第三回 · 天河神珍 The Treasure of Heaven's River — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

天河神珍 The Treasure of Heaven's River

正zhèng說shuō處chù，後hòu面miàn閃shǎn過guò龍lóng婆pó、龍lóng女nǚ道dào：「大dà王wáng，觀guān看kàn此cǐ聖shèng，決jué非fēi小xiǎo可kě。我wǒ們men這zhè海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng，那nà一yí塊kuài天tiān河hé定dìng底dǐ的de神shén珍zhēn鐵tiě，這zhè幾jǐ日rì霞xiá光guāng艷yàn艷yàn，瑞ruì氣qì騰téng騰téng，敢gǎn莫mò是shì該gāi出chū現xiàn，遇yù此cǐ聖shèng也yě？」龍lóng王wáng道dào：「那nà是shì大dà禹yǔ治zhì水shuǐ之zhī時shí，定dìng江jiāng海hǎi淺qiǎn深shēn的de一yí個gè定dìng子zi，是shì一yí塊kuài神shén鐵tiě，能néng中zhòng何hé用yòng？」龍lóng婆pó道dào：「莫mò管guǎn他tā用yòng不bú用yòng，且qiě送sòng與yǔ他tā，憑píng他tā怎zěn麼me改gǎi造zào，送sòng出chū宮gōng門mén便biàn了le。」老lǎo龍lóng王wáng依yī言yán，盡jìn向xiàng悟wù空kōng說shuō了le。悟wù空kōng道dào：「拿ná出chū來lái我wǒ看kàn。」龍lóng王wáng搖yáo手shǒu道dào：「扛káng不bú動dòng，擡tái不bú動dòng，須xū上shàng仙xiān親qīn去qù看kàn看kàn。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「在zài何hé處chù？你nǐ引yǐn我wǒ去qù。」龍lóng王wáng果guǒ引yǐn導dǎo至zhì海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng間jiān，忽hū見jiàn金jīn光guāng萬wàn道dào。龍lóng王wáng指zhǐ定dìng道dào：「那nà放fàng光guāng的de便biàn是shì。」悟wù空kōng撩liāo衣yī上shàng前qián，摸mō了le一yì把bǎ，乃nǎi是shì一yì根gēn鐵tiě柱zhù子zi，約yuē有yǒu斗dǒu來lái粗cū，二èr丈zhàng有yǒu餘yú長cháng。他tā儘jǐn力lì兩liǎng手shǒu撾zhuā過guò道dào：「忒tè粗cū忒tè長cháng些xiē，再zài短duǎn細xì些xiē方fāng可kě用yòng。」說shuō畢bì，那nà寶bǎo貝bèi就jiù短duǎn了le幾jǐ尺chǐ，細xì了le一yì圍wéi。悟wù空kōng又yòu顛diān一yì顛diān道dào：「再zài細xì些xiē更gèng好hǎo。」那nà寶bǎo貝bèi真zhēn個gè又yòu細xì了le幾jǐ分fēn。悟wù空kōng十shí分fēn歡huān喜xǐ，拿ná出chū海hǎi藏zàng看kàn時shí，原yuán來lái兩liǎng頭tóu是shì兩liǎng個gè金jīn箍gū，中zhōng間jiān乃nǎi一yí段duàn烏wū鐵tiě。緊jǐn挨āi箍gū有yǒu鐫juān成chéng的de一yì行háng字zì，喚huàn做zuò：「如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，重zhòng一yí萬wàn三sān千qiān五wǔ百bǎi斤jīn。」心xīn中zhōng暗àn喜xǐ道dào：「想xiǎng必bì這zhè寶bǎo貝bèi如rú人rén意yì。」一yì邊biān走zǒu，一yì邊biān心xīn思sī口kǒu念niàn，手shǒu顛diān著zhe道dào：「再zài短duǎn細xì些xiē更gèng妙miào。」拿ná出chū外wài面miàn，只zhǐ有yǒu二èr丈zhàng長cháng短duǎn，碗wǎn口kǒu粗cū細xì。正zhèng说shuō处chù，后hòu面miàn闪shǎn过guò龙lóng婆pó、龙lóng女nǚ道dào：「大dà王wáng，观guān看kàn此cǐ圣shèng，决jué非fēi小xiǎo可kě。我wǒ们men这zhè海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng，那nà一yí块kuài天tiān河hé定dìng底dǐ的de神shén珍zhēn铁tiě，这zhè几jǐ日rì霞xiá光guāng艳yàn艳yàn，瑞ruì气qì腾téng腾téng，敢gǎn莫mò是shì该gāi出chū现xiàn，遇yù此cǐ圣shèng也yě？」龙lóng王wáng道dào：「那nà是shì大dà禹yǔ治zhì水shuǐ之zhī时shí，定dìng江jiāng海hǎi浅qiǎn深shēn的de一yí个gè定dìng子zi，是shì一yí块kuài神shén铁tiě，能néng中zhòng何hé用yòng？」龙lóng婆pó道dào：「莫mò管guǎn他tā用yòng不bú用yòng，且qiě送sòng与yǔ他tā，凭píng他tā怎zěn么me改gǎi造zào，送sòng出chū宫gōng门mén便biàn了le。」老lǎo龙lóng王wáng依yī言yán，尽jìn向xiàng悟wù空kōng说shuō了le。悟wù空kōng道dào：「拿ná出chū来lái我wǒ看kàn。」龙lóng王wáng摇yáo手shǒu道dào：「扛káng不bú动dòng，擡tái不bú动dòng，须xū上shàng仙xiān亲qīn去qù看kàn看kàn。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「在zài何hé处chù？你nǐ引yǐn我wǒ去qù。」龙lóng王wáng果guǒ引yǐn导dǎo至zhì海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng间jiān，忽hū见jiàn金jīn光guāng万wàn道dào。龙lóng王wáng指zhǐ定dìng道dào：「那nà放fàng光guāng的de便biàn是shì。」悟wù空kōng撩liāo衣yī上shàng前qián，摸mō了le一yì把bǎ，乃nǎi是shì一yì根gēn铁tiě柱zhù子zi，约yuē有yǒu斗dǒu来lái粗cū，二èr丈zhàng有yǒu余yú长cháng。他tā尽jǐn力lì两liǎng手shǒu挝zhuā过guò道dào：「忒tè粗cū忒tè长cháng些xiē，再zài短duǎn细xì些xiē方fāng可kě用yòng。」说shuō毕bì，那nà宝bǎo贝bèi就jiù短duǎn了le几jǐ尺chǐ，细xì了le一yì围wéi。悟wù空kōng又yòu颠diān一yì颠diān道dào：「再zài细xì些xiē更gèng好hǎo。」那nà宝bǎo贝bèi真zhēn个gè又yòu细xì了le几jǐ分fēn。悟wù空kōng十shí分fēn欢huān喜xǐ，拿ná出chū海hǎi藏zàng看kàn时shí，原yuán来lái两liǎng头tóu是shì两liǎng个gè金jīn箍gū，中zhōng间jiān乃nǎi一yí段duàn乌wū铁tiě。紧jǐn挨āi箍gū有yǒu镌juān成chéng的de一yì行háng字zì，唤huàn做zuò：「如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，重zhòng一yí万wàn三sān千qiān五wǔ百bǎi斤jīn。」心xīn中zhōng暗àn喜xǐ道dào：「想xiǎng必bì这zhè宝bǎo贝bèi如rú人rén意yì。」一yì边biān走zǒu，一yì边biān心xīn思sī口kǒu念niàn，手shǒu颠diān著zhe道dào：「再zài短duǎn细xì些xiē更gèng妙miào。」拿ná出chū外wài面miàn，只zhǐ有yǒu二èr丈zhàng长cháng短duǎn，碗wǎn口kǒu粗cū细xì。

逐句解 Line by line

正zhèng說shuō處chù，後hòu面miàn閃shǎn過guò龍lóng婆pó、龍lóng女nǚ道dào：「大dà王wáng，觀guān看kàn此cǐ聖shèng，決jué非fēi小xiǎo可kě。正zhèng说shuō处chù，后hòu面miàn闪shǎn过guò龙lóng婆pó、龙lóng女nǚ道dào：「大dà王wáng，观guān看kàn此cǐ圣shèng，决jué非fēi小xiǎo可kě。

Just as they were speaking, the Dragon Mother and the Dragon Daughter slipped out from behind and said: 'Your Majesty, looking at this sage, he is no ordinary being.

正說處 — "just as they were speaking," 處 chù. 龍婆 / 龍女 — the Dragon Mother (the queen) and Dragon Daughter (the princess); 女 here nǚ ("daughter"). 決非小可 — "by no means an ordinary one" (小可 = "trifling, common"). The women's intervention, against the king's reluctance, is what releases the rod.

我wǒ們men這zhè海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng，那nà一yí塊kuài天tiān河hé定dìng底dǐ的de神shén珍zhēn鐵tiě，這zhè幾jǐ日rì霞xiá光guāng艷yàn艷yàn，瑞ruì氣qì騰téng騰téng，敢gǎn莫mò是shì該gāi出chū現xiàn，遇yù此cǐ聖shèng也yě？」我wǒ们men这zhè海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng，那nà一yí块kuài天tiān河hé定dìng底dǐ的de神shén珍zhēn铁tiě，这zhè几jǐ日rì霞xiá光guāng艳yàn艳yàn，瑞ruì气qì腾téng腾téng，敢gǎn莫mò是shì该gāi出chū现xiàn，遇yù此cǐ圣shèng也yě？」

In our sea-treasury there is that piece of divine iron that fixes the bed of the River of Heaven, and these past few days its rosy radiance has blazed and its auspicious vapors have surged — might it not be that its hour to appear has come, now that this sage is here?'

海藏 — the "sea-treasury / hoard," 藏 read zàng (fourth tone, "storehouse, treasury"), not cáng ("to hide"). 一塊 takes yí. 天河定底 — "fixes the bottom of the River of Heaven" (天河 = the Milky Way; here the cosmic river whose floods Yu controlled). 霞光艷艷 / 瑞氣騰騰 — "rosy radiance gleaming, auspicious vapors surging," the conventional signs of a numinous object about to manifest. 敢莫是 — a vernacular "could it be that…"

龍lóng王wáng道dào：「那nà是shì大dà禹yǔ治zhì水shuǐ之zhī時shí，定dìng江jiāng海hǎi淺qiǎn深shēn的de一yí個gè定dìng子zi，是shì一yí塊kuài神shén鐵tiě，能néng中zhòng何hé用yòng？」龙lóng王wáng道dào：「那nà是shì大dà禹yǔ治zhì水shuǐ之zhī时shí，定dìng江jiāng海hǎi浅qiǎn深shēn的de一yí个gè定dìng子zi，是shì一yí块kuài神shén铁tiě，能néng中zhòng何hé用yòng？」

The Dragon King said, 'That is the very gauge with which Yu the Great, in the days of taming the floods, fixed the depths of the rivers and seas — a piece of spirit-iron. What use could it be?'

大禹 (Dà Yǔ) — Yu the Great, the flood-queller and founder of the Xia. 定子 — "a fixing-gauge," the depth-measure with which he set the rivers and seas; 子 the neutral suffix zi. 一個 / 一塊 take yí. 能中何用 — "what use could it serve?"; 中 here reads zhòng (fourth tone, as in 中用 "to be of use"), not zhōng. The rod's origin as Yu's measuring-rod is one of the novel's signature mythic etymologies.

龍lóng婆pó道dào：「莫mò管guǎn他tā用yòng不bú用yòng，且qiě送sòng與yǔ他tā，憑píng他tā怎zěn麼me改gǎi造zào，送sòng出chū宮gōng門mén便biàn了le。」龙lóng婆pó道dào：「莫mò管guǎn他tā用yòng不bú用yòng，且qiě送sòng与yǔ他tā，凭píng他tā怎zěn么me改gǎi造zào，送sòng出chū宫gōng门mén便biàn了le。」

The Dragon Mother said, 'Never mind whether it is of use or not — just give it to him, and let him remake it however he likes; only see him out the palace gate, and there's an end of it.'

用不用 — "whether of use or not," the medial 不 taking bú (before fourth-tone 用). 憑他怎麼改造 — "let him remake it however he pleases"; 憑 = "leave it to, allow." 便了 — "and that's that," a vernacular sentence-closer; 便 biàn, 了 le.

老lǎo龍lóng王wáng依yī言yán，盡jìn向xiàng悟wù空kōng說shuō了le。悟wù空kōng道dào：「拿ná出chū來lái我wǒ看kàn。」老lǎo龙lóng王wáng依yī言yán，尽jìn向xiàng悟wù空kōng说shuō了le。悟wù空kōng道dào：「拿ná出chū来lái我wǒ看kàn。」

The old Dragon King did as she said and told Wukong everything. Wukong said, 'Bring it out and let me see.'

依言 — "in accordance with her words." 盡向悟空說了 — "told the whole of it to Wukong"; 盡 jìn ("entirely"). 拿出來 = "bring it out."

龍lóng王wáng搖yáo手shǒu道dào：「扛káng不bú動dòng，擡tái不bú動dòng，須xū上shàng仙xiān親qīn去qù看kàn看kàn。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「在zài何hé處chù？你nǐ引yǐn我wǒ去qù。」龙lóng王wáng摇yáo手shǒu道dào：「扛káng不bú动dòng，擡tái不bú动dòng，须xū上shàng仙xiān亲qīn去qù看kàn看kàn。」悟wù空kōng道dào：「在zài何hé处chù？你nǐ引yǐn我wǒ去qù。」

The Dragon King waved his hands: 'It cannot be lifted, it cannot be carried — the Honored Immortal must go and look at it himself.' Wukong said, 'Where is it? Lead me there.'

扛不動 / 擡不動 — "cannot be lifted / carried"; 扛 reads káng ("to carry on the shoulder"), and the medial 不 takes bú (before fourth-tone 動). 親去看看 — "go in person and have a look." 何處 — "where," 處 chù.

龍lóng王wáng果guǒ引yǐn導dǎo至zhì海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng間jiān，忽hū見jiàn金jīn光guāng萬wàn道dào。龍lóng王wáng指zhǐ定dìng道dào：「那nà放fàng光guāng的de便biàn是shì。」龙lóng王wáng果guǒ引yǐn导dǎo至zhì海hǎi藏zàng中zhōng间jiān，忽hū见jiàn金jīn光guāng万wàn道dào。龙lóng王wáng指zhǐ定dìng道dào：「那nà放fàng光guāng的de便biàn是shì。」

The Dragon King duly guided him into the middle of the sea-treasury, where suddenly ten thousand rays of golden light appeared. The Dragon King pointed: 'The thing giving off that light — that is it.'

引導 — "to guide, lead"; 導 dǎo. 海藏 again zàng. 金光萬道 — "ten thousand rays of golden light," 道 here the classifier for streaks of light. 指定 — "pointed out, indicated."

悟wù空kōng撩liāo衣yī上shàng前qián，摸mō了le一yì把bǎ，乃nǎi是shì一yì根gēn鐵tiě柱zhù子zi，約yuē有yǒu斗dǒu來lái粗cū，二èr丈zhàng有yǒu餘yú長cháng。悟wù空kōng撩liāo衣yī上shàng前qián，摸mō了le一yì把bǎ，乃nǎi是shì一yì根gēn铁tiě柱zhù子zi，约yuē有yǒu斗dǒu来lái粗cū，二èr丈zhàng有yǒu余yú长cháng。

Wukong tucked up his robe, stepped forward, and felt it with his hand: it was an iron pillar, about as thick as a peck-measure and more than two zhàng long.

撩衣 — "to lift / tuck up the robe"; 撩 liāo ("to raise"). 一把 / 一根 take yì. 柱子 — "pillar," 子 the neutral zi. 斗來粗 — "about as thick as a 斗 (a peck-measure / dipper)," using a vessel for girth. 二丈有餘 — "more than two zhàng"; 丈 (zhàng, ten chǐ, roughly 3.3 m) is left untranslated. 長 cháng.

他tā儘jǐn力lì兩liǎng手shǒu撾zhuā過guò道dào：「忒tè粗cū忒tè長cháng些xiē，再zài短duǎn細xì些xiē方fāng可kě用yòng。」他tā尽jǐn力lì两liǎng手shǒu挝zhuā过guò道dào：「忒tè粗cū忒tè长cháng些xiē，再zài短duǎn细xì些xiē方fāng可kě用yòng。」

Putting out all his strength, he gripped it with both hands: 'A bit too thick and too long — if it were a little shorter and thinner it would do.'

儘力 — "with all one's strength"; 儘 (= 盡) jǐn. 撾過 — "gripped, grasped across," 撾 zhuā. 忒粗忒長 — "too thick, too long"; 忒 reads tè ("excessively, too"). 些 here is the comparative-softener "a bit."

說shuō畢bì，那nà寶bǎo貝bèi就jiù短duǎn了le幾jǐ尺chǐ，細xì了le一yì圍wéi。悟wù空kōng又yòu顛diān一yì顛diān道dào：「再zài細xì些xiē更gèng好hǎo。」说shuō毕bì，那nà宝bǎo贝bèi就jiù短duǎn了le几jǐ尺chǐ，细xì了le一yì围wéi。悟wù空kōng又yòu颠diān一yì颠diān道dào：「再zài细xì些xiē更gèng好hǎo。」

No sooner had he spoken than the treasure grew several chǐ shorter and one span thinner. Wukong hefted it again: 'Thinner still would be better.'

短了幾尺 — "grew several chǐ shorter"; 尺 (chǐ, the Chinese foot, roughly 33 cm) untranslated. 細了一圍 — "thinner by one 圍 (a span / girth)"; 一 takes yì (before second-tone 圍). 顛一顛 — "gave it a heft"; the second 一 takes yì (before first-tone 顛). The rod's instant obedience to spoken wish is the marvel the inscription will explain.

那nà寶bǎo貝bèi真zhēn個gè又yòu細xì了le幾jǐ分fēn。悟wù空kōng十shí分fēn歡huān喜xǐ，拿ná出chū海hǎi藏zàng看kàn時shí，原yuán來lái兩liǎng頭tóu是shì兩liǎng個gè金jīn箍gū，中zhōng間jiān乃nǎi一yí段duàn烏wū鐵tiě。那nà宝bǎo贝bèi真zhēn个gè又yòu细xì了le几jǐ分fēn。悟wù空kōng十shí分fēn欢huān喜xǐ，拿ná出chū海hǎi藏zàng看kàn时shí，原yuán来lái两liǎng头tóu是shì两liǎng个gè金jīn箍gū，中zhōng间jiān乃nǎi一yí段duàn乌wū铁tiě。

And truly the treasure grew several fēn thinner again. Wukong was overjoyed, and carrying it out of the sea-treasury to look, he found that its two ends were two bands of gold, and the middle a length of black iron.

真個 — "truly, indeed." 細了幾分 — "thinner by several fēn" (分, a tenth of a 寸, a fine increment); 十分歡喜 then uses 分 in 十分 ("utterly"). 海藏 zàng. 兩頭 — "the two ends." 金箍 — "gold band / hoop," 箍 gū. 一段烏鐵 — "a length of black iron," 一 taking yí (before fourth-tone 段).

緊jǐn挨āi箍gū有yǒu鐫juān成chéng的de一yì行háng字zì，喚huàn做zuò：「如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，重zhòng一yí萬wàn三sān千qiān五wǔ百bǎi斤jīn。」紧jǐn挨āi箍gū有yǒu镌juān成chéng的de一yì行háng字zì，唤huàn做zuò：「如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，重zhòng一yí万wàn三sān千qiān五wǔ百bǎi斤jīn。」

Hard against one band was a line of engraved characters, which read: 'As-You-Will Gold-Banded Rod — weight thirteen thousand five hundred jīn.'

緊挨箍 — "hard against the band"; 挨 reads āi ("close beside, next to"), not ái ("to suffer"). 鐫成 — "engraved," 鐫 juān. 一行字 — "a line of characters"; 行 reads háng ("row, line"), not xíng, and 一 takes yì before it. 如意金箍棒 — the "As-You-Will Gold-Banded Rod," the cudgel's proper name. 重一萬三千五百斤 — "weighing 13,500 jīn"; 重 zhòng, 一 taking yí (before fourth-tone 萬).

心xīn中zhōng暗àn喜xǐ道dào：「想xiǎng必bì這zhè寶bǎo貝bèi如rú人rén意yì。」心xīn中zhōng暗àn喜xǐ道dào：「想xiǎng必bì这zhè宝bǎo贝bèi如rú人rén意yì。」

In secret delight he thought: 'This treasure must answer to one's wishes.'

想必 — "surely, it must be that." 如人意 — "answers to one's wishes," glossing the name 如意 ("as-you-will").

一yì邊biān走zǒu，一yì邊biān心xīn思sī口kǒu念niàn，手shǒu顛diān著zhe道dào：「再zài短duǎn細xì些xiē更gèng妙miào。」拿ná出chū外wài面miàn，只zhǐ有yǒu二èr丈zhàng長cháng短duǎn，碗wǎn口kǒu粗cū細xì。一yì边biān走zǒu，一yì边biān心xīn思sī口kǒu念niàn，手shǒu颠diān著zhe道dào：「再zài短duǎn细xì些xiē更gèng妙miào。」拿ná出chū外wài面miàn，只zhǐ有yǒu二èr丈zhàng长cháng短duǎn，碗wǎn口kǒu粗cū细xì。

As he walked, pondering in his mind and muttering aloud, he kept hefting it: 'Shorter and thinner still would be finer yet.' By the time he brought it outside, it was only some two zhàng long and as thick as a bowl's mouth.

一邊走，一邊… — "as he walked, … at the same time"; both 一 take yì (before first-tone 邊). 心思口念 — "pondering in mind and reciting aloud." 顛著 — "hefting," 著 the durative zhe. 二丈長短 — "about two zhàng in length" (長短 here = "length"). 碗口粗細 — "thick as a bowl's mouth" (粗細 = "thickness").

總評 Commentary

This is the chapter's mythic centerpiece: the cudgel that will be Wukong's inseparable weapon for the rest of the journey is revealed to be no ordinary arm but 大禹's own depth-gauge — the iron rod with which Yu the Great, taming the primordial floods, measured and fixed the beds of the rivers and seas. The novel thus grafts its hero's weapon onto one of the foundational myths of Chinese civilization, Yu's ordering of the waters, giving the 如意金箍棒 a cosmogonic pedigree: an instrument once used to set cosmic order, now repurposed as an instrument of cosmic disorder. Anthony C. Yu observes how such mythic etymologies lend the comic narrative a genuine undertow of myth.

The rod's defining property — that it shrinks and grows at its wielder's spoken wish — is dramatized before it is named: Wukong asks for it shorter and thinner, and it obeys, again and again, until the engraved inscription supplies the word, 如意 ("as you will"). The detail that it answers to thought and word together (心思口念) makes the weapon an extension of the will itself, which is precisely how the inner-alchemical commentators read it: for the Quanzhen tradition of Liu Yiming, the rod is the disciplined mind-force — the unyielding 金 of the true nature — that contracts and expands to meet any situation. The surface comedy carries the allegory lightly, but it is unmistakable.

A quieter point worth marking: it is the Dragon Mother and Dragon Daughter, not the king, who recognize the sage and counsel surrendering the iron — and their reasoning is pure exasperated pragmatism (never mind its use; give it to him and get him out the gate, 送出宮門便了). That a treasure of cosmogonic dignity is handed over chiefly to be rid of an importunate guest is entirely of a piece with this chapter's persistent deflation of the celestial and oceanic powers before the monkey's cheerful, irresistible force.