第二十二回 · 再戰無功 The Second Stalemate — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

再戰無功 The Second Stalemate

二èr人rén整zhěng鬥dòu有yǒu兩liǎng個gè時shí辰chén，不bù分fēn勝shèng敗bài。這zhè才cái是shì銅tóng盆pén逢féng鐵tiě帚zhǒu，玉yù磬qìng對duì金jīn鐘zhōng。卻què說shuō那nà大dà聖shèng保bǎo著zhe唐táng僧sēng，立lì於yú左zuǒ右yòu，眼yǎn巴bā巴bā的de望wàng著zhe他tā兩liǎng個gè在zài水shuǐ上shàng爭zhēng持chí，只zhǐ是shì他tā不bù好hǎo動dòng手shǒu。只zhǐ見jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè虛xū幌huǎng一yì鈀pá，佯yáng輸shū詐zhà敗bài，轉zhuǎn回huí頭tóu往wǎng東dōng岸àn上shàng走zǒu。那nà怪guài隨suí後hòu趕gǎn來lái，將jiāng近jìn到dào了le岸àn邊biān。這zhè行xíng者zhě忍rěn耐nài不bú住zhù，撇piē了le師shī父fù，掣chè鐵tiě棒bàng，跳tiào到dào河hé邊biān，望wàng妖yāo精jīng劈pī頭tóu就jiù打dǎ。那nà妖yāo物wù不bù敢gǎn相xiāng迎yíng，颼sōu的de又yòu鑽zuān入rù河hé內nèi。八bā戒jiè嚷rǎng道dào：「你nǐ這zhè弼bì馬mǎ溫wēn，徹chè是shì個gè急jí猴hóu子zi！你nǐ再zài緩huǎn緩huǎn些xiē兒ér，等děng我wǒ哄hǒng他tā到dào了le高gāo處chù，你nǐ卻què阻zǔ住zhù河hé邊biān，教jiào他tā不bù能néng回huí首shǒu啊a，卻què不bù拿ná住zhù他tā也yě？他tā這zhè進jìn去qù，幾jǐ時shí又yòu肯kěn出chū來lái？」行xíng者zhě笑xiào道dào：「獃dāi子zi，莫mò嚷rǎng，莫mò嚷rǎng。我wǒ們men且qiě回huí去qù見jiàn師shī父fù去qù來lái。」二èr人rén整zhěng斗dòu有yǒu两liǎng个gè时shí辰chén，不bù分fēn胜shèng败bài。这zhè才cái是shì铜tóng盆pén逢féng铁tiě帚zhǒu，玉yù磬qìng对duì金jīn钟zhōng。却què说shuō那nà大dà圣shèng保bǎo著zhe唐táng僧sēng，立lì于yú左zuǒ右yòu，眼yǎn巴bā巴bā的de望wàng著zhe他tā两liǎng个gè在zài水shuǐ上shàng争zhēng持chí，只zhǐ是shì他tā不bù好hǎo动dòng手shǒu。只zhǐ见jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè虚xū幌huǎng一yì钯pá，佯yáng输shū诈zhà败bài，转zhuǎn回huí头tóu往wǎng东dōng岸àn上shàng走zǒu。那nà怪guài随suí后hòu赶gǎn来lái，将jiāng近jìn到dào了le岸àn边biān。这zhè行xíng者zhě忍rěn耐nài不bú住zhù，撇piē了le师shī父fù，掣chè铁tiě棒bàng，跳tiào到dào河hé边biān，望wàng妖yāo精jīng劈pī头tóu就jiù打dǎ。那nà妖yāo物wù不bù敢gǎn相xiāng迎yíng，飕sōu的de又yòu钻zuān入rù河hé内nèi。八bā戒jiè嚷rǎng道dào：「你nǐ这zhè弼bì马mǎ温wēn，彻chè是shì个gè急jí猴hóu子zi！你nǐ再zài缓huǎn缓huǎn些xiē儿ér，等děng我wǒ哄hǒng他tā到dào了le高gāo处chù，你nǐ却què阻zǔ住zhù河hé边biān，教jiào他tā不bù能néng回huí首shǒu啊a，却què不bù拿ná住zhù他tā也yě？他tā这zhè进jìn去qù，几jǐ时shí又yòu肯kěn出chū来lái？」行xíng者zhě笑xiào道dào：「呆dāi子zi，莫mò嚷rǎng，莫mò嚷rǎng。我wǒ们men且qiě回huí去qù见jiàn师shī父fù去qù来lái。」

逐句解 Line by line

二èr人rén整zhěng鬥dòu有yǒu兩liǎng個gè時shí辰chén，不bù分fēn勝shèng敗bài。這zhè才cái是shì銅tóng盆pén逢féng鐵tiě帚zhǒu，玉yù磬qìng對duì金jīn鐘zhōng。二èr人rén整zhěng斗dòu有yǒu两liǎng个gè时shí辰chén，不bù分fēn胜shèng败bài。这zhè才cái是shì铜tóng盆pén逢féng铁tiě帚zhǒu，玉yù磬qìng对duì金jīn钟zhōng。

The two fought a full two watches without either gaining the day. It was, in truth, a bronze basin meeting an iron broom, a jade chime answering a golden bell.

兩個時辰 ('two double-hours,' some four hours) and 不分勝敗 ('victory undecided'; 分 fēn). The paired similes 銅盆逢鐵帚…玉磬對金鐘 ('bronze basin against iron broom, jade chime against golden bell') figure two evenly matched, resounding adversaries.

卻què說shuō那nà大dà聖shèng保bǎo著zhe唐táng僧sēng，立lì於yú左zuǒ右yòu，眼yǎn巴bā巴bā的de望wàng著zhe他tā兩liǎng個gè在zài水shuǐ上shàng爭zhēng持chí，却què说shuō那nà大dà圣shèng保bǎo著zhe唐táng僧sēng，立lì于yú左zuǒ右yòu，眼yǎn巴bā巴bā的de望wàng著zhe他tā两liǎng个gè在zài水shuǐ上shàng争zhēng持chí，

Now the Great Sage, guarding the Tang Monk and standing close at his side, watched with staring eyes as the two contended upon the water,

保著…望著 ('guarding … watching'; 著 zhe, durative in both). 眼巴巴的 ('with fixed, longing eyes') again catches the monkey's itch to be in the fight he is barred from.

只zhǐ是shì他tā不bù好hǎo動dòng手shǒu。只zhǐ見jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè虛xū幌huǎng一yì鈀pá，佯yáng輸shū詐zhà敗bài，轉zhuǎn回huí頭tóu往wǎng東dōng岸àn上shàng走zǒu。只zhǐ是shì他tā不bù好hǎo动dòng手shǒu。只zhǐ见jiàn那nà八bā戒jiè虚xū幌huǎng一yì钯pá，佯yáng输shū诈zhà败bài，转zhuǎn回huí头tóu往wǎng东dōng岸àn上shàng走zǒu。

only he could not well lend a hand. Then he saw Bajie feint with his rake, make a show of losing, turn tail and head for the eastern bank.

虛幌一鈀 ('a feint with the rake'; 鈀 pá) and 佯輸詐敗 ('feigning defeat, shamming a rout') — Bajie executes the ruse the monkey set: lose on purpose and draw the demon ashore.

那nà怪guài隨suí後hòu趕gǎn來lái，將jiāng近jìn到dào了le岸àn邊biān。那nà怪guài随suí后hòu赶gǎn来lái，将jiāng近jìn到dào了le岸àn边biān。

The monster came chasing after, and had all but reached the bank,

將近到了岸邊 ('was nearing the bank'; 將 jiāng, 'about to'). The bait works — the demon is drawn to the very edge, where the monkey lies in wait.

這zhè行xíng者zhě忍rěn耐nài不bú住zhù，撇piē了le師shī父fù，掣chè鐵tiě棒bàng，跳tiào到dào河hé邊biān，望wàng妖yāo精jīng劈pī頭tóu就jiù打dǎ。这zhè行xíng者zhě忍rěn耐nài不bú住zhù，撇piē了le师shī父fù，掣chè铁tiě棒bàng，跳tiào到dào河hé边biān，望wàng妖yāo精jīng劈pī头tóu就jiù打dǎ。

when the Pilgrim, unable to hold back, left the master, drew his iron rod, sprang to the riverside, and struck straight down at the monster's head.

忍耐不住 ('unable to contain himself') — the very impatience that spoiled the first duel undoes the ruse again: the monkey strikes too soon, before the demon is fully ashore.

那nà妖yāo物wù不bù敢gǎn相xiāng迎yíng，颼sōu的de又yòu鑽zuān入rù河hé內nèi。那nà妖yāo物wù不bù敢gǎn相xiāng迎yíng，飕sōu的de又yòu钻zuān入rù河hé内nèi。

The fiend dared not stand and meet him, and with a whoosh dived once more into the river.

不敢相迎 ('dared not close with him'; 相 xiāng). 颼的 ('with a rush, a whoosh') and 又鑽入河內 ('bored again into the river') — the same futile pattern repeats, the demon safely back in the water.

八bā戒jiè嚷rǎng道dào：「你nǐ這zhè弼bì馬mǎ溫wēn，徹chè是shì個gè急jí猴hóu子zi！你nǐ再zài緩huǎn緩huǎn些xiē兒ér，八bā戒jiè嚷rǎng道dào：「你nǐ这zhè弼bì马mǎ温wēn，彻chè是shì个gè急jí猴hóu子zi！你nǐ再zài缓huǎn缓huǎn些xiē儿ér，

Bajie bawled: 'You Ban-Horse-Plague, you're an out-and-out impatient monkey! If you'd only hold off a bit longer,

弼馬溫 ('Ban-Horse-Plague') is the demeaning title the monkey was once fobbed off with in Heaven, now Bajie's taunt; 急猴子 ('hot-headed monkey') names the fault exactly.

等děng我wǒ哄hǒng他tā到dào了le高gāo處chù，你nǐ卻què阻zǔ住zhù河hé邊biān，教jiào他tā不bù能néng回huí首shǒu啊a，卻què不bù拿ná住zhù他tā也yě？等děng我wǒ哄hǒng他tā到dào了le高gāo处chù，你nǐ却què阻zǔ住zhù河hé边biān，教jiào他tā不bù能néng回huí首shǒu啊a，却què不bù拿ná住zhù他tā也yě？

'wait till I've lured him up to high ground, then bar the riverside so he can't turn back — wouldn't we have him then?'

哄他到了高處 ('coax him up to the heights') and 阻住河邊 ('block the riverbank'; 教 jiào, the causative) — Bajie proposes the obvious correction: cut off the demon's retreat before striking.

他tā這zhè進jìn去qù，幾jǐ時shí又yòu肯kěn出chū來lái？」他tā这zhè进jìn去qù，几jǐ时shí又yòu肯kěn出chū来lái？」

'Now that he's gone back in, when will he ever be willing to come out again?'

幾時又肯出來 ('when will he agree to come out?') states the impasse plainly: each premature blow only drives the demon deeper into the one place he cannot be reached.

行xíng者zhě笑xiào道dào：「獃dāi子zi，莫mò嚷rǎng，莫mò嚷rǎng。我wǒ們men且qiě回huí去qù見jiàn師shī父fù去qù來lái。」行xíng者zhě笑xiào道dào：「呆dāi子zi，莫mò嚷rǎng，莫mò嚷rǎng。我wǒ们men且qiě回huí去qù见jiàn师shī父fù去qù来lái。」

The Pilgrim said with a laugh: 'Idiot, stop your bawling, stop your bawling. Let's go back and see the master for now.'

獃子 ('Idiot,' 子 zi) is the monkey's habitual name for Bajie. His breezy 莫嚷 ('don't shout') brushes off the complaint and turns the pair back to Sanzang, the stalemate unbroken.

總評 Commentary

The second duel, four hours long, ends as the first did — a dead heat, figured in the ringing similes of bronze basin and iron broom, jade chime and golden bell. The narrative's interest lies less in the fight than in the Great Sage on the bank, once more reduced to a spectator 'with staring eyes,' unable to join. The ruse he devised does begin to work: Bajie feigns defeat and draws the demon almost ashore.

But the monkey's besetting fault undoes it. Exactly as before, he cannot 'hold back,' leaves the master, and strikes too soon — before the demon is clear of the water — so that the fiend dives away untouched. Bajie's exasperated taunt, 急猴子 ('hot-headed monkey'), and his sensible proposal to cut off the retreat first, name both the problem and its remedy; but the monkey only laughs it off. The repetition is deliberate: the pilgrims' own strengths — the monkey's eagerness for a fight — are precisely what keep the barrier in place, and the impasse can be broken only from outside.