第三十八回 · 龍王識帥 The Dragon-King Knows the Marshal — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

龍王識帥 The Dragon-King Knows the Marshal

八bā戒jiè正zhèng敘xù話huà處chù，早zǎo有yǒu一yí個gè巡xún水shuǐ的de夜yè叉chā開kāi了le門mén，看kàn見jiàn他tā的de模mó樣yàng，急jí抽chōu身shēn進jìn去qù報bào道dào：「大dà王wáng，禍huò事shì了le，井jǐng上shàng落luò一yí個gè長cháng嘴zuǐ大dà耳ěr的de和hé尚shàng來lái了le，赤chì淋lín淋lín的de，衣yī服fú全quán無wú，還hái不bù死sǐ，逼bī法fǎ說shuō話huà哩lī。」那nà井jǐng龍lóng王wáng忽hū聞wén此cǐ言yán，心xīn中zhōng大dà驚jīng道dào：「這zhè是shì天tiān蓬péng元yuán帥shuài來lái也yě。昨zuó夜yè夜yè遊yóu神shén奉fèng上shàng敕chì旨zhǐ，來lái取qǔ烏wū雞jī國guó王wáng魂hún靈líng去qù拜bài見jiàn唐táng僧sēng，請qǐng齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng降xiáng妖yāo。這zhè怕pà是shì齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng、天tiān蓬péng元yuán帥shuài來lái了le，卻què不bù可kě怠dài慢màn他tā，快kuài接jiē他tā去qù也yě。」八bā戒jiè正zhèng叙xù话huà处chù，早zǎo有yǒu一yí个gè巡xún水shuǐ的de夜yè叉chā开kāi了le门mén，看kàn见jiàn他tā的de模mó样yàng，急jí抽chōu身shēn进jìn去qù报bào道dào：「大dà王wáng，祸huò事shì了le，井jǐng上shàng落luò一yí个gè长cháng嘴zuǐ大dà耳ěr的de和hé尚shàng来lái了le，赤chì淋lín淋lín的de，衣yī服fú全quán无wú，还hái不bù死sǐ，逼bī法fǎ说shuō话huà哩lī。」那nà井jǐng龙lóng王wáng忽hū闻wén此cǐ言yán，心xīn中zhōng大dà惊jīng道dào：「这zhè是shì天tiān蓬péng元yuán帅shuài来lái也yě。昨zuó夜yè夜yè游yóu神shén奉fèng上shàng敕chì旨zhǐ，来lái取qǔ乌wū鸡jī国guó王wáng魂hún灵líng去qù拜bài见jiàn唐táng僧sēng，请qǐng齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng降xiáng妖yāo。这zhè怕pà是shì齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng、天tiān蓬péng元yuán帅shuài来lái了le，却què不bù可kě怠dài慢màn他tā，快kuài接jiē他tā去qù也yě。」

逐句解 Line by line

While Bajie was still muttering, a water-patrolling yaksha had already opened the gate; catching sight of his shape, it drew back in haste and went in to report: 'Great King, trouble! A long-snouted, big-eared monk has fallen in from the top of the well — stark naked, no clothes at all, still not dead, and jabbering away in some outlandish speech.'

巡水的夜叉: a water-patrolling yaksha (demon-guard). 敘話處: in the midst of talking (處 = chù). 長嘴大耳: long snout and big ears — Bajie's porcine features (長 = cháng, 'long'). 還不死: still not dead (還 = hái; 不 = bù). 逼法說話: jabbering in strange fashion. 禍事了: 'trouble!'

那nà井jǐng龍lóng王wáng忽hū聞wén此cǐ言yán，心xīn中zhōng大dà驚jīng道dào：「這zhè是shì天tiān蓬péng元yuán帥shuài來lái也yě。那nà井jǐng龙lóng王wáng忽hū闻wén此cǐ言yán，心xīn中zhōng大dà惊jīng道dào：「这zhè是shì天tiān蓬péng元yuán帅shuài来lái也yě。

The Well Dragon-King, hearing this, was startled and said to himself: 'This is Marshal Tianpeng come.'

天蓬元帥: Marshal Tianpeng, Bajie's former title as commander of the Heavenly River. 那 = nà; 心中: 中 = zhōng.

昨zuó夜yè夜yè遊yóu神shén奉fèng上shàng敕chì旨zhǐ，來lái取qǔ烏wū雞jī國guó王wáng魂hún靈líng去qù拜bài見jiàn唐táng僧sēng，請qǐng齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng降xiáng妖yāo。昨zuó夜yè夜yè游yóu神shén奉fèng上shàng敕chì旨zhǐ，来lái取qǔ乌wū鸡jī国guó王wáng魂hún灵líng去qù拜bài见jiàn唐táng僧sēng，请qǐng齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng降xiáng妖yāo。

'Last night the Night-Roaming Spirit, bearing an imperial edict, came to fetch the soul of the king of Wuji to pay court to the Tang Monk and invite the Great Sage Equal to Heaven to subdue the demon.'

夜遊神: the Night-Roaming Spirit. 奉上敕旨: bearing an imperial edict. 降妖: to subdue the demon (降 = xiáng). The dragon-king recalls the celestial commission of Ch.37, which explains the pilgrims' presence.

這zhè怕pà是shì齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng、天tiān蓬péng元yuán帥shuài來lái了le，卻què不bù可kě怠dài慢màn他tā，快kuài接jiē他tā去qù也yě。」这zhè怕pà是shì齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng、天tiān蓬péng元yuán帅shuài来lái了le，却què不bù可kě怠dài慢màn他tā，快kuài接jiē他tā去qù也yě。」

'This must be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven and Marshal Tianpeng arrived — I dare not slight them; go quickly and receive him.'

怠慢: to treat with disrespect. 快接他去: 'go quickly and receive him.' 了 = le; 不可 = bù.

總評 Commentary

The yaksha's report is a small comic gem, describing the dignified Marshal Tianpeng as the guards below would see him: a naked, long-snouted, big-eared creature who has crashed in from above and is 'still not dead,' jabbering incomprehensibly. The gap between Bajie's celestial pedigree and his present ridiculous aspect is the joke, and the dragon-king's court is our vantage on it.

The Well Dragon-King recognizes the visitor at once, and his recognition supplies useful narrative scaffolding: he recalls the previous night's edict — the Night-Roaming Spirit fetching the drowned king's soul to Tripitaka, the summons to the Great Sage to subdue the demon. The supernatural machinery of Ch.37 is thereby confirmed from a new quarter and woven into the present scene.

The dragon-king's decision to receive his guest with courtesy sets the register for what follows. This will not be a battle but a diplomatic exchange in the elaborate etiquette of the undersea courts; and it is through this courtesy — the dragon-king's custody of the preserved body, and his willingness to yield it — that the pilgrims' grim errand will be accomplished.