第十一回 · 十王伏禮 The Kings Concede — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

十王伏禮 The Kings Concede

十shí王wáng聞wén言yán，伏fú禮lǐ道dào：「自zì那nà龍lóng未wèi生shēng之zhī前qián，南nán斗dòu星xīng死sǐ簿bù上shàng已yǐ註zhù定dìng該gāi遭zāo殺shā於yú人rén曹cáo之zhī手shǒu，我wǒ等děng早zǎo已yǐ知zhī之zhī。但dàn只zhǐ是shì他tā在zài此cǐ折zhé辨biàn，定dìng要yào陛bì下xià來lái此cǐ，三sān曹cáo對duì案àn。是shì我wǒ等děng將jiāng他tā送sòng入rù輪lún藏zàng，轉zhuǎn生shēng去qù了le。今jīn又yòu有yǒu勞láo陛bì下xià降jiàng臨lín，望wàng乞qǐ恕shù我wǒ催cuī促cù之zhī罪zuì。」十shí王wáng闻wén言yán，伏fú礼lǐ道dào：「自zì那nà龙lóng未wèi生shēng之zhī前qián，南nán斗dòu星xīng死sǐ簿bù上shàng已yǐ注zhù定dìng该gāi遭zāo杀shā于yú人rén曹cáo之zhī手shǒu，我wǒ等děng早zǎo已yǐ知zhī之zhī。但dàn只zhǐ是shì他tā在zài此cǐ折zhé辨biàn，定dìng要yào陛bì下xià来lái此cǐ，三sān曹cáo对duì案àn。是shì我wǒ等děng将jiāng他tā送sòng入rù轮lún藏zàng，转zhuǎn生shēng去qù了le。今jīn又yòu有yǒu劳láo陛bì下xià降jiàng临lín，望wàng乞qǐ恕shù我wǒ催cuī促cù之zhī罪zuì。」

逐句解 Line by line

十shí王wáng聞wén言yán，伏fú禮lǐ道dào：「自zì那nà龍lóng未wèi生shēng之zhī前qián，南nán斗dòu星xīng死sǐ簿bù上shàng已yǐ註zhù定dìng該gāi遭zāo殺shā於yú人rén曹cáo之zhī手shǒu，我wǒ等děng早zǎo已yǐ知zhī之zhī。十shí王wáng闻wén言yán，伏fú礼lǐ道dào：「自zì那nà龙lóng未wèi生shēng之zhī前qián，南nán斗dòu星xīng死sǐ簿bù上shàng已yǐ注zhù定dìng该gāi遭zāo杀shā于yú人rén曹cáo之zhī手shǒu，我wǒ等děng早zǎo已yǐ知zhī之zhī。

Hearing this, the Ten Kings bowed in courtesy and said, 'Even before that dragon was born, the death-register of the Southern Dipper had already fixed that he should perish by the hand of the Bureau of Men. This we knew long ago.'

伏禮 to bow low in acknowledgment. 南斗星死簿 the death-ledger of the Southern Dipper (南斗), which in popular belief presides over death, as the Northern Dipper presides over life.

但dàn只zhǐ是shì他tā在zài此cǐ折zhé辨biàn，定dìng要yào陛bì下xià來lái此cǐ，三sān曹cáo對duì案àn。但dàn只zhǐ是shì他tā在zài此cǐ折zhé辨biàn，定dìng要yào陛bì下xià来lái此cǐ，三sān曹cáo对duì案àn。

'It was only that he came here to press his dispute and insisted that Your Majesty be brought to face the three-tribunal confrontation.'

折辨 = 折辯, to argue a case. 三曹對案, the joint hearing of plaintiff, defendant, and adjudicating court.

是shì我wǒ等děng將jiāng他tā送sòng入rù輪lún藏zàng，轉zhuǎn生shēng去qù了le。是shì我wǒ等děng将jiāng他tā送sòng入rù轮lún藏zàng，转zhuǎn生shēng去qù了le。

'We have now sent him into the Wheel of Transmigration, and he has gone off to be reborn.'

輪藏 (lún zàng) the revolving repository, by extension the Wheel of Rebirth (輪迴); 藏 zàng. 轉生 to be reborn into a new existence.

今jīn又yòu有yǒu勞láo陛bì下xià降jiàng臨lín，望wàng乞qǐ恕shù我wǒ催cuī促cù之zhī罪zuì。」今jīn又yòu有yǒu劳láo陛bì下xià降jiàng临lín，望wàng乞qǐ恕shù我wǒ催cuī促cù之zhī罪zuì。」

'Now we have again put Your Majesty to the trouble of descending here; we beg your pardon for the offense of having pressed you to come.'

降臨 (jiàng lín) 'to descend and arrive,' an honorific for a distinguished visitor. The apology completes the emperor's exculpation.

總評 Commentary

The Kings' reply quietly dismantles the case: the dragon's death was predestined and recorded before his birth, the hearing a mere formality forced by the plaintiff, who has already been dispatched to rebirth. Their elaborate courtesies invert the expected relation of judge and judged — the emperor is treated less as a defendant than as an honored guest inconvenienced by the proceedings.