第二十九回 · 牒文 The Passport Is Read — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

牒文 The Passport Is Read

那nà國guó王wáng道dào：「長zhǎng老lǎo，你nǐ到dào我wǒ國guó中zhōng何hé事shì？」三sān藏zàng道dào：「小xiǎo僧sēng是shì唐táng朝cháo釋shì子zǐ，承chéng我wǒ天tiān子zǐ敕chì旨zhǐ，前qián往wǎng西xī方fāng取qǔ經jīng。原yuán領lǐng有yǒu文wén牒dié，到dào陛bì下xià上shàng國guó，理lǐ合hé倒dào換huàn。故gù此cǐ不bù識shí進jìn退tuì，驚jīng動dòng龍lóng顏yán。」國guó王wáng道dào：「既jì有yǒu唐táng天tiān子zǐ文wén牒dié，取qǔ上shàng來lái看kàn。」三sān藏zàng雙shuāng手shǒu捧pěng上shàng去qù，展zhǎn開kāi放fàng在zài御yù案àn上shàng。牒dié云yún：南nán贍shàn部bù洲zhōu大dà唐táng國guó奉fèng天tiān承chéng運yùn唐táng天tiān子zǐ牒dié行xíng：切qiè惟wéi朕zhèn以yǐ涼liáng德dé，嗣sì續xù丕pī基jī，事shì神shén治zhì民mín，臨lín深shēn履lǚ薄bó，朝zhāo夕xī是shì惴zhuì。前qián者zhě失shī救jiù涇jīng河hé老lǎo龍lóng，獲huò譴qiǎn於yú我wǒ皇huáng皇huáng后hòu帝dì，三sān魂hún七qī魄pò，倏shū忽hū陰yīn司sī，已yǐ作zuò無wú常cháng之zhī客kè。因yīn有yǒu陽yáng壽shòu未wèi絕jué，感gǎn冥míng君jūn放fàng送sòng回huí生shēng，廣guǎng陳chén善shàn會huì，修xiū建jiàn度dù亡wáng道dào場chǎng。感gǎn蒙méng救jiù苦kǔ觀guān世shì音yīn菩pú薩sà金jīn身shēn出chū現xiàn，指zhǐ示shì西xī方fāng有yǒu佛fó有yǒu經jīng，可kě度dù幽yōu亡wáng，超chāo脫tuō孤gū魂hún。特tè著zhuó法fǎ師shī玄xuán奘zàng，遠yuǎn歷lì千qiān山shān，詢xún求qiú經jīng偈jì。倘tǎng到dào西xī邦bāng諸zhū國guó，不bú滅miè善shàn緣yuán，照zhào牒dié放fàng行xíng。須xū至zhì牒dié者zhě。大dà唐táng貞zhēn觀guàn一yì十shí三sān年nián秋qiū吉jí日rì，御yù前qián文wén牒dié。（上shàng有yǒu寶bǎo印yìn九jiǔ顆kē）那nà国guó王wáng道dào：「长zhǎng老lǎo，你nǐ到dào我wǒ国guó中zhōng何hé事shì？」三sān藏zàng道dào：「小xiǎo僧sēng是shì唐táng朝cháo释shì子zǐ，承chéng我wǒ天tiān子zǐ敕chì旨zhǐ，前qián往wǎng西xī方fāng取qǔ经jīng。原yuán领lǐng有yǒu文wén牒dié，到dào陛bì下xià上shàng国guó，理lǐ合hé倒dào换huàn。故gù此cǐ不bù识shí进jìn退tuì，惊jīng动dòng龙lóng颜yán。」国guó王wáng道dào：「既jì有yǒu唐táng天tiān子zǐ文wén牒dié，取qǔ上shàng来lái看kàn。」三sān藏zàng双shuāng手shǒu捧pěng上shàng去qù，展zhǎn开kāi放fàng在zài御yù案àn上shàng。牒dié云yún：南nán赡shàn部bù洲zhōu大dà唐táng国guó奉fèng天tiān承chéng运yùn唐táng天tiān子zǐ牒dié行xíng：切qiè惟wéi朕zhèn以yǐ凉liáng德dé，嗣sì续xù丕pī基jī，事shì神shén治zhì民mín，临lín深shēn履lǚ薄bó，朝zhāo夕xī是shì惴zhuì。前qián者zhě失shī救jiù泾jīng河hé老lǎo龙lóng，获huò谴qiǎn于yú我wǒ皇huáng皇huáng后hòu帝dì，三sān魂hún七qī魄pò，倏shū忽hū阴yīn司sī，已yǐ作zuò无wú常cháng之zhī客kè。因yīn有yǒu阳yáng寿shòu未wèi绝jué，感gǎn冥míng君jūn放fàng送sòng回huí生shēng，广guǎng陈chén善shàn会huì，修xiū建jiàn度dù亡wáng道dào场chǎng。感gǎn蒙méng救jiù苦kǔ观guān世shì音yīn菩pú萨sà金jīn身shēn出chū现xiàn，指zhǐ示shì西xī方fāng有yǒu佛fó有yǒu经jīng，可kě度dù幽yōu亡wáng，超chāo脱tuō孤gū魂hún。特tè著zhuó法fǎ师shī玄xuán奘zàng，远yuǎn历lì千qiān山shān，询xún求qiú经jīng偈jì。倘tǎng到dào西xī邦bāng诸zhū国guó，不bú灭miè善shàn缘yuán，照zhào牒dié放fàng行xíng。须xū至zhì牒dié者zhě。大dà唐táng贞zhēn观guàn一yì十shí三sān年nián秋qiū吉jí日rì，御yù前qián文wén牒dié。（上shàng有yǒu宝bǎo印yìn九jiǔ颗kē）

逐句解 Line by line

那nà國guó王wáng道dào：「長zhǎng老lǎo，你nǐ到dào我wǒ國guó中zhōng何hé事shì？」那nà国guó王wáng道dào：「长zhǎng老lǎo，你nǐ到dào我wǒ国guó中zhōng何hé事shì？」

The king said, 'Elder, on what business have you come to my kingdom?'

長老 (長 = zhǎng) = "elder," the courteous term for a senior monk; 國中 (中 = zhōng) = "within [my] country."

三sān藏zàng道dào：「小xiǎo僧sēng是shì唐táng朝cháo釋shì子zǐ，承chéng我wǒ天tiān子zǐ敕chì旨zhǐ，前qián往wǎng西xī方fāng取qǔ經jīng。原yuán領lǐng有yǒu文wén牒dié，到dào陛bì下xià上shàng國guó，理lǐ合hé倒dào換huàn。故gù此cǐ不bù識shí進jìn退tuì，驚jīng動dòng龍lóng顏yán。」三sān藏zàng道dào：「小xiǎo僧sēng是shì唐táng朝cháo释shì子zǐ，承chéng我wǒ天tiān子zǐ敕chì旨zhǐ，前qián往wǎng西xī方fāng取qǔ经jīng。原yuán领lǐng有yǒu文wén牒dié，到dào陛bì下xià上shàng国guó，理lǐ合hé倒dào换huàn。故gù此cǐ不bù识shí进jìn退tuì，惊jīng动dòng龙lóng颜yán。」

Tripitaka said, 'This humble monk is a disciple of Śākya from Tang. Bearing the edict of my Son of Heaven, I journey westward to fetch the scriptures. I carry from the first a travel-rescript, and coming to Your Majesty's high realm, it is only proper that it be renewed. And so, not knowing the bounds of decorum, I have disturbed the dragon countenance.'

釋子 (子 = zǐ) = "a son of Śākya," a Buddhist monk; 天子 (子 = zǐ) = "the Son of Heaven." 敕旨 = "imperial edict"; 倒換 (倒 = dào) = "to have [the rescript] renewed." 龍顏 ("the dragon countenance") is the emperor's face — Tripitaka's self-deprecating apology for troubling it.

國guó王wáng道dào：「既jì有yǒu唐táng天tiān子zǐ文wén牒dié，取qǔ上shàng來lái看kàn。」三sān藏zàng雙shuāng手shǒu捧pěng上shàng去qù，展zhǎn開kāi放fàng在zài御yù案àn上shàng。牒dié云yún：国guó王wáng道dào：「既jì有yǒu唐táng天tiān子zǐ文wén牒dié，取qǔ上shàng来lái看kàn。」三sān藏zàng双shuāng手shǒu捧pěng上shàng去qù，展zhǎn开kāi放fàng在zài御yù案àn上shàng。牒dié云yún：

Said the king, 'Since you have the travel-rescript of the Tang Son of Heaven, bring it up that I may see it.' Tripitaka lifted it up in both hands, spread it open, and laid it on the royal desk. The rescript read:

天子 (子 = zǐ) = "Son of Heaven"; 御案 = "the imperial desk." 牒云 ("the rescript reads") is the narrator's lead-in to the document reproduced below.

南nán贍shàn部bù洲zhōu大dà唐táng國guó奉fèng天tiān承chéng運yùn唐táng天tiān子zǐ牒dié行xíng：切qiè惟wéi朕zhèn以yǐ涼liáng德dé，嗣sì續xù丕pī基jī，事shì神shén治zhì民mín，臨lín深shēn履lǚ薄bó，朝zhāo夕xī是shì惴zhuì。南nán赡shàn部bù洲zhōu大dà唐táng国guó奉fèng天tiān承chéng运yùn唐táng天tiān子zǐ牒dié行xíng：切qiè惟wéi朕zhèn以yǐ凉liáng德dé，嗣sì续xù丕pī基jī，事shì神shén治zhì民mín，临lín深shēn履lǚ薄bó，朝zhāo夕xī是shì惴zhuì。

The Son of Heaven of Great Tang, of the Southern Jambū Continent, who by Heaven's warrant carries on the imperial course, issues this rescript: Humbly do We consider that We, of scant virtue, have succeeded to the great foundation. In serving the spirits and governing the people, We are as one who nears a deep abyss or treads upon thin ice, anxious from dawn to dusk.

南贍部洲 (Jambudvīpa, the "Southern Continent" of Buddhist cosmology) locates Tang within the Buddhist world-scheme; 奉天承運 ("in reverent receipt of Heaven, carrying on the course") is the standard formula opening an imperial edict. 朕 is the imperial "We," 涼德 ("meager virtue") the conventional self-deprecation. 臨深履薄 (薄 = bó) compresses the Shijing figure 如臨深淵，如履薄冰 ("as if facing an abyss, as if treading thin ice"); 朝夕 (朝 = zhāo) = "from morning to evening."

前qián者zhě失shī救jiù涇jīng河hé老lǎo龍lóng，獲huò譴qiǎn於yú我wǒ皇huáng皇huáng后hòu帝dì，三sān魂hún七qī魄pò，倏shū忽hū陰yīn司sī，已yǐ作zuò無wú常cháng之zhī客kè。因yīn有yǒu陽yáng壽shòu未wèi絕jué，感gǎn冥míng君jūn放fàng送sòng回huí生shēng，廣guǎng陳chén善shàn會huì，修xiū建jiàn度dù亡wáng道dào場chǎng。前qián者zhě失shī救jiù泾jīng河hé老lǎo龙lóng，获huò谴qiǎn于yú我wǒ皇huáng皇huáng后hòu帝dì，三sān魂hún七qī魄pò，倏shū忽hū阴yīn司sī，已yǐ作zuò无wú常cháng之zhī客kè。因yīn有yǒu阳yáng寿shòu未wèi绝jué，感gǎn冥míng君jūn放fàng送sòng回huí生shēng，广guǎng陈chén善shàn会huì，修xiū建jiàn度dù亡wáng道dào场chǎng。

Some while ago, having failed to save the old dragon of the Jing River, We drew the reproach of the august Sovereign on High. Our three cloud-souls and seven white-souls were carried off in a moment to the offices of the shades, and We were already become a guest of impermanence. But because Our earthly span was not yet spent, the Lord of the Netherworld took pity and sent Us back to life; whereupon We set forth a great assembly of good works and raised an altar for the deliverance of the dead.

The passage recapitulates the frame of chapters ten and eleven: Taizong's failure to intercede for the 涇河老龍 (the Dragon of the Jing River), his summons below, and his return. 三魂七魄 = the three cloud-souls and seven white-souls of Daoist physiology; 陰司 = "the offices of the shades"; 無常 = the death-messenger, impermanence personified. 冥君 = "the Lord of the Dark Realm," Yama; 度亡道場 (度 = dù) = "an arena of rites for delivering the dead," the Grand Mass of Land and Water.

感gǎn蒙méng救jiù苦kǔ觀guān世shì音yīn菩pú薩sà金jīn身shēn出chū現xiàn，指zhǐ示shì西xī方fāng有yǒu佛fó有yǒu經jīng，可kě度dù幽yōu亡wáng，超chāo脫tuō孤gū魂hún。特tè著zhuó法fǎ師shī玄xuán奘zàng，遠yuǎn歷lì千qiān山shān，詢xún求qiú經jīng偈jì。感gǎn蒙méng救jiù苦kǔ观guān世shì音yīn菩pú萨sà金jīn身shēn出chū现xiàn，指zhǐ示shì西xī方fāng有yǒu佛fó有yǒu经jīng，可kě度dù幽yōu亡wáng，超chāo脱tuō孤gū魂hún。特tè著zhuó法fǎ师shī玄xuán奘zàng，远yuǎn历lì千qiān山shān，询xún求qiú经jīng偈jì。

It was Our good fortune that the Bodhisattva Guanyin, Reliever of Suffering, made manifest her golden body and revealed that in the West there are Buddhas and there are scriptures, by which the dead in darkness may be delivered and lonely souls set free. We therefore specially charged the Dharma-master Xuanzang to pass afar over a thousand mountains and to seek out the scriptures and gāthās.

救苦觀世音菩薩 (觀 = guān) = "Guanshiyin, the Bodhisattva who relieves suffering"; 金身 = her "golden body." 度幽亡 (度 = dù) = "to ferry the dead across from the shades." 特著 (著 = zhuó, the lexical "to depute, to charge") = "specially commissioned"; 玄奘 (奘 = zàng) is the historical pilgrim, the novel's Tripitaka. 經偈 = "sūtras and gāthās."

倘tǎng到dào西xī邦bāng諸zhū國guó，不bú滅miè善shàn緣yuán，照zhào牒dié放fàng行xíng。須xū至zhì牒dié者zhě。大dà唐táng貞zhēn觀guàn一yì十shí三sān年nián秋qiū吉jí日rì，御yù前qián文wén牒dié。倘tǎng到dào西xī邦bāng诸zhū国guó，不bú灭miè善shàn缘yuán，照zhào牒dié放fàng行xíng。须xū至zhì牒dié者zhě。大dà唐táng贞zhēn观guàn一yì十shí三sān年nián秋qiū吉jí日rì，御yù前qián文wén牒dié。

Should he come to the several kingdoms of the West, let the bond of good affinity not be cut off, but suffer him to pass on the warrant of this rescript. Such is the rescript, to be complied with. Issued before the throne on an auspicious autumn day, in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan reign of the Great Tang.

不滅善緣 = "do not sever the good affinity [of the Dharma]" — a request for safe passage couched in Buddhist terms; 照牒放行 = "release him to travel on the authority of this rescript." 須至牒者 is the fixed closing formula of an official dispatch ("this is the document to be acted upon"). 貞觀 (觀 = guàn) is the Zhenguan reign (627–649); its thirteenth year corresponds to 639.

（上shàng有yǒu寶bǎo印yìn九jiǔ顆kē）（上shàng有yǒu宝bǎo印yìn九jiǔ颗kē）

(Nine treasure-seals were impressed above.)

The narrator's parenthetical notes the nine imperial seals stamped upon the document, marking its authenticity; 顆 is the measure-word for the seal-impressions.

總評 Commentary

The passport read out at the Baoxiang court is, in effect, a précis of the novel's own frame-story. In the formal language of an imperial rescript it rehearses the whole causal chain that set the pilgrimage in motion: Taizong's fatal failure to save the Dragon of the Jing River, his summons to the underworld and reprieve, the Grand Mass for the dead, and Guanyin's revelation that only the scriptures of the West can deliver the souls in darkness — culminating in the commission of Xuanzang. Reproduced here, hundreds of pages on, it reminds the reader that the errand through these demon-haunted kingdoms rests upon an imperial and karmic mandate issued in Chang'an.

The document's texture is characteristically syncretic. Its cosmology is Buddhist (南贍部洲, the scriptures that 度幽亡, Guanyin's golden body); its physiology of the soul is Daoist (三魂七魄, the 陰司, the 冥君); and its diction is that of the Confucian imperial chancery (奉天承運, 朕以涼德, 臨深履薄, 須至牒者). This layering is the novel's own idiom in miniature. Functionally, the rescript re-authorizes Tripitaka at the threshold of each realm; its nine seals, noted in the closing aside, vouch the pilgrim's credentials before a foreign throne about to ask far more of him than a chop upon his passport.