第二十六回 · 討個寬限 A Plea for More Time — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

討個寬限 A Plea for More Time

那nà三sān星xīng以yǐ晚wǎn輩bèi之zhī禮lǐ見jiàn了le大dà仙xiān，方fāng才cái敘xù坐zuò。坐zuò定dìng，祿lù星xīng道dào：「我wǒ們men一yí向xiàng久jiǔ闊kuò尊zūn顏yán。有yǒu失shī恭gōng敬jìng，今jīn因yīn孫sūn大dà聖shèng攪jiǎo擾rǎo仙xiān山shān，特tè來lái相xiāng見jiàn。」大dà仙xiān道dào：「孫sūn行xíng者zhě到dào蓬péng萊lái去qù的de？」壽shòu星xīng道dào：「是shì，因yīn為wèi傷shāng了le大dà仙xiān的de丹dān樹shù，他tā來lái我wǒ處chù求qiú方fāng醫yī治zhì。我wǒ輩bèi無wú方fāng，他tā又yòu到dào別bié處chù求qiú訪fǎng，但dàn恐kǒng違wéi了le聖shèng僧sēng三sān日rì之zhī限xiàn，要yào念niàn緊jǐn箍gū兒er咒zhòu。我wǒ輩bèi一yì來lái奉fèng拜bài，二èr來lái討tǎo個gè寬kuān限xiàn。」三sān藏zàng聞wén言yán，連lián聲shēng應yìng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn念niàn，不bù敢gǎn念niàn。」那nà三sān星xīng以yǐ晚wǎn辈bèi之zhī礼lǐ见jiàn了le大dà仙xiān，方fāng才cái叙xù坐zuò。坐zuò定dìng，禄lù星xīng道dào：「我wǒ们men一yí向xiàng久jiǔ阔kuò尊zūn颜yán。有yǒu失shī恭gōng敬jìng，今jīn因yīn孙sūn大dà圣shèng搅jiǎo扰rǎo仙xiān山shān，特tè来lái相xiāng见jiàn。」大dà仙xiān道dào：「孙sūn行xíng者zhě到dào蓬péng莱lái去qù的de？」寿shòu星xīng道dào：「是shì，因yīn为wèi伤shāng了le大dà仙xiān的de丹dān树shù，他tā来lái我wǒ处chù求qiú方fāng医yī治zhì。我wǒ辈bèi无wú方fāng，他tā又yòu到dào别bié处chù求qiú访fǎng，但dàn恐kǒng违wéi了le圣shèng僧sēng三sān日rì之zhī限xiàn，要yào念niàn紧jǐn箍gū儿er咒zhòu。我wǒ辈bèi一yì来lái奉fèng拜bài，二èr来lái讨tǎo个gè宽kuān限xiàn。」三sān藏zàng闻wén言yán，连lián声shēng应yìng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn念niàn，不bù敢gǎn念niàn。」

逐句解 Line by line

那nà三sān星xīng以yǐ晚wǎn輩bèi之zhī禮lǐ見jiàn了le大dà仙xiān，方fāng才cái敘xù坐zuò。那nà三sān星xīng以yǐ晚wǎn辈bèi之zhī礼lǐ见jiàn了le大dà仙xiān，方fāng才cái叙xù坐zuò。

The three Stars greeted the Great Immortal with the courtesies of juniors, and only then sat down to talk.

晚輩之禮 ("the etiquette of a younger generation") — the Stars, though gods of blessing, defer to Zhenyuan as their senior; 敘坐, "to be seated and converse."

坐zuò定dìng，祿lù星xīng道dào：「我wǒ們men一yí向xiàng久jiǔ闊kuò尊zūn顏yán。坐zuò定dìng，禄lù星xīng道dào：「我wǒ们men一yí向xiàng久jiǔ阔kuò尊zūn颜yán。

Once settled, the Star of Rank said, “We have long been strangers to your honored countenance.

一向久闊 ("long parted, out of touch for a good while"); 尊顏 ("your honored face"), a polite formula of greeting after long absence.

有yǒu失shī恭gōng敬jìng，今jīn因yīn孫sūn大dà聖shèng攪jiǎo擾rǎo仙xiān山shān，特tè來lái相xiāng見jiàn。」有yǒu失shī恭gōng敬jìng，今jīn因yīn孙sūn大dà圣shèng搅jiǎo扰rǎo仙xiān山shān，特tè来lái相xiāng见jiàn。」

We have been remiss in our respects; today, because the Great Sage Sun has thrown your immortal mountain into turmoil, we have come on purpose to call.”

有失恭敬 ("we have failed in due respect"), a courteous self-deprecation; 攪擾, "to disturb, throw into disorder"; 相見 ("to come and see [you]," 相 = xiāng).

大dà仙xiān道dào：「孫sūn行xíng者zhě到dào蓬péng萊lái去qù的de？」大dà仙xiān道dào：「孙sūn行xíng者zhě到dào蓬péng莱lái去qù的de？」

The Great Immortal said, “So Sun the pilgrim has gone off to Penglai?”

孫行者 ("Sun the pilgrim," Wukong’s pilgrim-name); the Immortal has already guessed the errand that brought the Stars.

壽shòu星xīng道dào：「是shì，因yīn為wèi傷shāng了le大dà仙xiān的de丹dān樹shù，他tā來lái我wǒ處chù求qiú方fāng醫yī治zhì。寿shòu星xīng道dào：「是shì，因yīn为wèi伤shāng了le大dà仙xiān的de丹dān树shù，他tā来lái我wǒ处chù求qiú方fāng医yī治zhì。

Said the Star of Longevity, “Just so. Because he damaged your cinnabar tree, he came to us seeking a prescription to heal it.

因為 ("because," 為 = wèi); 丹樹 ("cinnabar tree"), the ginseng-fruit tree, its fruit likened to the elixir; 求方醫治, "to seek a remedy to cure it."

我wǒ輩bèi無wú方fāng，他tā又yòu到dào別bié處chù求qiú訪fǎng，但dàn恐kǒng違wéi了le聖shèng僧sēng三sān日rì之zhī限xiàn，要yào念niàn緊jǐn箍gū兒er咒zhòu。我wǒ辈bèi无wú方fāng，他tā又yòu到dào别bié处chù求qiú访fǎng，但dàn恐kǒng违wéi了le圣shèng僧sēng三sān日rì之zhī限xiàn，要yào念niàn紧jǐn箍gū儿er咒zhòu。

We had no remedy, so he has gone on to seek elsewhere; but fearing he may overrun the holy monk’s three-day term, and that the Tight-Fillet Spell will then be recited—

我輩 ("we, our sort"); 違…限, "to overrun a deadline"; 緊箍兒咒, the Tight-Fillet Spell, 兒 the suffix er. The Star lays out Wukong’s predicament to make his plea.

我wǒ輩bèi一yì來lái奉fèng拜bài，二èr來lái討tǎo個gè寬kuān限xiàn。」我wǒ辈bèi一yì来lái奉fèng拜bài，二èr来lái讨tǎo个gè宽kuān限xiàn。」

we have come, firstly to pay our respects, and secondly to beg an extension of the term.”

一來…二來 ("firstly… secondly"), the Star’s two stated purposes; 討個寬限, "to ask for a grace period." Courtesy and petition are neatly joined.

三sān藏zàng聞wén言yán，連lián聲shēng應yìng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn念niàn，不bù敢gǎn念niàn。」三sān藏zàng闻wén言yán，连lián声shēng应yìng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn念niàn，不bù敢gǎn念niàn。」

Hearing this, Tripitaka answered at once, over and over: “I would not dare recite it — I would not dare.”

連聲應道 ("responded in quick succession," 應 = yìng, "to answer"); 不敢念, "dare not recite [the spell]." Tripitaka, ever deferential to the immortals, yields the point before it is fully pressed.

總評 Commentary

After the horseplay, the narrative attends briefly to its business: the Stars’ formal petition to Zhenyuan. The scene is a small study in the etiquette that governs the novel’s heaven — the Stars greeting the Immortal "with the courtesies of juniors," the exchange of self-deprecating politenesses, the careful ordering of purposes ("firstly to pay respects, secondly to beg an extension"). Even among gods, a favor is asked with due form.

The petition’s object is simply to stay Tripitaka’s deadline — to have him hold back the Tight-Fillet Spell should Wukong run late. Tripitaka’s instant, repeated assent ("I would not dare, I would not dare") is characteristic: pious to a fault, he defers to the visiting immortals without a murmur. The reprieve the Stars secure is the practical fruit of the whole Penglai episode, buying Wukong the time his quest will need.