Chapter fifty-three
Sanzang drinks and conceives a ghostly pregnancy.
Wujing fetches water to resolve the evil fetus.
chánzhǔtūncānhuáiguǐyùn禅主吞餐怀鬼孕huángpóyùnshuǐjiěxiétāi黄婆运水解邪胎
How to read this chart:
Divine Rescue and Rice Offering
Golden Helmet MountainMountain god and local spirit offer rice to the pilgrims, explaining Wukong's earlier rescue. The group eats the rice, thanks the deities, and continues their journey.
River Crossing and Mysterious Illness
Child-and-Mother RiverThe pilgrims travel through a picturesque landscape and reach a river. They cross on a ferry and drink river water. Sanzang and Bajie soon suffer severe stomach pain after drinking the water.
Village Encounter and the Secret of the Water
Western Liang Women KingdomWukong seeks help in a nearby village; an old woman laughs at their predicament. The old woman reveals the water causes pregnancy in men and only water from the Abortion Stream at Male-Undoing Mountain can cure it.
Seeking the Abortion Stream and Confrontation
Abbey of Immortal AssemblyWukong travels to the mountain, meets a Daoist disciple, and requests water from the Abortion Stream. The True Immortal Compliant, a relative of Red Boy and Bull Demon King, refuses and a heated confrontation and battle ensues.
Wukong Returns for Help
Western Liang Women KingdomWukong returns to the village hut after failing to get the water. He explains the situation to Sanzang and Bajie, and asks Wujing to help him retrieve the water.
Provoking the True Immortal
Abbey of Immortal AssemblyWukong and Wujing return to the Abbey. Wukong provokes the True Immortal into coming outside and engages him in a heated battle.
Wujing's Stealthy Retrieval
Abbey of Immortal AssemblyWhile Wukong distracts the True Immortal outside, Wujing sneaks into the Abbey. Wujing defeats the Daoist guard and retrieves water from the well.
Cure, Recovery, and Farewell
Western Liang Women KingdomWukong and Wujing return with the water. Sanzang and Bajie drink it, experience pain, and recover. The old woman stores the leftover water for her family. The pilgrims thank the family and depart the next morning.