第四回 · 自立齊天 The Banner of the Great Sage — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

自立齊天 The Banner of the Great Sage

正zhèng飲yǐn酒jiǔ歡huān會huì間jiān，有yǒu人rén來lái報bào道dào：「大dà王wáng，門mén外wài有yǒu兩liǎng個gè獨dú角jiǎo鬼guǐ王wáng，要yào見jiàn大dà王wáng。」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「教jiào他tā進jìn來lái。」那nà鬼guǐ王wáng整zhěng衣yī跑pǎo入rù洞dòng中zhōng，倒dǎo身shēn下xià拜bài。美měi猴hóu王wáng問wèn他tā：「你nǐ見jiàn我wǒ何hé幹gàn？」鬼guǐ王wáng道dào：「久jiǔ聞wén大dà王wáng招zhāo賢xián，無wú由yóu得dé見jiàn；今jīn見jiàn大dà王wáng授shòu了le天tiān籙lù，得dé意yì榮róng歸guī，特tè獻xiàn赭zhě黃huáng袍páo一yí件jiàn，與yǔ大dà王wáng稱chēng慶qìng。肯kěn不bú棄qì鄙bǐ賤jiàn，收shōu納nà小xiǎo人rén，亦yì得dé效xiào犬quǎn馬mǎ之zhī勞láo。」猴hóu王wáng大dà喜xǐ，將jiāng赭zhě黃huáng袍páo穿chuān起qǐ。眾zhòng等děng欣xīn然rán排pái班bān朝cháo拜bài。即jí將jiāng鬼guǐ王wáng封fēng為wéi前qián部bù總zǒng督dū先xiān鋒fēng。鬼guǐ王wáng謝xiè恩ēn畢bì，復fù啟qǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng在zài天tiān許xǔ久jiǔ，所suǒ授shòu何hé職zhí？」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「玉yù帝dì輕qīng賢xián，封fēng我wǒ做zuò個gè甚shèn麼me『弼bì馬mǎ溫wēn』。」鬼guǐ王wáng聽tīng言yán，又yòu奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng有yǒu此cǐ神shén通tōng，如rú何hé與yǔ他tā養yǎng馬mǎ？就jiù做zuò個gè齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng，有yǒu何hé不bù可kě？」猴hóu王wáng聞wén說shuō，歡huān喜xǐ不bù勝shèng，連lián道dào幾jǐ個gè「好hǎo！好hǎo！好hǎo！」教jiào四sì健jiàn將jiàng：「就jiù替tì我wǒ快kuài置zhì個gè旌jīng旗qí，旗qí上shàng寫xiě『齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng』四sì大dà字zì，立lì竿gān張zhāng掛guà。自zì此cǐ以yǐ後hòu，只zhǐ稱chēng我wǒ為wéi齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng，不bù許xǔ再zài稱chēng大dà王wáng。亦yì可kě傳chuán與yǔ各gè洞dòng妖yāo王wáng，一yì體tǐ知zhī悉xī。」此cǐ不bú在zài話huà下xià。正zhèng饮yǐn酒jiǔ欢huān会huì间jiān，有yǒu人rén来lái报bào道dào：「大dà王wáng，门mén外wài有yǒu两liǎng个gè独dú角jiǎo鬼guǐ王wáng，要yào见jiàn大dà王wáng。」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「教jiào他tā进jìn来lái。」那nà鬼guǐ王wáng整zhěng衣yī跑pǎo入rù洞dòng中zhōng，倒dǎo身shēn下xià拜bài。美měi猴hóu王wáng问wèn他tā：「你nǐ见jiàn我wǒ何hé干gàn？」鬼guǐ王wáng道dào：「久jiǔ闻wén大dà王wáng招zhāo贤xián，无wú由yóu得dé见jiàn；今jīn见jiàn大dà王wáng授shòu了le天tiān箓lù，得dé意yì荣róng归guī，特tè献xiàn赭zhě黄huáng袍páo一yí件jiàn，与yǔ大dà王wáng称chēng庆qìng。肯kěn不bú弃qì鄙bǐ贱jiàn，收shōu纳nà小xiǎo人rén，亦yì得dé效xiào犬quǎn马mǎ之zhī劳láo。」猴hóu王wáng大dà喜xǐ，将jiāng赭zhě黄huáng袍páo穿chuān起qǐ。众zhòng等děng欣xīn然rán排pái班bān朝cháo拜bài。即jí将jiāng鬼guǐ王wáng封fēng为wéi前qián部bù总zǒng督dū先xiān锋fēng。鬼guǐ王wáng谢xiè恩ēn毕bì，复fù启qǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng在zài天tiān许xǔ久jiǔ，所suǒ授shòu何hé职zhí？」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「玉yù帝dì轻qīng贤xián，封fēng我wǒ做zuò个gè甚shèn么me『弼bì马mǎ温wēn』。」鬼guǐ王wáng听tīng言yán，又yòu奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng有yǒu此cǐ神shén通tōng，如rú何hé与yǔ他tā养yǎng马mǎ？就jiù做zuò个gè齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng，有yǒu何hé不bù可kě？」猴hóu王wáng闻wén说shuō，欢huān喜xǐ不bù胜shèng，连lián道dào几jǐ个gè「好hǎo！好hǎo！好hǎo！」教jiào四sì健jiàn将jiàng：「就jiù替tì我wǒ快kuài置zhì个gè旌jīng旗qí，旗qí上shàng写xiě『齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng』四sì大dà字zì，立lì竿gān张zhāng挂guà。自zì此cǐ以yǐ后hòu，只zhǐ称chēng我wǒ为wéi齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng，不bù许xǔ再zài称chēng大dà王wáng。亦yì可kě传chuán与yǔ各gè洞dòng妖yāo王wáng，一yì体tǐ知zhī悉xī。」此cǐ不bú在zài话huà下xià。

逐句解 Line by line

正zhèng飲yǐn酒jiǔ歡huān會huì間jiān，有yǒu人rén來lái報bào道dào：「大dà王wáng，門mén外wài有yǒu兩liǎng個gè獨dú角jiǎo鬼guǐ王wáng，要yào見jiàn大dà王wáng。」正zhèng饮yǐn酒jiǔ欢huān会huì间jiān，有yǒu人rén来lái报bào道dào：「大dà王wáng，门mén外wài有yǒu两liǎng个gè独dú角jiǎo鬼guǐ王wáng，要yào见jiàn大dà王wáng。」

As they were merrily drinking, someone came to report, “Great King, outside the gate are two single-horned demon-kings asking to see you.”

獨角鬼王, the single-horned demon-kings; 角 is jiǎo (“horn”). They arrive as flatterers at the precise moment Wukong's pride is rawest.

猴hóu王wáng道dào：「教jiào他tā進jìn來lái。」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「教jiào他tā进jìn来lái。」

The Monkey King said, “Show them in.”

教他進來 — 教 causative jiào, “bid them enter.”

那nà鬼guǐ王wáng整zhěng衣yī跑pǎo入rù洞dòng中zhōng，倒dǎo身shēn下xià拜bài。那nà鬼guǐ王wáng整zhěng衣yī跑pǎo入rù洞dòng中zhōng，倒dǎo身shēn下xià拜bài。

The demon-kings straightened their robes, hurried into the cave, and threw themselves down to bow.

倒身下拜, “threw themselves down to bow”; here 倒 is dǎo (“to fling down, prostrate”), the same dǎo as in 推倒 earlier, not dào.

美měi猴hóu王wáng問wèn他tā：「你nǐ見jiàn我wǒ何hé幹gàn？」美měi猴hóu王wáng问wèn他tā：「你nǐ见jiàn我wǒ何hé干gàn？」

The Handsome Monkey King asked them, “What do you come to see me about?”

何幹, “on what business?”

鬼guǐ王wáng道dào：「久jiǔ聞wén大dà王wáng招zhāo賢xián，無wú由yóu得dé見jiàn；今jīn見jiàn大dà王wáng授shòu了le天tiān籙lù，得dé意yì榮róng歸guī，特tè獻xiàn赭zhě黃huáng袍páo一yí件jiàn，與yǔ大dà王wáng稱chēng慶qìng。肯kěn不bú棄qì鄙bǐ賤jiàn，收shōu納nà小xiǎo人rén，亦yì得dé效xiào犬quǎn馬mǎ之zhī勞láo。」鬼guǐ王wáng道dào：「久jiǔ闻wén大dà王wáng招zhāo贤xián，无wú由yóu得dé见jiàn；今jīn见jiàn大dà王wáng授shòu了le天tiān箓lù，得dé意yì荣róng归guī，特tè献xiàn赭zhě黄huáng袍páo一yí件jiàn，与yǔ大dà王wáng称chēng庆qìng。肯kěn不bú弃qì鄙bǐ贱jiàn，收shōu纳nà小xiǎo人rén，亦yì得dé效xiào犬quǎn马mǎ之zhī劳láo。」

They said, “Long have we heard that the Great King seeks out the worthy, but we had no way to gain an audience. Now, seeing that the Great King has received a heavenly register and come home in triumph, we present an ochre-yellow robe to offer our congratulations. If you will not scorn our lowliness and will take us in, we too may render the service of dog and horse.”

The flatterers' gambit: an 赭黃袍 (ochre-yellow robe), a colour edging toward the imperial, offered as homage. 效犬馬之勞 (“render the service of dog and horse”) is conventional self-abasement; 一件 takes yí, 不棄 bú, by sandhi.

猴hóu王wáng大dà喜xǐ，將jiāng赭zhě黃huáng袍páo穿chuān起qǐ。猴hóu王wáng大dà喜xǐ，将jiāng赭zhě黄huáng袍páo穿chuān起qǐ。

Greatly pleased, the Monkey King put on the ochre robe.

將 here is the object-marker jiāng (= 把): “put on the robe.” The ochre robe is the first prop of his self-coronation.

眾zhòng等děng欣xīn然rán排pái班bān朝cháo拜bài。众zhòng等děng欣xīn然rán排pái班bān朝cháo拜bài。

The assembled host joyfully drew up in ranks to pay homage.

朝拜 takes 朝 as cháo (“to pay homage”).

即jí將jiāng鬼guǐ王wáng封fēng為wéi前qián部bù總zǒng督dū先xiān鋒fēng。即jí将jiāng鬼guǐ王wáng封fēng为wéi前qián部bù总zǒng督dū先xiān锋fēng。

He at once appointed the Demon-Kings Vanguard Commanders of the front division.

即將: 將 the object-marker again; 封為 takes 為 as wéi (“appoint as”). The new vassals are rewarded on the spot.

鬼guǐ王wáng謝xiè恩ēn畢bì，復fù啟qǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng在zài天tiān許xǔ久jiǔ，所suǒ授shòu何hé職zhí？」鬼guǐ王wáng谢xiè恩ēn毕bì，复fù启qǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng在zài天tiān许xǔ久jiǔ，所suǒ授shòu何hé职zhí？」

Their thanks done, the Demon-Kings spoke again: “The Great King was so long in Heaven — what office were you granted?”

復啟, “spoke again”; the demon-kings draw out the grievance that will let them make their suggestion.

猴hóu王wáng道dào：「玉yù帝dì輕qīng賢xián，封fēng我wǒ做zuò個gè甚shèn麼me『弼bì馬mǎ溫wēn』。」猴hóu王wáng道dào：「玉yù帝dì轻qīng贤xián，封fēng我wǒ做zuò个gè甚shèn么me『弼bì马mǎ温wēn』。」

The Monkey King said, “The Jade Emperor slights the worthy; he made me some kind of ‘Bìmǎwēn.’”

玉帝輕賢 — “the Jade Emperor slights the worthy”: Wukong's grievance now hardened into a charge against Heaven itself.

鬼guǐ王wáng聽tīng言yán，又yòu奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng有yǒu此cǐ神shén通tōng，如rú何hé與yǔ他tā養yǎng馬mǎ？就jiù做zuò個gè齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng，有yǒu何hé不bù可kě？」鬼guǐ王wáng听tīng言yán，又yòu奏zòu道dào：「大dà王wáng有yǒu此cǐ神shén通tōng，如rú何hé与yǔ他tā养yǎng马mǎ？就jiù做zuò个gè齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng，有yǒu何hé不bù可kě？」

Hearing this, the Demon-Kings reported further, “With such powers as the Great King's, why tend his horses? Why not style yourself Great Sage Equal to Heaven — what could be wrong with that?”

The fateful suggestion. 齊天大聖 — “Great Sage Equal to Heaven” — is a title of pure self-assertion, claiming parity with Heaven; 不可 takes bù before third-tone 可.

猴hóu王wáng聞wén說shuō，歡huān喜xǐ不bù勝shèng，連lián道dào幾jǐ個gè「好hǎo！好hǎo！好hǎo！」猴hóu王wáng闻wén说shuō，欢huān喜xǐ不bù胜shèng，连lián道dào几jǐ个gè「好hǎo！好hǎo！好hǎo！」

Hearing it, the Monkey King was overjoyed beyond bearing and said again and again, “Good! Good! Good!”

歡喜不勝 (“overjoyed beyond bearing”); 不勝 takes bù before first-tone 勝 (shèng). The empty grandeur of the title is exactly what delights him — the inverse of the substantive job he spurned.

教jiào四sì健jiàn將jiàng：「就jiù替tì我wǒ快kuài置zhì個gè旌jīng旗qí，旗qí上shàng寫xiě『齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng』四sì大dà字zì，立lì竿gān張zhāng掛guà。自zì此cǐ以yǐ後hòu，只zhǐ稱chēng我wǒ為wéi齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng，不bù許xǔ再zài稱chēng大dà王wáng。亦yì可kě傳chuán與yǔ各gè洞dòng妖yāo王wáng，一yì體tǐ知zhī悉xī。」教jiào四sì健jiàn将jiàng：「就jiù替tì我wǒ快kuài置zhì个gè旌jīng旗qí，旗qí上shàng写xiě『齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng』四sì大dà字zì，立lì竿gān张zhāng挂guà。自zì此cǐ以yǐ后hòu，只zhǐ称chēng我wǒ为wéi齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng，不bù许xǔ再zài称chēng大dà王wáng。亦yì可kě传chuán与yǔ各gè洞dòng妖yāo王wáng，一yì体tǐ知zhī悉xī。」

He bade the Four Mighty Generals, “Quickly set up a banner for me, and on it write the four great characters ‘Great Sage Equal to Heaven’; raise the pole and hang it out. From now on call me only Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and no longer Great King. Let this be passed to the demon-kings of all the caves, that every one may know it.”

教 causative jiào; 稱我為 takes 為 as wéi. He legislates his own name: henceforth only 齊天大聖, never 大王. 不許 takes bù, 一體 yì.

此cǐ不bú在zài話huà下xià。此cǐ不bú在zài话huà下xià。

Of this no more need be said.

此不在話下 — “of this no more need be said,” the storyteller's formula that closes the scene and turns the camera back to Heaven. 不在 takes bú before fourth-tone 在.

總評 Commentary

The scene that opens the chapter's second half — and its second couplet-line, 名注齊天 — turns on perfect timing. The single-horned demon-kings arrive as flatterers exactly when Wukong's pride is rawest, bearing an 赭黃袍, an ochre robe whose colour edges toward the imperial. They draw out his grievance, then plant the suggestion that will define him: if Heaven undervalues you, style yourself 齊天大聖, “Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”

The irony is precise and devastating. Wukong has just flung away a real office — laborious, ranked, with horses in his actual charge — because it was beneath his dignity; he now seizes, with delight (歡喜不勝), a title that is pure assertion, commanding nothing, governing nothing, conferring no duty or domain. What the stable-post had in substance and lacked in honor, the new title has in honor and lacks in substance. He even legislates the name into being, forbidding the old 大王 — self-coronation by decree. The being who could not bear to be a nobody would rather be an empty Somebody than a useful subordinate.

For the inner-alchemical reader this is the 心猿 at its most characteristic and most dangerous: the mind inflating itself to the measure of Heaven. 齊天 — “equal to Heaven” — is the precise overreach the cultivation tradition warns against, the ego claiming parity with the cosmic order rather than aligning to it. And the claim is made not in solitude but socially, ratified by flatterers and broadcast to every cave: the inflated self seeks an audience. The title will draw down the punitive expeditions of the scenes to come — yet, as the chapter's structure has already hinted, Heaven will subdue this rebellion in the end not by force but by granting the empty name and hollowing it further.