第三回 · 木刀之憂 The Problem of Wooden Weapons — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

木刀之憂 The Problem of Wooden Weapons

卻què說shuō美měi猴hóu王wáng榮róng歸guī故gù里lǐ，自zì剿jiǎo了le混hùn世shì魔mó王wáng，奪duó了le一yì口kǒu大dà刀dāo。逐zhú日rì操cāo演yǎn武wǔ藝yì，教jiào小xiǎo猴hóu砍kǎn竹zhú為wéi標biāo，削xiāo木mù為wéi刀dāo，治zhì旗qí幡fān，打dǎ哨shào子zi，一yí進jìn一yí退tuì，安ān營yíng下xià寨zhài，頑wán耍shuǎ多duō時shí。忽hū然rán靜jìng坐zuò處chù，思sī想xiǎng道dào：「我wǒ等děng在zài此cǐ，恐kǒng作zuò耍shuǎ成chéng真zhēn，或huò驚jīng動dòng人rén王wáng，或huò有yǒu禽qín王wáng、獸shòu王wáng認rèn此cǐ犯fàn頭tóu，說shuō我wǒ們men操cāo兵bīng造zào反fǎn，興xīng師shī來lái相xiāng殺shā，汝rǔ等děng都dōu是shì竹zhú竿gān木mù刀dāo，如rú何hé對duì敵dí？須xū得dé鋒fēng利lì劍jiàn戟jǐ方fāng可kě。如rú今jīn奈nài何hé？」眾zhòng猴hóu聞wén說shuō，個gè個gè驚jīng恐kǒng道dào：「大dà王wáng所suǒ見jiàn甚shèn長cháng，只zhǐ是shì無wú處chù可kě取qǔ。」正zhèng說shuō間jiān，轉zhuǎn上shàng四sì個gè老lǎo猴hóu，兩liǎng個gè是shì赤chì尻kāo馬mǎ猴hóu，兩liǎng個gè是shì通tōng背bèi猿yuán猴hóu，走zǒu在zài面miàn前qián道dào：「大dà王wáng，若ruò要yào治zhì鋒fēng利lì器qì械xiè，甚shèn是shì容róng易yì。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「怎zěn見jiàn容róng易yì？」四sì猴hóu道dào：「我wǒ們men這zhè山shān向xiàng東dōng去qù，有yǒu二èr百bǎi里lǐ水shuǐ面miàn，那nà廂xiāng乃nǎi傲ào來lái國guó界jiè。那nà國guó界jiè中zhōng有yǒu一yì王wáng位wèi，滿mǎn城chéng中zhōng軍jūn民mín無wú數shù，必bì有yǒu金jīn銀yín銅tóng鐵tiě等děng匠jiàng作zuò。大dà王wáng若ruò去qù那nà裡lǐ，或huò買mǎi或huò造zào些xiē兵bīng器qì，教jiào演yǎn我wǒ等děng，守shǒu護hù山shān場chǎng，誠chéng所suǒ謂wèi保bǎo泰tài長cháng久jiǔ之zhī機jī也yě。」悟wù空kōng聞wén說shuō，滿mǎn心xīn歡huān喜xǐ道dào：「汝rǔ等děng在zài此cǐ頑wán耍shuǎ，待dài我wǒ去qù來lái。」却què说shuō美měi猴hóu王wáng荣róng归guī故gù里lǐ，自zì剿jiǎo了le混hùn世shì魔mó王wáng，夺duó了le一yì口kǒu大dà刀dāo。逐zhú日rì操cāo演yǎn武wǔ艺yì，教jiào小xiǎo猴hóu砍kǎn竹zhú为wéi标biāo，削xiāo木mù为wéi刀dāo，治zhì旗qí幡fān，打dǎ哨shào子zi，一yí进jìn一yí退tuì，安ān营yíng下xià寨zhài，顽wán耍shuǎ多duō时shí。忽hū然rán静jìng坐zuò处chù，思sī想xiǎng道dào：「我wǒ等děng在zài此cǐ，恐kǒng作zuò耍shuǎ成chéng真zhēn，或huò惊jīng动dòng人rén王wáng，或huò有yǒu禽qín王wáng、兽shòu王wáng认rèn此cǐ犯fàn头tóu，说shuō我wǒ们men操cāo兵bīng造zào反fǎn，兴xīng师shī来lái相xiāng杀shā，汝rǔ等děng都dōu是shì竹zhú竿gān木mù刀dāo，如rú何hé对duì敌dí？须xū得dé锋fēng利lì剑jiàn戟jǐ方fāng可kě。如rú今jīn奈nài何hé？」众zhòng猴hóu闻wén说shuō，个gè个gè惊jīng恐kǒng道dào：「大dà王wáng所suǒ见jiàn甚shèn长cháng，只zhǐ是shì无wú处chù可kě取qǔ。」正zhèng说shuō间jiān，转zhuǎn上shàng四sì个gè老lǎo猴hóu，两liǎng个gè是shì赤chì尻kāo马mǎ猴hóu，两liǎng个gè是shì通tōng背bèi猿yuán猴hóu，走zǒu在zài面miàn前qián道dào：「大dà王wáng，若ruò要yào治zhì锋fēng利lì器qì械xiè，甚shèn是shì容róng易yì。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「怎zěn见jiàn容róng易yì？」四sì猴hóu道dào：「我wǒ们men这zhè山shān向xiàng东dōng去qù，有yǒu二èr百bǎi里lǐ水shuǐ面miàn，那nà厢xiāng乃nǎi傲ào来lái国guó界jiè。那nà国guó界jiè中zhōng有yǒu一yì王wáng位wèi，满mǎn城chéng中zhōng军jūn民mín无wú数shù，必bì有yǒu金jīn银yín铜tóng铁tiě等děng匠jiàng作zuò。大dà王wáng若ruò去qù那nà里lǐ，或huò买mǎi或huò造zào些xiē兵bīng器qì，教jiào演yǎn我wǒ等děng，守shǒu护hù山shān场chǎng，诚chéng所suǒ谓wèi保bǎo泰tài长cháng久jiǔ之zhī机jī也yě。」悟wù空kōng闻wén说shuō，满mǎn心xīn欢huān喜xǐ道dào：「汝rǔ等děng在zài此cǐ顽wán耍shuǎ，待dài我wǒ去qù来lái。」

逐句解 Line by line

卻què說shuō美měi猴hóu王wáng榮róng歸guī故gù里lǐ，自zì剿jiǎo了le混hùn世shì魔mó王wáng，奪duó了le一yì口kǒu大dà刀dāo。却què说shuō美měi猴hóu王wáng荣róng归guī故gù里lǐ，自zì剿jiǎo了le混hùn世shì魔mó王wáng，夺duó了le一yì口kǒu大dà刀dāo。

Now the story tells how the Handsome Monkey King returned home in glory. Having wiped out the Monster of Havoc and carried off a great saber,

卻說 is the storyteller's resumptive formula ("now the tale goes on to tell"), a hallmark of 章回 vernacular narration. 美猴王, the Handsome Monkey King, has held the title since ch.1. The 混世魔王 (Monster of Havoc) was slain at the close of 第二回, and his saber is the only real weapon the monkeys own — which sets this chapter's quest in motion. 了 reads le (perfective particle) in 剿了 / 奪了; 一口 takes yì by tone sandhi before third-tone 口, the classifier for bladed arms.

逐zhú日rì操cāo演yǎn武wǔ藝yì，教jiào小xiǎo猴hóu砍kǎn竹zhú為wéi標biāo，削xiāo木mù為wéi刀dāo，治zhì旗qí幡fān，打dǎ哨shào子zi，一yí進jìn一yí退tuì，安ān營yíng下xià寨zhài，頑wán耍shuǎ多duō時shí。逐zhú日rì操cāo演yǎn武wǔ艺yì，教jiào小xiǎo猴hóu砍kǎn竹zhú为wéi标biāo，削xiāo木mù为wéi刀dāo，治zhì旗qí幡fān，打dǎ哨shào子zi，一yí进jìn一yí退tuì，安ān营yíng下xià寨zhài，顽wán耍shuǎ多duō时shí。

day after day he drilled in the martial arts, setting the little monkeys to chop bamboo into pike-staves and whittle wood into swords, to make banners and pennants and blow signal-whistles, to advance and fall back, to pitch camp and raise the stockade — and so they sported for a good long while.

教 here is causative — jiào ("to set/have someone do"), not jiāo ("to teach"); cf. 教演 below. 為 reads wéi ("to make into") in 砍竹為標 / 削木為刀, and 削 reads xiāo (colloquial "whittle, pare"), not literary xuē. 標 is a pike or javelin-staff; 哨子 a whistle, with 子 the neutral suffix zi. 一進一退 takes yí twice (sandhi before fourth-tone 進 and 退). The whole line is a catalogue of military drill, comically applied to monkeys.

忽hū然rán靜jìng坐zuò處chù，思sī想xiǎng道dào：忽hū然rán静jìng坐zuò处chù，思sī想xiǎng道dào：

Then one day, sitting still in quiet thought, he reflected:

處 reads chù ("place; the point at which") in 靜坐處. The turn from play to anxious foresight marks the first stirring of the strategic, "kingly" cares that drive the chapter.

「我wǒ等děng在zài此cǐ，恐kǒng作zuò耍shuǎ成chéng真zhēn，或huò驚jīng動dòng人rén王wáng，或huò有yǒu禽qín王wáng、獸shòu王wáng認rèn此cǐ犯fàn頭tóu，說shuō我wǒ們men操cāo兵bīng造zào反fǎn，興xīng師shī來lái相xiāng殺shā，汝rǔ等děng都dōu是shì竹zhú竿gān木mù刀dāo，如rú何hé對duì敵dí？「我wǒ等děng在zài此cǐ，恐kǒng作zuò耍shuǎ成chéng真zhēn，或huò惊jīng动dòng人rén王wáng，或huò有yǒu禽qín王wáng、兽shòu王wáng认rèn此cǐ犯fàn头tóu，说shuō我wǒ们men操cāo兵bīng造zào反fǎn，兴xīng师shī来lái相xiāng杀shā，汝rǔ等děng都dōu是shì竹zhú竿gān木mù刀dāo，如rú何hé对duì敌dí？

'Here we all are at our games — but I fear our play may turn to earnest. We might alarm some king of men, or some King of Birds or King of Beasts might take it for a provocation and charge that we are drilling soldiers in revolt, and raise an army to come and destroy us. With your bamboo poles and wooden swords, how could you face such a foe?

作耍成真 ("play turning real") is a colloquial idiom; 犯頭 means a pretext or provocation ("grounds for offence"). 都是 takes dōu ("all"). 相殺 = "to fall upon and kill," with 相 the directional/transitive xiāng marking action toward an object. Wukong's own fear of being branded a rebel (操兵造反) plants the very language Heaven will later use against him.

須xū得dé鋒fēng利lì劍jiàn戟jǐ方fāng可kě。如rú今jīn奈nài何hé？」须xū得dé锋fēng利lì剑jiàn戟jǐ方fāng可kě。如rú今jīn奈nài何hé？」

We must have keen swords and halberds for that. What is to be done now?'

須得 = "must obtain/have": 得 is the full verb dé ("to get"), taking 鋒利劍戟 as its object — distinct from the modal děi or the particle de. 奈何 = "what is to be done?"

眾zhòng猴hóu聞wén說shuō，個gè個gè驚jīng恐kǒng道dào：「大dà王wáng所suǒ見jiàn甚shèn長cháng，只zhǐ是shì無wú處chù可kě取qǔ。」众zhòng猴hóu闻wén说shuō，个gè个gè惊jīng恐kǒng道dào：「大dà王wáng所suǒ见jiàn甚shèn长cháng，只zhǐ是shì无wú处chù可kě取qǔ。」

Hearing this, the monkeys were each and all dismayed: 'Your Majesty's foresight reaches far — but there is simply nowhere to get such things.'

所見甚長 = "his view reaches very far": 長 reads cháng ("long, far-reaching"), not zhǎng. 無處 takes chù ("nowhere"). 個個 = "each and every one."

正zhèng說shuō間jiān，轉zhuǎn上shàng四sì個gè老lǎo猴hóu，兩liǎng個gè是shì赤chì尻kāo馬mǎ猴hóu，兩liǎng個gè是shì通tōng背bèi猿yuán猴hóu，走zǒu在zài面miàn前qián道dào：「大dà王wáng，若ruò要yào治zhì鋒fēng利lì器qì械xiè，甚shèn是shì容róng易yì。」正zhèng说shuō间jiān，转zhuǎn上shàng四sì个gè老lǎo猴hóu，两liǎng个gè是shì赤chì尻kāo马mǎ猴hóu，两liǎng个gè是shì通tōng背bèi猿yuán猴hóu，走zǒu在zài面miàn前qián道dào：「大dà王wáng，若ruò要yào治zhì锋fēng利lì器qì械xiè，甚shèn是shì容róng易yì。」

As they spoke, four old monkeys stepped forth — two were bare-rumped horse-apes, two were long-armed gibbons — and came before him, saying: 'Your Majesty, if it is keen weapons you wish to procure, nothing is easier.'

赤尻馬猴 ("red-rumped horse-ape," 尻 kāo = rump) and 通背猿猴 ("through-backed / long-armed gibbon") are the four sage elders who recur as Wukong's councillors through these early chapters; they will be ennobled as 健將 by chapter's end. 轉上 = "came turning forward," 轉 reading zhuǎn.

悟wù空kōng道dào：「怎zěn見jiàn容róng易yì？」悟wù空kōng道dào：「怎zěn见jiàn容róng易yì？」

Wukong said, 'How is it easy?'

A terse exchange propelling the dialogue; 怎見 = "how do you reckon (it so)?"

四sì猴hóu道dào：「我wǒ們men這zhè山shān向xiàng東dōng去qù，有yǒu二èr百bǎi里lǐ水shuǐ面miàn，那nà廂xiāng乃nǎi傲ào來lái國guó界jiè。四sì猴hóu道dào：「我wǒ们men这zhè山shān向xiàng东dōng去qù，有yǒu二èr百bǎi里lǐ水shuǐ面miàn，那nà厢xiāng乃nǎi傲ào来lái国guó界jiè。

The four monkeys said, 'Eastward from this mountain of ours, two hundred li across the water, lies the realm of Aolai.

二百里: 里 (lǐ), the Chinese mile (roughly half a kilometre), is left untranslated. 那廂 = "over there, that quarter," 那 reading nà. 傲來國 (the kingdom of Aolai) lies just across the water from 花果山; its name is first given in ch.1's account of the mountain's setting.

那nà國guó界jiè中zhōng有yǒu一yì王wáng位wèi，滿mǎn城chéng中zhōng軍jūn民mín無wú數shù，必bì有yǒu金jīn銀yín銅tóng鐵tiě等děng匠jiàng作zuò。那nà国guó界jiè中zhōng有yǒu一yì王wáng位wèi，满mǎn城chéng中zhōng军jūn民mín无wú数shù，必bì有yǒu金jīn银yín铜tóng铁tiě等děng匠jiàng作zuò。

Within that realm there is a throne, and the city teems with soldiers and subjects beyond number; there are bound to be smiths who work gold and silver, copper and iron.

一王位 takes yì (sandhi before second-tone 王). 無數 reads shù ("countless"); the verb "to count" would be shǔ. 匠作 = "artisans, craft-work," 匠 jiàng. The roll of metals (金銀銅鐵) anticipates the weapons to come.

大dà王wáng若ruò去qù那nà裡lǐ，或huò買mǎi或huò造zào些xiē兵bīng器qì，教jiào演yǎn我wǒ等děng，守shǒu護hù山shān場chǎng，誠chéng所suǒ謂wèi保bǎo泰tài長cháng久jiǔ之zhī機jī也yě。」大dà王wáng若ruò去qù那nà里lǐ，或huò买mǎi或huò造zào些xiē兵bīng器qì，教jiào演yǎn我wǒ等děng，守shǒu护hù山shān场chǎng，诚chéng所suǒ谓wèi保bǎo泰tài长cháng久jiǔ之zhī机jī也yě。」

If Your Majesty goes there and either buys or has forged a stock of weapons, and then trains us in them to guard our mountain domain — that is truly what they call the plan for securing lasting peace.'

教演 = "to drill, train," 教 reading jiào. 保泰長久之機 alludes to the 泰 ䷊ hexagram of the Yijing (Heaven below, Earth above — the configuration of "Peace/Prosperity"); 保泰, "preserving the flourishing state," is an ideal of classical statecraft, put here with deadpan irony into a monkey's calculus. 長 reads cháng ("lasting").

悟wù空kōng聞wén說shuō，滿mǎn心xīn歡huān喜xǐ道dào：「汝rǔ等děng在zài此cǐ頑wán耍shuǎ，待dài我wǒ去qù來lái。」悟wù空kōng闻wén说shuō，满mǎn心xīn欢huān喜xǐ道dào：「汝rǔ等děng在zài此cǐ顽wán耍shuǎ，待dài我wǒ去qù来lái。」

Hearing this, Wukong was filled with delight: 'You amuse yourselves here; wait while I go and return.'

去來 is a vernacular idiom, "go (and come back)" — i.e. "off I go"; 來 is a light directional complement, not a literal "return." The line closes the scene and launches the raid on Aolai.

總評 Commentary

The chapter's couplet-title — 四海千山皆拱伏／九幽十類盡除名 ("The Four Seas and the Thousand Mountains all bow in submission; the Nine Shades and the Ten Categories are wholly struck from the rolls") — announces its two grand movements: first Wukong's conquest of the terrestrial and oceanic world (the armory of Aolai, the seventy-two caves of beasts, and above all the dragon-kings of the four seas), then his descent into the underworld to cancel his own name and his subjects' from the registers of death. Andrew Plaks reads this stretch of the novel as the comic-heroic apex of the "mind-monkey" (心猿) before its long subjugation: the very grandeur of the deeds is shadowed by the bureaucratic machinery — dragon-kings and kings of hell alike — that will file the memorials bringing Heaven down upon him.

Where 第二回 ended in spiritual attainment — the Seventy-two Transformations and the cloud-somersault won from Subodhi, then the slaying of the Monster of Havoc — 第三回 opens on the wholly worldly problem of matériel. The drilling monkeys with their bamboo and wooden arms are at once charming and faintly ominous: Wukong's anxiety that "play may turn to earnest" (作耍成真) and that he may be charged with "drilling soldiers in revolt" (操兵造反) places, in his own mouth, the very language Heaven will later use against him. The four elders' counsel that arming and training the troops is "the plan for securing lasting peace" (保泰長久之機) borrows, deadpan, the idiom of Confucian statecraft and the 泰 hexagram for a band of monkeys.

For the Quanzhen-inflected commentators in the lineage of Liu Yiming (悟元子), the "weapons" the mind-monkey now craves read against the grain of the surface adventure: raw power sought outside the self, before the discipline that alone could wield it. The recurring quartet of "red-rumped horse-apes and long-armed gibbons" functions as the practical, advising faculties of a still-untamed nature — resourceful, loyal, and wholly without restraint. Their breezy "nothing is easier" sets the acquisitive tone that will carry Wukong straight to the dragon-king's gate.