Red Boy

The Red Boy is an antagonist in the classic novel Journey to the West and its multiple adaptations. He is the son of the Bull King and Princess Iron Fan.

Red Boy first disguised as a kid, tied up naked on a tree, fabricated a story that his family was assaulted by the thugs. Wukong saw his true nature right away, but since Xuanzang refused to believe, Wukong had to carry him along the way. On the way, Wukong killed the boy, but the Red Boy had managed to left a fake body before thus escaped death, and kidnapped Xuanzang. Sun Wukong had battled against Red Boy in hopes of rescuing his master. Despite Wukong's words, Red Boy did not believe that his father the Bull King was Wukong's sworn brother, which technically made Wukong a relation of his. Red Boy then tried to kill Wukong by five carts (representing the Five Elements) that emitted in great amount of fire that had the power to blot out the heavens, but Wukong cast a fire resistance spell and chased after him. Believing that he had defeated Sun Wukong, Red Boy went back into his cave.

Sun Wukong then asks for some rain from the Eastern Dragon King to counter Red Boy's Samadhi Fire, to no avail as but Red Boy's fire is inextinguishable to normal efforts to quench fire with the rain in fact intensifying the flames. Caught directly by the flames, Sun Wukong is ultimately almost burned to death by the flames and he finally resorts to asking for the help of the Bodhisattva Guanyin.

As Red Boy is fighting Wukong in a forest, he found Guanyin's (empty) lotus throne, and then in irreverence, sat in it, imitating Guanyin's posture. Suddenly the lotus throne transformed into swords, which pierced and wounded Red Boy; as he attempted to take them out, the swords then transformed into halberds, which trapped him. In pain, Red Boy then pleaded for Guanyin to release him. In return, Red Boy would have to also become Guanyin's permanent disciple, and was given the name 'Shancai' (善財).

She then withdrew the blades and healed Red Boy's wounds, but Red Boy then attempted to attack the Bodhisattva once more. She then threw a golden band which multiplied into five and fixed it around his head, wrists and legs (which were similar to the magical band around Wukong's head, in that it also tightened after Guanyin recited the mantra "oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ", causing pain to Red Boy), thereby subduing him.

Red Boy then found out that he could not remove these bands, and after being jibed by Wukong, took his spear and attempted to attack him, only to have Guanyin recite yet another mantra, which made Red Boy put his hands together in front of his chest, unable to pull them apart; Red Boy, now with his arms immobilized, could do nothing other than lower his head in a bow of defeat.