第四回 · 毫毛取勝 Won by the Hair-Clone — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

毫毛取勝 Won by the Hair-Clone

三sān太tài子zǐ與yǔ悟wù空kōng各gè騁chěng神shén威wēi，鬥dòu了le個gè三sān十shí回huí合hé。那nà太tài子zǐ六liù般bān兵bīng，變biàn做zuò千qiān千qiān萬wàn萬wàn；孫sūn悟wù空kōng金jīn箍gū棒bàng，變biàn作zuò萬wàn萬wàn千qiān千qiān。半bàn空kōng中zhōng似sì雨yǔ點diǎn流liú星xīng，不bù分fēn勝shèng負fù。原yuán來lái悟wù空kōng手shǒu疾jí眼yǎn快kuài，正zhèng在zài那nà混hùn亂luàn之zhī時shí，他tā拔bá下xià一yì根gēn毫háo毛máo，叫jiào聲shēng：「變biàn！」就jiù變biàn做zuò他tā的de本běn相xiàng，手shǒu挺tǐng著zhe棒bàng，演yǎn著zhe哪né吒zhā；他tā的de真zhēn身shēn，卻què一yí縱zòng，趕gǎn至zhì哪né吒zhā腦nǎo後hòu，著zhuó左zuǒ膊bó上shàng一yí棒bàng打dǎ來lái。哪né吒zhā正zhèng使shǐ法fǎ間jiān，聽tīng得dé棒bàng頭tóu風fēng響xiǎng，急jí躲duǒ閃shǎn時shí，不bù能néng措cuò手shǒu，被bèi他tā著zháo了le一yí下xià，負fù痛tòng逃táo走zǒu。收shōu了le法fǎ，把bǎ六liù件jiàn兵bīng器qì依yī舊jiù歸guī身shēn，敗bài陣zhèn而ér回huí。那nà陣zhèn上shàng李lǐ天tiān王wáng早zǎo已yǐ看kàn見jiàn，急jí欲yù提tí兵bīng助zhù戰zhàn，不bù覺jué太tài子zǐ倏shū至zhì面miàn前qián，戰zhàn兢jīng兢jīng報bào道dào：「父fù王wáng，弼bì馬mǎ溫wēn真zhēn個gè有yǒu本běn事shì，孩hái兒ér這zhè般bān法fǎ力lì，也yě戰zhàn他tā不bú過guò，已yǐ被bèi他tā打dǎ傷shāng膊bó也yě。」天tiān王wáng大dà驚jīng失shī色sè道dào：「這zhè廝sī恁nèn的de神shén通tōng，如rú何hé取qǔ勝shèng？」太tài子zǐ道dào：「他tā洞dòng門mén外wài豎shù一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng寫xiě『齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng』四sì字zì。親qīn口kǒu誇kuā稱chēng，教jiào玉yù帝dì就jiù封fēng他tā做zuò齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng，萬wàn事shì俱jù休xiū；若ruò還hái不bú是shì此cǐ號hào，定dìng要yào打dǎ上shàng靈líng霄xiāo寶bǎo殿diàn哩li。」天tiān王wáng道dào：「既jì然rán如rú此cǐ，且qiě不bú要yào與yǔ他tā相xiāng持chí，且qiě去qù上shàng界jiè，將jiāng此cǐ言yán回huí奏zòu，再zài多duō遣qiǎn天tiān兵bīng，圍wéi捉zhuō這zhè廝sī，未wèi為wéi遲chí也yě。」太tài子zǐ負fù痛tòng，不bù能néng復fù戰zhàn，故gù同tóng天tiān王wáng回huí天tiān啟qǐ奏zòu不bù題tí。三sān太tài子zǐ与yǔ悟wù空kōng各gè骋chěng神shén威wēi，斗dòu了le个gè三sān十shí回huí合hé。那nà太tài子zǐ六liù般bān兵bīng，变biàn做zuò千qiān千qiān万wàn万wàn；孙sūn悟wù空kōng金jīn箍gū棒bàng，变biàn作zuò万wàn万wàn千qiān千qiān。半bàn空kōng中zhōng似sì雨yǔ点diǎn流liú星xīng，不bù分fēn胜shèng负fù。原yuán来lái悟wù空kōng手shǒu疾jí眼yǎn快kuài，正zhèng在zài那nà混hùn乱luàn之zhī时shí，他tā拔bá下xià一yì根gēn毫háo毛máo，叫jiào声shēng：「变biàn！」就jiù变biàn做zuò他tā的de本běn相xiàng，手shǒu挺tǐng着zhe棒bàng，演yǎn着zhe哪né咤zhā；他tā的de真zhēn身shēn，却què一yí纵zòng，赶gǎn至zhì哪né咤zhā脑nǎo后hòu，着zhuó左zuǒ膊bó上shàng一yí棒bàng打dǎ来lái。哪né咤zhā正zhèng使shǐ法fǎ间jiān，听tīng得dé棒bàng头tóu风fēng响xiǎng，急jí躲duǒ闪shǎn时shí，不bù能néng措cuò手shǒu，被bèi他tā着zháo了le一yí下xià，负fù痛tòng逃táo走zǒu。收shōu了le法fǎ，把bǎ六liù件jiàn兵bīng器qì依yī旧jiù归guī身shēn，败bài阵zhèn而ér回huí。那nà阵zhèn上shàng李lǐ天tiān王wáng早zǎo已yǐ看kàn见jiàn，急jí欲yù提tí兵bīng助zhù战zhàn，不bù觉jué太tài子zǐ倏shū至zhì面miàn前qián，战zhàn兢jīng兢jīng报bào道dào：「父fù王wáng，弼bì马mǎ温wēn真zhēn个gè有yǒu本běn事shì，孩hái儿ér这zhè般bān法fǎ力lì，也yě战zhàn他tā不bú过guò，已yǐ被bèi他tā打dǎ伤shāng膊bó也yě。」天tiān王wáng大dà惊jīng失shī色sè道dào：「这zhè厮sī恁nèn的de神shén通tōng，如rú何hé取qǔ胜shèng？」太tài子zǐ道dào：「他tā洞dòng门mén外wài竖shù一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng写xiě『齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng』四sì字zì。亲qīn口kǒu夸kuā称chēng，教jiào玉yù帝dì就jiù封fēng他tā做zuò齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng，万wàn事shì俱jù休xiū；若ruò还hái不bú是shì此cǐ号hào，定dìng要yào打dǎ上shàng灵líng霄xiāo宝bǎo殿diàn哩li。」天tiān王wáng道dào：「既jì然rán如rú此cǐ，且qiě不bú要yào与yǔ他tā相xiāng持chí，且qiě去qù上shàng界jiè，将jiāng此cǐ言yán回huí奏zòu，再zài多duō遣qiǎn天tiān兵bīng，围wéi捉zhuō这zhè厮sī，未wèi为wéi迟chí也yě。」太tài子zǐ负fù痛tòng，不bù能néng复fù战zhàn，故gù同tóng天tiān王wáng回huí天tiān启qǐ奏zòu不bù题tí。

逐句解 Line by line

三sān太tài子zǐ與yǔ悟wù空kōng各gè騁chěng神shén威wēi，鬥dòu了le個gè三sān十shí回huí合hé。三sān太tài子zǐ与yǔ悟wù空kōng各gè骋chěng神shén威wēi，斗dòu了le个gè三sān十shí回huí合hé。

The Third Prince and Wukong each gave free rein to their divine might, fighting some thirty rounds.

騁神威, "gave free rein to their divine might." 三十回合, thirty rounds, is the conventional way these novels say "a long, even fight" — nobody is counting, and everybody knows what the number means.

那nà太tài子zǐ六liù般bān兵bīng，變biàn做zuò千qiān千qiān萬wàn萬wàn；孫sūn悟wù空kōng金jīn箍gū棒bàng，變biàn作zuò萬wàn萬wàn千qiān千qiān。那nà太tài子zǐ六liù般bān兵bīng，变biàn做zuò千qiān千qiān万wàn万wàn；孙sūn悟wù空kōng金jīn箍gū棒bàng，变biàn作zuò万wàn万wàn千qiān千qiān。

The prince's six weapons multiplied into thousands upon thousands; Sun Wukong's gold-banded cudgel multiplied into tens of thousands upon thousands.

The mutual multiplication, stated plainly in prose after the poem gave it in pictures: thousands of weapons against tens of thousands of cudgels. The deadlock, itemised.

半bàn空kōng中zhōng似sì雨yǔ點diǎn流liú星xīng，不bù分fēn勝shèng負fù。半bàn空kōng中zhōng似sì雨yǔ点diǎn流liú星xīng，不bù分fēn胜shèng负fù。

In mid-air they were like raindrops and shooting stars, neither winning nor losing.

似雨點流星, "like raindrops and shooting stars." 半空中 takes 中 as zhōng; 似 is sì; 不分 takes bù.

原yuán來lái悟wù空kōng手shǒu疾jí眼yǎn快kuài，正zhèng在zài那nà混hùn亂luàn之zhī時shí，他tā拔bá下xià一yì根gēn毫háo毛máo，叫jiào聲shēng：「變biàn！」原yuán来lái悟wù空kōng手shǒu疾jí眼yǎn快kuài，正zhèng在zài那nà混hùn乱luàn之zhī时shí，他tā拔bá下xià一yì根gēn毫háo毛máo，叫jiào声shēng：「变biàn！」

Now Wukong, quick of hand and sharp of eye, in the very thick of the melee plucked out a single hair and cried, "Change!"

And here comes the move that settles it — not strength, but sleight of hand. 手疾眼快, "quick of hand and sharp of eye," is still ordinary Chinese for someone with fast reflexes. The plucked 毫毛, a single body-hair turned into a double, is Wukong's signature trick and this is its first major outing in the novel. 一根 takes yì before the level tone of 根.

就jiù變biàn做zuò他tā的de本běn相xiàng，手shǒu挺tǐng著zhe棒bàng，演yǎn著zhe哪né吒zhā；他tā的de真zhēn身shēn，卻què一yí縱zòng，趕gǎn至zhì哪né吒zhā腦nǎo後hòu，著zhuó左zuǒ膊bó上shàng一yí棒bàng打dǎ來lái。就jiù变biàn做zuò他tā的de本běn相xiàng，手shǒu挺tǐng着zhe棒bàng，演yǎn着zhe哪né咤zhā；他tā的de真zhēn身shēn，却què一yí纵zòng，赶gǎn至zhì哪né咤zhā脑nǎo后hòu，着zhuó左zuǒ膊bó上shàng一yí棒bàng打dǎ来lái。

and it changed into his own true likeness, holding a cudgel and sparring with Nezha; while his real body gave a leap, slipped behind Nezha's head, and brought a cudgel down on his left arm.

The hair becomes his 本相, his "true likeness" — a body double that keeps Nezha sparring while the real Wukong walks round behind him. In 著左膊上 the 著 is zhuó, "onto," aiming the blow; 膊 (bó) is the arm. 一縱 and 一棒 both take yí, and 手挺著 and 演著 take 著 as the running zhe.

哪né吒zhā正zhèng使shǐ法fǎ間jiān，聽tīng得dé棒bàng頭tóu風fēng響xiǎng，急jí躲duǒ閃shǎn時shí，不bù能néng措cuò手shǒu，被bèi他tā著zháo了le一yí下xià，負fù痛tòng逃táo走zǒu。哪né咤zhā正zhèng使shǐ法fǎ间jiān，听tīng得dé棒bàng头tóu风fēng响xiǎng，急jí躲duǒ闪shǎn时shí，不bù能néng措cuò手shǒu，被bèi他tā着zháo了le一yí下xià，负fù痛tòng逃táo走zǒu。

Nezha, in the midst of working his magic, heard the wind of the cudgel-head; he tried to dodge in haste but could not get his guard up, and was struck a blow — and fled, nursing the pain.

In 著了一下 the 著 is zháo — the reading for a blow that lands, as against the zhuó that aimed it a line earlier. 一下 takes yí; 不能 takes bù. The boy-god, caught from behind, is wounded.

收shōu了le法fǎ，把bǎ六liù件jiàn兵bīng器qì依yī舊jiù歸guī身shēn，敗bài陣zhèn而ér回huí。收shōu了le法fǎ，把bǎ六liù件jiàn兵bīng器qì依yī旧jiù归guī身shēn，败bài阵zhèn而ér回huí。

He undid his magic, drew his six weapons back into his body as before, and retreated beaten.

He undoes the magic, draws the six weapons back into his body, and withdraws beaten.

那nà陣zhèn上shàng李lǐ天tiān王wáng早zǎo已yǐ看kàn見jiàn，急jí欲yù提tí兵bīng助zhù戰zhàn，不bù覺jué太tài子zǐ倏shū至zhì面miàn前qián，戰zhàn兢jīng兢jīng報bào道dào：「父fù王wáng，弼bì馬mǎ溫wēn真zhēn個gè有yǒu本běn事shì，孩hái兒ér這zhè般bān法fǎ力lì，也yě戰zhàn他tā不bú過guò，已yǐ被bèi他tā打dǎ傷shāng膊bó也yě。」那nà阵zhèn上shàng李lǐ天tiān王wáng早zǎo已yǐ看kàn见jiàn，急jí欲yù提tí兵bīng助zhù战zhàn，不bù觉jué太tài子zǐ倏shū至zhì面miàn前qián，战zhàn兢jīng兢jīng报bào道dào：「父fù王wáng，弼bì马mǎ温wēn真zhēn个gè有yǒu本běn事shì，孩hái儿ér这zhè般bān法fǎ力lì，也yě战zhàn他tā不bú过guò，已yǐ被bèi他tā打dǎ伤shāng膊bó也yě。」

On the field Heavenly King Lǐ had already seen it and was anxious to bring up his troops to help, when, before he knew it, the prince was suddenly before him, reporting with a tremble, "Father, Bìmǎwēn truly has skill; with all my magic power I still could not beat him, and he has already wounded my arm."

倏至, "suddenly arrived" (倏, shū, the same flash-word used of the Star-Lord at the gate), and 戰兢兢, trembling. 戰他不過 is "cannot beat him"; 不過 takes bú before the falling tone of 過. 看見 takes 看 as kàn, and 不覺 takes bù.

天tiān王wáng大dà驚jīng失shī色sè道dào：「這zhè廝sī恁nèn的de神shén通tōng，如rú何hé取qǔ勝shèng？」天tiān王wáng大dà惊jīng失shī色sè道dào：「这zhè厮sī恁nèn的de神shén通tōng，如rú何hé取qǔ胜shèng？」

The Heavenly King turned pale with shock: "If this wretch has such powers, how are we to win?"

恁的神通, "powers like that" — 恁 (nèn) is "so, such." The Heavenly King's blanching question is the turning point of the campaign: Heaven's field commander has just stopped believing he can win.

太tài子zǐ道dào：「他tā洞dòng門mén外wài豎shù一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng寫xiě『齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng』四sì字zì。親qīn口kǒu誇kuā稱chēng，教jiào玉yù帝dì就jiù封fēng他tā做zuò齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng，萬wàn事shì俱jù休xiū；若ruò還hái不bú是shì此cǐ號hào，定dìng要yào打dǎ上shàng靈líng霄xiāo寶bǎo殿diàn哩li。」太tài子zǐ道dào：「他tā洞dòng门mén外wài竖shù一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng写xiě『齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng』四sì字zì。亲qīn口kǒu夸kuā称chēng，教jiào玉yù帝dì就jiù封fēng他tā做zuò齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng，万wàn事shì俱jù休xiū；若ruò还hái不bú是shì此cǐ号hào，定dìng要yào打dǎ上shàng灵líng霄xiāo宝bǎo殿diàn哩li。」

The prince said, "Outside his cave he has raised a pole and a flag, on which is written 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven,' four characters. He boasts with his own mouth that the Jade Emperor must appoint him Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and then all will be well; but if it is not that title, he will surely fight his way up to the Hall of Miraculous Mist."

親口誇稱 takes 稱 as chēng. The terms are restated for the third time, and they have not moved an inch: the title, or the throne. 一竿旗 takes yì and 不是 takes bú; 教 is causative jiào.

天tiān王wáng道dào：「既jì然rán如rú此cǐ，且qiě不bú要yào與yǔ他tā相xiāng持chí，且qiě去qù上shàng界jiè，將jiāng此cǐ言yán回huí奏zòu，再zài多duō遣qiǎn天tiān兵bīng，圍wéi捉zhuō這zhè廝sī，未wèi為wéi遲chí也yě。」天tiān王wáng道dào：「既jì然rán如rú此cǐ，且qiě不bú要yào与yǔ他tā相xiāng持chí，且qiě去qù上shàng界jiè，将jiāng此cǐ言yán回huí奏zòu，再zài多duō遣qiǎn天tiān兵bīng，围wéi捉zhuō这zhè厮sī，未wèi为wéi迟chí也yě。」

The Heavenly King said, "If that is how it is, let us not contend with him for now, but go up to the heavenly realm, report these words back, and send down more heavenly soldiers to surround and seize this wretch — it will not be too late."

未為遲也, "it will not be too late" — 為 as wéi. Withdraw, report, come back with more troops. It is the correct military answer and the wrong answer, and the next passage will explain why. 不要 takes bú; in 將此言 the 將 is the object-marker jiāng.

太tài子zǐ負fù痛tòng，不bù能néng復fù戰zhàn，故gù同tóng天tiān王wáng回huí天tiān啟qǐ奏zòu不bù題tí。太tài子zǐ负fù痛tòng，不bù能néng复fù战zhàn，故gù同tóng天tiān王wáng回huí天tiān启qǐ奏zòu不bù题tí。

The prince, nursing his pain, could fight no more, and so returned to Heaven with the Heavenly King to make their report — of which no more for now.

啟奏不題, "made their report; of this no more" — the storyteller closing a thread he intends to pick up. 不能 and 不題 both take bù.

總評 Commentary

The deadlock the poem balanced so carefully is broken not by greater power but by a trick — and it is the most characteristic trick in Monkey's repertoire. Quick of hand and eye, Wukong plucks a single body-hair, turns it into a copy of himself to keep Nezha busy, and walks his real body round behind the boy-god to strike his arm. The hair-clone recurs throughout the novel, and its first major use here sets the pattern: Wukong wins by division and misdirection, by being in two places at once, by exploiting the gap between appearance and reality that his shape-shifting opens up.

The episode quietly settles the chapter's combat logic. Force could not separate two equals; guile could. And the victory is pointedly partial — he wounds Nezha and does not kill him, treating the fight as a demonstration rather than a slaughter, exactly as he did with 巨靈. His aim throughout is recognition, not conquest; even his victories are arguments addressed to Heaven. The prince's trembling report and the Heavenly King's blanching "how are we to win?" register the real result: Heaven's expedition concludes, correctly, that it cannot beat him in the field.

That conclusion is the chapter's structural hinge. The Heavenly King's decision — withdraw, report, come back with more troops — sets up a second and larger campaign, but the novel has already shown, through the deadlock and the trick, that more troops are not the answer either. The 心猿 cannot be subdued by escalation; an opponent who wins by becoming many cannot be overwhelmed by numbers. The reader is being prepared for the real resolution, which comes not from Heaven's army but from the Star-Lord's advice in the passages ahead: stop fighting the name, and grant it.