第一回 · 石猴稱王 The Stone Monkey Becomes King — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

石猴稱王 The Stone Monkey Becomes King

石shí猿yuán端duān坐zuò上shàng面miàn道dào：「列liè位wèi呵a，『人rén而ér無wú信xìn，不bù知zhī其qí可kě。』你nǐ們men才cái說shuō有yǒu本běn事shì進jìn得de來lái，出chū得de去qù，不bù傷shāng身shēn體tǐ者zhě，就jiù拜bài他tā為wéi王wáng。我wǒ如rú今jīn進jìn來lái又yòu出chū去qù，出chū去qù又yòu進jìn來lái，尋xún了le這zhè一yí個gè洞dòng天tiān與yǔ列liè位wèi安ān眠mián穩wěn睡shuì，各gè享xiǎng成chéng家jiā之zhī福fú，何hé不bú拜bài我wǒ為wéi王wáng？」眾zhòng猴hóu聽tīng說shuō，即jí拱gǒng伏fú無wú違wéi，一yí個gè個gè序xù齒chǐ排pái班bān，朝cháo上shàng禮lǐ拜bài，都dōu稱chēng「千qiān歲suì大dà王wáng」。自zì此cǐ，石shí猿yuán高gāo登dēng王wáng位wèi，將jiāng「石shí」字zì兒er隱yǐn了le，遂suì稱chēng「美měi猴hóu王wáng」。有yǒu詩shī為wéi證zhèng。詩shī曰yuē：石shí猿yuán端duān坐zuò上shàng面miàn道dào：「列liè位wèi呵a，『人rén而ér无wú信xìn，不bù知zhī其qí可kě。』你nǐ们men才cái说shuō有yǒu本běn事shì进jìn得de来lái，出chū得de去qù，不bù伤shāng身shēn体tǐ者zhě，就jiù拜bài他tā为wéi王wáng。我wǒ如rú今jīn进jìn来lái又yòu出chū去qù，出chū去qù又yòu进jìn来lái，寻xún了le这zhè一yí个gè洞dòng天tiān与yǔ列liè位wèi安ān眠mián稳wěn睡shuì，各gè享xiǎng成chéng家jiā之zhī福fú，何hé不bú拜bài我wǒ为wéi王wáng？」众zhòng猴hóu听tīng说shuō，即jí拱gǒng伏fú无wú违wéi，一yí个gè个gè序xù齿chǐ排pái班bān，朝cháo上shàng礼lǐ拜bài，都dōu称chēng「千qiān岁suì大dà王wáng」。自zì此cǐ，石shí猿yuán高gāo登dēng王wáng位wèi，将jiāng「石shí」字zì儿er隐yǐn了le，遂suì称chēng「美měi猴hóu王wáng」。有yǒu诗shī为wéi证zhèng。诗shī曰yuē：

三sān陽yáng交jiāo泰tài產chǎn群qún生shēng，仙xiān石shí胞bāo含hán日rì月yuè精jīng。三sān阳yáng交jiāo泰tài产chǎn群qún生shēng，仙xiān石shí胞bāo含hán日rì月yuè精jīng。

借jiè卵luǎn化huà猴hóu完wán大dà道dào，假jiǎ他tā名míng姓xìng配pèi丹dān成chéng。借jiè卵luǎn化huà猴hóu完wán大dà道dào，假jiǎ他tā名míng姓xìng配pèi丹dān成chéng。

內nèi觀guān不bù識shí因yīn無wú相xiàng，外wài合hé明míng知zhī作zuò有yǒu形xíng。内nèi观guān不bù识shí因yīn无wú相xiàng，外wài合hé明míng知zhī作zuò有yǒu形xíng。

歷lì代dài人rén人rén皆jiē屬shǔ此cǐ，稱chēng王wáng稱chēng聖shèng任rèn縱zòng橫héng。历lì代dài人rén人rén皆jiē属shǔ此cǐ，称chēng王wáng称chēng圣shèng任rèn纵zòng横héng。

美měi猴hóu王wáng領lǐng一yì群qún猿yuán猴hóu、獼mí猴hóu、馬mǎ猴hóu等děng，分fēn派pài了le君jūn臣chén佐zuǒ使shǐ。朝zhāo遊yóu花huā果guǒ山shān，暮mù宿sù水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng，合hé契qì同tóng情qíng，不bú入rù飛fēi鳥niǎo之zhī叢cóng，不bù從cóng走zǒu獸shòu之zhī類lèi，獨dú自zì為wéi王wáng，不bú勝shèng歡huān樂lè。是shì以yǐ：美měi猴hóu王wáng领lǐng一yì群qún猿yuán猴hóu、猕mí猴hóu、马mǎ猴hóu等děng，分fēn派pài了le君jūn臣chén佐zuǒ使shǐ。朝zhāo游yóu花huā果guǒ山shān，暮mù宿sù水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng，合hé契qì同tóng情qíng，不bú入rù飞fēi鸟niǎo之zhī丛cóng，不bù从cóng走zǒu兽shòu之zhī类lèi，独dú自zì为wéi王wáng，不bú胜shèng欢huān乐lè。是shì以yǐ：

春chūn採cǎi百bǎi花huā為wéi飲yǐn食shí，夏xià尋xún諸zhū果guǒ作zuò生shēng涯yá。春chūn采cǎi百bǎi花huā为wéi饮yǐn食shí，夏xià寻xún诸zhū果guǒ作zuò生shēng涯yá。

秋qiū收shōu芋yù栗lì延yán時shí節jié，冬dōng覓mì黃huáng精jīng度dù歲suì華huá。秋qiū收shōu芋yù栗lì延yán时shí节jié，冬dōng觅mì黄huáng精jīng度dù岁suì华huá。

逐句解 Line by line

石shí猿yuán端duān坐zuò上shàng面miàn道dào：「列liè位wèi呵a，『人rén而ér無wú信xìn，不bù知zhī其qí可kě。』石shí猿yuán端duān坐zuò上shàng面miàn道dào：「列liè位wèi呵a，『人rén而ér无wú信xìn，不bù知zhī其qí可kě。』

The stone ape, seated in state above them, said: 'Gentlemen — it is said, "a man without good faith, I know not what he is good for."

端坐上面 ('seated upright above them') already has the monkey in a ruler's posture. 呵 here is the vocative particle (= 啊), read a. The tag 人而無信，不知其可 quotes Confucius (Analects 2.22, 為政): 'a man without good faith — I do not know what he is fit for.' A beast clinching a kingship by invoking the Sage on keeping one's word is a touch of learned comedy the educated reader was meant to relish.

你nǐ們men才cái說shuō有yǒu本běn事shì進jìn得de來lái，出chū得de去qù，不bù傷shāng身shēn體tǐ者zhě，就jiù拜bài他tā為wéi王wáng。你nǐ们men才cái说shuō有yǒu本běn事shì进jìn得de来lái，出chū得de去qù，不bù伤shāng身shēn体tǐ者zhě，就jiù拜bài他tā为wéi王wáng。

You yourselves just said that whoever had the skill to get in and out again unhurt should be made king.

才說 (cái shuō) is 'just said.' 進得來，出得去 uses 得 (de) as the potential infix — 'able to get in, able to get out.' He holds the troop to the precise terms of their own challenge.

我wǒ如rú今jīn進jìn來lái又yòu出chū去qù，出chū去qù又yòu進jìn來lái，我wǒ如rú今jīn进jìn来lái又yòu出chū去qù，出chū去qù又yòu进jìn来lái，

Now I have gone in and come out, come out and gone in;

The chiasmus 進來又出去，出去又進來 ('in and out, out and in') is mock-formal rhetoric, the monkey laying out his proof point by point.

尋xún了le這zhè一yí個gè洞dòng天tiān與yǔ列liè位wèi安ān眠mián穩wěn睡shuì，各gè享xiǎng成chéng家jiā之zhī福fú，何hé不bú拜bài我wǒ為wéi王wáng？」寻xún了le这zhè一yí个gè洞dòng天tiān与yǔ列liè位wèi安ān眠mián稳wěn睡shuì，各gè享xiǎng成chéng家jiā之zhī福fú，何hé不bú拜bài我wǒ为wéi王wáng？」

I have found you this grotto-heaven where you may sleep soundly and safe, each enjoying the comforts of a home — why not crown me king?'

安眠穩睡 ('sleep in peace and security') and 各享成家之福 ('each enjoy the blessings of a settled home') cast the cave as a benefaction he has conferred. In 何不拜我為王 the 不 takes its bú sandhi before the falling tone of 拜.

眾zhòng猴hóu聽tīng說shuō，即jí拱gǒng伏fú無wú違wéi，一yí個gè個gè序xù齒chǐ排pái班bān，朝cháo上shàng禮lǐ拜bài，都dōu稱chēng「千qiān歲suì大dà王wáng」。众zhòng猴hóu听tīng说shuō，即jí拱gǒng伏fú无wú违wéi，一yí个gè个gè序xù齿chǐ排pái班bān，朝cháo上shàng礼lǐ拜bài，都dōu称chēng「千qiān岁suì大dà王wáng」。

Hearing this, the monkeys submitted without a word of dissent; one by one, ranged in order of age, they bowed upward in homage and all hailed him 'Thousand-Year Great King.'

拱伏無違 ('clasped hands, prostrated, without dissent'; 拱 gǒng, 伏 fú) and 序齒排班 ('ranked by age, drawn up in files') describe a fully formed court rite. Note 朝上 reads 朝 as cháo ('facing toward, paying court to') — set against 朝 zhāo ('morning') in the lines just below. 千歲大王 ('Thousand-Year Great King') is the standard address to a prince.

自zì此cǐ，石shí猿yuán高gāo登dēng王wáng位wèi，將jiāng「石shí」字zì兒er隱yǐn了le，遂suì稱chēng「美měi猴hóu王wáng」。有yǒu詩shī為wéi證zhèng。詩shī曰yuē：自zì此cǐ，石shí猿yuán高gāo登dēng王wáng位wèi，将jiāng「石shí」字zì儿er隐yǐn了le，遂suì称chēng「美měi猴hóu王wáng」。有yǒu诗shī为wéi证zhèng。诗shī曰yuē：

From that time the stone ape mounted the throne, put the word 'stone' aside, and was thenceforth called the Handsome Monkey King. There is a poem to prove it. The poem says:

將「石」字兒隱了 uses 將 as the coverb jiāng ('took the word 石 and hid it'); 字兒 carries the diminutive 兒 (er). Dropping 'stone' to become simply the 美猴王 ('Handsome Monkey King') is his first self-fashioning — the first name he chooses rather than is given. 有詩為證 ('there is a poem to prove it') is the storyteller's formula introducing a verse of comment.

The three yang lines in concord bring forth the host of living things; the immortal stone's womb held the essence of sun and moon.

The eight-line regulated poem reflects on the monkey's whole origin. 三陽交泰 alludes to the Yijing's hexagram 泰 ('Peace,' ䷊), whose three lower yang lines signify Heaven and Earth in communion and, by extension, the burgeoning of spring and the birth of living things (the New-Year phrase 三陽開泰). 仙石胞含日月精 recalls the stone's long absorption of solar and lunar essence in the birth passage.

Borrowing an egg, it became a monkey and completed the Great Way; lending him a name and surname to match the elixir's making.

借卵化猴完大道 ('borrowing an egg, became a monkey, and completed the Great Way') and 假他名姓配丹成 ('lending him a name to match the elixir's completion') read the monkey's very existence through inner alchemy (內丹): 假 here is jiǎ ('by means of, borrowing'), and 丹 (dān) is the alchemical elixir. His birth and naming are framed as stages in the 'making of the elixir' — the spiritual self.

Looked at within, it is unknowable, being without form; met with without, it plainly takes on shape.

This couplet turns on a Buddhist–Daoist paradox. 內觀不識因無相 ('looked at within, it cannot be known, being formless'; 相 xiàng, the Buddhist 'mark' or 'form,' 無相 = animitta) is set against 外合明知作有形 ('met with without, it plainly takes on form'). The true nature is formless within yet manifest without — the syncretic 心性 reflection Andrew H. Plaks and Anthony C. Yu identify as the novel's allegorical core.

In every age, all men belong to this — calling themselves king, calling themselves sage, ranging free.

歷代人人皆屬此 ('in every age, everyone belongs to this'; 屬 shǔ) universalizes the monkey's case: all selves share this same formless-yet-formed nature. 稱王稱聖任縱橫 ('calling themselves kings or sages, ranging free'; 縱橫 zòng héng) closes with a wry glance at all the titles men claim — the monkey's 'king' the first of many in this book.

美měi猴hóu王wáng領lǐng一yì群qún猿yuán猴hóu、獼mí猴hóu、馬mǎ猴hóu等děng，分fēn派pài了le君jūn臣chén佐zuǒ使shǐ。美měi猴hóu王wáng领lǐng一yì群qún猿yuán猴hóu、猕mí猴hóu、马mǎ猴hóu等děng，分fēn派pài了le君jūn臣chén佐zuǒ使shǐ。

The Handsome Monkey King led his band of gibbons, macaques, and horse-monkeys, assigning them ranks of ruler, minister, and aide.

獼猴、馬猴 are kinds of monkey (the macaque and the 'horse-monkey'). 分派了君臣佐使 ('assigned ruler, ministers, aides, and agents') borrows 君臣佐使 — a term from pharmacology for the four roles of ingredients in a prescription — to organize the monkey court, an apt touch given the alchemical register just above.

朝zhāo遊yóu花huā果guǒ山shān，暮mù宿sù水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng，合hé契qì同tóng情qíng，朝zhāo游yóu花huā果guǒ山shān，暮mù宿sù水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng，合hé契qì同tóng情qíng，

By morning roaming the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, by dusk lodging in the Water-Curtain Cave, all of one accord and one heart,

朝遊…暮宿 ('roaming by morning, lodging by dusk') reads 朝 as zhāo ('morning') — the opposite reading to 朝上 (cháo) a few lines back. 合契同情 (合契 hé qì, 'in accord'; 契 a tally or covenant) describes the troop's harmony.

不bú入rù飛fēi鳥niǎo之zhī叢cóng，不bù從cóng走zǒu獸shòu之zhī類lèi，獨dú自zì為wéi王wáng，不bú勝shèng歡huān樂lè。是shì以yǐ：不bú入rù飞fēi鸟niǎo之zhī丛cóng，不bù从cóng走zǒu兽shòu之zhī类lèi，独dú自zì为wéi王wáng，不bú胜shèng欢huān乐lè。是shì以yǐ：

not joining the flocks of flying birds nor following the kinds of running beasts, king on his own — and his joy knew no bounds. And so:

The parallel 不入飛鳥之叢，不從走獸之類 ('joining no flock of birds, following no kind of beast') sets the monkeys apart as their own order; note the two sandhi values of 不 — bú before the falling tone of 入, bù before the rising tone of 從. 不勝歡樂 ('unable to contain their joy'; 勝 shèng, with 不 again bú) echoes the 喜不自勝 of the previous passage.

In spring he gathered the hundred flowers for his food; in summer sought out the fruits to make his living.

The closing quatrain runs the kingship through the four seasons, a topos of idyllic retreat. 採百花為飲食 ('gathering the hundred flowers as food') and 尋諸果作生涯 ('seeking the fruits as a livelihood') keep the diet wild and self-sufficient.

In autumn he reaped taro and chestnuts to see out the season; in winter foraged Solomon's-seal to pass the turning year.

芋栗 are taro and chestnuts; 黃精 (huáng jīng, Solomon's-seal / Polygonatum) is a root long prized in Daoist dietetics as a food of longevity — an apt winter forage for a would-be immortal. 度歲華 is 'to pass the year's flower,' to see out the turning seasons.

總評 Commentary

This is the chapter's first climax: the stone monkey becomes a king. Wú Chéng'ēn (吳承恩) stages the coronation with deadpan wit — the monkey holds the troop to the exact letter of their own bargain and, to seal it, quotes Confucius on good faith (人而無信，不知其可, Analects 2.22). A beast invoking the Sage to claim a throne is just the kind of learned comedy the novel delights in, and the first of its many ironies about titles and authority. The monkeys' instant, fully ceremonious submission — ranked by age, bowing in homage, hailing him 千歲大王 — turns a cave full of animals into a miniature court.

The decisive act is a renaming: he 'hides the word stone' and takes the title 美猴王, the Handsome Monkey King — the first name he gives himself rather than receives, and a marker of how identity in this book is made by stages. The capstone poem then lifts the comic scene into metaphysics. Drawing on the Yijing (the hexagram 泰, 三陽交泰) and on the vocabulary of inner alchemy (內丹) — 完大道, 配丹成, the formless 無相 within and the manifest 有形 without — it reads the monkey's birth, transformation, and naming as stages in the making of the spiritual self, then universalizes the lesson: 歷代人人皆屬此, everyone in every age 'belongs to this.' As Anthony C. Yu and Andrew H. Plaks stress, such poems are where the novel's Daoist–Buddhist allegory is made explicit, fused to the comedy without dissolving it.

The passage closes on a coda of idyllic kingship: the Handsome Monkey King orders his court, roams the mountain by morning and sleeps in the cave by dusk, sets himself apart from birds and beasts alike, and lives in joy that 'knows no bounds,' the seasons rolling past in a quatrain of wild foods — flowers, fruit, taro, chestnuts, the longevity-root 黃精. It is a perfected, now-crowned version of the Eden of the earlier passages. But the verse's own freight — the elixir not yet completed, the formless nature not yet realized — and the quiet arithmetic of those seasons prepare the turn: in the next passage this very contentment will crack, as the king, amid his pleasures, suddenly weeps at the thought of death.