第三十三回 · 繳旗觀妖 Returning the Banner — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

繳旗觀妖 Returning the Banner

說shuō了le誓shì，將jiāng身shēn一yí縱zòng，把bǎ尾wěi子zi趬qiāo了le一yì趬qiāo，跳tiào在zài南nán天tiān門mén前qián，謝xiè了le哪né吒zhā太tài子zi麾huī旗qí相xiāng助zhù之zhī功gōng。太tài子zi回huí宮gōng繳jiǎo旨zhǐ，將jiāng旗qí送sòng還huán真zhēn武wǔ不bù題tí。這zhè行xíng者zhě佇zhù立lì霄xiāo漢hàn之zhī間jiān，觀guān看kàn那nà個gè小xiǎo妖yāo。畢bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn生shēng區qū處chǔ，且qiě聽tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。说shuō了le誓shì，将jiāng身shēn一yí纵zòng，把bǎ尾wěi子zi趬qiāo了le一yì趬qiāo，跳tiào在zài南nán天tiān门mén前qián，谢xiè了le哪né咤zhā太tài子zi麾huī旗qí相xiāng助zhù之zhī功gōng。太tài子zi回huí宫gōng缴jiǎo旨zhǐ，将jiāng旗qí送sòng还huán真zhēn武wǔ不bù题tí。这zhè行xíng者zhě伫zhù立lì霄xiāo汉hàn之zhī间jiān，观guān看kàn那nà个gè小xiǎo妖yāo。毕bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn生shēng区qū处chǔ，且qiě听tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。

逐句解 Line by line

說shuō了le誓shì，將jiāng身shēn一yí縱zòng，把bǎ尾wěi子zi趬qiāo了le一yì趬qiāo，跳tiào在zài南nán天tiān門mén前qián，謝xiè了le哪né吒zhā太tài子zi麾huī旗qí相xiāng助zhù之zhī功gōng。说shuō了le誓shì，将jiāng身shēn一yí纵zòng，把bǎ尾wěi子zi趬qiāo了le一yì趬qiāo，跳tiào在zài南nán天tiān门mén前qián，谢xiè了le哪né咤zhā太tài子zi麾huī旗qí相xiāng助zhù之zhī功gōng。

The oath sworn, he gave his body a spring and his tail a flick, leapt before the Southern Gate of Heaven, and thanked Prince Nezha for the aid of his waving banner.

將身一縱 (jiāng shēn yí zòng), “with a spring of the body,” 將 the disposal coverb. 麾旗相助 (huī qí xiāng zhù), “the help of the waving banner,” 相 read xiāng.

太tài子zi回huí宮gōng繳jiǎo旨zhǐ，將jiāng旗qí送sòng還huán真zhēn武wǔ不bù題tí。太tài子zi回huí宫gōng缴jiǎo旨zhǐ，将jiāng旗qí送sòng还huán真zhēn武wǔ不bù题tí。

The Prince returned to his palace to report the mission done, and sent the banner back to Zhenwu — of which no more.

繳旨 (jiǎo zhǐ), “to report a completed commission.” 送還真武 (sòng huán zhēn wǔ), “returned it to Zhenwu,” 還 read huán, “to give back.”

這zhè行xíng者zhě佇zhù立lì霄xiāo漢hàn之zhī間jiān，觀guān看kàn那nà個gè小xiǎo妖yāo。这zhè行xíng者zhě伫zhù立lì霄xiāo汉hàn之zhī间jiān，观guān看kàn那nà个gè小xiǎo妖yāo。

Pilgrim stood poised amid the empyrean, watching the little imps below.

佇立霄漢 (zhù lì xiāo hàn), “stood still in the high heavens.” 觀看 (guān kàn), “to watch, observe,” 觀 read guān.

畢bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn生shēng區qū處chǔ，且qiě聽tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。毕bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn生shēng区qū处chǔ，且qiě听tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。

In the end there is no telling how the matter will be dealt with — so listen to the next installment for the telling.

怎生區處 (zěn shēng qū chǔ), “how it will be handled or resolved,” 處 read chǔ, “to manage, dispose of.” 下回分解 (xià huí fēn jiě), “explained in the next chapter,” the storyteller's closing formula; 解 read jiě.

總評 Commentary

With the treasures won, Pilgrim discharges his debts to Heaven — a spring of the body carries him to the Southern Gate to thank Nezha, and the borrowed banner is returned to Zhenwu, the celestial account squared. The brisk winding-down mirrors the efficiency of the whole con: help summoned, used, and repaid, with the deceived imps none the wiser. The Great Sage, lately buried under three mountains, now stands “poised amid the empyrean,” his fortunes wholly reversed.

The chapter closes on an image of watchful ascendancy — Pilgrim looking down on the imps he has fleeced — and on the storyteller's customary hook: how the matter will be dealt with, no one can yet say. The reversal is complete but not concluded; two treasures are won, but three more remain unaccounted for, and the Gold- and Silver-Horned Kings still hold Tripitaka and the others captive in the Lotus-Flower Cave. The contest of wits has been decisively joined, and its opening round decisively won, as the tale turns toward the reckoning to come.