第三十八回 · 叩寺求師 Seeking the Master at the Temple — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

叩寺求師 Seeking the Master at the Temple

太tài子zǐ急jí忙máng上shàng馬mǎ，出chū後hòu宰zǎi門mén，躲duǒ離lí城chéng池chí。真zhēn個gè是shì噙qín淚lèi叩kòu頭tóu辭cí國guó母mǔ，含hán悲bēi頓dùn首shǒu復fù唐táng僧sēng。不bù多duō時shí，出chū了le城chéng門mén，徑jìng至zhì寶bǎo林lín寺sì山shān門mén前qián下xià馬mǎ。眾zhòng軍jūn士shì接jiē著zhe太tài子zǐ，又yòu見jiàn紅hóng輪lún將jiāng墜zhuì。太tài子zǐ傳chuán令lìng：不bù許xǔ軍jūn士shì亂luàn動dòng。他tā又yòu獨dú自zì個gè入rù了le山shān門mén，整zhěng束shù衣yī冠guān，拜bài請qǐng行xíng者zhě。只zhǐ見jiàn那nà猴hóu王wáng從cóng正zhèng殿diàn搖yáo搖yáo擺bǎi擺bǎi走zǒu來lái，那nà太tài子zǐ雙shuāng膝xī跪guì下xià道dào：「師shī父fù，我wǒ來lái了le。」行xíng者zhě上shàng前qián攙chān住zhù道dào：「請qǐng起qǐ。你nǐ到dào城chéng中zhōng，可kě曾zēng問wèn誰shuí麼me？」太tài子zǐ道dào：「問wèn母mǔ親qīn來lái。」將jiāng前qián言yán盡jìn說shuō了le一yí遍biàn。行xíng者zhě微wēi微wēi笑xiào道dào：「若ruò是shì那nà般bān冷lěng啊a，想xiǎng是shì個gè甚shén麼me冰bīng冷lěng的de東dōng西xī變biàn的de。不bù打dǎ緊jǐn，不bù打dǎ緊jǐn，等děng我wǒ老lǎo孫sūn與yǔ你nǐ掃sǎo蕩dàng。卻què只zhǐ是shì今jīn日rì晚wǎn了le，不bù好hǎo行xíng事shì。你nǐ先xiān回huí去qù，待dài明míng早zǎo我wǒ來lái。」太tài子zǐ急jí忙máng上shàng马mǎ，出chū后hòu宰zǎi门mén，躲duǒ离lí城chéng池chí。真zhēn个gè是shì噙qín泪lèi叩kòu头tóu辞cí国guó母mǔ，含hán悲bēi顿dùn首shǒu复fù唐táng僧sēng。不bù多duō时shí，出chū了le城chéng门mén，径jìng至zhì宝bǎo林lín寺sì山shān门mén前qián下xià马mǎ。众zhòng军jūn士shì接jiē著zhe太tài子zǐ，又yòu见jiàn红hóng轮lún将jiāng坠zhuì。太tài子zǐ传chuán令lìng：不bù许xǔ军jūn士shì乱luàn动dòng。他tā又yòu独dú自zì个gè入rù了le山shān门mén，整zhěng束shù衣yī冠guān，拜bài请qǐng行xíng者zhě。只zhǐ见jiàn那nà猴hóu王wáng从cóng正zhèng殿diàn摇yáo摇yáo摆bǎi摆bǎi走zǒu来lái，那nà太tài子zǐ双shuāng膝xī跪guì下xià道dào：「师shī父fù，我wǒ来lái了le。」行xíng者zhě上shàng前qián搀chān住zhù道dào：「请qǐng起qǐ。你nǐ到dào城chéng中zhōng，可kě曾zēng问wèn谁shuí么me？」太tài子zǐ道dào：「问wèn母mǔ亲qīn来lái。」将jiāng前qián言yán尽jìn说shuō了le一yí遍biàn。行xíng者zhě微wēi微wēi笑xiào道dào：「若ruò是shì那nà般bān冷lěng啊a，想xiǎng是shì个gè甚shén么me冰bīng冷lěng的de东dōng西xī变biàn的de。不bù打dǎ紧jǐn，不bù打dǎ紧jǐn，等děng我wǒ老lǎo孙sūn与yǔ你nǐ扫sǎo荡dàng。却què只zhǐ是shì今jīn日rì晚wǎn了le，不bù好hǎo行xíng事shì。你nǐ先xiān回huí去qù，待dài明míng早zǎo我wǒ来lái。」

逐句解 Line by line

太tài子zǐ急jí忙máng上shàng馬mǎ，出chū後hòu宰zǎi門mén，躲duǒ離lí城chéng池chí。太tài子zǐ急jí忙máng上shàng马mǎ，出chū后hòu宰zǎi门mén，躲duǒ离lí城chéng池chí。

The prince mounted in haste, went out by the Rear Steward's Gate, and slipped away from the walled city.

後宰門: the Rear Steward's Gate (宰 = zǎi). 太子: 子 = zǐ.

真zhēn個gè是shì噙qín淚lèi叩kòu頭tóu辭cí國guó母mǔ，含hán悲bēi頓dùn首shǒu復fù唐táng僧sēng。真zhēn个gè是shì噙qín泪lèi叩kòu头tóu辞cí国guó母mǔ，含hán悲bēi顿dùn首shǒu复fù唐táng僧sēng。

Truly it was: with tears held back he kowtowed and took his leave of the queen-mother; bearing his grief he bowed his head and turned again to the Tang Monk.

真個是: a storyteller's tag introducing an inline parallel couplet, kept here as prose (the narrative resumes directly after). 辭國母…復唐僧 compresses the prince's whole return in a single antithesis.

不bù多duō時shí，出chū了le城chéng門mén，徑jìng至zhì寶bǎo林lín寺sì山shān門mén前qián下xià馬mǎ。不bù多duō时shí，出chū了le城chéng门mén，径jìng至zhì宝bǎo林lín寺sì山shān门mén前qián下xià马mǎ。

In no long while he passed out through the city gate and came straight to the mountain gate of Baolin Temple, where he dismounted.

寶林寺: Baolin ('Treasure-Grove') Temple, where the pilgrims are lodged. 了 = le (aspect).

眾zhòng軍jūn士shì接jiē著zhe太tài子zǐ，又yòu見jiàn紅hóng輪lún將jiāng墜zhuì。众zhòng军jūn士shì接jiē著zhe太tài子zǐ，又yòu见jiàn红hóng轮lún将jiāng坠zhuì。

The soldiers received the prince, and saw besides that the red wheel of the sun was about to sink.

接著: received, greeted (著 = zhe, aspectual). 紅輪將墜: the red wheel [sun] about to sink — 將 = jiāng ('about to'); dusk is falling. 太子: 子 = zǐ.

太tài子zǐ傳chuán令lìng：不bù許xǔ軍jūn士shì亂luàn動dòng。太tài子zǐ传chuán令lìng：不bù许xǔ军jūn士shì乱luàn动dòng。

The prince gave the order: the soldiers were not to stir about in disorder.

不許軍士亂動: forbade the soldiers to move about in disorder. 太子: 子 = zǐ.

他tā又yòu獨dú自zì個gè入rù了le山shān門mén，整zhěng束shù衣yī冠guān，拜bài請qǐng行xíng者zhě。他tā又yòu独dú自zì个gè入rù了le山shān门mén，整zhěng束shù衣yī冠guān，拜bài请qǐng行xíng者zhě。

He then went in alone through the mountain gate, set his cap and gown to rights, and reverently sought out the Pilgrim.

整束衣冠: to straighten one's cap and robe (衣冠, 冠 = guān, the cap). 拜請行者: reverently to seek the Pilgrim (行 = xíng).

只zhǐ見jiàn那nà猴hóu王wáng從cóng正zhèng殿diàn搖yáo搖yáo擺bǎi擺bǎi走zǒu來lái，那nà太tài子zǐ雙shuāng膝xī跪guì下xià道dào：「師shī父fù，我wǒ來lái了le。」只zhǐ见jiàn那nà猴hóu王wáng从cóng正zhèng殿diàn摇yáo摇yáo摆bǎi摆bǎi走zǒu来lái，那nà太tài子zǐ双shuāng膝xī跪guì下xià道dào：「师shī父fù，我wǒ来lái了le。」

He saw the Monkey King come swaggering out from the main hall; and the prince, dropping to both knees, said: 'Master, I have come.'

搖搖擺擺: swaggering, rolling side to side — Wukong's characteristic gait. 那 (twice) = nà; 太子: 子 = zǐ; 了 = le.

行xíng者zhě上shàng前qián攙chān住zhù道dào：「請qǐng起qǐ。行xíng者zhě上shàng前qián搀chān住zhù道dào：「请qǐng起qǐ。

The Pilgrim stepped forward, helped him up, and said: 'Please rise.'

攙住: to support, steady (chān). 行 = xíng.

你nǐ到dào城chéng中zhōng，可kě曾zēng問wèn誰shuí麼me？」你nǐ到dào城chéng中zhōng，可kě曾zēng问wèn谁shuí么me？」

'When you reached the city, did you ask anyone?'

城中: 中 = zhōng.

太tài子zǐ道dào：「問wèn母mǔ親qīn來lái。」太tài子zǐ道dào：「问wèn母mǔ亲qīn来lái。」

The prince said: 'I asked my mother.'

太子: 子 = zǐ.

將jiāng前qián言yán盡jìn說shuō了le一yí遍biàn。将jiāng前qián言yán尽jìn说shuō了le一yí遍biàn。

And he told over the whole of what had been said before.

將前言盡說了一遍: took the earlier words and told them all through once — 將 = jiāng (disposal coverb); 盡 = jìn (wholly).

行xíng者zhě微wēi微wēi笑xiào道dào：「若ruò是shì那nà般bān冷lěng啊a，想xiǎng是shì個gè甚shén麼me冰bīng冷lěng的de東dōng西xī變biàn的de。行xíng者zhě微wēi微wēi笑xiào道dào：「若ruò是shì那nà般bān冷lěng啊a，想xiǎng是shì个gè甚shén么me冰bīng冷lěng的de东dōng西xī变biàn的de。

The Pilgrim said with a slight smile: 'If he was cold in that way, then likely it is some cold-natured thing that has taken his shape.'

那般冷: cold in that way (那 = nà). 甚麼 = shén me. 行 = xíng. Wukong's diagnosis — a cold-natured creature — points ahead to the demon's nature.

不bù打dǎ緊jǐn，不bù打dǎ緊jǐn，等děng我wǒ老lǎo孫sūn與yǔ你nǐ掃sǎo蕩dàng。不bù打dǎ紧jǐn，不bù打dǎ紧jǐn，等děng我wǒ老lǎo孙sūn与yǔ你nǐ扫sǎo荡dàng。

'No matter, no matter — let old Sun sweep it away for you.'

不打緊: 'no matter, of no consequence.' 老孫: 'old Sun,' Wukong's self-reference.

卻què只zhǐ是shì今jīn日rì晚wǎn了le，不bù好hǎo行xíng事shì。却què只zhǐ是shì今jīn日rì晚wǎn了le，不bù好hǎo行xíng事shì。

'Only it has grown late today, and this is no time to set to work.'

不好行事: 'no [good time] to act' (行 = xíng, 'to do'); the lateness of the hour.

你nǐ先xiān回huí去qù，待dài明míng早zǎo我wǒ來lái。」你nǐ先xiān回huí去qù，待dài明míng早zǎo我wǒ来lái。」

'Go back first; wait until early tomorrow, and I will come.'

待明早我來: 'wait until tomorrow morning, and I will come.'

總評 Commentary

The scene shifts back to Baolin Temple, and the register lightens. The prince's grief-laden return is dispatched in an inline couplet (真個是…), after which the narrative attends to homely particulars — the soldiers received at the gate, the sun sinking, the order to keep still, the prince straightening his robes before he kneels. Against this, Wukong's swaggering entrance (搖搖擺擺) restores the comic energy the palace scenes had suspended.

Wukong's response is briskly practical. He needs only the queen's one detail — the marital 'cold' — to diagnose the impostor as 'some cold-natured thing,' and to promise, with his usual bravado, to sweep it away. The demon-catcher reduces the palace's tangled grief to a technical problem he already knows how to solve.

His deferral — it is late, wait until morning — is both plausible stagecraft and a setup. The prince will resist being sent home, and the negotiation that follows turns Wukong's caution into the seed of the next passage's comedy and strategy.