第十回 · 夜叉報龍 The Yaksha's Report — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

夜叉報龍 The Yaksha's Report

這zhè正zhèng是shì：「路lù上shàng說shuō話huà，草cǎo裡lǐ有yǒu人rén。」原yuán來lái這zhè涇jīng河hé水shuǐ府fǔ有yǒu一yí個gè巡xún水shuǐ的de夜yè叉chā，聽tīng見jiàn了le百bǎi下xià百bǎi著zháo之zhī言yán，急jí轉zhuǎn水shuǐ晶jīng宮gōng，慌huāng忙máng報bào與yǔ龍lóng王wáng道dào：「禍huò事shì了le！禍huò事shì了le！」龍lóng王wáng問wèn：「有yǒu甚shén禍huò事shì？」夜yè叉chā道dào：「臣chén巡xún水shuǐ去qù到dào河hé邊biān，只zhǐ聽tīng得dé兩liǎng個gè漁yú、樵qiáo攀pān話huà，相xiāng別bié時shí，言yán語yǔ甚shèn是shì利lì害hài。那nà漁yú翁wēng說shuō：長cháng安ān城chéng裡lǐ，西xī門mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu個gè賣mài卦guà先xiān生shēng，算suàn得de最zuì準zhǔn。他tā每měi日rì送sòng他tā鯉lǐ魚yú一yì尾wěi，他tā就jiù袖xiù傳chuán一yí課kè，教jiào他tā百bǎi下xià百bǎi著zháo。若ruò依yī此cǐ等děng算suàn準zhǔn，卻què不bù將jiāng水shuǐ族zú盡jìn情qíng打dǎ了le？何hé以yǐ壯zhuàng觀guān水shuǐ府fǔ，何hé以yǐ躍yuè浪làng翻fān波bō，輔fǔ助zhù大dà王wáng威wēi力lì？」龍lóng王wáng甚shèn怒nù，急jí提tí了le劍jiàn，就jiù要yào上shàng長cháng安ān城chéng，誅zhū滅miè這zhè賣mài卦guà的de。旁páng邊biān閃shǎn過guò龍lóng子zǐ、龍lóng孫sūn、蝦xiā臣chén、蟹xiè士shì、鰣shí軍jūn師shī、鱖guì少shào卿qīng、鯉lǐ太tài宰zǎi，一yì齊qí啟qǐ奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng且qiě息xī怒nù。常cháng言yán道dào：『過guò耳ěr之zhī言yán，不bù可kě聽tīng信xìn。』大dà王wáng此cǐ去qù，必bì有yǒu雲yún從cóng，必bì有yǒu雨yǔ助zhù，恐kǒng驚jīng了le長cháng安ān黎lí庶shù，上shàng天tiān見jiàn責zé。大dà王wáng隱yǐn顯xiǎn莫mò測cè，變biàn化huà無wú方fāng，但dàn只zhǐ變biàn一yí秀xiù士shì，到dào長cháng安ān城chéng內nèi訪fǎng問wèn一yì番fān。果guǒ有yǒu此cǐ輩bèi，容róng加jiā誅zhū滅miè不bù遲chí；若ruò無wú此cǐ輩bèi，可kě不bú是shì妄wàng害hài他tā人rén也yě？」这zhè正zhèng是shì：「路lù上shàng说shuō话huà，草cǎo里lǐ有yǒu人rén。」原yuán来lái这zhè泾jīng河hé水shuǐ府fǔ有yǒu一yí个gè巡xún水shuǐ的de夜yè叉chā，听tīng见jiàn了le百bǎi下xià百bǎi着zháo之zhī言yán，急jí转zhuǎn水shuǐ晶jīng宫gōng，慌huāng忙máng报bào与yǔ龙lóng王wáng道dào：「祸huò事shì了le！祸huò事shì了le！」龙lóng王wáng问wèn：「有yǒu甚shén祸huò事shì？」夜yè叉chā道dào：「臣chén巡xún水shuǐ去qù到dào河hé边biān，只zhǐ听tīng得dé两liǎng个gè渔yú、樵qiáo攀pān话huà，相xiāng别bié时shí，言yán语yǔ甚shèn是shì利lì害hài。那nà渔yú翁wēng说shuō：长cháng安ān城chéng里lǐ，西xī门mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu个gè卖mài卦guà先xiān生shēng，算suàn得de最zuì准zhǔn。他tā每měi日rì送sòng他tā鲤lǐ鱼yú一yì尾wěi，他tā就jiù袖xiù传chuán一yí课kè，教jiào他tā百bǎi下xià百bǎi着zháo。若ruò依yī此cǐ等děng算suàn准zhǔn，却què不bù将jiāng水shuǐ族zú尽jìn情qíng打dǎ了le？何hé以yǐ壮zhuàng观guān水shuǐ府fǔ，何hé以yǐ跃yuè浪làng翻fān波bō，辅fǔ助zhù大dà王wáng威wēi力lì？」龙lóng王wáng甚shèn怒nù，急jí提tí了le剑jiàn，就jiù要yào上shàng长cháng安ān城chéng，诛zhū灭miè这zhè卖mài卦guà的de。旁páng边biān闪shǎn过guò龙lóng子zǐ、龙lóng孙sūn、虾xiā臣chén、蟹xiè士shì、鲥shí军jūn师shī、鳜guì少shào卿qīng、鲤lǐ太tài宰zǎi，一yì齐qí启qǐ奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng且qiě息xī怒nù。常cháng言yán道dào：『过guò耳ěr之zhī言yán，不bù可kě听tīng信xìn。』大dà王wáng此cǐ去qù，必bì有yǒu云yún从cóng，必bì有yǒu雨yǔ助zhù，恐kǒng惊jīng了le长cháng安ān黎lí庶shù，上shàng天tiān见jiàn责zé。大dà王wáng隐yǐn显xiǎn莫mò测cè，变biàn化huà无wú方fāng，但dàn只zhǐ变biàn一yí秀xiù士shì，到dào长cháng安ān城chéng内nèi访fǎng问wèn一yì番fān。果guǒ有yǒu此cǐ辈bèi，容róng加jiā诛zhū灭miè不bù迟chí；若ruò无wú此cǐ辈bèi，可kě不bú是shì妄wàng害hài他tā人rén也yě？」

逐句解 Line by line

這zhè正zhèng是shì：「路lù上shàng說shuō話huà，草cǎo裡lǐ有yǒu人rén。」这zhè正zhèng是shì：「路lù上shàng说shuō话huà，草cǎo里lǐ有yǒu人rén。」

This was a case of the saying: 'Words spoken on the road, and someone lying in the grass.'

路上說話，草裡有人, 'talk on the road, a man in the grass,' is the Chinese for walls having ears — except that here it is meant literally. The proverb frames the disaster now beginning.

原yuán來lái這zhè涇jīng河hé水shuǐ府fǔ有yǒu一yí個gè巡xún水shuǐ的de夜yè叉chā，聽tīng見jiàn了le百bǎi下xià百bǎi著zháo之zhī言yán，急jí轉zhuǎn水shuǐ晶jīng宮gōng，慌huāng忙máng報bào與yǔ龍lóng王wáng道dào：「禍huò事shì了le！禍huò事shì了le！」原yuán来lái这zhè泾jīng河hé水shuǐ府fǔ有yǒu一yí个gè巡xún水shuǐ的de夜yè叉chā，听tīng见jiàn了le百bǎi下xià百bǎi着zháo之zhī言yán，急jí转zhuǎn水shuǐ晶jīng宫gōng，慌huāng忙máng报bào与yǔ龙lóng王wáng道dào：「祸huò事shì了le！祸huò事shì了le！」

It happened that the Jing River's water-court kept a water-patrolling yaksha, who, hearing these words of 'a hundred hits in a hundred casts,' rushed back to the Crystal Palace and reported in alarm to the Dragon King: 'Disaster! Disaster!'

夜叉 (yèchā, from the Sanskrit yakṣa) is a demon of the dragon's retinue, here on river patrol; 水府 and 水晶宮 are his master's undersea court. What he carries home is the one phrase Zhang Shao should not have said out loud. 著 in 百下百著 is zháo, and 涇 is jīng.

龍lóng王wáng問wèn：「有yǒu甚shén禍huò事shì？」龙lóng王wáng问wèn：「有yǒu甚shén祸huò事shì？」

The Dragon King asked: 'What disaster is this?'

A useful pair to set side by side: 甚 in 有甚, 'what,' is the question-word shén, while the 甚是 of the very next speech, 'most, very,' is shèn. One character, two jobs, two lines apart.

夜yè叉chā道dào：「臣chén巡xún水shuǐ去qù到dào河hé邊biān，只zhǐ聽tīng得dé兩liǎng個gè漁yú、樵qiáo攀pān話huà，相xiāng別bié時shí，言yán語yǔ甚shèn是shì利lì害hài。那nà漁yú翁wēng說shuō：長cháng安ān城chéng裡lǐ，西xī門mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu個gè賣mài卦guà先xiān生shēng，算suàn得de最zuì準zhǔn。他tā每měi日rì送sòng他tā鯉lǐ魚yú一yì尾wěi，他tā就jiù袖xiù傳chuán一yí課kè，教jiào他tā百bǎi下xià百bǎi著zháo。若ruò依yī此cǐ等děng算suàn準zhǔn，卻què不bù將jiāng水shuǐ族zú盡jìn情qíng打dǎ了le？何hé以yǐ壯zhuàng觀guān水shuǐ府fǔ，何hé以yǐ躍yuè浪làng翻fān波bō，輔fǔ助zhù大dà王wáng威wēi力lì？」夜yè叉chā道dào：「臣chén巡xún水shuǐ去qù到dào河hé边biān，只zhǐ听tīng得dé两liǎng个gè渔yú、樵qiáo攀pān话huà，相xiāng别bié时shí，言yán语yǔ甚shèn是shì利lì害hài。那nà渔yú翁wēng说shuō：长cháng安ān城chéng里lǐ，西xī门mén街jiē上shàng，有yǒu个gè卖mài卦guà先xiān生shēng，算suàn得de最zuì准zhǔn。他tā每měi日rì送sòng他tā鲤lǐ鱼yú一yì尾wěi，他tā就jiù袖xiù传chuán一yí课kè，教jiào他tā百bǎi下xià百bǎi着zháo。若ruò依yī此cǐ等děng算suàn准zhǔn，却què不bù将jiāng水shuǐ族zú尽jìn情qíng打dǎ了le？何hé以yǐ壮zhuàng观guān水shuǐ府fǔ，何hé以yǐ跃yuè浪làng翻fān波bō，辅fǔ助zhù大dà王wáng威wēi力lì？」

The yaksha said: 'Your servant, patrolling the water, came to the riverbank and overheard a fisherman and a woodcutter talking; as they parted, their words were most alarming. The fisherman said that here in Chang'an, on West Gate Street, there is a fortune-teller who divines with perfect accuracy. Every day he brings the man a carp, and the man passes him a hexagram from his sleeve, so that he scores a hundred hits in a hundred casts. If his reckonings are always so exact, will he not fish out our whole water-tribe? How then are we to keep the water-court in its splendor, to leap the waves and toss the billows, and uphold Your Majesty's might?'

Watch how the yaksha pitches it. He does not say the diviner is bad for fish; he says the diviner is bad for the throne — fish out the water-tribe and there goes the splendor of the court, the leaping of waves, His Majesty's whole standing. It is the oldest move in the courtier's book, translating a small problem into a threat to the boss. 甚 in 甚是, 'most, very,' is shèn; 得 in 聽得 and 算得 is the unstressed de that hangs a result onto a verb; 著 in 百下百著 is zháo. 相 in 相別 is xiāng, 那 in 那漁翁 is nà, 長 in 長安 is cháng, and 盡 in 盡情 is jìn.

龍lóng王wáng甚shèn怒nù，急jí提tí了le劍jiàn，就jiù要yào上shàng長cháng安ān城chéng，誅zhū滅miè這zhè賣mài卦guà的de。龙lóng王wáng甚shèn怒nù，急jí提tí了le剑jiàn，就jiù要yào上shàng长cháng安ān城chéng，诛zhū灭miè这zhè卖mài卦guà的de。

The Dragon King, in a great fury, snatched up his sword and would have gone straight up to Chang'an to destroy this fortune-teller.

誅滅 is to put to death, to wipe out — and the Dragon King has the sword in his hand before anyone has established that the man exists. That reflex is the flaw that undoes him. 甚 in 甚怒, 'greatly enraged,' is shèn; 長 in 長安 is cháng.

旁páng邊biān閃shǎn過guò龍lóng子zǐ、龍lóng孫sūn、蝦xiā臣chén、蟹xiè士shì、鰣shí軍jūn師shī、鱖guì少shào卿qīng、鯉lǐ太tài宰zǎi，一yì齊qí啟qǐ奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng且qiě息xī怒nù。常cháng言yán道dào：『過guò耳ěr之zhī言yán，不bù可kě聽tīng信xìn。』大dà王wáng此cǐ去qù，必bì有yǒu雲yún從cóng，必bì有yǒu雨yǔ助zhù，恐kǒng驚jīng了le長cháng安ān黎lí庶shù，上shàng天tiān見jiàn責zé。大dà王wáng隱yǐn顯xiǎn莫mò測cè，變biàn化huà無wú方fāng，但dàn只zhǐ變biàn一yí秀xiù士shì，到dào長cháng安ān城chéng內nèi訪fǎng問wèn一yì番fān。果guǒ有yǒu此cǐ輩bèi，容róng加jiā誅zhū滅miè不bù遲chí；若ruò無wú此cǐ輩bèi，可kě不bú是shì妄wàng害hài他tā人rén也yě？」旁páng边biān闪shǎn过guò龙lóng子zǐ、龙lóng孙sūn、虾xiā臣chén、蟹xiè士shì、鲥shí军jūn师shī、鳜guì少shào卿qīng、鲤lǐ太tài宰zǎi，一yì齐qí启qǐ奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng且qiě息xī怒nù。常cháng言yán道dào：『过guò耳ěr之zhī言yán，不bù可kě听tīng信xìn。』大dà王wáng此cǐ去qù，必bì有yǒu云yún从cóng，必bì有yǒu雨yǔ助zhù，恐kǒng惊jīng了le长cháng安ān黎lí庶shù，上shàng天tiān见jiàn责zé。大dà王wáng隐yǐn显xiǎn莫mò测cè，变biàn化huà无wú方fāng，但dàn只zhǐ变biàn一yí秀xiù士shì，到dào长cháng安ān城chéng内nèi访fǎng问wèn一yì番fān。果guǒ有yǒu此cǐ辈bèi，容róng加jiā诛zhū灭miè不bù迟chí；若ruò无wú此cǐ辈bèi，可kě不bú是shì妄wàng害hài他tā人rén也yě？」

From the side stepped the dragon-sons and dragon-grandsons, the shrimp courtiers and crab officers, the shad field-marshal, the mandarin-fish vice-minister, and the carp grand-steward, who all petitioned together: 'Let Your Majesty stay your anger. As the common saying goes, "Words that pass the ear are not to be believed." If Your Majesty goes forth, clouds will surely follow and rain attend you, and you will alarm the common folk of Chang'an and draw down Heaven's censure. Your Majesty's comings and goings are beyond fathoming, your transformations without limit: only change into a scholar and go into Chang'an to make inquiry. If such a man truly exists, there will be time enough to destroy him; and if he does not, would you not be harming an innocent for nothing?'

The court that steps forward is a civil service in miniature, staffed by fish: 鰣 the shad as field-marshal, 鱖 the mandarin fish as vice-minister, 鯉 the carp as grand-steward, with shrimp and crab filling the lower ranks. It is a joke, and it is not only a joke: the water-court mirrors the human ministries closely enough that the advice it gives sounds like real advice. And it is real advice. 過耳之言，不可聽信, 'words that merely pass the ear are not to be believed,' is exactly right about hearsay; 黎庶 are the common people, who should not be terrified by a storm over a private quarrel. 龍子 takes 子 as zǐ, 'son'; 少 in 少卿, 'vice-minister,' is shào, a rank; both 長 in 長安 are cháng. The tragedy is that the dragon will take only the first half of what they tell him.

總評 Commentary

The scene shifts underwater, and the chapter's machinery engages. A patrolling yaksha carries the overheard boast to the Dragon King of the Jing and frames it not as a danger to the river's fish but as a threat to the dragon's sovereignty: if a mortal diviner can direct every cast, the water-court's power is broken. The undersea realm is drawn as a full mirror of the human one, staffed by a solemn bureaucracy of shrimp and crab officials and fish ministers — the shad as field-marshal, the mandarin-fish as vice-minister, the carp as grand-steward — a comic-heroic conceit the novel never tires of.

The heart of the passage is the dragon's fatal flaw. His courtiers give him wise and complete advice: hearsay is not to be trusted; a display of clouds and rain would terrify the people of Chang'an and draw down Heaven's censure; so investigate quietly, in disguise, before doing anyone harm. The counsel is impeccable, and the tragedy of the chapter lies in his taking only part of it. He does go in disguise — and then his pride, and the wager the diviner goads him into, lead him to exactly the display of unlawful rain the ministers warned against, and so to his death. In a few lines the council scene plants both the escape the dragon is offered and the doom he chooses instead.