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繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
天兵下界
Heaven Sends Its Host
卻說那玉帝次日設朝，只見張天師引御馬監監丞、監副在丹墀下拜奏道：「萬歲，新任弼馬溫孫悟空，因嫌官小，昨日反下天宮去了。」正說間，又見南天門外增長天王領眾天丁，亦奏道：「弼馬溫不知何故，走出天門去了。」玉帝聞言，即傳旨：「著兩路神元，各歸本職。朕遣天兵，擒拿此怪。」班部中閃上托塔李天王與哪吒三太子，越班奏上道：「萬歲，微臣不才，請旨降此妖怪。」玉帝大喜，即封托塔天王李靖為降魔大元帥，哪吒三太子為三壇海會大神，即刻興師下界。李天王與哪吒叩頭謝辭，徑至本宮，點起三軍，帥眾頭目，著巨靈神為先鋒，魚肚將掠後，藥叉將催兵。一霎時出南天門外，徑來到花果山，選平陽處安了營寨，傳令教巨靈神挑戰。巨靈神得令，結束整齊，掄著宣花斧，到了水簾洞外。只見小洞門外許多妖魔，都是些狼蟲虎豹之類，丫丫叉叉，掄槍舞劍，在那裡跳鬥咆哮。這巨靈神喝道：「那業畜！快早去報與弼馬溫知道：吾乃上天大將，奉玉帝旨意，到此收伏；教他早早出來受降，免致汝等皆傷殘也。」那些妖怪奔奔波波，傳報洞中道：「禍事了！禍事了！」猴王問：「有甚禍事？」眾妖道：「門外有一員天將，口稱大聖官銜，道奉玉帝聖旨，來此收伏。教早早出去受降，免傷我等性命。」猴王聽說，教：「取我披掛來。」就戴上紫金冠，貫上黃金甲，登上步雲鞋，手執如意金箍棒，領眾出門，擺開陣勢。這巨靈神睜睛觀看，真好猴王：却说那玉帝次日设朝，只见张天师引御马监监丞、监副在丹墀下拜奏道：「万岁，新任弼马温孙悟空，因嫌官小，昨日反下天宫去了。」正说间，又见南天门外增长天王领众天丁，亦奏道：「弼马温不知何故，走出天门去了。」玉帝闻言，即传旨：「著两路神元，各归本职。朕遣天兵，擒拿此怪。」班部中闪上托塔李天王与哪咤三太子，越班奏上道：「万岁，微臣不才，请旨降此妖怪。」玉帝大喜，即封托塔天王李靖为降魔大元帅，哪咤三太子为三坛海会大神，即刻兴师下界。李天王与哪咤叩头谢辞，径至本宫，点起三军，帅众头目，著巨灵神为先锋，鱼肚将掠后，药叉将催兵。一霎时出南天门外，径来到花果山，选平阳处安了营寨，传令教巨灵神挑战。巨灵神得令，结束整齐，抡著宣花斧，到了水帘洞外。只见小洞门外许多妖魔，都是些狼虫虎豹之类，丫丫叉叉，抡枪舞剑，在那里跳斗咆哮。这巨灵神喝道：「那业畜！快早去报与弼马温知道：吾乃上天大将，奉玉帝旨意，到此收伏；教他早早出来受降，免致汝等皆伤残也。」那些妖怪奔奔波波，传报洞中道：「祸事了！祸事了！」猴王问：「有甚祸事？」众妖道：「门外有一员天将，口称大圣官衔，道奉玉帝圣旨，来此收伏。教早早出去受降，免伤我等性命。」猴王听说，教：「取我披挂来。」就戴上紫金冠，贯上黄金甲，登上步云鞋，手执如意金箍棒，领众出门，摆开阵势。这巨灵神睁睛观看，真好猴王：
逐句解 Line by line
卻說那玉帝次日設朝，只見張天師引御馬監監丞、監副在丹墀下拜奏道：「萬歲，新任弼馬溫孫悟空，因嫌官小，昨日反下天宮去了。」
却说那玉帝次日设朝，只见张天师引御马监监丞、监副在丹墀下拜奏道：「万岁，新任弼马温孙悟空，因嫌官小，昨日反下天宫去了。」
Now the Jade Emperor held court the next day, when he saw the Celestial Master Zhang lead the assistant and deputy directors of the Imperial Stable to bow at the foot of the vermilion steps and report, “Your Majesty, the newly appointed Bìmǎwēn, Sun Wukong, disliking the smallness of his office, rebelled and went down from the Heavenly Palace yesterday.”
張天師 is the Celestial Master (the Zhang line of Daoist patriarchs); 設朝 takes 朝 as cháo (“to hold court”). The stable-officials' report sets the punitive machinery in motion.
正說間，又見南天門外增長天王領眾天丁，亦奏道：「弼馬溫不知何故，走出天門去了。」
正说间，又见南天门外增长天王领众天丁，亦奏道：「弼马温不知何故，走出天门去了。」
Even as he spoke, Heavenly King Virūḍhaka appeared outside the Southern Gate, leading the host of heavenly troops, and also reported, “For reasons unknown, Bìmǎwēn has fled out through the gate of Heaven.”
增長天王 reappears (cf. #1), now reporting the flight; 不知 takes bù before first-tone 知.
玉帝聞言，即傳旨：「著兩路神元，各歸本職。朕遣天兵，擒拿此怪。」
玉帝闻言，即传旨：「著两路神元，各归本职。朕遣天兵，擒拿此怪。」
Hearing this, the Jade Emperor at once decreed, “Let the two parties of divine officers return each to his post. I shall send heavenly soldiers to seize this fiend.”
著 here is causative zhuó (“order [the two parties] to —”). 朕 is the imperial “We.”
班部中閃上托塔李天王與哪吒三太子，越班奏上道：「萬歲，微臣不才，請旨降此妖怪。」
班部中闪上托塔李天王与哪咤三太子，越班奏上道：「万岁，微臣不才，请旨降此妖怪。」
From the ranks stepped Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Lǐ and the Third Prince Nezha, who, breaking from their place, reported up, “Your Majesty, unworthy as we are, we beg the command to subdue this monster.”
托塔李天王 (Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Lǐ) and his son 哪吒 (Nezha) volunteer. 降此妖怪: 降 is xiáng (“to subdue”), not jiàng; 不才 takes bù.
玉帝大喜，即封托塔天王李靖為降魔大元帥，哪吒三太子為三壇海會大神，即刻興師下界。
玉帝大喜，即封托塔天王李靖为降魔大元帅，哪咤三太子为三坛海会大神，即刻兴师下界。
Greatly pleased, the Jade Emperor at once made Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Lǐ Jìng Grand Marshal Demon-Queller, and the Third Prince Nezha Great Spirit of the Three Altars and the Sea Assembly, and bade them raise an army and descend to the lower world at once.
The commissions: 李靖 as 降魔大元帥 (Grand Marshal Demon-Queller — 降 again xiáng), Nezha as 三壇海會大神. 為 is wéi (“appoint as”).
李天王與哪吒叩頭謝辭，徑至本宮，點起三軍，帥眾頭目，著巨靈神為先鋒，魚肚將掠後，藥叉將催兵。
李天王与哪咤叩头谢辞，径至本宫，点起三军，帅众头目，著巨灵神为先锋，鱼肚将掠后，药叉将催兵。
Heavenly King Lǐ and Nezha kowtowed their thanks and took their leave, went straight to their own palace, mustered the three armies, marshaled their captains, and set the Mighty-Spirit God as vanguard, the Fish-Belly General to bring up the rear, and the Yakṣa General to urge the troops on.
The order of battle, named down to the rear-guard: 巨靈神 (the Mighty-Spirit God) as vanguard, the 魚肚將 and 藥叉將 (Yakṣa General) in support. 帥 is shuài (“to lead”); 著 is causative zhuó; the 將 of the generals' titles is jiàng.
一霎時出南天門外，徑來到花果山，選平陽處安了營寨，傳令教巨靈神挑戰。
一霎时出南天门外，径来到花果山，选平阳处安了营寨，传令教巨灵神挑战。
In an instant they passed out beyond the Southern Gate and came straight to Flower-Fruit Mountain, where they chose a level, sunlit spot, pitched camp, and gave the order for the Mighty-Spirit God to give challenge.
一霎時 takes yí before fourth-tone 霎; 教 is causative jiào; 挑戰 takes 挑 as tiǎo.
巨靈神得令，結束整齊，掄著宣花斧，到了水簾洞外。
巨灵神得令，结束整齐，抡著宣花斧，到了水帘洞外。
Receiving the order, the Mighty-Spirit God geared himself up, gripped his blossom-bossed axe, and reached the outside of the Water-Curtain Cave.
結束整齊, “geared up and trim”; the 宣花斧 (blossom-bossed axe) is the Mighty-Spirit God's signature weapon. 掄著 takes 著 as durative zhe.
只見小洞門外許多妖魔，都是些狼蟲虎豹之類，丫丫叉叉，掄槍舞劍，在那裡跳鬥咆哮。
只见小洞门外许多妖魔，都是些狼虫虎豹之类，丫丫叉叉，抡枪舞剑，在那里跳斗咆哮。
There he saw many demons before the little cave mouth — all manner of wolves, serpents, tigers, and leopards — jagged and bristling, swinging spears and waving swords, leaping and brawling and roaring.
狼蟲虎豹, “wolves, serpents, tigers, leopards” — the beast-soldiers of Wukong's mountain; 在那裡 is demonstrative nà lǐ (“there”).
這巨靈神喝道：「那業畜！快早去報與弼馬溫知道：吾乃上天大將，奉玉帝旨意，到此收伏；教他早早出來受降，免致汝等皆傷殘也。」
这巨灵神喝道：「那业畜！快早去报与弼马温知道：吾乃上天大将，奉玉帝旨意，到此收伏；教他早早出来受降，免致汝等皆伤残也。」
The Mighty-Spirit God bellowed, “You cursed beasts! Be quick and report to Bìmǎwēn: I am a great general of upper Heaven, come by the Jade Emperor's command to subdue him; let him come out at once and submit, and spare you all from ruin.”
喝 is hè (“to bellow”); 業畜 (yè chù), “cursed beasts” — 畜 as chù. 受降, “come out and submit,” takes 降 as xiáng; 教他 is causative jiào.
那些妖怪奔奔波波，傳報洞中道：「禍事了！禍事了！」
那些妖怪奔奔波波，传报洞中道：「祸事了！祸事了！」
The demons rushed about in a panic and carried the report into the cave: “Disaster! Disaster!”
奔奔波波, “scurrying in a flurry” — the comic panic of the beast-soldiers.
猴王問：「有甚禍事？」
猴王问：「有甚祸事？」
The Monkey King asked, “What disaster?”
The Monkey King's unhurried single question against their alarm.
眾妖道：「門外有一員天將，口稱大聖官銜，道奉玉帝聖旨，來此收伏。教早早出去受降，免傷我等性命。」
众妖道：「门外有一员天将，口称大圣官衔，道奉玉帝圣旨，来此收伏。教早早出去受降，免伤我等性命。」
The demons said, “Outside the gate is a heavenly general who calls out the Great Sage's title and says that, by the Jade Emperor's holy command, he has come to subdue you. He bids you come out at once and submit, to spare our lives.”
有一員 takes yì before second-tone 員; 天將 takes 將 as jiàng; 受降 again shòu xiáng.
猴王聽說，教：「取我披掛來。」
猴王听说，教：「取我披挂来。」
Hearing this, the Monkey King ordered, “Fetch me my armor.”
教 is causative jiào (“ordered”); 披掛, his battle-harness.
就戴上紫金冠，貫上黃金甲，登上步雲鞋，手執如意金箍棒，領眾出門，擺開陣勢。
就戴上紫金冠，贯上黄金甲，登上步云鞋，手执如意金箍棒，领众出门，摆开阵势。
He put on the purple-gold crown, donned the golden mail, stepped into the cloud-treading shoes, took the As-You-Will gold-banded cudgel in hand, led out his host, and drew up his battle array.
The arming of the Monkey King, fully equipped: 紫金冠, 黃金甲, 步雲鞋, and the 如意金箍棒 — the gear the portrait poem will now itemize.
這巨靈神睜睛觀看，真好猴王：
这巨灵神睁睛观看，真好猴王：
The Mighty-Spirit God opened his eyes wide and looked — truly a fine Monkey King:
真好猴王 (“truly a fine Monkey King”) is the lead-in formula that ushers in the 七言 portrait following.
總評 Commentary
With the banner raised, the chapter turns from comedy to campaign, and Heaven's response carries the same bureaucratic texture as its court. The flight is reported through proper channels — the Celestial Master and the stable-officials, then Virūḍhaka at the gate — and the punitive force is constituted by formal commission: 李靖 made 降魔大元帥, Nezha made 三壇海會大神, an order of battle assigned down to vanguard and rear-guard. Heaven goes to war the way it does everything else — by appointment and decree.
The first contact is pure bluster met with composure. 巨靈神, the Mighty-Spirit God, arrives gripping his blossom-bossed axe and bellowing at the “cursed beasts” to fetch their master and submit — the swagger of a vanguard expecting an easy quelling. Against this the narrative sets Wukong's unhurried, ceremonious arming: crown, mail, cloud-shoes, the gold-banded cudgel taken up in turn, the host drawn into array. The contrast of registers — the general's noise, the monkey's calm preparation — already tells the reader how the duel will go.
The portrait the passage's last line summons (真好猴王) marks a shift in how the novel presents its hero. Hauled before the throne in the audience scene, he was a 妖仙, an irregular to be managed; here, arrayed for battle and beheld through his enemy's widening eyes, he is for the first time in the chapter framed as a martial figure of stature — the 心猿 that could not abide a menial post now standing fully armed to defy Heaven's army, the overreach of 齊天 translated from a banner into a body.