Canonical Classics ← 第二十六回
第二十六回
孫sūn悟wù空kōng三sān島dǎo求qiú方fāng
觀guān世shì音yīn甘gān泉quán活huó樹shù

Sun Wukong Seeks a Cure Among the Three Isles · Guanyin's Sweet Spring Revives the Tree

帝君無方
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拼音 Pinyin Off
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原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

帝君無方 No Cure at Fangzhang

帝dì君jūn叫jiào道dào:「曼màn倩qiàn休xiū亂luàn言yán,看kàn茶chá來lái也yě。」曼màn倩qiàn原yuán是shì東dōng方fāng朔shuò的de道dào名míng,他tā急jí入rù裡lǐ取qǔ茶chá二èr杯bēi。飲yǐn訖qì,行xíng者zhě道dào:「老lǎo孫sūn此cǐ來lái,有yǒu一yí事shì奉fèng干gān,未wèi知zhī允yǔn否fǒu?」帝dì君jūn道dào:「何hé事shì?自zì當dāng領lǐng教jiào。」行xíng者zhě道dào:「近jìn因yīn保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī行xíng,路lù過guò萬wàn壽shòu山shān五wǔ莊zhuāng觀guàn,因yīn他tā那nà小xiǎo童tóng無wú狀zhuàng,是shì我wǒ一yì時shí發fā怒nù,把bǎ他tā人rén參shēn果guǒ樹shù推tuī倒dǎo,一yì時shí阻zǔ滯zhì,唐táng僧sēng不bù得de脫tuō身shēn,特tè來lái尊zūn處chù求qiú賜cì一yì方fāng醫yī治zhì,萬wàn望wàng慨kǎi然rán。」帝dì君jūn道dào:「你nǐ這zhè猴hóu子zi,不bù管guǎn一yí二èr,到dào處chù裡lǐ闖chuǎng禍huò。那nà五wǔ莊zhuāng觀guàn鎮zhèn元yuán子zǐ,聖shèng號hào與yǔ世shì同tóng君jūn,乃nǎi地dì仙xiān之zhī祖zǔ,你nǐ怎zěn麼me就jiù衝chōng撞zhuàng了le他tā?他tā那nà人rén參shēn果guǒ樹shù乃nǎi草cǎo還huán丹dān,你nǐ偷tōu吃chī了le,尚shàng說shuō有yǒu罪zuì;卻què又yòu連lián樹shù推tuī倒dǎo,他tā肯kěn干gān休xiū?」行xíng者zhě道dào:「正zhèng是shì呢ne。我wǒ們men走zǒu脫tuō了le,被bèi他tā趕gǎn上shàng,把bǎ我wǒ們men就jiù當dàng汗hàn巾jīn兒er一yì般bān,一yí袖xiù子zi都dōu籠lǒng去qù了le,所suǒ以yǐ閣gé氣qì。沒méi奈nài何hé,許xǔ他tā求qiú方fāng醫yī治zhì,故gù此cǐ拜bài求qiú。」帝dì君jūn道dào:「我wǒ有yǒu一yí粒lì九jiǔ轉zhuǎn太tài乙yǐ還huán丹dān,但dàn能néng治zhì世shì間jiān生shēng靈líng,卻què不bù能néng醫yī樹shù。樹shù乃nǎi土tǔ木mù之zhī靈líng,天tiān滋zī地dì潤rùn。若ruò是shì凡fán間jiān的de果guǒ木mù,醫yī治zhì還hái可kě;這zhè萬wàn壽shòu山shān乃nǎi先xiān天tiān福fú地dì,五wǔ莊zhuāng觀guàn乃nǎi賀hè洲zhōu洞dòng天tiān,人rén參shēn果guǒ又yòu是shì天tiān開kāi地dì闢pì之zhī靈líng根gēn,如rú何hé可kě治zhì,無wú方fāng,無wú方fāng。」帝dì君jūn叫jiào道dào:「曼màn倩qiàn休xiū乱luàn言yán,看kàn茶chá来lái也yě。」曼màn倩qiàn原yuán是shì东dōng方fāng朔shuò的de道dào名míng,他tā急jí入rù里lǐ取qǔ茶chá二èr杯bēi。饮yǐn讫qì,行xíng者zhě道dào:「老lǎo孙sūn此cǐ来lái,有yǒu一yí事shì奉fèng干gān,未wèi知zhī允yǔn否fǒu?」帝dì君jūn道dào:「何hé事shì?自zì当dāng领lǐng教jiào。」行xíng者zhě道dào:「近jìn因yīn保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī行xíng,路lù过guò万wàn寿shòu山shān五wǔ庄zhuāng观guàn,因yīn他tā那nà小xiǎo童tóng无wú状zhuàng,是shì我wǒ一yì时shí发fā怒nù,把bǎ他tā人rén参shēn果guǒ树shù推tuī倒dǎo,一yì时shí阻zǔ滞zhì,唐táng僧sēng不bù得de脱tuō身shēn,特tè来lái尊zūn处chù求qiú赐cì一yì方fāng医yī治zhì,万wàn望wàng慨kǎi然rán。」帝dì君jūn道dào:「你nǐ这zhè猴hóu子zi,不bù管guǎn一yí二èr,到dào处chù里lǐ闯chuǎng祸huò。那nà五wǔ庄zhuāng观guàn镇zhèn元yuán子zǐ,圣shèng号hào与yǔ世shì同tóng君jūn,乃nǎi地dì仙xiān之zhī祖zǔ,你nǐ怎zěn么me就jiù冲chōng撞zhuàng了le他tā?他tā那nà人rén参shēn果guǒ树shù乃nǎi草cǎo还huán丹dān,你nǐ偷tōu吃chī了le,尚shàng说shuō有yǒu罪zuì;却què又yòu连lián树shù推tuī倒dǎo,他tā肯kěn干gān休xiū?」行xíng者zhě道dào:「正zhèng是shì呢ne。我wǒ们men走zǒu脱tuō了le,被bèi他tā赶gǎn上shàng,把bǎ我wǒ们men就jiù当dàng汗hàn巾jīn儿er一yì般bān,一yí袖xiù子zi都dōu笼lǒng去qù了le,所suǒ以yǐ阁gé气qì。没méi奈nài何hé,许xǔ他tā求qiú方fāng医yī治zhì,故gù此cǐ拜bài求qiú。」帝dì君jūn道dào:「我wǒ有yǒu一yí粒lì九jiǔ转zhuǎn太tài乙yǐ还huán丹dān,但dàn能néng治zhì世shì间jiān生shēng灵líng,却què不bù能néng医yī树shù。树shù乃nǎi土tǔ木mù之zhī灵líng,天tiān滋zī地dì润rùn。若ruò是shì凡fán间jiān的de果guǒ木mù,医yī治zhì还hái可kě;这zhè万wàn寿shòu山shān乃nǎi先xiān天tiān福fú地dì,五wǔ庄zhuāng观guàn乃nǎi贺hè洲zhōu洞dòng天tiān,人rén参shēn果guǒ又yòu是shì天tiān开kāi地dì辟pì之zhī灵líng根gēn,如rú何hé可kě治zhì,无wú方fāng,无wú方fāng。」


逐句解 Line by line

帝dì君jūn叫jiào道dào:「曼màn倩qiàn休xiū亂luàn言yán,看kàn茶chá來lái也yě。」 帝dì君jūn叫jiào道dào:「曼màn倩qiàn休xiū乱luàn言yán,看kàn茶chá来lái也yě。」

The Sovereign Lord called out, "Manqian, no more of your nonsense — bring the tea!"

曼倩 (Màn qiàn) is Dongfang Shuo's courtesy name -- the polite alternative name a Chinese gentleman went by among equals. 休亂言 is stop talking wildly. The host is calling time on the thieves' reunion so that tea can be served.

曼màn倩qiàn原yuán是shì東dōng方fāng朔shuò的de道dào名míng,他tā急jí入rù裡lǐ取qǔ茶chá二èr杯bēi。 曼màn倩qiàn原yuán是shì东dōng方fāng朔shuò的de道dào名míng,他tā急jí入rù里lǐ取qǔ茶chá二èr杯bēi。

Manqian was Dongfang Shuo's Daoist name; he hurried inside and fetched two cups of tea.

道名 is a religious name, the one a Daoist takes on entering the order. The narrator stops the story dead for half a line to gloss the name, then hands it back -- a small courtesy to any listener who had missed the connection.

飲yǐn訖qì,行xíng者zhě道dào:「老lǎo孫sūn此cǐ來lái,有yǒu一yí事shì奉fèng干gān,未wèi知zhī允yǔn否fǒu?」 饮yǐn讫qì,行xíng者zhě道dào:「老lǎo孙sūn此cǐ来lái,有yǒu一yí事shì奉fèng干gān,未wèi知zhī允yǔn否fǒu?」

When they had drunk, the pilgrim said, "Old Monkey has come with a matter to ask of you — I wonder whether you'll grant it?"

飲訖 is having finished drinking, 訖 = qì, to conclude. Tea first, business afterwards; the order is not negotiable. 奉干 is respectfully to beg a favour; 允否 is will you grant it or not.

帝dì君jūn道dào:「何hé事shì? 帝dì君jūn道dào:「何hé事shì?

The Sovereign Lord said, "What matter is it?"

何事, what matter. The host invites him to state his business.

自zì當dāng領lǐng教jiào。」 自zì当dāng领lǐng教jiào。」

"I shall be glad to hear it."

自當領教, I shall certainly be glad to receive your instruction, 當 = dāng. A courteous way of saying go on, I am listening.

行xíng者zhě道dào:「近jìn因yīn保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī行xíng,路lù過guò萬wàn壽shòu山shān五wǔ莊zhuāng觀guàn,因yīn他tā那nà小xiǎo童tóng無wú狀zhuàng,是shì我wǒ一yì時shí發fā怒nù,把bǎ他tā人rén參shēn果guǒ樹shù推tuī倒dǎo,一yì時shí阻zǔ滯zhì,唐táng僧sēng不bù得de脫tuō身shēn,特tè來lái尊zūn處chù求qiú賜cì一yì方fāng醫yī治zhì,萬wàn望wàng慨kǎi然rán。」 行xíng者zhě道dào:「近jìn因yīn保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī行xíng,路lù过guò万wàn寿shòu山shān五wǔ庄zhuāng观guàn,因yīn他tā那nà小xiǎo童tóng无wú状zhuàng,是shì我wǒ一yì时shí发fā怒nù,把bǎ他tā人rén参shēn果guǒ树shù推tuī倒dǎo,一yì时shí阻zǔ滞zhì,唐táng僧sēng不bù得de脱tuō身shēn,特tè来lái尊zūn处chù求qiú赐cì一yì方fāng医yī治zhì,万wàn望wàng慨kǎi然rán。」

The pilgrim said, "Lately, escorting the Tang Monk westward, we passed the Five-Villages Abbey on the Mountain of Ten Thousand Years. When his young acolytes were insolent, I flew into a fit of temper and pushed his ginseng-fruit tree over; now we're held up, the Tang Monk cannot get free, and I've come to your honored self to beg a prescription to heal it — I earnestly hope you'll be generous."

Wukong tells it straight this time, which is unusual for him -- no dashing escapes, no editing. 無狀 is without manners, insolent; 推倒 is to push over, 倒 = dǎo; 不得脫身 is cannot get free, where 得, toneless de, asks whether the thing is possible at all. 參 in 人參果 is shēn.

帝dì君jūn道dào:「你nǐ這zhè猴hóu子zi,不bù管guǎn一yí二èr,到dào處chù裡lǐ闖chuǎng禍huò。 帝dì君jūn道dào:「你nǐ这zhè猴hóu子zi,不bù管guǎn一yí二èr,到dào处chù里lǐ闯chuǎng祸huò。

The Sovereign Lord said, "You monkey — heedless of all consequence, you go stirring up trouble wherever you turn."

不管一二 is caring nothing for the whys and wherefores -- charging in without asking what anything is. 闖禍 is to blunder into disaster, and it is exactly the right verb. Even the courteous Donghua cannot let it pass without a word.

那nà五wǔ莊zhuāng觀guàn鎮zhèn元yuán子zǐ,聖shèng號hào與yǔ世shì同tóng君jūn,乃nǎi地dì仙xiān之zhī祖zǔ,你nǐ怎zěn麼me就jiù衝chōng撞zhuàng了le他tā? 那nà五wǔ庄zhuāng观guàn镇zhèn元yuán子zǐ,圣shèng号hào与yǔ世shì同tóng君jūn,乃nǎi地dì仙xiān之zhī祖zǔ,你nǐ怎zěn么me就jiù冲chōng撞zhuàng了le他tā?

"That Zhenyuan of the Five-Villages Abbey — his holy title is 'Coeval with the Age' — is the patriarch of the earth-immortals; how could you go and affront him?"

與世同君, Lord Coeval with the World, is Zhenyuan's formal title, and it is a claim about age: he has been here as long as there has been a here. 鎮元子 is Master Zhenyuan, 子 the honorific zǐ; 衝撞 is to offend or collide with.

他tā那nà人rén參shēn果guǒ樹shù乃nǎi草cǎo還huán丹dān,你nǐ偷tōu吃chī了le,尚shàng說shuō有yǒu罪zuì;卻què又yòu連lián樹shù推tuī倒dǎo,他tā肯kěn干gān休xiū?」 他tā那nà人rén参shēn果guǒ树shù乃nǎi草cǎo还huán丹dān,你nǐ偷tōu吃chī了le,尚shàng说shuō有yǒu罪zuì;却què又yòu连lián树shù推tuī倒dǎo,他tā肯kěn干gān休xiū?」

"His ginseng-fruit tree is a very herb-elixir; even to have stolen and eaten the fruit would be a crime — but you toppled the whole tree besides. Will he let the matter rest?"

草還丹 is a herbal reverted elixir, 還 = huán -- the tree itself ranked among the supreme drugs, not merely a source of them. 連樹推倒 is toppled the very tree as well, 倒 = dǎo. 肯干休 is be willing to let it drop. 參 again shēn.

行xíng者zhě道dào:「正zhèng是shì呢ne。 行xíng者zhě道dào:「正zhèng是shì呢ne。

The pilgrim said, "That's just it."

正是呢 is just so, exactly. It is a small moment worth noticing: Wukong, who argues with everybody, does not argue here. He knows precisely how bad it is.

我wǒ們men走zǒu脫tuō了le,被bèi他tā趕gǎn上shàng,把bǎ我wǒ們men就jiù當dàng汗hàn巾jīn兒er一yì般bān,一yí袖xiù子zi都dōu籠lǒng去qù了le,所suǒ以yǐ閣gé氣qì。 我wǒ们men走zǒu脱tuō了le,被bèi他tā赶gǎn上shàng,把bǎ我wǒ们men就jiù当dàng汗hàn巾jīn儿er一yì般bān,一yí袖xiù子zi都dōu笼lǒng去qù了le,所suǒ以yǐ阁gé气qì。

"We got away, but he overtook us and, treating us like so many sweat-rags, swept the whole lot of us up in one sleeve — which is why I'm so put out."

And then the grievance comes out. 當 ... 一般 is to treat something as though it were, 當 = dàng, to regard as -- and what he was treated as is a 汗巾兒, a sweat-rag, 兒 the suffix er. Four pilgrims stuffed up a sleeve like used handkerchiefs. 一袖子都籠去, swept the lot into the sleeve, 籠 = lǒng; 閣氣 is to nurse a grievance.

沒méi奈nài何hé,許xǔ他tā求qiú方fāng醫yī治zhì,故gù此cǐ拜bài求qiú。」 没méi奈nài何hé,许xǔ他tā求qiú方fāng医yī治zhì,故gù此cǐ拜bài求qiú。」

"Having no other recourse, I promised to seek a remedy and cure it — and so I come to entreat you."

沒奈何 is with no help for it, at a complete loss -- one of those phrases that carries a shrug in it. 許他 is to promise him; 拜求 is to beg with a bow.

帝dì君jūn道dào:「我wǒ有yǒu一yí粒lì九jiǔ轉zhuǎn太tài乙yǐ還huán丹dān,但dàn能néng治zhì世shì間jiān生shēng靈líng,卻què不bù能néng醫yī樹shù。 帝dì君jūn道dào:「我wǒ有yǒu一yí粒lì九jiǔ转zhuǎn太tài乙yǐ还huán丹dān,但dàn能néng治zhì世shì间jiān生shēng灵líng,却què不bù能néng医yī树shù。

The Sovereign Lord said, "I have a pellet of Nine-Cycle Taiyi Reverted Elixir, but it can only heal the living creatures of this world — it cannot mend a tree."

九轉太乙還丹, the Nine-Times-Refined Reverted Elixir of the Supreme One, 還 = huán, is about as good as an alchemical pill gets: nine cycles through the furnace, each one a further refinement. And it is no use here. 世間生靈 is the living things of this world.

樹shù乃nǎi土tǔ木mù之zhī靈líng,天tiān滋zī地dì潤rùn。 树shù乃nǎi土tǔ木mù之zhī灵líng,天tiān滋zī地dì润rùn。

"A tree is a spirit of earth and wood, nourished by heaven and moistened by the ground."

土木之靈 is a spirit of soil and timber; 天滋地潤 is fed by heaven and watered by earth. The reasoning is that a tree is not a creature -- it belongs to a different order of being, so a drug made for creatures cannot reach it.

若ruò是shì凡fán間jiān的de果guǒ木mù,醫yī治zhì還hái可kě;這zhè萬wàn壽shòu山shān乃nǎi先xiān天tiān福fú地dì,五wǔ莊zhuāng觀guàn乃nǎi賀hè洲zhōu洞dòng天tiān,人rén參shēn果guǒ又yòu是shì天tiān開kāi地dì闢pì之zhī靈líng根gēn,如rú何hé可kě治zhì,無wú方fāng,無wú方fāng。」 若ruò是shì凡fán间jiān的de果guǒ木mù,医yī治zhì还hái可kě;这zhè万wàn寿shòu山shān乃nǎi先xiān天tiān福fú地dì,五wǔ庄zhuāng观guàn乃nǎi贺hè洲zhōu洞dòng天tiān,人rén参shēn果guǒ又yòu是shì天tiān开kāi地dì辟pì之zhī灵líng根gēn,如rú何hé可kě治zhì,无wú方fāng,无wú方fāng。」

"Were it some common fruit-tree of the mortal world, a cure might yet be managed; but this Mountain of Ten Thousand Years is a blessed ground of the Prior Heaven, the Five-Villages Abbey a cave-paradise of Aparagodānīya, and the ginseng fruit a numinous root born with the parting of heaven and earth — how could it be healed? There is no remedy — no remedy."

先天福地 is a blessed ground of the Prior Heaven, meaning it predates the formed world. 賀洲洞天 is a grotto-heaven of Aparagodānīya, the western continent -- 賀洲 being short for 西牛賀洲. 天開地闢之靈根 is a spirit-root dating from the opening of heaven and the cleaving of earth. Each phrase pushes the tree further back in time until healing it starts to sound like repairing the universe. 還 here is hái, still or yet; 參 is shēn.


總評 Commentary

The heart of the Fangzhang episode repeats, with variation, the disappointment of Penglai: another great immortal, another confession of helplessness. Donghua's refusal opens as a rebuke -- you go blundering into trouble wherever you turn -- and Wukong, tellingly, does not argue. That's just it, he says, which from him amounts to a confession.

The Lord's explanation deepens the picture the Stars had begun to sketch. His nine-times-refined elixir, like their millet-grain pill, restores living creatures but not plants -- and the ginseng tree is no ordinary plant but a spirit-root dating from the parting of heaven and earth, rooted in ground older than the formed world. The doubled no remedy, no remedy builds a sense of impasse: the mightiest drugs in the immortal world are useless against a growth older than the world.

Threaded through the grave exposition is Wukong's own vivid complaint -- the memory of being swept up like so many sweat-rags in Zhenyuan's sleeve. The detail keeps the scene human amid all the talk of Prior Heavens and primal roots. For all the cosmology, his real grievance is the smarting indignity of having lost, and it is that wounded pride, quite as much as duty to his master, driving the search.