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Journey to the West - An Audio Drama Series· Folge 74

Journey to the West - Chapter 36 Part 2

Freitag, 20. Februar 2026 · 19 min

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What does the moon remind you of?

Bringing China's most influential fantasy adventure to your ears, with an original translation right from its source text.
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Details are in the descriptions. Thank you. Journey to the West, an audio drama series. Chapter 36 Part 2 Splendid singer. Pressing the golden band on his head and tightening the skirt on his waist, he held the iron rod and came straight up to the treasure hall of Mahaviru. He pointed at the three statues and said You are mere false images sculpted by mud and decorated with gold, but you do not completely lack senses inside. Elders One here is escorting the divine monk from Great Tongue to reach W heaven where he will worship Buddha and ask for scriptures.

We have come here tonight specifically to ask for lodging, so you had better deliver our names right now. Should you turn us down, I will use my rod to break your golden bodies to pieces and return you to your original form of dirt. While the great sage was being aggressive and throwing around threats, A labourer came to burn some late night incense.

He lit several incense and stuck them into the sensor in front of Buddha when Sinja snarled at him which sent him tumbling on the ground. When he got up, he caught sight of Sinja's face and that gave him another fall. Frightened and stumbling, he ran into the Abbott room to report. Elderly Lord that there is a monk outside.

The imperial Abbott said. All you labourers are wanting a beating. I already instructed them to squat by the front corridors. Why are you reporting to me again? Say that again, I will hit you 20 times. The labourer said. Elderly Lord, this monk is not like the other. This one looks quite heinous and hasn't got a spine.

The imperial Abbot asked. What is he like? The labourer answered. He's got round eyes, gaping ears, a hairy face and the mouth of a Thunder God. He is holding a rod in his hands with teeth gritted in menace and looking for someone to beat up. The Imperial Abbot said let me go have a look. Just when he opened the door, seemed to have pushed his way inside.

And how truly hideous he looked. An irregular, sharp face with two yellow eyes, forehead protruding while his fangs grew outward. He was nearly like a crab where his flesh grew on the inside and bones outside. The old monk was so afraid he shut the door of the Abbott room Singh to have caught up and smashed the door to pieces, telling him sweep 1000 rooms as soon as possible so elder son can sleep. The Imperial Abbott hid inside his room and said to the labourer, do you know why he's this ugly? It must be calm or the lion gave him such a face. Even if you count all the monk chambers, horse towers and corridors, there aren't even 300 rooms in total, yet he's asking for 1000 rooms to sleep in.

Where do we even find that many rooms? The labourer said. Master, I'm also a man with shattered nerves. It's up to you how you want to respond to him. And so the imperial Abbot shouted loudly in a trembling voice. That elder asking for lodging this little desolate mountain of ours cannot offer the convenience.

We dare not keep you here. Please seek lodging elsewhere. Singer then made. His rod as. Thick as a basin and stuck it straight in the courtyard, saying, monk, if it's inconvenient to you, you can move out. The imperial Abbot muttered. We've lived in this temple since childhood. Our grandmasters passed it to our masters and them to us.

We have to further pass it on to our disciples. I wonder what he thinks he's doing, charging in with our reason and telling us to move, the labourer said. Elderly Lord, don't be embarrassed, we might as well move out. The rod has already come through the door. The imperial Abbot scolded. Quit the nonsense. We've got 4 to 500 mucks here, both old and young. Where are we supposed to live if we move out? There's nowhere for us to stay, seemed to her their conversation and said, monk, if you haven't a place to move to just send someone out to take an exemplary blow. The old monk said laborer go and take that blow for me. The laborer panicked and said, oh gramps, with a rod as huge as that one and you're telling me

to take exemplary punishment? The old monk said you trained soldiers for 1000 days so that they can be put to use for one moment. Why won't you go? The laborer said. Speak not of simply getting hit by that rod. When it falls on you, you will be pressed into mincemeat, the old monk said. Forget about it falling on you. If it stays standing in the courtyard and you forget that it's there while walking at night, a single bump will give your head a huge hole.

The laborer asked. Master, if you are aware of its weight, why send me out to take that hit? And so they began bickering between themselves, seemed to have heard them, and said to himself, they really can't take a hit. If I kill each with a stroke by the rot, Master will blame me again for murdering.

Let me just find something else to hit for them to see. Suddenly looking up, he saw a stone lion sitting outside the abbot's room, so he raised the rot and with a loud bang, shatter the thing into pieces. The monk saw it from a hole in the window. Numb and weak from the fright, he heartily crawled under his bed.

The labourer, on the other hand, crept towards the opening of the stove, begging nonstop. Gramps. The rod is heavy. It is. Heavy, we can't take it. Please spare us. Spare us, Singjo said. Monk, I won't hit you. Tell me, how many monks are there in this temple? The imperial Abbot answered in a shaky voice.

There are a total of 285 rooms with 500 certified monks. Singer ordered quickly. Go take a complete roll call of those 500 monks, go out wearing long robes and bring my master from Tang Dynasty inside. I will spare you then. The imperial Abbott said. Forefather, as long as you don't hit me, even if I have to carry him inside in my arms, I will do it. Singer said.

Hurry up and go. The imperial Abbot then said labourer, speak not of having shattered nerves, even if your heart is shattered, and you still have to call everyone over to welcome tongue monk, the elderly forefather inside, the labourer had no choice but risk his life. He dare not breakthrough the door, so he instead crawled through the dark hole from the back and came straight to the main hall, beating the drum in the east and striking the bell in the West. The noises together disturb the monks along the two corridors. They came to the hall to ask.

It's quite late now, what are you doing striking bells and beating drums? The laborer answered. Go change now and line up behind the old master. You are heading outside the mountain gate to welcome a Lord from Tang Dynasty. Those monks really did tidy up and get into groups to greet them outside.

Some wore their geshire, some wore a slanted robe, and those without put on a straight gown. The truly poor ones owned no long clothing, so they just draped some skirts on their shoulders. Singer saw the man asked. Monks, what clothes are you wearing? The monks saw that he was rather menacing and heinous, so they answered. Elda, don't hit us, we can't explain. These are clothes we received in the cities. There are no tailors around so we just wrapped them into the simplest of a tire on our own.

Seemed to her that and secretly let out a laugh. He then escorted all the monks out through the mountain gate before telling them to go on their knees. The Imperial Abbot kowtowed as he called loudly. Lord Tongue, please come inside the Abbot room. Bazia saw them and said. Master, you've truly been useless. When you went in, you came out in tears with a mouth so pouty you can hang an oil bottle on it. Why, the Zelda brother possessed the wit to get them to welcome us with kowtows, San Tzeng lamented. Fool, you have no manners, has the idiom. Ghosts.

Even ghosts fear a nasty man, Shaw. Monk saw them. Kowtowing and paying respect which made him feel rather sorry and uncomfortable. So he went up and said please get up all of you. The monks kowtowed and said, Lord, if you can give your disciple a word and tell him to not wield that rod, we would be happy to prostate here for a month.

The tongue monk then said, Don't hit them. Sinjar said, I haven't hit anyone. If I did, the place would have been uprooted by now. Only then did the monks get up. Some went to pull the horse, some took care of the luggage, while others lifted the tongue. Monk carried the bazier and held Sha Monk's arms.

Together they enter the mountain gate before arriving in the Abbott room where they were seated. Accordingly, the monks once again prostrated towards them. Sanzon said. Please rise, Abbott, no need for all the formalities. You will only burden this humble cleric. You and I are both Buddhist disciples. The Imperial Abbott said.

The elderly Lord is the envoy of a superior nation. This little monk did not send his proper greetings. You have arrived at this desolate mountain today, yet my worldly eyes could not recognize your honourable presence when we came across each other. Dare I ask elderly Lord, on your journey, do you take a vegetarian diet or do you eat meat? We will arrange your meals accordingly. San Zhang answered.

We have a vegetarian diet. The imperial Abbot then asked. As for the disciples, do you Lord, prefer meat? Singto answered. We are also vegetarians. We're all vegetarians by Bath. The monk said. Oh, Lord Amanda's menacing can be a vegetarian too. A braver monk approached to ask. If you're a vegetarians my Lords, then how much rice is enough?

Bhatia answered. What petty monks, why even ask? Cook a whole big pot for each one of us. The monks all panicked and ran to wash their utensils. They made tea and food in their rooms before lighting lamps up high and spreading out tables and chairs just to serve the tongue. Monk, master and disciples had their vegetarian meal for the evening.

As the monks began tidying up the place, San Zhang thanked them and said. Elderly Abbott, I apologize for causing trouble in your precious mountain. The imperial Abbott said, No such thing, No such thing, and we've been negligent, truly negligent. San Zhang asked. Where shall we rest? The Imperial Abbott said, Elderly Lord, don't you get impatient? This little monk knows what to do. He then called the laborer and said, Have you a few there who can take orders?

The laborer answered, We have master. The Imperial Abbott then instructed, You shall send 2 together fodder and feed Lord Tongue's horse, then send several to the front and clean three meditation rooms. Layout the bedding so the Lords can soon retire. The laborers took their orders and each wrapped up their tasks before inviting Lord Tang to go rest.

Master and disciples then pulled the horse and brought their luggage out from the Abbott room. Coming straight to the door of the meditation rooms, they could see that the inside was brightly lit with four rattan beds layout on the two sides. Singh saw that and asked for the laborer in charge to bring Father over.

When Father was placed inside the room, they had the horse tied up before telling the laborers to leave. San Zhang stood below the centre lamp as 500 monks stood on the sides. All at his service and dare not turn away. San Zhang gestured to say. Please return all of you, so this humble cleric can rest at ease. The monks dare not withdraw.

The imperial Abbot went up and ordered them. Only return after you've helped the law to bed, Suntan said. This is quite enough help. Please retire all of you. Only then did everyone disperse the tongue. Monk then walked out the door to. Relieve himself when he saw a bright moon above. He then called disciples. Sindhua, Bazir and Shamak all came out standing. The moonlight was so pure and clear, and the moon's image so profound.

Truly, when the moon shines high, the earth becomes a clear sight. Thinking of his return trip home sends uncomposed to the moon. A long poem in the Odin style, which ended with the following line. Tonight we quietly find our joy in this mountain monastery. When will the moon and I go home together?

Sing to heard his words and moved closer to ask. Oh, master, all you know is reminiscing the homeland upon witnessing a bright moon. What you do not realize is that the moon is meant to be a standard for the laws of nature. When the moon reaches the 30th day of the cycle, its lit side, which is the gold of its young soul, fades away as its dark side, the water of its eaten soul, fills the circle.

That's why it is completely black and without light, and we call it Hui, meaning the obscure. During this time, the moon will have intercourse with the sun and become impregnated by sunlight between the final and first day of the cycle. On the third day of the cycle, the first stroke of young appears.

By the 8th day, the second stroke of young is born half dark and half lit. The dividing line will be flat like a string, hence the name Shang Xian meaning upper bowl. And when the cycle reaches its 15th day, like today, all three strokes of young are present and hence the United full moon we call Wang, meaning the watch. On the 16th day the first stroke of yin is born, and by the 22nd day the second stroke now half lit and half dark. The divining line becomes.

Flat like a string, hence the name Xiaxian, meaning lower bowl. On the 30th day, all three strokes of yin are present, and we've reached Hui again. Tis the law of nature's cultivation. If we can warmly preserve our internal energy and reach completion, then not only is meeting Buddha an easy task, returning to your homeland will be just as simple.

As the poem goes, after the bow before and before the bow after there's medicine evenly blended in every sign present. Once we have them picked and refined in the furnace, our will and merit become the West Heaven. The elder heard that and instantly became enlightened. Having understood the true words, his heart was filled with delight as he thanked Wukong. Shamak chuckled on the side and said. While elder brother is quite right here. All he talked about was how did his young before the bow and yin after the bow have yin and have young the gold receives the water.

What he didn't mention was that the way water and fire mix is determined by destiny. Only by the power of earth can they reach peaceful balance. All three coexist without competition. The water runs in the long river while the moon is in the sky. The elder heard that and felt his mind once again opened up. It truly was a case of how understanding one way will open up 1000 new paths.

Once you solve the mystery of non life, you will become an immortal. Bazia on the other hand, clutched on the odor and said. Master, quit listening to their nonsense, we'll be laid for bed, and this moon listen, soon after it wains, it will grow around again, just like me, it is born imperfect. When I eat, you blame my large appetite. I can hold a bowl and somehow drool too much. They earn their blessings from wit. I stacked my goodwill by being foolish. Let me just say that fetching scriptures will pay back your karma on the three paths of evil. You will rise straight up to heaven with wagging heads and tails.

Sanzhang said fine then my disciples are very exhausted from travelling. Go to bed before me. Then I shall just read the scroll for a bit. Singhja said. Master is not making sense. You've left the family since a young age and become a monk. How are you not familiar with any scripture you've studied when you were a child, you then received an edict from the Tang Emperor to find Buddha in West Heaven and seek the true classics of the Great Vehicle. We've not completed our merit, not met Buddha, and not fetched any scripture.

Which scroll are you even reading here? Sun Tang answered, Ever since I left Chang'an, we've been on the road every single day. I fear that the scriptures from my younger days might be fading in my mind. Fortunately, I'm idle tonight, so I shall do some reviewing, Singja said. If so, we shall head to bed first. The three of them each lie down on a. Rotten bed.

The Elder meanwhile shut the door of the meditation room, turn up the silver lamp before opening up a scroll of scriptures to read in silence. It really was by the 1st drum beat on the tower, all human bustling subsides in a fishing boat. By the wild shores is where the fire goes out. We do not know how the Elder will depart this temple. Please wait until the next chapter. Journey to the West, an audio drama series, is an independent production by The 5th Monkey.

For subtitles, please visit our YouTube channel. To access all the locked content, please consider becoming a paid subscriber for a minimum of three U.S. dollars per month on Spotify, YouTube, Patreon, or drop a donation on Kofi. If you are a Patreon member, you will be able to access art, field pieces and other exclusive content. Head to.

Www.the. Fifthmonkey.com for links to all the platforms we're on and support us on social media. Shares, comments, emails, all are welcome. This is Lynn, see you in the next episode.

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