The Fat Monk (simplified: 胖头陀, traditional: 胖頭陀, pinyin: Pàngtóutuó, jyutping: bun6 tau4 to4), also known as Pang Toutuo, is a member of the Mystic Dragon Order (神龙教) who was poisoned and transformed from fat to thin by the Leopard Fetus Easy Tendon Pill (豹胎昉筋丸 — Bàotāi Yìjīn Wán) in The Deer and the Cauldron.
Biography
Membership in the Mystic Dragon Order
The Fat Monk is a member of the Mystic Dragon Order, a secretive religious organisation led by Hong Antong (洪安通). As a member of the order, he is subject to its strict control mechanisms, including the use of poison pills to ensure loyalty.
His membership in the order demonstrates how the Mystic Dragon Order maintained control over its members through various means, including the use of poison and fear.
Transformation by the Leopard Fetus Easy Tendon Pill
The Fat Monk was originally fat, but after being poisoned with the Leopard Fetus Easy Tendon Pill, he was transformed from fat to thin. This transformation serves as a demonstration of the Order’s control over its members and the terrible consequences of failing to follow orders or obtain the necessary antidotes.
The transformation is the opposite of what happened to the Thin Monk (瘦头陀), who was transformed from thin to fat by the same poison. This contrast highlights the arbitrary and cruel nature of the Order’s control mechanisms.
Relationship with the Thin Monk
The Fat Monk and the Thin Monk represent opposite transformations caused by the Leopard Fetus Easy Tendon Pill. While the Fat Monk became thin, the Thin Monk became fat, demonstrating how the poison affected different individuals in different ways.
Their relationship demonstrates the shared experience of being controlled by the Mystic Dragon Order and the suffering that comes with being subject to the Order’s poison-based control mechanisms.
Significance
The Fat Monk represents the theme of control and manipulation within the Mystic Dragon Order. His transformation from fat to thin demonstrates how the Order used poison to control its members, creating fear and ensuring obedience through the threat of terrible consequences.
His character also highlights the theme of suffering and the cost of membership in the Mystic Dragon Order, showing how members like the Fat Monk were forced to endure physical transformations and other forms of suffering as a result of the Order’s control mechanisms.
The Fat Monk’s character contributes to the broader theme of the Mystic Dragon Order’s methods of control and the suffering endured by its members, showing how the Order maintained its power through fear, poison, and manipulation rather than through genuine loyalty or respect.