第十回 · 託孤遺書 The Emperor's Death and the Letter — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

託孤遺書 The Emperor's Death and the Letter

一yí夜yè通tōng明míng，也yě無wú鬼guǐ魅mèi。雖suī是shì前qián後hòu門mén無wú事shì，只zhǐ是shì身shēn體tǐ漸jiàn重zhòng。一yí日rì，太tài后hòu又yòu傳chuán旨zhǐ，召zhào眾zhòng臣chén商shāng議yì殯bìn殮liàn後hòu事shì。太tài宗zōng又yòu宣xuān徐xú茂mào公gōng，吩fēn咐fu國guó家jiā大dà事shì，叮dīng囑zhǔ倣fǎng劉liú蜀shǔ主zhǔ託tuō孤gū之zhī意yì。言yán畢bì，沐mù浴yù更gēng衣yī，待dài時shí而ér已yǐ。傍páng閃shǎn魏wèi徵zhēng，手shǒu扯chě龍lóng衣yī，奏zòu道dào：「陛bì下xià寬kuān心xīn，臣chén有yǒu一yí事shì，管guǎn保bǎo陛bì下xià長cháng生shēng。」太tài宗zōng道dào：「病bìng勢shì已yǐ入rù膏gāo肓huāng，命mìng將jiāng危wēi矣yǐ，如rú何hé保bǎo得de？」徵zhēng云yún：「臣chén有yǒu書shū一yì封fēng，進jìn與yǔ陛bì下xià，捎shāo去qù到dào陰yīn司sī，付fù酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān崔cuī珏jué。」太tài宗zōng道dào：「崔cuī珏jué是shì誰shuí？」徵zhēng云yún：「崔cuī珏jué乃nǎi是shì太tài上shàng先xiān皇huáng帝dì駕jià前qián之zhī臣chén，先xiān受shòu茲zī洲zhōu令lìng，後hòu陞shēng禮lǐ部bù侍shì郎láng。在zài日rì與yǔ臣chén八bā拜bài為wéi交jiāo，相xiāng知zhī甚shèn厚hòu。他tā如rú今jīn已yǐ死sǐ，現xiàn在zài陰yīn司sī做zuò掌zhǎng生shēng死sǐ文wén簿bù的de酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān，夢mèng中zhōng常cháng與yǔ臣chén相xiāng會huì。此cǐ去qù若ruò將jiāng此cǐ書shū付fù與yǔ他tā，他tā念niàn微wēi臣chén薄bó分fèn，必bì然rán放fàng陛bì下xià回huí來lái。管guǎn教jiào魂hún魄pò還huán陽yáng世shì，定dìng取qǔ龍lóng顏yán轉zhuǎn帝dì都dū。」太tài宗zōng聞wén言yán，接jiē在zài手shǒu中zhōng，籠lóng入rù袖xiù裡lǐ，遂suì瞑míng目mù而ér亡wáng。那nà三sān宮gōng六liù院yuàn、皇huáng后hòu嬪pín妃fēi、侍shì長zhǎng儲chǔ君jūn及jí兩liǎng班bān文wén武wǔ，俱jù舉jǔ哀āi戴dài孝xiào。又yòu在zài白bái虎hǔ殿diàn上shàng，停tíng著zhe梓zǐ宮gōng不bù題tí。畢bì竟jìng不bù知zhī太tài宗zōng如rú何hé還huán魂hún，且qiě聽tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。一yí夜yè通tōng明míng，也yě无wú鬼guǐ魅mèi。虽suī是shì前qián后hòu门mén无wú事shì，只zhǐ是shì身shēn体tǐ渐jiàn重zhòng。一yí日rì，太tài后hòu又yòu传chuán旨zhǐ，召zhào众zhòng臣chén商shāng议yì殡bìn殓liàn后hòu事shì。太tài宗zōng又yòu宣xuān徐xú茂mào公gōng，吩fēn咐fu国guó家jiā大dà事shì，叮dīng嘱zhǔ倣fǎng刘liú蜀shǔ主zhǔ托tuō孤gū之zhī意yì。言yán毕bì，沐mù浴yù更gēng衣yī，待dài时shí而ér已yǐ。傍páng闪shǎn魏wèi征zhēng，手shǒu扯chě龙lóng衣yī，奏zòu道dào：「陛bì下xià宽kuān心xīn，臣chén有yǒu一yí事shì，管guǎn保bǎo陛bì下xià长cháng生shēng。」太tài宗zōng道dào：「病bìng势shì已yǐ入rù膏gāo肓huāng，命mìng将jiāng危wēi矣yǐ，如rú何hé保bǎo得de？」征zhēng云yún：「臣chén有yǒu书shū一yì封fēng，进jìn与yǔ陛bì下xià，捎shāo去qù到dào阴yīn司sī，付fù酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān崔cuī珏jué。」太tài宗zōng道dào：「崔cuī珏jué是shì谁shuí？」征zhēng云yún：「崔cuī珏jué乃nǎi是shì太tài上shàng先xiān皇huáng帝dì驾jià前qián之zhī臣chén，先xiān受shòu兹zī洲zhōu令lìng，后hòu升shēng礼lǐ部bù侍shì郎láng。在zài日rì与yǔ臣chén八bā拜bài为wéi交jiāo，相xiāng知zhī甚shèn厚hòu。他tā如rú今jīn已yǐ死sǐ，现xiàn在zài阴yīn司sī做zuò掌zhǎng生shēng死sǐ文wén簿bù的de酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān，梦mèng中zhōng常cháng与yǔ臣chén相xiāng会huì。此cǐ去qù若ruò将jiāng此cǐ书shū付fù与yǔ他tā，他tā念niàn微wēi臣chén薄bó分fèn，必bì然rán放fàng陛bì下xià回huí来lái。管guǎn教jiào魂hún魄pò还huán阳yáng世shì，定dìng取qǔ龙lóng颜yán转zhuǎn帝dì都dū。」太tài宗zōng闻wén言yán，接jiē在zài手shǒu中zhōng，笼lóng入rù袖xiù里lǐ，遂suì瞑míng目mù而ér亡wáng。那nà三sān宫gōng六liù院yuàn、皇huáng后hòu嫔pín妃fēi、侍shì长zhǎng储chǔ君jūn及jí两liǎng班bān文wén武wǔ，俱jù举jǔ哀āi戴dài孝xiào。又yòu在zài白bái虎hǔ殿diàn上shàng，停tíng着zhe梓zǐ宫gōng不bù题tí。毕bì竟jìng不bù知zhī太tài宗zōng如rú何hé还huán魂hún，且qiě听tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。

逐句解 Line by line

一yí夜yè通tōng明míng，也yě無wú鬼guǐ魅mèi。雖suī是shì前qián後hòu門mén無wú事shì，只zhǐ是shì身shēn體tǐ漸jiàn重zhòng。一yí夜yè通tōng明míng，也yě无wú鬼guǐ魅mèi。虽suī是shì前qián后hòu门mén无wú事shì，只zhǐ是shì身shēn体tǐ渐jiàn重zhòng。

All night long the palace was bright, and there were no more demons. Yet though front gate and rear were now at peace, the emperor's body grew steadily heavier.

通明 is lit up right through the night, every lamp burning, and 身體漸重 is the body growing gradually heavier. Both gates are quiet now, and it makes no difference: the ghosts are barred and the harm is already done.

一yí日rì，太tài后hòu又yòu傳chuán旨zhǐ，召zhào眾zhòng臣chén商shāng議yì殯bìn殮liàn後hòu事shì。太tài宗zōng又yòu宣xuān徐xú茂mào公gōng，吩fēn咐fu國guó家jiā大dà事shì，叮dīng囑zhǔ倣fǎng劉liú蜀shǔ主zhǔ託tuō孤gū之zhī意yì。言yán畢bì，沐mù浴yù更gēng衣yī，待dài時shí而ér已yǐ。一yí日rì，太tài后hòu又yòu传chuán旨zhǐ，召zhào众zhòng臣chén商shāng议yì殡bìn殓liàn后hòu事shì。太tài宗zōng又yòu宣xuān徐xú茂mào公gōng，吩fēn咐fu国guó家jiā大dà事shì，叮dīng嘱zhǔ倣fǎng刘liú蜀shǔ主zhǔ托tuō孤gū之zhī意yì。言yán毕bì，沐mù浴yù更gēng衣yī，待dài时shí而ér已yǐ。

One day the Empress Dowager again issued a decree, summoning the officials to deliberate the arrangements for the funeral. Taizong in turn summoned Xu Maogong, charged him with the great affairs of state, and enjoined him earnestly, in the manner of the Shu sovereign Liu Bei entrusting his orphan. When he had finished, he bathed and changed his robes, and simply awaited his hour.

殯殮 is the encoffining and funeral, and 更 in 更衣, 'to change garments,' is gēng. 劉蜀主託孤 points to Liú Bèi, ruler of Shu-Han, who on his deathbed entrusted his young heir to Zhūgě Liàng: the archetypal scene of a dying sovereign handing over the state, and famous enough that naming it does all the work. Taizong bathes, changes his robes, and waits.

傍páng閃shǎn魏wèi徵zhēng，手shǒu扯chě龍lóng衣yī，奏zòu道dào：「陛bì下xià寬kuān心xīn，臣chén有yǒu一yí事shì，管guǎn保bǎo陛bì下xià長cháng生shēng。」傍páng闪shǎn魏wèi征zhēng，手shǒu扯chě龙lóng衣yī，奏zòu道dào：「陛bì下xià宽kuān心xīn，臣chén有yǒu一yí事shì，管guǎn保bǎo陛bì下xià长cháng生shēng。」

Wei Zheng stepped out from the side, took hold of the dragon-robe, and submitted: 'Let Your Majesty set your heart at ease. Your servant has one thing that will assure Your Majesty long life.'

傍閃 is to slip out from beside, and 手扯龍衣, taking hold of the dragon-robe, is an urgent and startlingly familiar gesture: one does not grab an emperor's clothing. 魏徵 has one thing left to offer. (長 in 長生, 'long life,' is cháng.)

太tài宗zōng道dào：「病bìng勢shì已yǐ入rù膏gāo肓huāng，命mìng將jiāng危wēi矣yǐ，如rú何hé保bǎo得de？」太tài宗zōng道dào：「病bìng势shì已yǐ入rù膏gāo肓huāng，命mìng将jiāng危wēi矣yǐ，如rú何hé保bǎo得de？」

Taizong said: 'The sickness has already entered the vitals, and my life is on the verge of peril — how can it be assured?'

膏肓 is the region between heart and diaphragm, where an illness was held to become untreatable. The idiom it comes from, 病入膏肓, is still what Chinese reaches for when a situation is past saving, medical or otherwise. 得 in 保得, 'to be assured,' is the potential de.

徵zhēng云yún：「臣chén有yǒu書shū一yì封fēng，進jìn與yǔ陛bì下xià，捎shāo去qù到dào陰yīn司sī，付fù酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān崔cuī珏jué。」征zhēng云yún：「臣chén有yǒu书shū一yì封fēng，进jìn与yǔ陛bì下xià，捎shāo去qù到dào阴yīn司sī，付fù酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān崔cuī珏jué。」

Wei Zheng said: 'Your servant has a letter, which I present to Your Majesty to carry down to the underworld and deliver to the Fengdu Magistrate, Cui Jue.'

A letter, to be carried into the next world and handed over. 酆都 (Fēngdū) is the netherworld city of the dead, with 都 read dū, and a 酆都判官 is a magistrate of its courts; 崔珏 (Cuī Jué) will prove the emperor's crucial ally down there.

太tài宗zōng道dào：「崔cuī珏jué是shì誰shuí？」太tài宗zōng道dào：「崔cuī珏jué是shì谁shuí？」

Taizong said: 'Who is Cui Jue?'

A dying man's question — and the answer to it is what links 魏徵 to the world below, and opens the door onto the next chapter.

徵zhēng云yún：「崔cuī珏jué乃nǎi是shì太tài上shàng先xiān皇huáng帝dì駕jià前qián之zhī臣chén，先xiān受shòu茲zī洲zhōu令lìng，後hòu陞shēng禮lǐ部bù侍shì郎láng。在zài日rì與yǔ臣chén八bā拜bài為wéi交jiāo，相xiāng知zhī甚shèn厚hòu。他tā如rú今jīn已yǐ死sǐ，現xiàn在zài陰yīn司sī做zuò掌zhǎng生shēng死sǐ文wén簿bù的de酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān，夢mèng中zhōng常cháng與yǔ臣chén相xiāng會huì。此cǐ去qù若ruò將jiāng此cǐ書shū付fù與yǔ他tā，他tā念niàn微wēi臣chén薄bó分fèn，必bì然rán放fàng陛bì下xià回huí來lái。管guǎn教jiào魂hún魄pò還huán陽yáng世shì，定dìng取qǔ龍lóng顏yán轉zhuǎn帝dì都dū。」征zhēng云yún：「崔cuī珏jué乃nǎi是shì太tài上shàng先xiān皇huáng帝dì驾jià前qián之zhī臣chén，先xiān受shòu兹zī洲zhōu令lìng，后hòu升shēng礼lǐ部bù侍shì郎láng。在zài日rì与yǔ臣chén八bā拜bài为wéi交jiāo，相xiāng知zhī甚shèn厚hòu。他tā如rú今jīn已yǐ死sǐ，现xiàn在zài阴yīn司sī做zuò掌zhǎng生shēng死sǐ文wén簿bù的de酆fēng都dū判pàn官guān，梦mèng中zhōng常cháng与yǔ臣chén相xiāng会huì。此cǐ去qù若ruò将jiāng此cǐ书shū付fù与yǔ他tā，他tā念niàn微wēi臣chén薄bó分fèn，必bì然rán放fàng陛bì下xià回huí来lái。管guǎn教jiào魂hún魄pò还huán阳yáng世shì，定dìng取qǔ龙lóng颜yán转zhuǎn帝dì都dū。」

Wei Zheng said: 'Cui Jue was a minister before the late Emperor Gaozu — first Magistrate of Cizhou, and later Vice-Minister of Rites. In life he and I were sworn brothers of the eight bows, and knew each other most intimately. He is dead now, and serves in the underworld as the Fengdu Magistrate in charge of the registers of life and death; often he meets me in dreams. If Your Majesty takes this letter and gives it to him, then, mindful of his slight bond with your humble servant, he will surely let Your Majesty return. He will assuredly send your soul back to the world of the living and restore the dragon-countenance to the imperial capital.'

The plan is pure officialdom: the emperor will not be judged by a stranger but by a man who owes an old colleague a favor. 八拜為交, becoming friends by the eight bows, is the ritual of sworn brotherhood, and 薄分 is the 'slight bond' 魏徵 modestly claims on it. 崔珏 served the previous emperor, first as magistrate of Cizhou and then as Vice-Minister of Rites, and now keeps the registers of life and death below, meeting 魏徵 in dreams. 為 in 八拜為交 is wéi; both 相 (相知, 相會) are xiāng; 薄 in 薄分 is bó and 分 is fèn; both 都 (酆都, 帝都) are dū; and 還 in 還陽世, 'return to the living world,' is huán.

太tài宗zōng聞wén言yán，接jiē在zài手shǒu中zhōng，籠lóng入rù袖xiù裡lǐ，遂suì瞑míng目mù而ér亡wáng。那nà三sān宮gōng六liù院yuàn、皇huáng后hòu嬪pín妃fēi、侍shì長zhǎng儲chǔ君jūn及jí兩liǎng班bān文wén武wǔ，俱jù舉jǔ哀āi戴dài孝xiào。又yòu在zài白bái虎hǔ殿diàn上shàng，停tíng著zhe梓zǐ宮gōng不bù題tí。太tài宗zōng闻wén言yán，接jiē在zài手shǒu中zhōng，笼lóng入rù袖xiù里lǐ，遂suì瞑míng目mù而ér亡wáng。那nà三sān宫gōng六liù院yuàn、皇huáng后hòu嫔pín妃fēi、侍shì长zhǎng储chǔ君jūn及jí两liǎng班bān文wén武wǔ，俱jù举jǔ哀āi戴dài孝xiào。又yòu在zài白bái虎hǔ殿diàn上shàng，停tíng着zhe梓zǐ宫gōng不bù题tí。

At these words Taizong took the letter into his hand, tucked it into his sleeve, and thereupon closed his eyes and died. The three palaces and six chambers, the empress and consorts, the senior attendants and the crown prince, and the two files of civil and military officials all raised the wail of mourning and put on white. And in the White Tiger Hall the coffin was set to lie in state — but of this no more.

He takes the letter, tucks it up his sleeve, and dies. 瞑目而亡, closing the eyes and passing away, is as quiet an ending as the language has. 梓宮, 'the catalpa palace,' is the imperial coffin, named for the wood it was made of. 長 in 侍長, 'senior attendants,' is zhǎng; 著 in 停著, 'resting,' is the ongoing-state zhe; 那 is nà.

畢bì竟jìng不bù知zhī太tài宗zōng如rú何hé還huán魂hún，且qiě聽tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。毕bì竟jìng不bù知zhī太tài宗zōng如rú何hé还huán魂hún，且qiě听tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。

In the end, there is no knowing how Taizong returned to life — so listen to the next chapter for the explanation.

還魂 is to have the soul come back, to return to life, with 還 read huán. The storyteller's closing formula does what it always does: stops on the question and sends you next door. The emperor is dead, with a letter to the underworld in his sleeve.

總評 Commentary

The chapter ends in death and a strange kind of hope. With the ghosts barred at last from both gates, the emperor's body fails anyway, and Taizong composes himself with the deliberate dignity of a dying sovereign — bathing, changing his robes, entrusting the state to 徐茂公 in the manner of Liu Bei entrusting his orphan. The allusion to Liu Bei's deathbed charge to Zhuge Liang sets Taizong in the great tradition of the well-ordered succession, and lends the ghost-story the gravity of dynastic history.

But 魏徵's last act turns the ending from a closure into a threshold. He presses on the dying emperor a letter to 崔珏, his sworn brother in life and now, in death, keeper of the registers of life and death in the courts of Fengdu: a passport to the underworld and, he promises, back again. Taizong dies with it in his sleeve, and the storyteller's closing formula, 畢竟不知太宗如何還魂, withholds the outcome and leaves the emperor dead but not yet gone. A petty affair between a dragon and a fortune-teller has carried the reader, by way of a broken promise, to the death of an emperor and the doorway of hell; and the tenth chapter closes by opening onto the eleventh, where Taizong will journey through the underworld and return. The whole vast machinery of sin, judgment and redemption that drives the pilgrimage to the West has been set turning by two woodsmen talking on a riverbank.