第二十四回 · 人參大樹 The Great Ginseng Tree — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

人參大樹 The Great Ginseng Tree

走zǒu過guò菜cài園yuán，又yòu見jiàn一yì層céng門mén。推tuī開kāi看kàn處chù，呀ya！只zhǐ見jiàn那nà正zhèng中zhōng間jiān有yǒu根gēn大dà樹shù，真zhēn個gè是shì青qīng枝zhī馥fù郁yù，綠lǜ葉yè陰yīn森sēn，那nà葉yè兒er卻què似sì芭bā蕉jiāo模mó樣yàng，直zhí上shàng去qù有yǒu千qiān尺chǐ餘yú高gāo，根gēn下xià有yǒu七qī八bā丈zhàng圍wéi圓yuán。那nà行xíng者zhě倚yǐ在zài樹shù下xià，往wǎng上shàng一yí看kàn，只zhǐ見jiàn向xiàng南nán的de枝zhī上shàng露lù出chū一yí個gè人rén參shēn果guǒ，真zhēn個gè像xiàng孩hái兒er一yì般bān。原yuán來lái尾wěi間jiān上shàng是shì個gè扢gǔ蒂dì，看kàn他tā丁dīng在zài枝zhī頭tóu，手shǒu腳jiǎo亂luàn動dòng，點diǎn頭tóu幌huǎng腦nǎo，風fēng過guò處chù似sì乎hū有yǒu聲shēng。行xíng者zhě歡huān喜xǐ不bú盡jìn，暗àn自zì誇kuā稱chēng道dào：「好hǎo東dōng西xī呀ya！果guǒ然rán罕hǎn見jiàn，果guǒ然rán罕hǎn見jiàn！」他tā倚yǐ著zhe樹shù，颼sōu的de一yì聲shēng，攛cuān將jiāng上shàng去qù。那nà猴hóu子zi原yuán來lái第dì一yí會huì爬pá樹shù偷tōu果guǒ子zi。他tā把bǎ金jīn擊jī子zi敲qiāo了le一yí下xià，那nà果guǒ子zi撲pū的de落luò將jiāng下xià來lái。他tā也yě隨suí跳tiào下xià來lái跟gēn尋xún，寂jì然rán不bú見jiàn；四sì下xià裡lǐ草cǎo中zhōng找zhǎo尋xún，更gèng無wú蹤zōng跡jī。走zǒu过guò菜cài园yuán，又yòu见jiàn一yì层céng门mén。推tuī开kāi看kàn处chù，呀ya！只zhǐ见jiàn那nà正zhèng中zhōng间jiān有yǒu根gēn大dà树shù，真zhēn个gè是shì青qīng枝zhī馥fù郁yù，绿lǜ叶yè阴yīn森sēn，那nà叶yè儿er却què似sì芭bā蕉jiāo模mó样yàng，直zhí上shàng去qù有yǒu千qiān尺chǐ余yú高gāo，根gēn下xià有yǒu七qī八bā丈zhàng围wéi圆yuán。那nà行xíng者zhě倚yǐ在zài树shù下xià，往wǎng上shàng一yí看kàn，只zhǐ见jiàn向xiàng南nán的de枝zhī上shàng露lù出chū一yí个gè人rén参shēn果guǒ，真zhēn个gè像xiàng孩hái儿er一yì般bān。原yuán来lái尾wěi间jiān上shàng是shì个gè扢gǔ蒂dì，看kàn他tā丁dīng在zài枝zhī头tóu，手shǒu脚jiǎo乱luàn动dòng，点diǎn头tóu幌huǎng脑nǎo，风fēng过guò处chù似sì乎hū有yǒu声shēng。行xíng者zhě欢huān喜xǐ不bú尽jìn，暗àn自zì夸kuā称chēng道dào：「好hǎo东dōng西xī呀ya！果guǒ然rán罕hǎn见jiàn，果guǒ然rán罕hǎn见jiàn！」他tā倚yǐ著zhe树shù，飕sōu的de一yì声shēng，撺cuān将jiāng上shàng去qù。那nà猴hóu子zi原yuán来lái第dì一yí会huì爬pá树shù偷tōu果guǒ子zi。他tā把bǎ金jīn击jī子zi敲qiāo了le一yí下xià，那nà果guǒ子zi扑pū的de落luò将jiāng下xià来lái。他tā也yě随suí跳tiào下xià来lái跟gēn寻xún，寂jì然rán不bú见jiàn；四sì下xià里lǐ草cǎo中zhōng找zhǎo寻xún，更gèng无wú踪zōng迹jī。

逐句解 Line by line

走zǒu過guò菜cài園yuán，又yòu見jiàn一yì層céng門mén。走zǒu过guò菜cài园yuán，又yòu见jiàn一yì层céng门mén。

Passing through the vegetable garden, he came to yet another gate.

一層門 (yì céng mén) = another gate.

推tuī開kāi看kàn處chù，呀ya！推tuī开kāi看kàn处chù，呀ya！

He pushed it open to look — ah!

呀 (yā) = a cry of surprise.

只zhǐ見jiàn那nà正zhèng中zhōng間jiān有yǒu根gēn大dà樹shù，真zhēn個gè是shì青qīng枝zhī馥fù郁yù，綠lǜ葉yè陰yīn森sēn，那nà葉yè兒er卻què似sì芭bā蕉jiāo模mó樣yàng，直zhí上shàng去qù有yǒu千qiān尺chǐ餘yú高gāo，根gēn下xià有yǒu七qī八bā丈zhàng圍wéi圓yuán。只zhǐ见jiàn那nà正zhèng中zhōng间jiān有yǒu根gēn大dà树shù，真zhēn个gè是shì青qīng枝zhī馥fù郁yù，绿lǜ叶yè阴yīn森sēn，那nà叶yè儿er却què似sì芭bā蕉jiāo模mó样yàng，直zhí上shàng去qù有yǒu千qiān尺chǐ余yú高gāo，根gēn下xià有yǒu七qī八bā丈zhàng围wéi圆yuán。

— there in the very midst stood a great tree, its green boughs richly fragrant, its dark leaves deep-shadowing; the leaves were shaped like a plantain’s, and it rose straight up above a thousand chi, its trunk seven or eight zhang round at the root.

那正中間 (nà zhèng zhōng jiān), 那 (nà) + 中間 (zhōngjiān) (間 (jiān) ‘between,’ not 間壁 jiàn); 那葉兒 (nà yè·er), 那 (nà) + 兒 (er); 卻似 (què sì), 似 (sì); 千尺餘 (qiān chǐ yú) / 七八丈 (qī bā zhàng) units retained.

那nà行xíng者zhě倚yǐ在zài樹shù下xià，往wǎng上shàng一yí看kàn，只zhǐ見jiàn向xiàng南nán的de枝zhī上shàng露lù出chū一yí個gè人rén參shēn果guǒ，真zhēn個gè像xiàng孩hái兒er一yì般bān。那nà行xíng者zhě倚yǐ在zài树shù下xià，往wǎng上shàng一yí看kàn，只zhǐ见jiàn向xiàng南nán的de枝zhī上shàng露lù出chū一yí个gè人rén参shēn果guǒ，真zhēn个gè像xiàng孩hái儿er一yì般bān。

Pilgrim, leaning below the tree, looked up, and saw on a south-facing branch a single ginseng-fruit peeping out — truly just like a child.

那 (nà); 行 (xíng); 人參 (rénshēn), 參 (shēn); 像孩兒一般 (xiàng hái·er yìbān) = just like a child, 兒 (er) suffix.

原yuán來lái尾wěi間jiān上shàng是shì個gè扢gǔ蒂dì，看kàn他tā丁dīng在zài枝zhī頭tóu，手shǒu腳jiǎo亂luàn動dòng，點diǎn頭tóu幌huǎng腦nǎo，風fēng過guò處chù似sì乎hū有yǒu聲shēng。原yuán来lái尾wěi间jiān上shàng是shì个gè扢gǔ蒂dì，看kàn他tā丁dīng在zài枝zhī头tóu，手shǒu脚jiǎo乱luàn动dòng，点diǎn头tóu幌huǎng脑nǎo，风fēng过guò处chù似sì乎hū有yǒu声shēng。

Its rump-end, it turned out, bore the little stem; and there it hung nailed to the bough, its hands and feet stirring, its head nodding and rolling, and as the wind passed it seemed almost to make a sound.

尾間 (wěi jiān), 間 (jiān) ‘the rump-end / section’; 扢蒂 (gē dì) = the stem-knot; 丁在枝頭 (dīng zài zhī tóu) = fixed to the branch-tip; 似乎 (sìhū), 似 (sì).

行xíng者zhě歡huān喜xǐ不bú盡jìn，暗àn自zì誇kuā稱chēng道dào：「好hǎo東dōng西xī呀ya！行xíng者zhě欢huān喜xǐ不bú尽jìn，暗àn自zì夸kuā称chēng道dào：「好hǎo东dōng西xī呀ya！

Pilgrim, delighted past measure, praised it to himself: “What a fine thing!

行 (xíng); 歡喜不盡 (huānxǐ bú jìn), 不 (bú) (sandhi before 盡 (jìn)); 誇稱 (kuā chēng), 稱 (chēng).

果guǒ然rán罕hǎn見jiàn，果guǒ然rán罕hǎn見jiàn！」果guǒ然rán罕hǎn见jiàn，果guǒ然rán罕hǎn见jiàn！」

Rare indeed, rare indeed!”

罕見 (hǎn jiàn) = seldom seen.

他tā倚yǐ著zhe樹shù，颼sōu的de一yì聲shēng，攛cuān將jiāng上shàng去qù。他tā倚yǐ著zhe树shù，飕sōu的de一yì声shēng，撺cuān将jiāng上shàng去qù。

Leaning on the tree, with a whoosh he shot up it.

倚著 (yǐ·zhe), durative 著 (zhe); 攛將 (cuān jiāng), 將 (jiāng) a directional particle; 颼的一聲 (sōu de yì shēng) = with a whoosh.

那nà猴hóu子zi原yuán來lái第dì一yí會huì爬pá樹shù偷tōu果guǒ子zi。那nà猴hóu子zi原yuán来lái第dì一yí会huì爬pá树shù偷tōu果guǒ子zi。

Now this monkey was, above all, a first-rate hand at climbing trees to steal fruit.

那 (nà); 猴子 (hóu·zi) / 果子 (guǒzi), 子 (zi) suffix; 第一會 (dì-yī huì) = the very best at.

他tā把bǎ金jīn擊jī子zi敲qiāo了le一yí下xià，那nà果guǒ子zi撲pū的de落luò將jiāng下xià來lái。他tā把bǎ金jīn击jī子zi敲qiāo了le一yí下xià，那nà果guǒ子zi扑pū的de落luò将jiāng下xià来lái。

He gave it one rap with the golden striker, and the fruit came tumbling down with a plop.

擊子 (jī·zi), 子 (zi); 敲了 (qiāo le), 了 (le); 那果子 (nà guǒzi), 那 (nà) + 子 (zi); 落將 (luò jiāng), 將 (jiāng) directional particle.

他tā也yě隨suí跳tiào下xià來lái跟gēn尋xún，寂jì然rán不bú見jiàn；四sì下xià裡lǐ草cǎo中zhōng找zhǎo尋xún，更gèng無wú蹤zōng跡jī。他tā也yě随suí跳tiào下xià来lái跟gēn寻xún，寂jì然rán不bú见jiàn；四sì下xià里lǐ草cǎo中zhōng找zhǎo寻xún，更gèng无wú踪zōng迹jī。

He leapt straight down after it to search — but it was utterly gone; he hunted through the grass on every side, and found not a trace.

草中 (cǎo zhōng), 中 (zhōng); 更無蹤跡 (gèng wú zōngjì), 更 (gèng); 寂然不見 (jìrán bú jiàn) = vanished without a sound.

總評 Commentary

Through a third gate stands the ginseng tree itself, described with loving exactness: over a thousand chi tall, its trunk seven or eight zhang round, its plantain-shaped leaves deep-shadowing, and, on a south branch, a single fruit shaped exactly like a child — its little limbs stirring, its head nodding in the wind, almost audible. The uncanny image (a fruit that is a living infant) makes concrete the horror that had driven the Tang Monk’s refusal.

Pilgrim, ‘a first-rate hand at climbing trees to steal fruit,’ shoots up and knocks one down with a single rap — and here the plot turns: on falling, the fruit vanishes utterly, leaving not a trace in the grass. His careless strike, ignorant of the fruit’s nature (which the next passage will explain), has cost it.

Readings: 中間／尾間間 = jiān (the ‘between / section’ sense, distinct from 間壁 jiàn at P18); the durative 倚著 = zhe; 攛將／落將將 = jiāng (directional particle); and a further 歡喜不盡 → 不 (bú).