Canonical Classics ← 第十四回
第十四回
xīnyuánguīzhèng
liùzéizōng

The Mind-Monkey Returns to the Right · The Six Robbers Vanish Without a Trace

太保告回
模式 Mode Read Study
拼音 Pinyin Off
字體 Script
原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

太保告回 Boqin Takes His Leave

qīnjiànsūnxíngzhěxīnshōushíyàoxíngquèzhuǎnshēnduìsānzàngchàngnuòdào:「zhǎnglǎoxìngjiānshōudehǎoshènshènrénguǒrándequègàohuí。」sānzànggōngshēnzuòxiāngxièdào:「duōyǒutuōgǎnshènghuíduōduōzhìlìngtánglǎorénlìngjīngrénpínsēngzàiduōrǎorónghuíshízhǒngxiè。」qīnhuísuìliǎngxiàfēnbiéqīnjiànsūnxíngzhěxīnshōushíyàoxíngquèzhuǎnshēnduìsānzàngchàngnuòdào:「zhǎnglǎoxìngjiānshōudehǎoshènshènrénguǒrándequègàohuí。」sānzànggōngshēnzuòxiāngxièdào:「duōyǒutuōgǎnshènghuíduōduōzhìlìngtánglǎorénlìngjīngrénpínsēngzàiduōrǎorónghuíshízhǒngxiè。」qīnhuísuìliǎngxiàfēnbié


逐句解 Line by line

qīnjiànsūnxíngzhěxīnshōushíyàoxíngquèzhuǎnshēnduìsānzàngchàngnuòdào qīnjiànsūnxíngzhěxīnshōushíyàoxíngquèzhuǎnshēnduìsānzàngchàngnuòdào

Seeing that Pilgrim Sun was set with one mind on setting out, Boqin turned and made a salute to Sanzang, saying,

The hunter's task is discharged; he has brought the monk safely to the frontier and seen him gain a protector. 行者 here reads as xíng.

zhǎnglǎoxìngjiānshōudehǎoshènshèn zhǎnglǎoxìngjiānshōudehǎoshènshèn

"Elder, you are fortunate to have gained so good a disciple here — I am glad, most glad.

Boqin's warm approval (甚喜,甚喜, "most glad, most glad") uses in its adverbial sense, "very," read shèn — distinct from the interrogative 甚麼 (shén).

rénguǒrándequègàohuí。」 rénguǒrándequègàohuí。」

This man will indeed do to go with you. And now I take my leave."

去得 ("will do to go," read de) affirms the monkey fit for the road; the hunter then formally takes his leave.

sānzànggōngshēnzuòxiāngxièdào:「duōyǒutuōgǎnshèng sānzànggōngshēnzuòxiāngxièdào:「duōyǒutuōgǎnshèng

Sanzang bowed and made his thanks: "I have put you to much trouble, and I am more grateful than I can say.

相謝 — "to thank" — takes in its reciprocal sense, read xiāng, not the "appearance" sense (xiàng).

huíduōduōzhìlìngtánglǎorénlìngjīngrénpínsēngzàiduōrǎorónghuíshízhǒngxiè。」 huíduōduōzhìlìngtánglǎorénlìngjīngrénpínsēngzàiduōrǎorónghuíshízhǒngxiè。」

When you return to your house, convey my many respects to your honoured mother and to your worthy wife; I have been much bother to your household, and when I pass this way again I shall come to give my thanks in person."

Sanzang's parting speech is a model of Tang courtesy, sending formal respects to Boqin's mother (令堂) and wife (令荊), with a promise to repay the family's hospitality on his return.

qīnhuísuìliǎngxiàfēnbié qīnhuísuìliǎngxiàfēnbié

Boqin returned the courtesy, and with that the two parted.

The leave-taking closes the Liu Boqin episode. 分別 ("to part") reads as fēn.


總評 Commentary

A brief, gracious scene of parting closes the hunter's role in the story. Liu Boqin, having escorted Sanzang to the very edge of Tang territory and seen him safely provided with a disciple, takes his leave with evident satisfaction at the monk's good fortune.

The exchange is all Tang decorum: Boqin salutes and commends the new disciple; Sanzang bows low, thanks him profusely, and sends careful respects to the hunter's mother and wife before promising to repay their hospitality on his return. The formality marks the closing of one companionship just as the pilgrimage's true partnership — monk and monkey — begins.

With Boqin gone, the narrative frame narrows to master and disciple alone on the road west, and the chapter turns at once to the first test of their new bond: the tiger on the path.