第十三回 · 太保還家 Home to the Guardian's House — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

太保還家 Home to the Guardian's House

伯bó欽qīn到dào了le門mén首shǒu，將jiāng死sǐ虎hǔ擲zhì下xià，叫jiào：「小xiǎo的de們men何hé在zài？」只zhǐ見jiàn走zǒu出chū三sān四sì個gè家jiā僮tóng，都dōu是shì怪guài形xíng惡è相xiàng之zhī類lèi，上shàng前qián拖tuō拖tuō拉lā拉lā，把bǎ隻zhī虎hǔ扛káng將jiāng進jìn去qù。伯bó欽qīn吩fēn咐fu教jiào趕gǎn早zǎo剝bō了le皮pí，安ān排pái將jiāng來lái待dài客kè。復fù回huí頭tóu迎yíng接jiē三sān藏zàng進jìn內nèi，彼bǐ此cǐ相xiāng見jiàn，三sān藏zàng又yòu拜bài謝xiè伯bó欽qīn厚hòu恩ēn憐lián憫mǐn救jiù命mìng。伯bó欽qīn道dào：「同tóng鄉xiāng之zhī人rén，何hé勞láo致zhì謝xiè。」坐zuò定dìng茶chá罷bà，有yǒu一yì老lǎo嫗yù領lǐng著zhe一yí個gè媳xí婦fù，對duì三sān藏zàng進jìn禮lǐ。伯bó欽qīn道dào：「此cǐ是shì家jiā母mǔ、小xiǎo妻qī。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「請qǐng令lìng堂táng上shàng坐zuò，貧pín僧sēng奉fèng拜bài。」老lǎo嫗yù道dào：「長zhǎng老lǎo遠yuǎn客kè，各gè請qǐng自zì珍zhēn，不bù勞láo拜bài罷bà。」伯bó欽qīn道dào：「母mǔ親qīn啊a，他tā是shì唐táng王wáng駕jià下xià，差chāi往wǎng西xī天tiān見jiàn佛fó求qiú經jīng者zhě。適shì間jiān在zài嶺lǐng頭tóu上shàng遇yù著zháo孩hái兒er，孩hái兒er念niàn一yì國guó之zhī人rén，請qǐng他tā來lái家jiā歇xiē馬mǎ，明míng日rì送sòng他tā上shàng路lù。」老lǎo嫗yù聞wén言yán，十shí分fēn懽huān喜xǐ道dào：「好hǎo，好hǎo，好hǎo。就jiù是shì請qǐng他tā，不bù得dé這zhè般bān恰qià好hǎo。明míng日rì你nǐ父fù親qīn週zhōu忌jì，就jiù浼měi長zhǎng老lǎo做zuò些xiē好hǎo事shì，念niàn卷juàn經jīng文wén，到dào後hòu日rì送sòng他tā去qù罷bà。」這zhè劉liú伯bó欽qīn雖suī是shì一yí個gè殺shā虎hǔ手shǒu，鎮zhèn山shān的de太tài保bǎo，他tā卻què有yǒu些xiē孝xiào順shùn之zhī心xīn。聞wén得dé母mǔ言yán，就jiù要yào安ān排pái香xiāng紙zhǐ，留liú住zhù三sān藏zàng。伯bó钦qīn到dào了le门mén首shǒu，将jiāng死sǐ虎hǔ掷zhì下xià，叫jiào：「小xiǎo的de们men何hé在zài？」只zhǐ见jiàn走zǒu出chū三sān四sì个gè家jiā僮tóng，都dōu是shì怪guài形xíng恶è相xiàng之zhī类lèi，上shàng前qián拖tuō拖tuō拉lā拉lā，把bǎ只zhī虎hǔ扛káng将jiāng进jìn去qù。伯bó钦qīn吩fēn咐fu教jiào赶gǎn早zǎo剥bō了le皮pí，安ān排pái将jiāng来lái待dài客kè。复fù回huí头tóu迎yíng接jiē三sān藏zàng进jìn内nèi，彼bǐ此cǐ相xiāng见jiàn，三sān藏zàng又yòu拜bài谢xiè伯bó钦qīn厚hòu恩ēn怜lián悯mǐn救jiù命mìng。伯bó钦qīn道dào：「同tóng乡xiāng之zhī人rén，何hé劳láo致zhì谢xiè。」坐zuò定dìng茶chá罢bà，有yǒu一yì老lǎo妪yù领lǐng着zhe一yí个gè媳xí妇fù，对duì三sān藏zàng进jìn礼lǐ。伯bó钦qīn道dào：「此cǐ是shì家jiā母mǔ、小xiǎo妻qī。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「请qǐng令lìng堂táng上shàng坐zuò，贫pín僧sēng奉fèng拜bài。」老lǎo妪yù道dào：「长zhǎng老lǎo远yuǎn客kè，各gè请qǐng自zì珍zhēn，不bù劳láo拜bài罢bà。」伯bó钦qīn道dào：「母mǔ亲qīn啊a，他tā是shì唐táng王wáng驾jià下xià，差chāi往wǎng西xī天tiān见jiàn佛fó求qiú经jīng者zhě。适shì间jiān在zài岭lǐng头tóu上shàng遇yù着zháo孩hái儿er，孩hái儿er念niàn一yì国guó之zhī人rén，请qǐng他tā来lái家jiā歇xiē马mǎ，明míng日rì送sòng他tā上shàng路lù。」老lǎo妪yù闻wén言yán，十shí分fēn懽huān喜xǐ道dào：「好hǎo，好hǎo，好hǎo。就jiù是shì请qǐng他tā，不bù得dé这zhè般bān恰qià好hǎo。明míng日rì你nǐ父fù亲qīn周zhōu忌jì，就jiù浼měi长zhǎng老lǎo做zuò些xiē好hǎo事shì，念niàn卷juàn经jīng文wén，到dào后hòu日rì送sòng他tā去qù罢bà。」这zhè刘liú伯bó钦qīn虽suī是shì一yí个gè杀shā虎hǔ手shǒu，镇zhèn山shān的de太tài保bǎo，他tā却què有yǒu些xiē孝xiào顺shùn之zhī心xīn。闻wén得dé母mǔ言yán，就jiù要yào安ān排pái香xiāng纸zhǐ，留liú住zhù三sān藏zàng。

逐句解 Line by line

When Boqin reached his gate, he flung down the dead tiger and called out: "Where are you lads?" Out came three or four house-servants, all of them of grotesque form and evil aspect, who came forward, hauling and tugging, and carried the tiger off inside. Boqin gave orders that it be skinned early and made ready to serve to the guest. Then he turned back to usher Sanzang within, and when they had greeted one another, Sanzang once again bowed his thanks for Boqin's great kindness and mercy in saving his life. Boqin said: "We are men of the same district — what need is there of thanks?" When they had sat down and taken tea, an old woman appeared, leading a young wife, and they made their salutations to Sanzang.

家僮 (jiā tóng), the house-servants, are described as grotesque and evil-looking — a reminder that for all its master's courtesy this is a rough frontier household, staffed by people who butcher tigers for a living.

伯bó欽qīn道dào：「此cǐ是shì家jiā母mǔ、小xiǎo妻qī。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「請qǐng令lìng堂táng上shàng坐zuò，貧pín僧sēng奉fèng拜bài。」老lǎo嫗yù道dào：「長zhǎng老lǎo遠yuǎn客kè，各gè請qǐng自zì珍zhēn，不bù勞láo拜bài罷bà。」伯bó欽qīn道dào：「母mǔ親qīn啊a，他tā是shì唐táng王wáng駕jià下xià，差chāi往wǎng西xī天tiān見jiàn佛fó求qiú經jīng者zhě。適shì間jiān在zài嶺lǐng頭tóu上shàng遇yù著zháo孩hái兒er，孩hái兒er念niàn一yì國guó之zhī人rén，請qǐng他tā來lái家jiā歇xiē馬mǎ，明míng日rì送sòng他tā上shàng路lù。」老lǎo嫗yù聞wén言yán，十shí分fēn懽huān喜xǐ道dào：「好hǎo，好hǎo，好hǎo。就jiù是shì請qǐng他tā，不bù得dé這zhè般bān恰qià好hǎo。明míng日rì你nǐ父fù親qīn週zhōu忌jì，就jiù浼měi長zhǎng老lǎo做zuò些xiē好hǎo事shì，念niàn卷juàn經jīng文wén，到dào後hòu日rì送sòng他tā去qù罷bà。」這zhè劉liú伯bó欽qīn雖suī是shì一yí個gè殺shā虎hǔ手shǒu，鎮zhèn山shān的de太tài保bǎo，他tā卻què有yǒu些xiē孝xiào順shùn之zhī心xīn。聞wén得dé母mǔ言yán，就jiù要yào安ān排pái香xiāng紙zhǐ，留liú住zhù三sān藏zàng。伯bó钦qīn道dào：「此cǐ是shì家jiā母mǔ、小xiǎo妻qī。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「请qǐng令lìng堂táng上shàng坐zuò，贫pín僧sēng奉fèng拜bài。」老lǎo妪yù道dào：「长zhǎng老lǎo远yuǎn客kè，各gè请qǐng自zì珍zhēn，不bù劳láo拜bài罢bà。」伯bó钦qīn道dào：「母mǔ亲qīn啊a，他tā是shì唐táng王wáng驾jià下xià，差chāi往wǎng西xī天tiān见jiàn佛fó求qiú经jīng者zhě。适shì间jiān在zài岭lǐng头tóu上shàng遇yù着zháo孩hái儿er，孩hái儿er念niàn一yì国guó之zhī人rén，请qǐng他tā来lái家jiā歇xiē马mǎ，明míng日rì送sòng他tā上shàng路lù。」老lǎo妪yù闻wén言yán，十shí分fēn懽huān喜xǐ道dào：「好hǎo，好hǎo，好hǎo。就jiù是shì请qǐng他tā，不bù得dé这zhè般bān恰qià好hǎo。明míng日rì你nǐ父fù亲qīn周zhōu忌jì，就jiù浼měi长zhǎng老lǎo做zuò些xiē好hǎo事shì，念niàn卷juàn经jīng文wén，到dào后hòu日rì送sòng他tā去qù罢bà。」这zhè刘liú伯bó钦qīn虽suī是shì一yí个gè杀shā虎hǔ手shǒu，镇zhèn山shān的de太tài保bǎo，他tā却què有yǒu些xiē孝xiào顺shùn之zhī心xīn。闻wén得dé母mǔ言yán，就jiù要yào安ān排pái香xiāng纸zhǐ，留liú住zhù三sān藏zàng。

Boqin said: "This is my mother, and my humble wife." Sanzang said: "Pray let your honoured mother take the high seat, and let this poor monk pay his respects." The old woman said: "Elder, you are a traveller from afar; let each of us stand on no ceremony, and spare yourself the bow." Boqin said: "Mother, he is a man sent under the Tang king to go to the Western Heaven to see the Buddha and seek scriptures. Just now, on the ridge-top, he met your son, and your son, mindful that we are men of one country, has asked him home to rest his horse, and tomorrow will see him on his way." Hearing this, the old woman was filled with joy and said: "Good, good, good. Even had we sought for it, we could not have hit on so apt a time. Tomorrow is your father's death-anniversary; pray prevail on the elder to do some good works and read a scroll of scripture, and the day after, we can send him off." Now this Liu Boqin, though a slayer of tigers and Guardian of the Mountain, had for all that something of a filial heart; and hearing his mother's words, he set about at once to prepare the incense and paper, and kept Sanzang there.

週忌 (zhōu jì) is the anniversary of a death, and the mother's timing turns the visit into a plot. She asks the monk to 念卷經文 — recite a scroll of scripture, 卷 (juàn) being the measure word for scripture — and so sets up the memorial service that closes the chapter. 香紙, "incense and paper," are the offerings burned for the dead: paper money and paper goods, sent across by fire.

總評 Commentary

The homecoming brings the chapter fully indoors, and the household arrives in three quick strokes: the alarming servants, the old mother, the young wife. The courtesies are precisely observed — Xuanzang insisting on a formal bow, the old woman waving it away, Boqin announcing his guest's imperial errand with obvious pride.

Then the scene turns on a coincidence that is also a hinge. Tomorrow is the anniversary of Boqin's father's death, and here, by pure chance, is a monk. The mother sees it at once and asks him to perform the rites.

Two of the chapter's obligations tie together in that request — what you owe a guest and what you owe the dead — and the tiger-killer picks up a third dimension. He has, the text says, something of a filial heart, and he goes off at once to fetch the incense. It is a small stroke that lifts him out of the stock role of the rough hunter.