第三回 · 十殿冥王 The Ten Kings of the Underworld — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

十殿冥王 The Ten Kings of the Underworld

慌huāng得de那nà十shí代dài冥míng王wáng急jí整zhěng衣yī來lái看kàn，見jiàn他tā相xiàng貌mào兇xiōng惡è，即jí排pái下xià班bān次cì，應yìng聲shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「你nǐ既jì認rèn不bù得de我wǒ，怎zěn麼me差chāi人rén來lái勾gōu我wǒ？」十shí王wáng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。想xiǎng是shì差chāi人rén差chà了le。」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「我wǒ本běn是shì花huā果guǒ山shān水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng天tiān生shēng聖shèng人rén孫sūn悟wù空kōng。你nǐ等děng是shì甚shèn麼me官guān位wèi？」十shí王wáng躬gōng身shēn道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì陰yīn間jiān天tiān子zǐ十shí代dài冥míng王wáng。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「快kuài報bào名míng來lái，免miǎn打dǎ。」十shí王wáng道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì秦qín廣guǎng王wáng、初chū江jiāng王wáng、宋sòng帝dì王wáng、忤wǔ官guān王wáng、閻yán羅luó王wáng、平píng等děng王wáng、泰tài山shān王wáng、都dū市shì王wáng、卞biàn城chéng王wáng、轉zhuǎn輪lún王wáng。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng既jì登dēng王wáng位wèi，乃nǎi靈líng顯xiǎn感gǎn應yìng之zhī類lèi，為wèi何hé不bù知zhī好hǎo歹dǎi？我wǒ老lǎo孫sūn修xiū仙xiān了liǎo道dào，與yǔ天tiān齊qí壽shòu，超chāo昇shēng三sān界jiè之zhī外wài，跳tiào出chū五wǔ行xíng之zhī中zhōng，為wèi何hé著zhuó人rén拘jū我wǒ？」十shí王wáng道dào：「上shàng仙xiān息xī怒nù。普pǔ天tiān下xià同tóng名míng同tóng姓xìng者zhě多duō，敢gǎn是shì那nà勾gōu死sǐ人rén錯cuò走zǒu了le也yě？」悟wù空kōng道dào：「胡hú說shuō！胡hú說shuō！常cháng言yán道dào：『官guān差chà吏lì差chà，來lái人rén不bú差chà。』你nǐ快kuài取qǔ生shēng死sǐ簿bù子zi來lái我wǒ看kàn！」十shí王wáng聞wén言yán，即jí請qǐng上shàng殿diàn查chá看kàn。慌huāng得de那nà十shí代dài冥míng王wáng急jí整zhěng衣yī来lái看kàn，见jiàn他tā相xiàng貌mào凶xiōng恶è，即jí排pái下xià班bān次cì，应yìng声shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「你nǐ既jì认rèn不bù得de我wǒ，怎zěn么me差chāi人rén来lái勾gōu我wǒ？」十shí王wáng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。想xiǎng是shì差chāi人rén差chà了le。」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「我wǒ本běn是shì花huā果guǒ山shān水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng天tiān生shēng圣shèng人rén孙sūn悟wù空kōng。你nǐ等děng是shì甚shèn么me官guān位wèi？」十shí王wáng躬gōng身shēn道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì阴yīn间jiān天tiān子zǐ十shí代dài冥míng王wáng。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「快kuài报bào名míng来lái，免miǎn打dǎ。」十shí王wáng道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì秦qín广guǎng王wáng、初chū江jiāng王wáng、宋sòng帝dì王wáng、忤wǔ官guān王wáng、阎yán罗luó王wáng、平píng等děng王wáng、泰tài山shān王wáng、都dū市shì王wáng、卞biàn城chéng王wáng、转zhuǎn轮lún王wáng。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng既jì登dēng王wáng位wèi，乃nǎi灵líng显xiǎn感gǎn应yìng之zhī类lèi，为wèi何hé不bù知zhī好hǎo歹dǎi？我wǒ老lǎo孙sūn修xiū仙xiān了liǎo道dào，与yǔ天tiān齐qí寿shòu，超chāo升shēng三sān界jiè之zhī外wài，跳tiào出chū五wǔ行xíng之zhī中zhōng，为wèi何hé著zhuó人rén拘jū我wǒ？」十shí王wáng道dào：「上shàng仙xiān息xī怒nù。普pǔ天tiān下xià同tóng名míng同tóng姓xìng者zhě多duō，敢gǎn是shì那nà勾gōu死sǐ人rén错cuò走zǒu了le也yě？」悟wù空kōng道dào：「胡hú说shuō！胡hú说shuō！常cháng言yán道dào：『官guān差chà吏lì差chà，来lái人rén不bú差chà。』你nǐ快kuài取qǔ生shēng死sǐ簿bù子zi来lái我wǒ看kàn！」十shí王wáng闻wén言yán，即jí请qǐng上shàng殿diàn查chá看kàn。

逐句解 Line by line

慌huāng得de那nà十shí代dài冥míng王wáng急jí整zhěng衣yī來lái看kàn，見jiàn他tā相xiàng貌mào兇xiōng惡è，即jí排pái下xià班bān次cì，應yìng聲shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！」慌huāng得de那nà十shí代dài冥míng王wáng急jí整zhěng衣yī来lái看kàn，见jiàn他tā相xiàng貌mào凶xiōng恶è，即jí排pái下xià班bān次cì，应yìng声shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！上shàng仙xiān留liú名míng！」

In alarm the Ten Kings of the underworld hastily straightened their robes and came to look; seeing his fierce appearance, they at once drew themselves up in ranks and called out in chorus: 'Honored Immortal, leave your name! Honored Immortal, leave your name!'

十代冥王 — the Ten Kings (十殿閻王) who preside over the courts of the underworld; 代 here = "in succession." 急整衣 — "hastily straightened their robes." 相貌 — "appearance"; 相 reads xiàng (fourth tone). 排下班次 — "drew up in ranks." 應聲 — "in response, in chorus"; 應 yìng. 留名 — "leave your name" (a demand to identify oneself).

猴hóu王wáng道dào：「你nǐ既jì認rèn不bù得de我wǒ，怎zěn麼me差chāi人rén來lái勾gōu我wǒ？」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「你nǐ既jì认rèn不bù得de我wǒ，怎zěn么me差chāi人rén来lái勾gōu我wǒ？」

The Monkey King said, 'Since you do not even know me, why did you send men to summon me?'

認不得 — "do not recognize"; 不 bù, 得 the neutral de. 差人 — "to send men"; 差 reads chāi ("to dispatch"). 勾 gōu.

十shí王wáng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。想xiǎng是shì差chāi人rén差chà了le。」十shí王wáng道dào：「不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。想xiǎng是shì差chāi人rén差chà了le。」

The Ten Kings said, 'We dare not, we dare not. It must be that the men we sent were mistaken.'

不敢 — "we dare not" (a deferential disclaimer); 不 bù. 差人差了 — "the men we dispatched got it wrong": the first 差 is chāi ("dispatch"), the second 差 is chà ("to err") — a deliberate play on the graph.

猴hóu王wáng道dào：「我wǒ本běn是shì花huā果guǒ山shān水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng天tiān生shēng聖shèng人rén孫sūn悟wù空kōng。你nǐ等děng是shì甚shèn麼me官guān位wèi？」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「我wǒ本běn是shì花huā果guǒ山shān水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng天tiān生shēng圣shèng人rén孙sūn悟wù空kōng。你nǐ等děng是shì甚shèn么me官guān位wèi？」

The Monkey King said, 'I am Sun Wukong, the heaven-born sage of the Water-Curtain Cave on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. And what offices are you?'

水簾洞 — "Water-Curtain Cave" (ch.1); 簾 lián. 你等 — "you (all)." 甚麼官位 — "what offices."

十shí王wáng躬gōng身shēn道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì陰yīn間jiān天tiān子zǐ十shí代dài冥míng王wáng。」十shí王wáng躬gōng身shēn道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì阴yīn间jiān天tiān子zǐ十shí代dài冥míng王wáng。」

The Ten Kings bowed and said, 'We are the Sons of Heaven of the realm of shade, the Ten Kings of the underworld.'

躬身 — "bowing." 陰間天子 — "the Sons of Heaven of the realm of shade" (陰間, the world of yin/darkness); 天子 — "Son of Heaven," 子 zǐ.

悟wù空kōng道dào：「快kuài報bào名míng來lái，免miǎn打dǎ。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「快kuài报bào名míng来lái，免miǎn打dǎ。」

Wukong said, 'Report your names at once, and spare yourselves a beating.'

報名 — "report your names." 免打 — "spare yourselves a beating."

十shí王wáng道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì秦qín廣guǎng王wáng、初chū江jiāng王wáng、宋sòng帝dì王wáng、忤wǔ官guān王wáng、閻yán羅luó王wáng、平píng等děng王wáng、泰tài山shān王wáng、都dū市shì王wáng、卞biàn城chéng王wáng、轉zhuǎn輪lún王wáng。」十shí王wáng道dào：「我wǒ等děng是shì秦qín广guǎng王wáng、初chū江jiāng王wáng、宋sòng帝dì王wáng、忤wǔ官guān王wáng、阎yán罗luó王wáng、平píng等děng王wáng、泰tài山shān王wáng、都dū市shì王wáng、卞biàn城chéng王wáng、转zhuǎn轮lún王wáng。」

The Ten Kings said, 'We are King Qinguang, King Chujiang, King Songdi, King Wuguan, King Yama, King Pingdeng, King Taishan, King Dushi, King Biancheng, and King Zhuanlun.'

The Ten Kings name themselves in order: 秦廣王 (Qinguang), 初江王 (Chujiang), 宋帝王 (Songdi), 忤官王 (Wuguan; 忤 wǔ), 閻羅王 (Yama; 閻 yán), 平等王 (Pingdeng), 泰山王 (Taishan), 都市王 (Dushi; 都 reads dū, "city," as in 都市), 卞城王 (Biancheng; 卞 biàn), 轉輪王 (Zhuanlun, "King of the Turning Wheel" of rebirth; 轉 zhuǎn). These are the standard ten kings of the Chinese Buddhist–Daoist underworld.

悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng既jì登dēng王wáng位wèi，乃nǎi靈líng顯xiǎn感gǎn應yìng之zhī類lèi，為wèi何hé不bù知zhī好hǎo歹dǎi？悟wù空kōng道dào：「汝rǔ等děng既jì登dēng王wáng位wèi，乃nǎi灵líng显xiǎn感gǎn应yìng之zhī类lèi，为wèi何hé不bù知zhī好hǎo歹dǎi？

Wukong said, 'Since you hold royal rank, you are beings of numinous power and spirit-response — why do you not know better?

既登王位 — "since you hold royal rank." 靈顯感應之類 — "beings of numinous manifestation and spirit-response"; 應 yìng. 為何 — "why"; 為 wèi. 不知好歹 — "not know better"; 不 bù.

我wǒ老lǎo孫sūn修xiū仙xiān了liǎo道dào，與yǔ天tiān齊qí壽shòu，超chāo昇shēng三sān界jiè之zhī外wài，跳tiào出chū五wǔ行xíng之zhī中zhōng，為wèi何hé著zhuó人rén拘jū我wǒ？」我wǒ老lǎo孙sūn修xiū仙xiān了liǎo道dào，与yǔ天tiān齐qí寿shòu，超chāo升shēng三sān界jiè之zhī外wài，跳tiào出chū五wǔ行xíng之zhī中zhōng，为wèi何hé著zhuó人rén拘jū我wǒ？」

Old Sun has cultivated immortality and attained the Way; my lifespan is equal to Heaven's; I have ascended beyond the Three Realms and leapt clear of the Five Phases. Why have you sent men to seize me?'

修仙了道 — "cultivated immortality and attained the Way"; 了 here reads liǎo ("to complete, accomplish," as in 了道), not the particle le. 與天齊壽 — "lifespan equal to Heaven's." 超昇三界之外，跳出五行之中 — 五行 wǔ-xíng, 行 xíng. 為何著人拘我 — "why have you had men seize me?"; 為 wèi, 著 the causative zhuó ("have someone…"), 拘 "to detain."

十shí王wáng道dào：「上shàng仙xiān息xī怒nù。普pǔ天tiān下xià同tóng名míng同tóng姓xìng者zhě多duō，敢gǎn是shì那nà勾gōu死sǐ人rén錯cuò走zǒu了le也yě？」十shí王wáng道dào：「上shàng仙xiān息xī怒nù。普pǔ天tiān下xià同tóng名míng同tóng姓xìng者zhě多duō，敢gǎn是shì那nà勾gōu死sǐ人rén错cuò走zǒu了le也yě？」

The Ten Kings said, 'Let the Honored Immortal calm his anger. Throughout the world there are many of the same name and surname — could it be that the death-fetcher went to the wrong place?'

息怒 — "calm your anger." 普天下 — "throughout the world." 同名同姓 — "the same given name and surname." 敢是 — "could it be that…" (vernacular). 錯走了 — "went to the wrong place," 錯 cuò.

悟wù空kōng道dào：「胡hú說shuō！胡hú說shuō！常cháng言yán道dào：『官guān差chà吏lì差chà，來lái人rén不bú差chà。』你nǐ快kuài取qǔ生shēng死sǐ簿bù子zi來lái我wǒ看kàn！」悟wù空kōng道dào：「胡hú说shuō！胡hú说shuō！常cháng言yán道dào：『官guān差chà吏lì差chà，来lái人rén不bú差chà。』你nǐ快kuài取qǔ生shēng死sǐ簿bù子zi来lái我wǒ看kàn！」

Wukong said, 'Nonsense! Nonsense! As the common saying goes, "the official may err and the clerk may err, but the man who comes does not err." Quick — fetch me the register of life and death to look at!'

胡說 — "nonsense!" 常言道 — "as the common saying goes," introducing the proverb 官差吏差，來人不差: "the official may err and the clerk may err, but the man who comes does not err" — here 差 reads chà ("to err") in all three, and 不 takes bú (before fourth-tone 差). Wukong uses it to reject the excuse of a clerical mistake. 生死簿子 — "the register of life and death"; 簿 bù, 子 the neutral suffix zi.

十shí王wáng聞wén言yán，即jí請qǐng上shàng殿diàn查chá看kàn。十shí王wáng闻wén言yán，即jí请qǐng上shàng殿diàn查chá看kàn。

Hearing this, the Ten Kings at once invited him up to the hall to inspect it.

聞言 — "hearing this." 即請上殿查看 — "at once invited him up to the hall to inspect."

總評 Commentary

The underworld is staffed, like the dragon-court before it, as a celestial bureaucracy — here the canonical Ten Kings (十殿閻王) of the Chinese afterlife, each presiding over one court of judgment. Their instant capitulation is the scene's comedy: confronted with Wukong's fierce face, the lords of death straighten their robes, line up in ranks, and beg the "Honored Immortal" to identify himself, then try to fob him off with the bland excuse of a clerical error ("perhaps the runner went to the wrong place"). That these are genuine divinities — "beings of numinous manifestation and spirit-response" (靈顯感應之類) — only sharpens the satire: even true gods of the dead are, before Wukong, frightened clerks. The full roll-call of the Ten Kings, recited on demand "to spare a beating," is a small set-piece of the novel's encyclopedic delight in naming the furniture of the cosmos.

Wukong's rebuttal turns on a folk proverb — "the official may err, the clerk may err, but the man who comes does not err" (官差吏差，來人不差) — wielded, as ever, as a weapon: he refuses the kings' attempt to treat his summons as a mistake, insisting that the warrant naming him was no accident, and demands the register itself. The argument restates the chapter's central claim (he has "attained the Way" and stands "beyond the Three Realms and the Five Phases") but now presses it as a documentary dispute: not "am I subject to death?" debated in the abstract, but "show me my name in the book." Anthony C. Yu notes how persistently the novel renders cosmic and spiritual questions in the idiom of paperwork and procedure — and Wukong, the supreme anti-bureaucrat, beats the bureaucracy at its own game by going straight to the file.