化身松樹 The Pine-Tree Transformation
一日，春歸夏至，大眾都在松樹下會講多時。大眾道：「悟空，你是那世修來的緣法？前日老師父附耳低言，傳與你的躲三災變化之法，可都會麼？」悟空笑道：「不瞞諸兄長說，一則是師父傳授，二來也是我晝夜殷勤，那幾般兒都會了。」大眾道：「趁此良時，你試演演，讓我等看看。」悟空聞說，抖擻精神，賣弄手段道：「眾師兄請出個題目。要我變化甚麼？」大眾道：「就變棵松樹罷。」悟空捻著訣，念動咒語，搖身一變，就變做一棵松樹。真個是：鬱鬱含煙貫四時，凌雲直上秀貞姿。全無一點妖猴像，盡是經霜耐雪枝。大眾見了鼓掌，呵呵大笑，都道：「好猴兒，好猴兒！」不覺的嚷鬧，驚動了祖師。一日，春归夏至，大众都在松树下会讲多时。大众道：「悟空，你是那世修来的缘法？前日老师父附耳低言，传与你的躲三灾变化之法，可都会么？」悟空笑道：「不瞒诸兄长说，一则是师父传授，二来也是我昼夜殷勤，那几般儿都会了。」大众道：「趁此良时，你试演演，让我等看看。」悟空闻说，抖擞精神，卖弄手段道：「众师兄请出个题目。要我变化甚么？」大众道：「就变棵松树罢。」悟空捻著诀，念动咒语，摇身一变，就变做一棵松树。真个是：郁郁含烟贯四时，凌云直上秀贞姿。全无一点妖猴像，尽是经霜耐雪枝。大众见了鼓掌，呵呵大笑，都道：「好猴儿，好猴儿！」不觉的嚷闹，惊动了祖师。
逐句解 Line by line
One day, as spring gave way to summer, the assembly were all gathered under the pines, discoursing for a good while.
一日: sandhi 一 → yí before 4th-tone 日. 春歸夏至 (chūn guī xià zhì): "spring departs, summer arrives." 會講 (huì jiǎng): "to gather and discourse." 多時 (duō shí): "for a good while."
The others said: “Wukong, from what lifetime's cultivation comes your karmic luck? The other day the old master whispered in your ear and passed you the transformations for evading the Three Calamities — have you mastered them all?”
那世 (nǎ shì): "which lifetime"; 那 = nǎ "which." 緣法 (yuán fǎ): "karmic affinity, destined luck." 附耳低言: "to whisper in the ear." 可都會麼 (kě dōu huì me): "have you mastered them all?"; the 可…麼 frame makes the question; 麼 = me.
Wukong laughed: “I won't hide it from you, brothers — for one thing the master taught me, and for another I worked at it day and night; those several kinds I have all mastered.”
不瞞諸兄長說: "to be frank with you elder brothers"; 長 = zhǎng (elder); sandhi 不瞞 → bù. 一則…二來…: "for one thing… for another…"; sandhi 一則 → yì. 晝夜 (zhòu yè): "day and night"; 晝 = zhòu. 殷勤 (yīn qín): "diligent." 那幾般兒 (nà jǐ bān er): "those several kinds"; 那 = nà "those" (demonstrative — contrast 那 = nǎ "which" just above); 兒 = er.
The others said: “While the time is good, give us a demonstration — let us have a look.”
趁此良時 (chèn cǐ liáng shí): "while the time is favorable." 試演演 (shì yǎn yǎn): "give a little demonstration." 我等 (wǒ děng): "us."
Wukong, hearing this, braced his spirit and, showing off his skill, said: “Elder brothers, set me a subject. What shall I transform into?”
抖擻精神 (dǒu sǒu jīng shen): "to rouse one's spirit"; 擻 = sǒu, 精神 with neutral 神 (shen). 賣弄 (mài nòng): "to show off." 手段 (shǒu duàn): "skill." 題目 (tí mù): "a subject, topic."
The others said: “Just turn into a pine tree.”
棵 (kē): a measure word for trees. 罷 (ba): a softening final particle.
Wukong made the hand-sign, recited the spell, gave his body a shake and transformed — and turned into a pine tree. Truly it was:
捻著訣: "making the hand-sign." 咒語 (zhòu yǔ): "incantation"; 咒 = zhòu. 搖身一變 (yáo shēn yí biàn): "with a shake of the body, transformed"; sandhi 一 → yí. 一棵: sandhi 一 → yì before 1st-tone 棵. 真個是: "truly it was" — introduces the verse.
Lush and wreathed in mist, it spans the four seasons;
鬱鬱 (yù yù): "lush, dense"; 鬱 = yù. 含煙 (hán yān): "wreathed in mist." 貫四時 (guàn sì shí): "spanning the four seasons."
soaring cloudward, straight up, it shows its chaste form.
凌雲 (líng yún): "soaring to the clouds." 秀貞姿 (xiù zhēn zī): "displaying its chaste, upright form"; 貞 = zhēn.
Not a trace of the demon-monkey's look remains;
一點 (yì diǎn): "a trace"; sandhi 一 → yì. 妖猴像 (yāo hóu xiàng): "the look of a demon-monkey."
all of it frost-tried, snow-enduring branches.
盡是 (jìn shì): "entirely, all." 經霜耐雪 (jīng shuāng nài xuě): "frost-tried and snow-enduring." 枝 (zhī): "branches."
Seeing it, the others clapped and roared with laughter, all crying: “Good monkey! Good monkey!”
鼓掌 (gǔ zhǎng): "to applaud." 呵呵大笑 (hē hē dà xiào): "to roar with laughter." 好猴兒 (hǎo hóu er): "good monkey!"; 兒 = er.
Their uproar, all unawares, disturbed the Patriarch.
不覺 (bù jué): "unawares"; sandhi 不 → bù. 嚷鬧 (rǎng nào): "clamor, uproar"; 嚷 = rǎng. 驚動 (jīng dòng): "to alarm, disturb."
This is the hinge of the chapter. The seventy-two transformations, sought as a way to hide from the wrath of Heaven, make their first appearance as the opposite — a performance for applause. Egged on by the other disciples, Wukong 賣弄手段, "shows off his skill," and turns himself into a pine. The transformation is flawless: the verse marvels that there is 全無一點妖猴像, "not a trace of the demon-monkey's look" left in it. But that very flawlessness, displayed for a clapping crowd, is the fault that will undo him — the master's coming rebuke falls precisely on the word 賣弄, the parading of one's attainment before others. The power has been turned from survival to vanity, and the disturbance carries straight to the Patriarch's ear.
There is a quiet irony in the choice of tree. The pine is the standard emblem of steadfast integrity — the 經霜耐雪, "frost-tried and snow-enduring," upright through every season, that the poem dwells on. Set beside the restless, applause-hungry monkey who has assumed its shape, the image rebukes him even as it praises the disguise: the pine keeps its single nature through all weathers, while Wukong cannot keep his powers to himself for one idle afternoon. The camaraderie of the scene — the brothers under the pines, the shouted 好猴兒 — is real and warm, which is what will make the coming rupture sting; this is the last moment Wukong belongs to a community of fellow-students before he is sent away alone.