The story of Red Boy

Red Boy held the Fire Cloud Cave by Withered Pine Ravine on Mount Hao. He was the son of Niu Mowang and Princess Iron Fan, styled himself the Holy Infant King, held the mountain as its lord with the spirits of the hills at his orders, raised his banner before the cave and gathered a following, and his name was known across the country of Mount Hao.

In his early years he had cultivated three hundred years in the Flaming Mountains and refined the samadhi fire in himself. He kept it hidden and used it only against a strong enemy, and few even of the spirits under him knew how dangerous it was.

When the pilgrims passed through the country of Mount Hao, Red Boy learned that the scripture-seeker was coming and first took the shape of a child tied by ropes and hung from a tree, crying and calling for help along the road, until Tang Sanzang was moved to pity and ordered him cut down.

Wukong knew the demonic air and warned him repeatedly to no purpose; Tang Sanzang had Bajie untie the child and had Wukong carry him on his back. As Wukong carried him, Red Boy worked his art where he was, raised a whirlwind of sand and stone, and swept Tang Sanzang up into the cloud and away.

Wukong and Bajie tracked him to the Fire Cloud Cave and challenged. Red Boy came out to meet them, fought several passes without a decision, then withdrew into the cave and brought out five small carts, which he ranged in the five quarters before the lines.

Red Boy sat cross-legged in the carts, worked his breath and spoke his spell, and the samadhi fire came out of his mouth and nose; the fire took the carts and the wind fed the fire, so that smoke covered the country and flames went up, and Wukong could not close with him.

Unable to master the fire, Wukong went up to heaven to ask for the dragon kings of the four seas. Ao Guang and the rest came and poured down rain; but ordinary water on samadhi fire only made it roll up the fiercer, and Wukong was nearly burned and got away in a bad state.

Scorched all over, Wukong tried another way: he took Niu Mowang’s shape and went to the Fire Cloud Cave to deceive Red Boy and get his master out. Red Boy saw through it and it failed.

Having discovered Wukong’s trick, Red Boy in turn took Guanyin’s shape, sat on a lotus throne and drew Bajie forward to bow. Bajie could not tell true from false, was taken in, and was carried into the cave, rake and all, and shut up there.

With nothing left to try, Wukong went to Mount Putuo in the southern sea and set out before Guanyin how Red Boy had impersonated her and imprisoned Bajie. Guanyin agreed to go with him to Mount Hao, and Moksa was sent with them.

At Mount Hao, Guanyin first had Wukong draw the enemy out. Red Boy came out with his spear and, pursuing hard, stepped onto the lotus throne Guanyin had set for him; before he knew it he was caught, with heavenly blades standing all around and no way forward or back.

Guanyin then took several golden bands, turned them into light and set them about Red Boy at his hands, feet and neck, and spoke the spell. Red Boy could not bear the pain and struggled hard, and could not get free.

His strength spent, Red Boy had at last to put his palms together and bow his head, and was taken into Guanyin’s service; he returned with her to Mount Putuo in the southern sea, entered her house under the name of the Boy of Wealth, and stood in attendance. The spirits of the Fire Cloud Cave scattered.