Chapter 50 Chapter fifty

It may be that Xiao Yu handed over the application to Li Shimin on Xuanzang's behalf. It said that he yearned for Buddhism in Tianzhu and wanted to go to the West to obtain the scriptures. Li Shimin didn't look at it too much, and refused on the spot.This is not because Li Shimin is stingy, but because this year happened to be the first year of Zhenguan, and the Western Regions have always been in war.There was always chaos in the early years of Zhenguan, so it was really more difficult than going to the sky to go to the Western Regions at that time.In the autumn of the second year of Zhenguan (628), Xuanzang, who was unwilling to be lonely, disguised himself as an ordinary citizen, mixed with the crowd, and ran out of Chang'an City as he wished.

It happened to be a coincidence that there was a severe drought that year, and it was followed by a frost disaster.Li Shimin announced that people can move freely and find food by themselves.The words sound a little nice, but they are actually announcing that there is a severe drought, there is no harvest in Guanzhong, and the national treasury savings are almost exhausted. If you can move around, just go begging for food! Therefore, Xuanzang successfully escaped the interrogation, mixed into the crowd, and went to the Western Paradise to worship Buddha and seek scriptures. All the beggars went to Shandong and Hebei, but Xuanzang did not go east, but found another way to go to the more desolate places in the west.

Xuanzang was prepared for the long journey. In Chang'an, he insisted on exercising every day for a year.After the lectures every day, I have to practice running and shrinking, and make up for Sanskrit in my spare time.It can be seen from this that Comrade Xuanzang is not as weak as we imagined. He should be a handsome male monk with a strong body, a tall, mighty, heroic warrior.Xuanzang was never interrogated along the way, but when he arrived in Liangzhou, it was different. This is the only way for envoys to go to the Western Regions, and it is also the only way for spies to go to the Western Regions.We know that Tang Seng encountered many disasters on his way to the west, and all kinds of monsters and ghosts wanted to kill Tang Seng and cook soup to eat meat.In Liangzhou (northwest of Gansu Province), there is no Bone Demon or Avalokitesvara. The one who entertained Xuanzang was Comrade Li Daliang, the governor of Liangzhou. He was the first fairy Xuanzang met.

The governor has many tasks, one of which is the management of refugees.Xuanzang was fortunate enough to fall into the hands of Li Daliang, which can be said to be a blessing from his previous life. Li Daliang: "Why did the mage go to the west?" Xuanzang: "Learn the scriptures." Li Daliang: "How can you prove that you didn't have an affair with Tubo?" Xuanzang: "Poor monk..." Li Daliang: "Where are the guards? Drive this monk back!" Just like that, Xuanzang was abruptly blocked back.He returned to Liangzhou City, circling, wobbling, wobbling, circling.Suddenly, two young monks appeared in front of Xuanzang.They claimed to be disciples of Master Huiwei, the head of Buddhism in Hexi, and they were ordered by their master to escort Master Xuanzang.

With the help of two locals, Xuanzang took a small road to Guazhou (Anxi, Gansu).Well, the little monk resigned, and Xuanzang became a man again. Since Guazhou is a state, there must be a governor.Duguda, the governor of Guazhou, had noticed this monk with a shiny head a long time ago, so he asked Xuanzang to be caught in front of him.Duguda looked at Xuanzang solemnly, and suddenly asked: "Are you from Chang'an?" Xuanzang said: "Yes, I came from Chang'an to give lectures in Guazhou!" Dugu Da's complexion changed drastically, and he rubbed his hands with a smile on his face, "Great, it's really touching that Master came from Chang'an to teach the Fa in a remote place like ours! The deeds should be publicized more!" After saying that, Xuanzang was received with the etiquette of receiving distinguished guests, and many good things were presented.After a few days of delicious food and drink, the people of Guazhou have begun to fall in love with Xuanzang.

Of course, Xuanzang has been able to move freely. He loves sports and often goes to the big river west of Guazhou to see the scenery. There is a pass called Yumen Pass outside the big river.Xuanzang ran back to his residence from the riverside as if exercising, thinking about how to get there.The next day, go to the river again and pretend to exercise. He was so disappointed, Yumen Pass was a customs on the border, without a visa or a passport, it was absolutely impossible for the officers and soldiers to let him pass.Once one day, Xuanzang grows wings like a thunderbolt and flies over, don't be too happy too early.Further forward is the beacon tower that makes people cry.On the beacon tower, there are soldiers guarding the frontier day and night, and they will never be polite to stowaways who come from afar.Once you find someone running desperately below, or there is a fat bird flying slowly in the sky, just draw your bow and shoot without a word of nonsense.

Therefore, the birdman also has the danger of the birdman. Well, now, if Xuanzang had the indestructible body of a vajra, flapped over with his wings, and carried the bows and arrows of the guards on the beacon tower, he would not have the slightest joy.There are not too many officers and soldiers on the Beacon Tower, and there are only five Beacon Towers along the entire route.Because in fact, the real danger is not in the beacon towers, but in the fact that the distance between each beacon tower is too long, more than a hundred miles. What is even more frustrating is that the middle of this journey is all Gobi, with no water, no grass, no human habitation, and no hair.

More than five hundred miles away, is it still possible to let people live? ! Don't panic, the reality version of the Western Paradise is more tragic than the novel.Now, suppose Xuanzang became an angel, had a soft armor, and forced himself to become a camel, carrying two fat humps on his back that can be turned into water, so he could go forward without being afraid of thirst.He will encounter another problem—the one who greets him will be the Mahayana Gobi, the shortest straight-line distance is 800 miles, and the actual distance is more than 1,000 miles.In this land of more than a thousand miles, there is no compass, only the poisonous sun; no companions, only the quicksand river.

Alas, in this way, I can finally cross the Mahayana Gobi and reach the country of Yiwu. At this time, Xuanzang sighed, called Wukong, pointed to Xitian and said, "Wukong, I am really tired as a teacher, and I don't want to walk anymore. Can you take me to sit on your somersault cloud? One hundred and eight thousand miles away , Amitabha, a small world of truth, kindness and beauty!" Thinking of this, Xuanzang smiled. He looked at the big river in front of him and swallowed. He came back to his senses, he didn't know that the city of Guazhou had already turned upside down because of him, he really shouldn't go back.

The matter had to start from Liangzhou. Comrade Li Daliang, the governor of Liangzhou, was busy with military affairs, and suddenly remembered that a monk with a glossy ladle had been sent back by him.Li Daliang began to regret it, cursing himself for being stupid at the time, that monk should be arrested and put in prison, why did he let him go, he is a suspect in adultery with Tubo!In order to get rid of this distress, Li Daliang issued a circular and sent it to various states and counties in the west: There is a monk named Xuanzang who wants to enter Tubo, and the prefecture and county where he lives should be strictly awaited.

Li Daliang was really enlightened, and I really don't understand why he insisted that Xuanzang was going to Tibet (maybe all of them were caused by monks).In short, the arrest order was issued to Guazhou, and it was in the hands of Duguda. Duguda is a broad-minded person, he boldly pushes the official document to his secretary Li Chang, let him handle it.Li Chang read the official document carefully, and excitedly came to Xuanzang, who had a chance to make meritorious service.He was holding a book similar to "Little Life of Master Sanzang", and placed it flat on the table in front of Xuanzang, pressing it with his hands. With a cold expression on his face, he lowered his voice and asked, "Master, could it be you who wrote this? (Isn't this the master?)" Xuanzang looked at Li Chang, who had always believed in Buddhism.In an era without the Internet and photos, it is also very difficult to take a look at your idol. From Xuanzang's eyes, Li Chang saw a kind of strength. Suddenly he became very excited and said: "If it is true, the disciple is willing to plan for you!" Xuanzang replied: "I am indeed Xuanzang, but I am not going to Tibet, but to Tianzhu to seek scriptures." Li Chang's eyes were filled with infinite light. He took out the document and tore it into pieces, "If the master is able to do this, the disciple dares to tear up the document for the master!" Under the arrangement, Xuanzang left Guazhou City smoothly.Li Chang also gave Xuanzang a good horse, which was the prototype of Tang Seng's first horse, that is, the one swallowed by the little white dragon, with a sad fate. No, Xuanzang hadn't been riding for a long time, the legs of the horse became stiff, and he gave up. Seeing that the horse was dead, Xuanzang went alone to a temple on the border of Guazhou.He straightened his clothes, knelt down in front of the Buddha statue and worshiped.Everything was quiet, but when Xuanzang was meditating, a man with a bay red beard suddenly broke in-the myth began. Seeing Master Xuanzang sitting in meditation, the Hu man walked around him three times without saying a word.Xuanzang was very surprised, and asked the Hu man's name, and the Hu man called himself Shipan Tuo.Xuanzang asked: "Why do you turn around three times when you come up?" Shi Pantuo said: "I believe in Buddhism, and I hope someone from an expert will give me instructions and precepts." Xuanzang saw that this man was smart, so he talked with him and taught him the five precepts. Question: "Do not kill, do not steal, and do not commit sexual misconduct. Can you hold on?" Answer: "Can hold, can hold." Question: "Don't lie, don't drink alcohol. Can you hold on?" Answer: "Can hold, can hold." ... In short, similar to this, Hu Ren became the layman he had dreamed of for more than 20 years.Unexpectedly, this barbarian had just finished his precepts, but he suddenly bid farewell to Xuanzang so joyously that he couldn't even shout.Xuanzang continued to recite the Buddha's name, and the Hu people came back again.When he came back this time, he was holding a lot of pies and fruits.He respectfully called Master, held up the fruit for Master to taste, very much like a good apprentice. This true story was recorded by Xuanzang himself. Later, people all knew that Xuanzang accepted a barbarian as a disciple on his way to learn Buddhist scriptures from the west. Later, people spread word of mouth, "Huren" became "hozen", and hozen is a little monkey, and the little monkey is too small, so let's call it grandson monkey!From then on, people didn't remember that the little monkey was actually Shi Pantuo, but they only knew that Tang Seng's great apprentice was named Sun Wukong.Xuanzang would not know that after more than a thousand years, this monkey and his story will be known to everyone. After Shi Pantuo worshiped his master, he became more and more joyful, and asked in his not-so-fluent Chinese: "What is Master doing in this barren land?!" Xuanzang replied: "It is also passing by. As a teacher, I am going to the West to learn Buddhist scriptures." Shi Pantuo said: "How far is the western sky?" Xuanzang replied: "Although it is far away for hundreds of thousands of miles, if you are facing the Buddha, you can reach it within a short distance!" Shi Pantuo asked, "Does the master think I look like a Buddha?" Xuanzang replied: "Like." In this way, Shi Pantuo made a fuss about traveling westward with Xuanzang.Xuanzang agreed to Shi Pantuo's entreaty, thinking that the young barbarian was very passionate. Shi Pantuo went home to clean up, and asked Xuanzang to wait for him in the grass (there was no way, the situation was too chaotic).Xuanzang squatted for a long time, and finally Shi Pantuo came.But he didn't come alone, there was an old Hu man behind him.According to Shi Pantuo, the old Hu people have been to Yiwu more than 30 times, and they can act as guides.Xuanzang stood up and asked, "Didn't you say you were leading the way for me? Why did you invite the old man out again?" Shi Pantuo explained: "If I can lead the way, I can also take Master out of Yumen Pass. I have never been outside of Yumen Pass." Xuanzang fainted at the time. If he knew how to recite the mantra, he would have recited it ten thousand times eight thousand times to kill the monkey.But Xuanzang is Xuanzang after all. He quickly calmed down his emotions and calmed down, and said to the old barbarians: "The poor monk made a vow to the west in order to seek Dafa. If he did not come to the Brahman country, he vowed not to return to the east. Even if he died on the way, Nothing to regret! The old man is old, so don’t go.” The old Hu was also polite and agreed on the spot. The old Hu also believed in Buddhism. In order to show his support for Xuanzang, he patted the buttocks of the bay red horse he brought and said: "Master, if you want to go, I will give you this horse. This horse goes back and forth. Yiwu has already made fifteen trips, and he is in good health and knows the way well. If there is any danger in the future, it may be able to help." Xuanzang looked at the horse carefully, it was a chestnut red, tall and thin, with the front of the horse's face There is also a diamond-shaped iron block nailed to it. This is a divine horse, which saved Xuanzang's life in his most dangerous moment.