Taiyi Zhenren Rides a Pig When Going Out—Why Does No One Capture Zhu Bajie as a Mount in Journey to the West?
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I. Mounts of Powerful Deities
In Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child and its sequel Nezha: Chaos in the Sea, there is a very funny scene. Every time Taiyi Zhenren goes out, he neither rides on a cloud, walks, nor flies on his own; instead, he rides a fat pig.
It is said that in the early days, Taiyi Zhenren’s mount was a crane. Unfortunately, he grew fatter and fatter, and eventually, the poor crane could no longer carry him, so he switched to a pig. This fits Taiyi Zhenren’s role in the movie perfectly. After all, he is the comedy relief of the film, and riding a pig is quite appropriate—being too solemn would not be good.
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Moreover, as the pig is the last animal in the Chinese zodiac, it also implies that Taiyi Zhenren is the last among the "Twelve Golden Immortals." No wonder Shen Gongbao was disgruntled!
Now, the question arises: since Taiyi Zhenren can ride a pig, why did no powerful deity in Journey to the West dare to ride Zhu Bajie?
Whether in Journey to the West, Investiture of the Gods, or even other mythological novels, almost every prominent figure usually has a unique mount.
Generally, the mounts of powerful deities are divided into three categories: flying birds, beasts, and aquatic/scaly creatures. They are similar to the three types of combat tools in modern warfare—aircraft, chariots, and warships.
There are many flying mounts, which are especially popular among female immortals. For example, in Investiture of the Gods, the Three Xiao Niangniangs (the three immortal sisters), disciples of Tongtian Jiaozhu (Honorable Lord of the Open Heaven), all ride flying bird mounts.
Yunxiao Niangniang’s mount is the divine bird Qingluan (Green Luan), which is also the most common flying mount in the book. Niangniang Shiji (Fairy Shi Ji), Nüwa Niangniang (Goddess Nüwa), and Princess Longji all have the same mount. Qiongxiao Niangniang’s mount is a honghu (a large swan-like bird)—the very "honghu" mentioned in the saying "How can a sparrow understand the aspirations of a honghu?" It resembles a white phoenix, symbolizing nobility and elegance. Bixiao Niangniang’s mount is a hualing niao (plumed bird), a rare mount in mythological legends that died in battle alongside its owner. It was turned into pus by Yuan Shi Tian Zun (Primeval Lord of Heaven) using a magic treasure.
There are also similar flying mounts in Journey to the West. For instance, Taibai Jinxing (the Golden Star Lord) rides a white crane when going out, which is shown in the scene where he saves Tang Seng at Shuangcha Ridge:
"The old man then transformed into a wisp of fresh wind, mounted a red-crowned white crane, and soared into the sky."
Another deity with a flying mount is the Jade Emperor, but his mount cannot be simply classified as a flying bird—it is the Nine-Dragon Palanquin, which can be used on land, water, and in the air. After all, it would be beneath the Jade Emperor, as the Supreme Heavenly Ruler, to ride directly on a dragon. However, having nine dragons pull the palanquin is a different story:
"In an instant, there indeed appeared the Eight-Scene Phoenix Chariot and the Nine-Light Treasure Canopy. The sounds of profound divine songs and wonderful music filled the air, along with the chanting of countless sacred verses. Precious flowers were scattered, and fragrant incense wafted forth, all the way to the Buddha."
II. Beast Mounts in Mythology
Compared with flying mounts, the second category—beast mounts—is more common and is the choice of most immortals.
Of course, mounts that run on land are not necessarily unable to fly; it is just that their abilities are relatively stronger on land. Besides the common animals we know, such as lions, tigers, leopards, green oxen, white horses, and elephants, there are more exotic beasts in Investiture of the Gods.
For example, Huang Feihu’s Five-Colored Divine Ox: during the Battle of Xiqi, other mounts fled in panic from the exotic beasts ridden by the "Four Sages," but only his mount remained as steady as a mountain. There is also the Golden-Eyed Five-Cloud Camel, ridden by several powerful deities. This is no ordinary camel—it is a camel that can fly. The Fire-Eyed Golden Beast is also a common mount, chosen by at least four powerful deities. It looks imposing, but it has no other special abilities.
In addition, there are also mythical beasts such as bian (a tiger-like mythical beast), zhengning (a fierce-looking mythical beast), suanni (a lion-like mythical beast), qilin (a unicorn-like auspicious beast), and yunxia beast (a cloud-riding beast), among others.
There are even more such mounts in Journey to the West, such as Manjushri Bodhisattva’s lion demon, Guanyin Bodhisattva’s golden-haired howler, Tai Shang Lao Jun’s (the Supreme Old Lord) green ox demon, and the South Pole Star Lord’s white deer demon, to name a few.
By the way, the prototype of Wuliang Xianweng (the Immortal of Infinite Blessings) in Nezha: Chaos in the Sea is the South Pole Star Lord. His Deer Boy and Crane Boy were presumably his mounts originally. However, as his weight kept increasing, the white crane could no longer carry him, and the white deer also refused to be ridden by him. Therefore, in the movie, when he descended to Chentang Pass, which was covered in magma, he rode on a cloud.
On the contrary, when Deer Boy, as the leader of the demon-hunting team, returned triumphantly to Yuxu Palace, he seemed to be riding a "four-not-like" beast (a mythical beast that looks like a mix of deer, horse, ox, and donkey)—it had a deer’s antlers and a horse’s face, but I couldn’t see clearly what its body and hooves looked like.
This treatment put him on par with Yuan Shi Tian Zun’s mount. According to records in the book, Yuan Shi Tian Zun originally rode a "four-not-like" beast, which he later gave to Jiang Ziya.
III. Aquatic and Unique Mounts
In the Spring Festival film Fengshen 2 (Investiture of the Gods 2), Wen Tai Shi’s (Grand Tutor Wen) mount is a Black Qilin—a fire-breathing beast with both impressive appearance and combat power. Later, it was devoured by Shen Gongbao’s gu insects (poisonous insects used in black magic).
Of course, there is a third category of mounts—those that can go into the water or even move through the earth. For example, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s mount is Diting (the Listener), which is mentioned in Journey to the West. It is said that when on the ground, Diting can hear sounds from 800 li away, and when lying down, it can hear sounds from 3,000 li away. It is the guardian of the Underworld. Although the book does not describe its specific abilities in detail, I think it can move through the earth like a pangolin or Tu Xingsun (a mythical figure known for his ability to tunnel through the earth).
As for mounts that can go into the water, the Bull Demon King’s Water-Repellent Golden Crystal Beast can move freely on land and in water, and it has an inherent water-repellent ability. It would be perfect for Sun Wukong, who has to recite a water-repellent spell whenever he enters the water.
Theoretically, Tang Seng’s mount, the White Dragon Horse, can also be used on both land and water. Unfortunately, every time they encountered a river, Tang Seng would either take a boat or ride a turtle, forgetting that the White Dragon Horse is actually a dragon! By the way, if the old turtle in the Tongtian River had been captured by a powerful deity, it could also have been used as a mount. Although it moves slowly on land, it is quite reliable for crossing rivers.
Of course, to become a mount, a creature needs to cultivate for many years and survive various heavenly calamities before it can possibly catch the eye of an immortal. Even the heavenly horses raised in the Imperial Horse Stable when Sun Wukong was the "Horse Keeper" were not just any ordinary horses. In other words, the mounts of powerful deities are actually powerful beings themselves; otherwise, there would not have been so many mounts descending to the mortal world to cause trouble during Tang Seng’s pilgrimage to the West.
Now, let’s return to our original question. We have listed so many mounts—so why did no one ride a pig in Journey to the West?
IV. Why Demons Become Mounts
Before answering this question, there is a question worth exploring: every one of these mounts is powerful. Even if they cannot cultivate to become immortals, they could become demon kings ruling over a region. So why are they willing to be mounts for powerful deities?
There is a saying that everyone should understand:
"All the hustle and bustle in the world is for the sake of profit; all the toil and trouble are for the pursuit of gain."
This brings us to the story we wrote a couple of days ago about the "Jade Token" of Yuxu Palace. With this jade token, it proves that you are an immortal and revered by all. Without this jade token, you are a demon, and anyone can kill you without having to worry about the consequences.
Take Wuliang Xianweng himself—he was originally an old tree demon. Precisely because he was a tree demon, he still found the taste of Nezha’s urine unforgettable after drinking it. For a tree, urine is a nutrient, as it contains urea. Similarly, his two boys, Deer Boy and Crane Boy, both cultivated from demons. But because they held green tokens, people regarded them as immortals, and they were even able to join the demon-hunting team to capture their own kind for alchemy.
Shen Gongbao’s father, Shen Zhengdao, was quite powerful—he could even control lightning. Unfortunately, he still couldn’t escape being chased and killed by Wuliang Xianweng. Niangniang Shiji was honest and fair to both the young and the old; she just entertained herself with a magic mirror alone, yet she was still captured by the demon-hunting team. Even the Dragon Clan, which wholeheartedly helped immortals suppress demons, was still regarded as an outsider in the end and was targeted to be captured for alchemy.
Therefore, for ordinary demons, if they cannot cultivate to become immortals, the best fate is to attach themselves to a certain powerful deity, become the deity’s pet or mount, and then find a way to achieve enlightenment and become a righteous immortal.
V. Demons Seeking Immortal Status
The same logic applies in Journey to the West. Being a demon offers no security, and becoming an immortal is out of the question—so what can they do?
The lion demon was quite powerful, right? Even the Roc Bird, the Buddha’s uncle, had to address him as "Big Brother." Unfortunately, he still ended up as Manjushri Bodhisattva’s mount. There is also the Nine-Spirit Primordial Sage, who had already attained sagehood. If he just roared casually, his voice could reach the Three Sages in heaven and the Nine Springs in the Underworld. But unfortunately, he still became Taiyi Jiuku Tianzun’s (the Heavenly Lord of Salvation from Suffering) mount. Then there is the green ox demon—if he held the Diamond Ring (the ring on his nose), even the Buddha dared not mention his name, fearing that he would cause trouble at Ling Mountain. Yet he still became Tai Shang Lao Jun’s mount.
Were they not working hard enough?
Of course not. After all, 500 years ago, the lion demon even attacked the Heavenly Court for an official position and swallowed 100,000 celestial soldiers in one bite:
"That year, the Queen Mother held the Peach Banquet and invited all the immortals, but she didn’t send an invitation to my lord. So my lord intended to fight for control of Heaven..."
Unfortunately, he still wasn’t granted the Immortal Certificate by the Jade Emperor—the equivalent of the green token in Nezha: Chaos in the Sea. Unable to change his identity as a demon, any powerful deity could kill him. With no other way out, he had to take refuge under Manjushri Bodhisattva and be willing to be ridden by him. Otherwise, given the trouble he had caused, even ten lion demons would not have been enough to be executed, but Manjushri Bodhisattva only castrated him.
Furthermore, these demons, being close to immortals, have the advantage of "gaining benefits first." They can be influenced by immortals up close, and their cultivation progress is much faster than if they practiced in seclusion alone. Just look at the Scorpion Demon, the Mouse Demon, the Marten Demon, and so on—didn’t their cultivation improve greatly after listening to the Buddha’s sermons?
Therefore, being a mount for powerful deities is equivalent to having a backer. As the saying goes, "You don’t hit a dog without looking at its owner"—let alone a mount. This is also a way for demons to achieve enlightenment and become righteous immortals, and it is a reliable one that guarantees results.
VI. Zhu Bajie’s Celestial Pride
Do you think Deer Boy and Crane Boy beside Wuliang Xianweng were truly willing to be mounts or pets?
When you are under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head—it was something they had no choice but to do. Later, in the post-credits scene, didn’t they take the chance to give their master Wuliang Xianweng a good beating?
Getting back to the topic: since being a mount is one of the ways out for demons—whether voluntarily or by being captured by a powerful deity—it is ultimately an option. Then why didn’t Zhu Ganglie (Zhu Bajie’s name when he was a pig demon) think of becoming a mount, or get captured by a powerful deity to be a mount?
The reason is actually very simple. Zhu Ganglie was originally Marshal Tianpeng, who was reincarnated as a pig demon. Deep down, he was still a celestial immortal—how could he voluntarily become someone’s mount? Moreover, given his abilities, ordinary immortals couldn’t capture him. And the immortals powerful enough to capture him probably had no interest in riding a pig.
Yes, this is a matter that requires the willingness of both parties. If one party is unwilling, even if you subdue them, you have to feel at ease when riding them out. Not to mention anything else—the Scorpion Demon was quite powerful, right? Riding it out would be quite imposing and exciting. But it had a reverse spur sticking out from its back—would you feel safe riding it out?
Back in the day, when the Buddha was giving a sermon, he accidentally pushed it, and it turned around and stung him. This even made the always calm Buddha scream and order people to capture it, which was quite an embarrassment for him.
Besides, mounts are all about stability. Lions, elephants, green oxen, and white horses—riding them feels completely natural and they are suitable to be mounts. If you insist on arguing and want to capture the Mouse Demon, or even Brother Monkey (Sun Wukong), to be your mount and ride them out, do you think that makes sense?
VII. Zhu Bajie’s Flying Potential
So, going back to our original question: would it be reliable for a powerful deity to ride Zhu Bajie out?
Surprisingly, it would!
In Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child, Taiyi Zhenren made his first appearance riding a pig slowly, and then gave a self-introduction:
"This is me—Taiyi Zhenren, revered by all! Although I have a bit of baby fat, it can’t hide my striking handsomeness!"
Unfortunately, while on his mission to send the Spirit Pearl for reincarnation, he indulged in drinking and even insisted on giving wine to the flying pig. As a result, a "pig-falling accident" happened: Taiyi Zhenren fell to the ground first, and then the flying pig landed on top of him.
Although this flying pig had no wings, its two large ears could propel it to fly. It could even carry Taiyi Zhenren, Nezha, and a big bag of food and fly with them. When Nezha was just born and they learned that he had been cursed with a Heavenly Calamity, this flying pig even carried Taiyi Zhenren and Li Jing to find the Heavenly Lord for help.
In fact, Zhu Bajie can also fly—his ears can be flapped to achieve flight. In Baoxiang Kingdom, the White Dragon Horse persuaded Zhu Bajie to go find Brother Monkey (Sun Wukong) to subdue the demon. At that time, to reach Huaguoshan (Flower and Fruit Mountain) faster, Zhu Bajie used his "Sail Ear Skill":
"The fool happened to catch a tailwind. He spread his two ears, which were just like sails. Soon, he crossed the Eastern Ocean and descended from the clouds."
So, the fact that Taiyi Zhenren rides a flying pig is not without reason—riding Zhu Bajie could also make the dream of flying come true.
It is also possible to ride him on land. For example, in the movie Hands Up!, a Japanese officer once rode a pig into battle. It was not imposing at all; instead, it was quite funny.
VIII. Cultural Views on Pig Mounts
Some people say, "I just want to ride a pig like Taiyi Zhenren in the movie (in fact, in the original Investiture of the Gods, Taiyi Zhenren’s mount is a crane)—is that not allowed?"
Of course it is! Whether you are willing to ride a pig to a banquet, a meeting, or even to go into battle against enemies, there is no problem—as long as you don’t feel embarrassed, the embarrassment will be felt by others.
But again, although Zhu Bajie’s strength is not that great, there are still not many powerful deities who can subdue him and ride him. Even if there are, most of them already have more advanced mounts—mounts that are comfortable to ride and make them look imposing. They would never think of riding a pig out.
Moreover, in Journey to the West, the only powerful deity who is capable of subduing Zhu Bajie and lives relatively close to him is Master Wuchao. He did propose to take Zhu Bajie as his disciple, but Zhu Bajie firmly refused. After all, if he didn’t even want to be a disciple, how could he let Master Wuchao ride him?
After all, Zhu Bajie was once Marshal Tianpeng. Everyone would run into each other sooner or later, so they had to give him some face. If a reckless powerful deity really flew over, subdued Zhu Bajie, and then rode him out, it would seem that the deity was showing off his power by riding the former Marshal Tianpeng. But secretly, this would be a slap in the Jade Emperor’s face. Marshal Tianpeng was personally appointed by the Jade Emperor—what would riding him imply?
It should be noted that even when Zhu Bajie became a demon, other powerful deities still gave him face. He once said in Gaolaozhuang (the village where he tried to marry Gao Cuilan):
"Even if your father sincerely invites the Heavenly Demon-Subduing Patriarch to come down to the mortal world, I have been acquainted with him before, and he wouldn’t dare do anything to me."
As for those who are less powerful than Zhu Bajie, it is even harder for them to ride Zhu Bajie than to be ridden by him—after all, his rake is not to be trifled with.
Of course, besides Taiyi Zhenren in Nezha: Chaos in the Sea who likes to ride a pig when going out, there are also figures in other mythological legends who don’t mind pigs and are willing to ride them out.
For example, Bodhisattva Marici, who is also called Doumu Yuanjun (the Heavenly Mother of the Dipper) in Taoism, rides a pig when going out:
"With a golden rope in one hand, a bow in another, and an arrow in the third, she sits on a palanquin pulled by seven pigs."
There are also figures in Norse mythology who ride pigs when going out. For instance, the mount of Frey, the God of Fertility, is a wild boar.
In addition, I wonder if you have watched the movie The Hobbit? In the Battle of the Five Armies in the third installment, the dwarf leader rode a pig into battle.
To be honest, with the dwarves’ short stature, riding a pig into battle didn’t look awkward at all—it even seemed that they had quite strong combat power.
However, that pig definitely didn’t eat as much as Zhu Bajie. If a powerful deity really disregarded everything, subdued Zhu Bajie, and wanted to ride him out, just ensuring that Zhu Bajie had enough to eat would be a big headache.
After all, in Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie not only eats a lot but is also quite lecherous. Even if an immortal chooses him and can afford to feed him, they still have to consider whether they would end up being ridden by Zhu Bajie instead—especially female immortals.
What do you think? Why did no one capture Zhu Bajie as a mount?
