The Handsome Monkey King ruled his realm with lively order, appointing among the gibbons and baboons a handful of trusted officers and ministers to aid him.
At dawn, he would lead his lively court across the slopes of Flower-Fruit Mountain, ranging through emerald valleys and up to the sunlit crags and by nightfall, they returned to the shelter of the Water-Curtain Cave, their laughter echoing against the stone. Living in harmony and mutual care, they kept apart from bird and beast, cherishing their independence and reveling in their own company.
Each season brought its own delights. In spring, they plucked blossoms to flavor their food and sweeten their drink. In summer, they sought out the juiciest fruits to sustain them. Come autumn, they gathered taros and chestnuts, storing them against the turning year. In the crisp months of winter, they roamed the quiet woods in search of Huáng Jīng, the legendary yellow essence, a plant whispered to grant long life to those fortunate enough to find it.
For three to four hundred years, the Handsome Monkey King lived in unbroken joy, feasting with his subjects, roaming the hills and streams, and knowing no care. But one day, as he sat at a great banquet with the other monkeys, his gaze fell upon an old gray-haired elder among them. A strange heaviness stirred in his heart, and tears welled in his eyes.
The monkeys nearby, startled, set down their cups and bowed low. "Great King," they asked anxiously, "what trouble clouds your heart?"
The Monkey King sighed. "I am happy now," he said slowly, "yet I cannot help but think of the days to come."
The others burst into laughter. "But Great King," they cried, "we have all we could wish for! Here we feast every day upon an immortal mountain, in a blessed land, within an ancient cave on a divine continent. We bow to no unicorn or phoenix, and no ruler of mankind governs us. Our freedom and comfort are beyond measure! Why should Your Majesty fret over the future?"
The Monkey King shook his head. "You see only today. Though we answer to no bird, beast, or man, we cannot escape the chains of age and the decay of the body. In time, each of us will be dragged before Yama, King of the Underworld. Once we die, all our joys will vanish like mist. Without the means to live forever among the Heavenly beings, would our lives not have been spent in vain?"
At these words, a deep sorrow fell upon the gathering. The monkeys covered their faces with their paws, and the sound of their weeping echoed through the cave, each one stricken by the thought of his own impermanence.
Then, from among the ranks, a barebacked monkey suddenly leapt forward and cried aloud, "If the Great King's mind turns so far ahead, perhaps it is the sign of a true awakening! Among the five great orders of living beings, there are but three kinds who are beyond the grasp of Yama, King of the Underworld."
The Monkey King leaned forward eagerly. "And who are they?"
"They are the Buddhas, the Immortals, and the Holy Sages," replied the barebacked monkey. "These alone escape the Wheel of Transmigration, shun the cycle of birth and death, and live as long as Heaven and Earth, as enduring as mountains and streams."
"Where might such beings be found?" asked the Monkey King.
"They do not dwell beyond the bounds of Jambūdvīpa," said the other, "but live in hidden caves upon immortal mountains."
At this, the Monkey King's eyes shone with fierce delight. "Then tomorrow," he declared, "I will bid you all farewell and descend the mountain. Though I must drift with the clouds to the corners of the sea, or travel to the very edges of Heaven itself, I will seek out these three kinds of beings. I will learn from them the art of eternal youth, and escape the calamity of Yama's summons forever!"
The monkeys clapped their hands in delight. "Wonderful! Wonderful!" they cried. "Tomorrow we shall search every slope and valley for the choicest fruits, so that we may give the Great King a farewell banquet worthy of his journey!"