第十回 · 漁樵敘別 The Parting and the Fatal Boast — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

漁樵敘別 The Parting and the Fatal Boast

他tā二èr人rén既jì各gè道dào詞cí章zhāng，又yòu相xiāng聯lián詩shī句jù。行xíng到dào那nà分fēn路lù去qù處chù，躬gōng身shēn作zuò別bié。張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng啊a，途tú中zhōng保bǎo重zhòng，上shàng山shān仔zǎi細xì看kàn虎hǔ。假jiǎ若ruò有yǒu些xiē凶xiōng險xiǎn，正zhèng是shì『明míng日rì街jiē頭tóu少shǎo故gù人rén』。」李lǐ定dìng聞wén言yán，大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ這zhè廝sī憊bèi懶lǎn！好hǎo朋péng友yǒu也yě替tì得de生shēng死sǐ，你nǐ怎zěn麼me咒zhòu我wǒ？我wǒ若ruò遇yù虎hǔ遭zāo害hài，你nǐ必bì遇yù浪làng翻fān江jiāng。」張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「我wǒ永yǒng世shì也yě不bù得dé翻fān江jiāng。」李lǐ定dìng道dào：「『天tiān有yǒu不bú測cè風fēng雲yún，人rén有yǒu暫zàn時shí禍huò福fú。』你nǐ怎zěn麼me就jiù保bǎo得de無wú事shì？」張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng，你nǐ雖suī這zhè等děng說shuō，你nǐ還hái沒méi捉zhuō摸mō；不bú若ruò我wǒ的de生shēng意yì有yǒu捉zhuō摸mō，定dìng不bù遭zāo此cǐ等děng事shì。」李lǐ定dìng道dào：「你nǐ那nà水shuǐ面miàn上shàng營yíng生shēng，極jí凶xiōng極jí險xiǎn，隱yǐn隱yǐn暗àn暗àn，有yǒu甚shén麼me捉zhuō摸mō？」張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「你nǐ是shì不bù曉xiǎo得dé。這zhè長cháng安ān城chéng裡lǐ，西xī門mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu一yí個gè賣mài卦guà的de先xiān生shēng。我wǒ每měi日rì送sòng他tā一yì尾wěi金jīn色sè鯉lǐ，他tā就jiù與yǔ我wǒ袖xiù傳chuán一yí課kè，依yī方fāng位wèi，百bǎi下xià百bǎi著zháo。今jīn日rì我wǒ又yòu去qù買mǎi卦guà，他tā教jiào我wǒ在zài涇jīng河hé灣wān頭tóu東dōng邊biān下xià網wǎng，西xī岸àn拋pāo鉤gōu，定dìng獲huò滿mǎn載zài魚yú蝦xiā而ér歸guī。明míng日rì上shàng城chéng來lái，賣mài錢qián沽gū酒jiǔ，再zài與yǔ老lǎo兄xiōng相xiāng敘xù。」二èr人rén從cóng此cǐ敘xù別bié。他tā二èr人rén既jì各gè道dào词cí章zhāng，又yòu相xiāng联lián诗shī句jù。行xíng到dào那nà分fēn路lù去qù处chù，躬gōng身shēn作zuò别bié。张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng啊a，途tú中zhōng保bǎo重zhòng，上shàng山shān仔zǎi细xì看kàn虎hǔ。假jiǎ若ruò有yǒu些xiē凶xiōng险xiǎn，正zhèng是shì『明míng日rì街jiē头tóu少shǎo故gù人rén』。」李lǐ定dìng闻wén言yán，大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ这zhè厮sī惫bèi懒lǎn！好hǎo朋péng友yǒu也yě替tì得de生shēng死sǐ，你nǐ怎zěn么me咒zhòu我wǒ？我wǒ若ruò遇yù虎hǔ遭zāo害hài，你nǐ必bì遇yù浪làng翻fān江jiāng。」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「我wǒ永yǒng世shì也yě不bù得dé翻fān江jiāng。」李lǐ定dìng道dào：「『天tiān有yǒu不bú测cè风fēng云yún，人rén有yǒu暂zàn时shí祸huò福fú。』你nǐ怎zěn么me就jiù保bǎo得de无wú事shì？」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng，你nǐ虽suī这zhè等děng说shuō，你nǐ还hái没méi捉zhuō摸mō；不bú若ruò我wǒ的de生shēng意yì有yǒu捉zhuō摸mō，定dìng不bù遭zāo此cǐ等děng事shì。」李lǐ定dìng道dào：「你nǐ那nà水shuǐ面miàn上shàng营yíng生shēng，极jí凶xiōng极jí险xiǎn，隐yǐn隐yǐn暗àn暗àn，有yǒu甚shén么me捉zhuō摸mō？」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「你nǐ是shì不bù晓xiǎo得dé。这zhè长cháng安ān城chéng里lǐ，西xī门mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu一yí个gè卖mài卦guà的de先xiān生shēng。我wǒ每měi日rì送sòng他tā一yì尾wěi金jīn色sè鲤lǐ，他tā就jiù与yǔ我wǒ袖xiù传chuán一yí课kè，依yī方fāng位wèi，百bǎi下xià百bǎi着zháo。今jīn日rì我wǒ又yòu去qù买mǎi卦guà，他tā教jiào我wǒ在zài泾jīng河hé湾wān头tóu东dōng边biān下xià网wǎng，西xī岸àn抛pāo钩gōu，定dìng获huò满mǎn载zài鱼yú虾xiā而ér归guī。明míng日rì上shàng城chéng来lái，卖mài钱qián沽gū酒jiǔ，再zài与yǔ老lǎo兄xiōng相xiāng叙xù。」二èr人rén从cóng此cǐ叙xù别bié。

逐句解 Line by line

他tā二èr人rén既jì各gè道dào詞cí章zhāng，又yòu相xiāng聯lián詩shī句jù。行xíng到dào那nà分fēn路lù去qù處chù，躬gōng身shēn作zuò別bié。他tā二èr人rén既jì各gè道dào词cí章zhāng，又yòu相xiāng联lián诗shī句jù。行xíng到dào那nà分fēn路lù去qù处chù，躬gōng身shēn作zuò别bié。

The two of them, having each recited their lyric pieces and then linked their verses couplet by couplet, came to the place where their roads divided, and bowed to take their leave.

The performance is over and the two are back on the road. 躬身 is to bow from the waist. (相 in 相聯 is xiāng, and 那 in 那分路 is nà.)

張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng啊a，途tú中zhōng保bǎo重zhòng，上shàng山shān仔zǎi細xì看kàn虎hǔ。假jiǎ若ruò有yǒu些xiē凶xiōng險xiǎn，正zhèng是shì『明míng日rì街jiē頭tóu少shǎo故gù人rén』。」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng啊a，途tú中zhōng保bǎo重zhòng，上shàng山shān仔zǎi细xì看kàn虎hǔ。假jiǎ若ruò有yǒu些xiē凶xiōng险xiǎn，正zhèng是shì『明míng日rì街jiē头tóu少shǎo故gù人rén』。」

Zhang Shao said: 'Brother Li, take care on your way, and watch sharp for tigers as you climb. Should any peril befall you, it will be a case of "tomorrow on the street, one friend the fewer."'

A friendly word of warning that lands very badly. 明日街頭少故人, 'tomorrow on the street, one old friend the fewer,' is a proverbial line foreboding a death, and 少 here is shǎo, 'few, fewer.' Zhang Shao means it kindly; Li Ding hears a curse.

李lǐ定dìng聞wén言yán，大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ這zhè廝sī憊bèi懶lǎn！好hǎo朋péng友yǒu也yě替tì得de生shēng死sǐ，你nǐ怎zěn麼me咒zhòu我wǒ？我wǒ若ruò遇yù虎hǔ遭zāo害hài，你nǐ必bì遇yù浪làng翻fān江jiāng。」李lǐ定dìng闻wén言yán，大dà怒nù道dào：「你nǐ这zhè厮sī惫bèi懒lǎn！好hǎo朋péng友yǒu也yě替tì得de生shēng死sǐ，你nǐ怎zěn么me咒zhòu我wǒ？我wǒ若ruò遇yù虎hǔ遭zāo害hài，你nǐ必bì遇yù浪làng翻fān江jiāng。」

Hearing this, Li Ding flew into a rage: 'You lazy wretch! Good friends should stand in for each other even in life and death — how dare you curse me? If I should meet a tiger and come to harm, then you are bound to meet the waves and be capsized!'

這廝, 'this fellow,' is an insult, and 憊懶 is slovenly, good-for-nothing. In 替得 the 得 is the potential de, 'can stand in for.' Li Ding returns curse for curse — if a tiger takes me, the river takes you — and it is this flare of temper that goads Zhang Shao into saying far more than he should.

張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「我wǒ永yǒng世shì也yě不bù得dé翻fān江jiāng。」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「我wǒ永yǒng世shì也yě不bù得dé翻fān江jiāng。」

Zhang Shao said: 'I shall never in all my life be capsized.'

永世 is 'for all time,' and 不得, 'will never, cannot,' keeps 得 as dé. Flat, absolute confidence, of exactly the kind that invites someone to ask how you can possibly be so sure.

李lǐ定dìng道dào：「『天tiān有yǒu不bú測cè風fēng雲yún，人rén有yǒu暫zàn時shí禍huò福fú。』你nǐ怎zěn麼me就jiù保bǎo得de無wú事shì？」李lǐ定dìng道dào：「『天tiān有yǒu不bú测cè风fēng云yún，人rén有yǒu暂zàn时shí祸huò福fú。』你nǐ怎zěn么me就jiù保bǎo得de无wú事shì？」

Li Ding said: '"The sky has winds and clouds none can foretell; a man has fortune and misfortune by turns." How can you be so sure of coming to no harm?'

天有不測風雲，人有暫時禍福 is a well-worn proverb on the caprice of fate: the sky has winds and clouds nobody can forecast, and a man has fortune and misfortune by turns. It is still in daily use, though the modern form speaks of fortune shifting between dawn and dusk where this one has 暫時. 得 in 保得 is the potential de, and 不 in 不測 is bú before the falling tone.

張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng，你nǐ雖suī這zhè等děng說shuō，你nǐ還hái沒méi捉zhuō摸mō；不bú若ruò我wǒ的de生shēng意yì有yǒu捉zhuō摸mō，定dìng不bù遭zāo此cǐ等děng事shì。」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「李lǐ兄xiōng，你nǐ虽suī这zhè等děng说shuō，你nǐ还hái没méi捉zhuō摸mō；不bú若ruò我wǒ的de生shēng意yì有yǒu捉zhuō摸mō，定dìng不bù遭zāo此cǐ等děng事shì。」

Zhang Shao said: 'Brother Li, say what you will, you have nothing sure to go on; whereas my trade has something sure to it, so I shall certainly meet no such fate.'

捉摸 is to get a firm grip on something, to be able to reckon on it; it survives mostly in the negative, 不可捉摸, said of anything unpredictable. 還 is hái, 'still, as yet,' and 不若 is 'unlike, not so much as.' Zhang Shao's certainty rests on a secret, and he is about to hand it over.

李lǐ定dìng道dào：「你nǐ那nà水shuǐ面miàn上shàng營yíng生shēng，極jí凶xiōng極jí險xiǎn，隱yǐn隱yǐn暗àn暗àn，有yǒu甚shén麼me捉zhuō摸mō？」李lǐ定dìng道dào：「你nǐ那nà水shuǐ面miàn上shàng营yíng生shēng，极jí凶xiōng极jí险xiǎn，隐yǐn隐yǐn暗àn暗àn，有yǒu甚shén么me捉zhuō摸mō？」

Li Ding said: 'That living of yours on the face of the water is perilous in the extreme, all murk and shadow — what could you possibly reckon on?'

那 is the pointing nà, and 甚 in 甚麼, 'what,' is shén. 隱隱暗暗 is dim and dark, all murk — Li Ding needling the fisherman about the one thing he cannot see, which is whatever lies under his own boat.

張zhāng稍shāo道dào：「你nǐ是shì不bù曉xiǎo得dé。這zhè長cháng安ān城chéng裡lǐ，西xī門mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu一yí個gè賣mài卦guà的de先xiān生shēng。我wǒ每měi日rì送sòng他tā一yì尾wěi金jīn色sè鯉lǐ，他tā就jiù與yǔ我wǒ袖xiù傳chuán一yí課kè，依yī方fāng位wèi，百bǎi下xià百bǎi著zháo。今jīn日rì我wǒ又yòu去qù買mǎi卦guà，他tā教jiào我wǒ在zài涇jīng河hé灣wān頭tóu東dōng邊biān下xià網wǎng，西xī岸àn拋pāo鉤gōu，定dìng獲huò滿mǎn載zài魚yú蝦xiā而ér歸guī。明míng日rì上shàng城chéng來lái，賣mài錢qián沽gū酒jiǔ，再zài與yǔ老lǎo兄xiōng相xiāng敘xù。」张zhāng稍shāo道dào：「你nǐ是shì不bù晓xiǎo得dé。这zhè长cháng安ān城chéng里lǐ，西xī门mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu一yí个gè卖mài卦guà的de先xiān生shēng。我wǒ每měi日rì送sòng他tā一yì尾wěi金jīn色sè鲤lǐ，他tā就jiù与yǔ我wǒ袖xiù传chuán一yí课kè，依yī方fāng位wèi，百bǎi下xià百bǎi着zháo。今jīn日rì我wǒ又yòu去qù买mǎi卦guà，他tā教jiào我wǒ在zài泾jīng河hé湾wān头tóu东dōng边biān下xià网wǎng，西xī岸àn抛pāo钩gōu，定dìng获huò满mǎn载zài鱼yú虾xiā而ér归guī。明míng日rì上shàng城chéng来lái，卖mài钱qián沽gū酒jiǔ，再zài与yǔ老lǎo兄xiōng相xiāng叙xù。」

Zhang Shao said: 'You simply don't know. Here in Chang'an, on West Gate Street, there is a fortune-teller. Every day I bring him a golden carp, and he passes me a hexagram from his sleeve; go by the bearings he gives, and it is a hundred hits in a hundred casts. Today I went to buy a divination again, and he told me to cast my net on the east side of the bend in the Jing River and throw my hook on the west bank, and I would surely come home with a full load of fish and shrimp. Tomorrow I'll come up to the city, sell them for wine-money, and meet with you again, elder brother.'

Here it is, the boast that does the damage. Zhang Shao has an arrangement with a fortune-teller on West Gate Street: one golden carp a day, and in return 袖傳一課, a divination slipped to him from the sleeve. Follow the bearings, 依方位, and the result is 百下百著, a hundred casts and a hundred hits, with 著 read zháo, 'to strike home.' He is, in short, fishing on inside information. The diviner is 袁守誠, whose infallible art will shortly set a dragon against Heaven. 得 in 不曉得 is de, 長 in 長安 is cháng, and 相 in 相敘 is xiāng.

二èr人rén從cóng此cǐ敘xù別bié。二èr人rén从cóng此cǐ叙xù别bié。

And with that the two took their leave of each other.

敘別 is to say your farewells. The pastoral overture closes on this quiet line, and everything that follows — a dragon's death, an emperor's death, a journey through hell — unrolls from words spoken on a riverbank by two men going home.

總評 Commentary

The long fisher-and-woodcutter overture ends on the hinge of the whole chapter. What has been a leisurely contest of poems turns, in a few lines of prose, into the machinery of a tragedy: Zhang Shao, stung by Li Ding's retort, boasts of the infallible diviner on West Gate Street who tells him exactly where to cast — a hundred hits in a hundred casts. It is an idle boast between friends, spoken at a parting on a country road.

But the trap has been quietly setting for some time. The two recluses who sang of 潛蹤避世 and 隱姓埋名, of hiding their tracks and burying their names, are exactly the men whose careless talk carries. And the one detail Zhang Shao lets slip — that the diviner sends him to the bend of the Jing River, 涇河灣頭 — is precisely the intelligence that will reach the dragon whose subjects those fish are. A whole ideal of the invisible life is punctured by one overheard sentence.