第二回 · 斷魔救眾 The Demon Slain — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

斷魔救眾 The Demon Slain

原yuán來lái人rén得dé仙xiān體tǐ，出chū神shén變biàn化huà無wú方fāng。不bù知zhī這zhè猴hóu王wáng自zì從cóng了liǎo道dào之zhī後hòu，身shēn上shàng有yǒu八bā萬wàn四sì千qiān毛máo羽yǔ，根gēn根gēn能néng變biàn，應yìng物wù隨suí心xīn。那nà些xiē小xiǎo猴hóu眼yǎn乖guāi會huì跳tiào，刀dāo來lái砍kǎn不bù著zháo，槍qiāng去qù不bù能néng傷shāng。你nǐ看kàn他tā前qián踊yǒng後hòu躍yuè，鑽zuān上shàng去qù，把bǎ個gè魔mó王wáng圍wéi繞rào，抱bào的de抱bào，扯chě的de扯chě，鑽zuān襠dāng的de鑽zuān襠dāng，扳bān腳jiǎo的de扳bān腳jiǎo，踢tī打dǎ挦xián毛máo，摳kōu眼yǎn睛jīng，捻niǎn鼻bí子zi，抬tái鼓gǔ弄nòng，直zhí打dǎ做zuò一yí個gè攢cuán盤pán。這zhè悟wù空kōng才cái去qù奪duó得dé他tā的de刀dāo來lái，分fēn開kāi小xiǎo猴hóu，照zhào頂dǐng門mén一yí下xià，砍kǎn為wéi兩liǎng段duàn。領lǐng眾zhòng殺shā進jìn洞dòng中zhōng，將jiāng那nà大dà小xiǎo妖yāo精jīng盡jìn皆jiē剿jiǎo滅miè。卻què把bǎ毫háo毛máo一yì抖dǒu，收shōu上shàng身shēn來lái，又yòu見jiàn那nà收shōu不bú上shàng身shēn者zhě，卻què是shì那nà魔mó王wáng在zài水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng擒qín去qù的de小xiǎo猴hóu。悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng何hé為wéi到dào此cǐ？」約yuē有yǒu三sān五wǔ十shí個gè，都dōu含hán淚lèi道dào：「我wǒ等děng因yīn大dà王wáng修xiū仙xiān去qù後hòu，這zhè兩liǎng年nián被bèi他tā爭zhēng吵chǎo，把bǎ我wǒ們men都dōu攝shè將jiāng來lái。那nà不bú是shì我wǒ們men洞dòng中zhōng的de家jiā火huǒ？石shí盆pén、石shí碗wǎn都dōu被bèi這zhè廝sī拿ná來lái也yě。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「既jì是shì我wǒ們men的de家jiā火huǒ，你nǐ們men都dōu搬bān出chū外wài去qù。」隨suí即jí洞dòng裡lǐ放fàng起qǐ火huǒ來lái，把bǎ那nà水shuǐ臟zàng洞dòng燒shāo得de枯kū乾gān，盡jìn歸guī了le一yì體tǐ。對duì眾zhòng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng跟gēn我wǒ回huí去qù。」眾zhòng猴hóu道dào：「大dà王wáng，我wǒ們men來lái時shí，只zhǐ聽tīng得de耳ěr邊biān風fēng響xiǎng，虛xū飄piāo飄piāo到dào於yú此cǐ地dì，更gèng不bù識shí路lù徑jìng，今jīn怎zěn得dé回huí鄉xiāng？」悟wù空kōng道dào：「這zhè是shì他tā弄nòng的de個gè術shù法fǎ兒er，有yǒu何hé難nán也yě？我wǒ如rú今jīn一yí竅qiào通tōng，百bǎi竅qiào通tōng，我wǒ也yě會huì弄nòng。你nǐ們men都dōu合hé了le眼yǎn，休xiū怕pà。」原yuán来lái人rén得dé仙xiān体tǐ，出chū神shén变biàn化huà无wú方fāng。不bù知zhī这zhè猴hóu王wáng自zì从cóng了liǎo道dào之zhī后hòu，身shēn上shàng有yǒu八bā万wàn四sì千qiān毛máo羽yǔ，根gēn根gēn能néng变biàn，应yìng物wù随suí心xīn。那nà些xiē小xiǎo猴hóu眼yǎn乖guāi会huì跳tiào，刀dāo来lái砍kǎn不bù著zháo，枪qiāng去qù不bù能néng伤shāng。你nǐ看kàn他tā前qián踊yǒng后hòu跃yuè，钻zuān上shàng去qù，把bǎ个gè魔mó王wáng围wéi绕rào，抱bào的de抱bào，扯chě的de扯chě，钻zuān裆dāng的de钻zuān裆dāng，扳bān脚jiǎo的de扳bān脚jiǎo，踢tī打dǎ挦xián毛máo，抠kōu眼yǎn睛jīng，捻niǎn鼻bí子zi，抬tái鼓gǔ弄nòng，直zhí打dǎ做zuò一yí个gè攒cuán盘pán。这zhè悟wù空kōng才cái去qù夺duó得dé他tā的de刀dāo来lái，分fēn开kāi小xiǎo猴hóu，照zhào顶dǐng门mén一yí下xià，砍kǎn为wéi两liǎng段duàn。领lǐng众zhòng杀shā进jìn洞dòng中zhōng，将jiāng那nà大dà小xiǎo妖yāo精jīng尽jìn皆jiē剿jiǎo灭miè。却què把bǎ毫háo毛máo一yì抖dǒu，收shōu上shàng身shēn来lái，又yòu见jiàn那nà收shōu不bú上shàng身shēn者zhě，却què是shì那nà魔mó王wáng在zài水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng擒qín去qù的de小xiǎo猴hóu。悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng何hé为wéi到dào此cǐ？」约yuē有yǒu三sān五wǔ十shí个gè，都dōu含hán泪lèi道dào：「我wǒ等děng因yīn大dà王wáng修xiū仙xiān去qù后hòu，这zhè两liǎng年nián被bèi他tā争zhēng吵chǎo，把bǎ我wǒ们men都dōu摄shè将jiāng来lái。那nà不bú是shì我wǒ们men洞dòng中zhōng的de家jiā火huǒ？石shí盆pén、石shí碗wǎn都dōu被bèi这zhè厮sī拿ná来lái也yě。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「既jì是shì我wǒ们men的de家jiā火huǒ，你nǐ们men都dōu搬bān出chū外wài去qù。」随suí即jí洞dòng里lǐ放fàng起qǐ火huǒ来lái，把bǎ那nà水shuǐ脏zàng洞dòng烧shāo得de枯kū干gān，尽jìn归guī了le一yì体tǐ。对duì众zhòng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng跟gēn我wǒ回huí去qù。」众zhòng猴hóu道dào：「大dà王wáng，我wǒ们men来lái时shí，只zhǐ听tīng得de耳ěr边biān风fēng响xiǎng，虚xū飘piāo飘piāo到dào于yú此cǐ地dì，更gèng不bù识shí路lù径jìng，今jīn怎zěn得dé回huí乡xiāng？」悟wù空kōng道dào：「这zhè是shì他tā弄nòng的de个gè术shù法fǎ儿er，有yǒu何hé难nán也yě？我wǒ如rú今jīn一yí窍qiào通tōng，百bǎi窍qiào通tōng，我wǒ也yě会huì弄nòng。你nǐ们men都dōu合hé了le眼yǎn，休xiū怕pà。」

逐句解 Line by line

原yuán來lái人rén得dé仙xiān體tǐ，出chū神shén變biàn化huà無wú方fāng。原yuán来lái人rén得dé仙xiān体tǐ，出chū神shén变biàn化huà无wú方fāng。

Now when one attains an immortal's body, its spirit-transformations are without limit.

得仙體 (dé xiān tǐ): "to attain an immortal's body." 出神變化無方 (chū shén biàn huà wú fāng): "miraculous transformations without bound"; 無方 = "limitless."

不bù知zhī這zhè猴hóu王wáng自zì從cóng了liǎo道dào之zhī後hòu，身shēn上shàng有yǒu八bā萬wàn四sì千qiān毛máo羽yǔ，根gēn根gēn能néng變biàn，應yìng物wù隨suí心xīn。不bù知zhī这zhè猴hóu王wáng自zì从cóng了liǎo道dào之zhī后hòu，身shēn上shàng有yǒu八bā万wàn四sì千qiān毛máo羽yǔ，根gēn根gēn能néng变biàn，应yìng物wù随suí心xīn。

What none knew was that this Monkey King, ever since he completed the Way, had on his body eighty-four thousand hairs, every one of which could transform, answering to things just as his heart willed.

自從了道 (zì cóng liǎo dào): "ever since completing the Way"; 了 = liǎo "to finish, master." 八萬四千毛羽: "eighty-four thousand hairs" — a Buddhist great-number (the 84,000 dharma-gates / afflictions / pores). 根根能變 (gēn gēn néng biàn): "every single one can transform." 應物隨心 (yìng wù suí xīn): "responding to things as the heart wills." Sandhi: 不知 → bù.

那nà些xiē小xiǎo猴hóu眼yǎn乖guāi會huì跳tiào，刀dāo來lái砍kǎn不bù著zháo，槍qiāng去qù不bù能néng傷shāng。那nà些xiē小xiǎo猴hóu眼yǎn乖guāi会huì跳tiào，刀dāo来lái砍kǎn不bù著zháo，枪qiāng去qù不bù能néng伤shāng。

Those little monkeys were sharp-eyed and nimble: when the blade came it could not strike them, when the spear thrust it could not wound them.

眼乖會跳 (yǎn guāi huì tiào): "sharp-eyed and nimble"; 乖 = guāi "clever." 砍不著 (kǎn bù zháo): "cannot hit"; 著 = zháo "to hit, reach"; sandhi 不 → bù. 不能傷: sandhi 不 → bù.

你nǐ看kàn他tā前qián踊yǒng後hòu躍yuè，鑽zuān上shàng去qù，把bǎ個gè魔mó王wáng圍wéi繞rào，抱bào的de抱bào，扯chě的de扯chě，鑽zuān襠dāng的de鑽zuān襠dāng，扳bān腳jiǎo的de扳bān腳jiǎo，踢tī打dǎ挦xián毛máo，摳kōu眼yǎn睛jīng，捻niǎn鼻bí子zi，抬tái鼓gǔ弄nòng，直zhí打dǎ做zuò一yí個gè攢cuán盤pán。你nǐ看kàn他tā前qián踊yǒng后hòu跃yuè，钻zuān上shàng去qù，把bǎ个gè魔mó王wáng围wéi绕rào，抱bào的de抱bào，扯chě的de扯chě，钻zuān裆dāng的de钻zuān裆dāng，扳bān脚jiǎo的de扳bān脚jiǎo，踢tī打dǎ挦xián毛máo，抠kōu眼yǎn睛jīng，捻niǎn鼻bí子zi，抬tái鼓gǔ弄nòng，直zhí打dǎ做zuò一yí个gè攒cuán盘pán。

You should have seen them — leaping fore and aft, swarming up, surrounding the Demon King: some hugging, some tugging, some diving at his crotch, some grabbing his legs, kicking and pulling his hair, gouging his eyes, tweaking his nose, hoisting and jostling him, until they had beaten him into one tangled heap.

前踊後躍 (qián yǒng hòu yuè): "leaping fore and aft." 鑽上去 (zuān shàng qù): "swarming up." A comic catalogue of the assault: 挦毛 (xián máo): "pulling fur"; 挦 = xián. 摳眼睛 (kōu yǎn jīng): "gouging eyes"; 摳 = kōu. 攢盤 (cuán pán): "a clustered platter," an idiom for a chaotic tangled heap. Sandhi: 一個 → yí.

這zhè悟wù空kōng才cái去qù奪duó得dé他tā的de刀dāo來lái，分fēn開kāi小xiǎo猴hóu，照zhào頂dǐng門mén一yí下xià，砍kǎn為wéi兩liǎng段duàn。这zhè悟wù空kōng才cái去qù夺duó得dé他tā的de刀dāo来lái，分fēn开kāi小xiǎo猴hóu，照zhào顶dǐng门mén一yí下xià，砍kǎn为wéi两liǎng段duàn。

Then this Wukong went and seized the demon's own sabre, parted the little monkeys, and with one stroke at the crown of his head cut him into two pieces.

奪得 (duó dé): "to seize." 照頂門一下 (zhào dǐng mén yí xià): "one blow at the crown"; sandhi 一 → yí. 砍為兩段 (kǎn wéi liǎng duàn): "cut in two."

領lǐng眾zhòng殺shā進jìn洞dòng中zhōng，將jiāng那nà大dà小xiǎo妖yāo精jīng盡jìn皆jiē剿jiǎo滅miè。领lǐng众zhòng杀shā进jìn洞dòng中zhōng，将jiāng那nà大dà小xiǎo妖yāo精jīng尽jìn皆jiē剿jiǎo灭miè。

Leading the host, he charged into the cave and wiped out every demon, great and small.

領眾 (lǐng zhòng): "leading the host." 殺進 (shā jìn): "charged in." 盡皆剿滅 (jìn jiē jiǎo miè): "all exterminated"; 剿 = jiǎo, 滅 = miè.

卻què把bǎ毫háo毛máo一yì抖dǒu，收shōu上shàng身shēn來lái，又yòu見jiàn那nà收shōu不bú上shàng身shēn者zhě，卻què是shì那nà魔mó王wáng在zài水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng擒qín去qù的de小xiǎo猴hóu。却què把bǎ毫háo毛máo一yì抖dǒu，收shōu上shàng身shēn来lái，又yòu见jiàn那nà收shōu不bú上shàng身shēn者zhě，却què是shì那nà魔mó王wáng在zài水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng擒qín去qù的de小xiǎo猴hóu。

Then he gave his fur a shake and drew it back onto his body — but he saw some that could not be drawn back: these were the little monkeys the Demon King had carried off from the Water-Curtain Cave.

一抖 (yì dǒu): "a shake"; sandhi 一 → yì. 收上身 (shōu shàng shēn): "to draw back onto the body." 收不上身者 (shōu bù shàng shēn zhě): "those that could not be drawn back"; sandhi 不 → bú. 擒去 (qín qù): "had captured."

悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng何hé為wéi到dào此cǐ？」悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng何hé为wéi到dào此cǐ？」

Wukong asked: “And how came you here?”

汝等 (rǔ děng): "you." 何為 (hé wéi): "how, why."

約yuē有yǒu三sān五wǔ十shí個gè，都dōu含hán淚lèi道dào：「我wǒ等děng因yīn大dà王wáng修xiū仙xiān去qù後hòu，這zhè兩liǎng年nián被bèi他tā爭zhēng吵chǎo，把bǎ我wǒ們men都dōu攝shè將jiāng來lái。约yuē有yǒu三sān五wǔ十shí个gè，都dōu含hán泪lèi道dào：「我wǒ等děng因yīn大dà王wáng修xiū仙xiān去qù后hòu，这zhè两liǎng年nián被bèi他tā争zhēng吵chǎo，把bǎ我wǒ们men都dōu摄shè将jiāng来lái。

There were some thirty to fifty of them, and all said through tears: “After the Great King went off to seek immortality, these two years he harried us, and carried us all off.

約有 (yuē yǒu): "about." 含淚 (hán lèi): "in tears." 修仙去 (xiū xiān qù): "went to cultivate immortality." 爭吵 (zhēng chǎo): "to harry, harass." 攝將來 (shè jiāng lái): "to carry off"; 攝 = shè "to seize"; 將 a verbal particle.

那nà不bú是shì我wǒ們men洞dòng中zhōng的de家jiā火huǒ？石shí盆pén、石shí碗wǎn都dōu被bèi這zhè廝sī拿ná來lái也yě。」那nà不bú是shì我wǒ们men洞dòng中zhōng的de家jiā火huǒ？石shí盆pén、石shí碗wǎn都dōu被bèi这zhè厮sī拿ná来lái也yě。」

Isn't that the household stuff of our cave? The stone basins and stone bowls — this creature carried them all off too.”

那不是 (nà bú shì): "isn't that"; sandhi 不 → bú. 家火 (jiā huǒ): "household goods." 石盆、石碗 (shí pén, shí wǎn): "stone basins and bowls." 這廝 (zhè sī): "this creature"; 廝 = sī.

悟wù空kōng道dào：「既jì是shì我wǒ們men的de家jiā火huǒ，你nǐ們men都dōu搬bān出chū外wài去qù。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「既jì是shì我wǒ们men的de家jiā火huǒ，你nǐ们men都dōu搬bān出chū外wài去qù。」

Wukong said: “Since they are our household goods, carry them all outside.”

既是 (jì shì): "since they are." 搬出外去 (bān chū wài qù): "carry them outside."

隨suí即jí洞dòng裡lǐ放fàng起qǐ火huǒ來lái，把bǎ那nà水shuǐ臟zàng洞dòng燒shāo得de枯kū乾gān，盡jìn歸guī了le一yì體tǐ。随suí即jí洞dòng里lǐ放fàng起qǐ火huǒ来lái，把bǎ那nà水shuǐ脏zàng洞dòng烧shāo得de枯kū干gān，尽jìn归guī了le一yì体tǐ。

Thereupon he set a fire in the cave and burned the Water-Viscera Cave to a crisp, until all was reduced to ash.

隨即 (suí jí): "thereupon." 放起火 (fàng qǐ huǒ): "to set a fire." 燒得枯乾 (shāo de kū gān): "burned dry, to a crisp"; 乾 = gān. 盡歸了一體 (jìn guī le yì tǐ): "all reduced to one [burnt mass]"; sandhi 一 → yì.

對duì眾zhòng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng跟gēn我wǒ回huí去qù。」对duì众zhòng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng跟gēn我wǒ回huí去qù。」

To them all he said: “Come back home with me.”

對眾 (duì zhòng): "to all." 跟我回去 (gēn wǒ huí qù): "come home with me."

眾zhòng猴hóu道dào：「大dà王wáng，我wǒ們men來lái時shí，只zhǐ聽tīng得de耳ěr邊biān風fēng響xiǎng，虛xū飄piāo飄piāo到dào於yú此cǐ地dì，更gèng不bù識shí路lù徑jìng，今jīn怎zěn得dé回huí鄉xiāng？」众zhòng猴hóu道dào：「大dà王wáng，我wǒ们men来lái时shí，只zhǐ听tīng得de耳ěr边biān风fēng响xiǎng，虚xū飘piāo飘piāo到dào于yú此cǐ地dì，更gèng不bù识shí路lù径jìng，今jīn怎zěn得dé回huí乡xiāng？」

The monkeys said: “Great King, when we came, we only heard the wind whistling past our ears and floated weightless to this place — we don't even know the way; how can we get home now?”

耳邊風響 (ěr biān fēng xiǎng): "the wind whistling by the ears." 虛飄飄 (xū piāo piāo): "floating insubstantially." 不識路徑 (bù shí lù jìng): "don't know the way"; sandhi 不 → bù. 回鄉 (huí xiāng): "to return home."

悟wù空kōng道dào：「這zhè是shì他tā弄nòng的de個gè術shù法fǎ兒er，有yǒu何hé難nán也yě？我wǒ如rú今jīn一yí竅qiào通tōng，百bǎi竅qiào通tōng，我wǒ也yě會huì弄nòng。你nǐ們men都dōu合hé了le眼yǎn，休xiū怕pà。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「这zhè是shì他tā弄nòng的de个gè术shù法fǎ儿er，有yǒu何hé难nán也yě？我wǒ如rú今jīn一yí窍qiào通tōng，百bǎi窍qiào通tōng，我wǒ也yě会huì弄nòng。你nǐ们men都dōu合hé了le眼yǎn，休xiū怕pà。」

Wukong said: “This is just a bit of magic he worked — what's hard about that? Now that one of my apertures is open, a hundred are open; I can work it too. Close your eyes, all of you, and don't be afraid.”

術法兒 (shù fǎ er): "a bit of magic"; 兒 er, the 兒化 suffix. 有何難 (yǒu hé nán): "what is hard about it." 一竅通，百竅通 (yí qiào tōng, bǎi qiào tōng): "when one aperture opens, a hundred open"; sandhi 一 → yí. 合了眼 (hé le yǎn): "close the eyes." 休怕 (xiū pà): "do not fear."

總評 Commentary

The narrator pauses to explain the magic, and the figure he gives is one of the book's most resonant: ever since completing the Way, Wukong carries 八萬四千毛羽, "eighty-four thousand hairs," each able to transform at will. The number is Buddhist — eighty-four thousand is the canonical count of the dharma-gates, of the afflictions that bind beings, of the pores of the body — and there is a quiet wit in having so solemn a figure underwrite a trickster's battlefield swarm. What follows is comic violence of the broadest kind: the cloned monkeys mob the giant, 抱的抱，扯的扯, "some hugging, some tugging," diving at his crotch, grabbing his legs, pulling his hair, gouging his eyes, tweaking his nose, until he is beaten into 一個攢盤, a single tangled heap.

Then the register snaps, in the space of a sentence, from farce to lethal efficiency: Wukong seizes the demon's own sabre, parts his clones, and splits the giant in two at the crown — his first kill. This abrupt tonal shear, slapstick resolving without transition into real killing, is utterly characteristic of the novel and of Wukong. But the victory is kept humble and concrete. What he recovers is not glory but a household: the abducted young who could not be "drawn back" with his other hairs, and the stolen stone basins and bowls — the 家火, the homely "household stuff," of the cave. He burns the Water-Viscera Cave to ash, gathers his people, and turns for home, the 一竅通百竅通 refrain sounding once more as he prepares to fly them all back. The seeker who left to conquer death returns, in the end, a king restoring his home.