Princess Iron Fan is an important character in Journey to the West. Also known as Rakshasa Woman, she is the wife of the Bull Demon King and the mother of Red Boy. Her most famous magical treasure is the Plantain Fan.
When Tang Seng and his companions reach the Flaming Mountains, the intense fire blocks their westward journey. The Plantain Fan possessed by Princess Iron Fan is needed to extinguish the flames, so Sun Wukong travels to her dwelling to request it.
Because Red Boy has previously been subdued by Guanyin, Princess Iron Fan resents Sun Wukong and refuses to lend him the fan. A series of magical confrontations follows, eventually drawing the Bull Demon King into the conflict as well.
Sun Wukong and his allies ultimately obtain the fan and extinguish the fire of the Flaming Mountains, allowing the pilgrimage to continue. Princess Iron Fan therefore connects Sun Wukong, the Bull Demon King, Red Boy, the Flaming Mountains, and the Plantain Fan within one of the best-known episodes of the journey.
