第三十八回 · 晶宮敘舊 Old Acquaintance in the Crystal Palace — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

晶宮敘舊 Old Acquaintance in the Crystal Palace

那nà龍lóng王wáng整zhěng衣yī冠guān，領lǐng眾zhòng水shuǐ族zú，出chū門mén來lái厲lì聲shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「天tiān蓬péng元yuán帥shuài，請qǐng裡lǐ面miàn坐zuò。」八bā戒jiè卻què才cái歡huān喜xǐ道dào：「原yuán來lái是shì個gè故gù知zhī。」那nà獃dāi子zi不bù管guǎn好hǎo歹dǎi，徑jìng入rù水shuǐ晶jīng宮gōng裡lǐ。其qí實shí不bù知zhī上shàng下xià，赤chì淋lín淋lín的de，就jiù坐zuò在zài上shàng面miàn。龍lóng王wáng道dào：「元yuán帥shuài，近jìn聞wén你nǐ得dé了le性xìng命mìng，皈guī依yī釋shì教jiào，保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī天tiān取qǔ經jīng，如rú何hé得dé到dào此cǐ處chù？」八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng為wèi此cǐ說shuō。那nà龙lóng王wáng整zhěng衣yī冠guān，领lǐng众zhòng水shuǐ族zú，出chū门mén来lái厉lì声shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「天tiān蓬péng元yuán帅shuài，请qǐng里lǐ面miàn坐zuò。」八bā戒jiè却què才cái欢huān喜xǐ道dào：「原yuán来lái是shì个gè故gù知zhī。」那nà呆dāi子zi不bù管guǎn好hǎo歹dǎi，径jìng入rù水shuǐ晶jīng宫gōng里lǐ。其qí实shí不bù知zhī上shàng下xià，赤chì淋lín淋lín的de，就jiù坐zuò在zài上shàng面miàn。龙lóng王wáng道dào：「元yuán帅shuài，近jìn闻wén你nǐ得dé了le性xìng命mìng，皈guī依yī释shì教jiào，保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī天tiān取qǔ经jīng，如rú何hé得dé到dào此cǐ处chù？」八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng为wèi此cǐ说shuō。

逐句解 Line by line

那nà龍lóng王wáng整zhěng衣yī冠guān，領lǐng眾zhòng水shuǐ族zú，出chū門mén來lái厲lì聲shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「天tiān蓬péng元yuán帥shuài，請qǐng裡lǐ面miàn坐zuò。」那nà龙lóng王wáng整zhěng衣yī冠guān，领lǐng众zhòng水shuǐ族zú，出chū门mén来lái厉lì声shēng高gāo叫jiào道dào：「天tiān蓬péng元yuán帅shuài，请qǐng里lǐ面miàn坐zuò。」

The Dragon-King straightened his cap and robe, led out his host of water-tribes, and came to the gate, calling in a ringing voice: 'Marshal Tianpeng — pray come inside and be seated.'

整衣冠: straightened his cap and gown (冠 = guān). 眾水族: the host of water-creatures of his court. 請裡面坐: the courteous welcome. 那 = nà.

八bā戒jiè卻què才cái歡huān喜xǐ道dào：「原yuán來lái是shì個gè故gù知zhī。」八bā戒jiè却què才cái欢huān喜xǐ道dào：「原yuán来lái是shì个gè故gù知zhī。」

Only then was Bajie glad: 'So — an old acquaintance after all.'

故知: an old acquaintance; Bajie, relieved to be recognized, drops his alarm.

那nà獃dāi子zi不bù管guǎn好hǎo歹dǎi，徑jìng入rù水shuǐ晶jīng宮gōng裡lǐ。那nà呆dāi子zi不bù管guǎn好hǎo歹dǎi，径jìng入rù水shuǐ晶jīng宫gōng里lǐ。

The blockhead, without minding manners, went straight into the Crystal Palace.

不管好歹: without regard for propriety. 那 = nà; the naked pig barges in — comic disregard for the court's dignity.

其qí實shí不bù知zhī上shàng下xià，赤chì淋lín淋lín的de，就jiù坐zuò在zài上shàng面miàn。其qí实shí不bù知zhī上shàng下xià，赤chì淋lín淋lín的de，就jiù坐zuò在zài上shàng面miàn。

In truth he had no notion of precedence, and, stark naked, sat himself down in the seat of honor.

不知上下: knowing nothing of high and low (precedence). 坐在上面: sat in the upper (honored) seat. 不 = bù.

龍lóng王wáng道dào：「元yuán帥shuài，近jìn聞wén你nǐ得dé了le性xìng命mìng，皈guī依yī釋shì教jiào，保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī天tiān取qǔ經jīng，如rú何hé得dé到dào此cǐ處chù？」龙lóng王wáng道dào：「元yuán帅shuài，近jìn闻wén你nǐ得dé了le性xìng命mìng，皈guī依yī释shì教jiào，保bǎo唐táng僧sēng西xī天tiān取qǔ经jīng，如rú何hé得dé到dào此cǐ处chù？」

The Dragon-King said: 'Marshal — I have lately heard that you gained a new life, took refuge in the Buddhist teaching, and now guard the Tang Monk on his westward quest for scriptures. How is it you have come to this place?'

得了性命: gained [a new] life (得 = dé) — Bajie's reprieve from execution. 皈依釋教: took refuge in the Buddhist teaching (教 = jiào, religion). 得到此處: came to this place (得 = dé; 處 = chù).

八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng為wèi此cǐ說shuō。八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng为wèi此cǐ说shuō。

Bajie said: 'It is precisely on that account.'

正為此說: 'it is exactly on this account' (為 = wèi, 'for [this reason]').

總評 Commentary

The scene shifts smoothly into the courtly register the novel reserves for its dragon-kings. The Well Dragon-King's ceremonious welcome — cap straightened, water-host assembled, a ringing invitation to be seated — is met by Bajie's relief ('an old acquaintance after all') and his utter want of manners: naked and heedless of precedence, he barges in and plants himself in the seat of honor. The etiquette of the undersea court is comic foil to the pig's crudeness.

The dragon-king's courteous inquiry — recalling Bajie's conversion, his new life, his role guarding Tripitaka — both flatters the guest and reminds the reader of the disciple's redemptive arc. His question, how the marshal comes to be in the well, opens the negotiation proper: Bajie will state his errand, and the retrieval of the drowned king's body will proceed through the forms of hospitality rather than the force of arms.