the entire empire has realized that he is an impostor.”
The Tang Monk said:
“I pity your suffering. But how can I help you? I am only a monk.”
The royal spirit replied:
“Fortunately, the God-Who-Patrols-the-Night carried me here on a whirlwind and told me that traveling with you is a man who can defeat monsters and subdue demons—the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. That is why I have come begging you to go to my kingdom and expose the impostor who has seized my throne. As proof of my gratitude, I shall grant you all the riches I can offer in the future.”
Tripitaka concluded:
“So you have come here asking my disciple to help you rid yourself of this monster?”
“Precisely,” the man replied.
Tripitaka remarked:
“But I fear this task will prove extremely difficult. After all, your people and ministers will surely hold deep loyalty and affection for the false king.”
“No,” he countered, “for I still have one loyal supporter within the city—my own son.”
Tripitaka asked:
“How shall I arrange a private audience with him?”
The Ghost King replied:
“That is no problem at all. Tomorrow morning, he plans to leave the palace to go hunting outside the city walls. You could not ask for a better opportunity. Deliver my message to him, and he will surely believe you.”
Tripitaka objected:
“But how can he believe me, when he has already been deceived by this monster into thinking it is his true father?”
The spirit clarified:
“To prevent that, I am prepared to give you a sign—one that will leave him with no doubt whatsoever.”
The Jade Tablet Revelation
With that, the emperor’s ghost handed the Tang Monk a white jade tablet inlaid with gold.
Suddenly, the spirit glanced toward the door and said:
“My soul calls me back. I must go.”
And just like that, he vanished.
The Tang Monk called for his disciples, who rushed into the room.
Still shaken, Tripitaka reported:
“I fell asleep at my desk, and I had a terrible nightmare.”
He then recounted the conversation he had with the stranger.
Suddenly, Tripitaka exclaimed:
“Oh, now that I think of it—he left me something as proof of his truthfulness!”
Bajie suggested:
“It was only a dream. Don’t take it seriously.”
But the Sand Monk disagreed:
“I beg to differ. Instead of doubting, let us take torches and go have a look outside.”
The Monkey King opened the door, and together they stepped outside. Before long, under the light of the stars and moon, they found the white jade tablet inlaid with gold.
“What in the world is this?” Bajie asked, carefully picking it up.
Wukong replied:
“As you can see, it is the white jade tablet inlaid with gold—the most precious treasure of that ghostly king. This confirms the ghost king’s tale.”
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