ENG
Born with a clumsy heart, trapped in life's advance and retreat,
Breaking precepts repeatedly, following nature, not the Buddha's feat.
With rake and tusk, smashing fate, burrowing karma's weight,
Rolling in the muddy world, heedless of scorn or debate.
In the highest sky, above the Jade Pool.
Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, celestial maidens flitted to and fro. Today, the Queen Mother of the West was hosting a lotus-viewing banquet.
As Admiral Tianpeng walked past the gate, he saw a tall, burly man blocked by a celestial maiden. "Admiral Curtainraiser," the maiden said in a polite but cold manner, "without a handwritten invitation from the Queen Mother, you cannot sit by the pool. If you don't mind, why not take a seat in the side hall and have some tea." The burly man responded in obedience, but his gaze fixed in the main hall.
At such behavior, Tianpeng subtly shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. He presented his invitation to the other maiden at the gate and strode in, his head held high.
The banquet was in full swing, with celestial officials exchanging toasts, their joyful laughter resonating throughout the hall, creating an atmosphere of mirth and merriment.
Tianpeng, an admiral who guarded the celestial river, seldom attended such festive gatherings. However, he managed to greet everyone as if he was well-acquainted with them all, all while mindful not to overindulge in wine.
The God of Longevity stood beside the Queen Mother, stroking his beard and chuckled, "Such extravagance. I wonder how would the Peach Banquet surpass it."
A constellation officer, standing nearby, chuckled at the Elder's concern, "Elder, such worries are in vain. With the allure of those nine-thousand-year peaches, even a casual arrangement of tables outside the Celestial Gate would draw the dignitaries from across the three realms, be they noble or humble, eager to partake in a taste."
A red-faced immortal sneered, "It's not the peaches they seek, but rather to bow before the Jade Emperor and the Three Supremes, and worship the Buddhas of the west. Such assemblies are scarce pretexts for them to curry favor and bask in the company of the divine."
The Queen Mother spoke with solemn dignity, "The Peach Banquet is no trivial matter. Our gathering today is but a prelude, a rehearsal of the rites and rituals that must be executed with exactness and reverence."
Upon concluding her speech, the Queen Mother signaled to the Lord of Luna with a glance. With a few claps of his hands, a group of maidens dressed in white entered the hall.
The maidens took their positions by the Jade Pool and began to play instruments, sing, and dance. Among them, one dancer, with hair like silver, and a dress like clouds, stood out with her exceptional grace. Tianpeng had never seen the beautiful celestial maidens so closely, and he was fascinated.
A celestial maiden in a violet gauze dress, holding an exquisite cup of wine with both of her hands. "Admiral," she softly called.
Drenched in his fascination, Tianpeng took the cup from her hands, yet his gaze never left the white dancing sleeves.
After the dance concluded, Tianpeng regained senses. He rose up to toast the Queen Mother, yet the queue was long; by the time he reached the end of it, he found himself already outside the gate.
Suddenly, he heard someone shouting, "Shoes! His shoes!"
He looked over and saw two celestial officers supporting a drunken monkey as they hurried past.
Tianpeng thought to himself, When will I ever get to be as drunk as that monkey?
The passage opens with a short poem about someone born with a restless, unruly nature: a person who repeatedly breaks rules, follows instinct rather than holy discipline, fights against fate, buries their past deeds, and rolls in the muddy world without caring about other people's disapproval. That opening sets a tone of irreverence and impulsive behavior for what follows. The main scene takes place high in the heavens, above the Jade Pool, where the Queen Mother of the West is hosting a formal lotus-viewing banquet attended by many celestial beings.
Admiral Tianpeng is walking past the gate to this banquet when he sees a tall, burly man stopped by a maiden at the entrance. The maiden calls that man “Admiral Curtainraiser” and tells him, politely but firmly, that he cannot sit by the pool without a handwritten invitation from the Queen Mother and should take tea in a side hall instead. The denied admiral obeys but keeps looking toward the main hall. Tianpeng, by contrast, presents his invitation to another maiden and enters confidently.
Inside, the banquet is lively: celestial officials are exchanging toasts and laughing. Tianpeng, who rarely attends these parties, moves through the crowd greeting people politely and drinking carefully so he does not get drunk. Nearby the God of Longevity remarks on the extravagance and wonders how the upcoming Peach Banquet will compare. Others respond: one officer says the peaches will draw every rank of guest, while a red-faced immortal argues that many invitees really come to curry favor with higher powers rather than for the peaches themselves.
The Queen Mother then explains that the current gathering is a serious rehearsal for the Peach Banquet’s rites and rituals. She signals to the Lord of Luna, who summons maidens in white to perform by the Jade Pool. One dancer has striking silver hair and exceptional grace, and Tianpeng is clearly captivated by her. At one point a celestial maiden in violet offers Tianpeng a cup of wine; he accepts it but keeps staring at the silver-haired dancer even while holding the cup.
After the dance ends, Tianpeng tries to toast the Queen Mother but the line is long and, by the time he reaches the end, he finds himself outside the gate. He then hears a commotion—someone shouting “Shoes! His shoes!”—and sees two celestial officers carrying a drunken monkey. Tianpeng watches them and thinks to himself, “When will I ever get to be as drunk as that monkey?” The scene closes with that contrast between Tianpeng’s self-control and the monkey’s reckless abandon, leaving an impression of longing or envy toward carefree intoxication.