第四十五回 · 香爐燭臺 Censer and Candles — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

香爐燭臺 Censer and Candles

頂dǐng上shàng放fàng一yì張zhāng桌zhuō子zi，桌zhuō上shàng有yǒu一yí個gè香xiāng爐lú，爐lú中zhōng香xiāng煙yān靄ǎi靄ǎi。兩liǎng邊biān有yǒu兩liǎng隻zhī燭zhú臺tái，臺tái上shàng風fēng燭zhú煌huáng煌huáng。爐lú邊biān靠kào著zhe一yí個gè金jīn牌pái，牌pái上shàng鐫juān的de是shì雷léi神shén名míng號hào。顶dǐng上shàng放fàng一yì张zhāng桌zhuō子zi，桌zhuō上shàng有yǒu一yí个gè香xiāng炉lú，炉lú中zhōng香xiāng烟yān霭ǎi霭ǎi。两liǎng边biān有yǒu两liǎng只zhī烛zhú台tái，台tái上shàng风fēng烛zhú煌huáng煌huáng。炉lú边biān靠kào着zhe一yí个gè金jīn牌pái，牌pái上shàng镌juān的de是shì雷léi神shén名míng号hào。

逐句解 Line by line

頂dǐng上shàng放fàng一yì張zhāng桌zhuō子zi，桌zhuō上shàng有yǒu一yí個gè香xiāng爐lú，爐lú中zhōng香xiāng煙yān靄ǎi靄ǎi。顶dǐng上shàng放fàng一yì张zhāng桌zhuō子zi，桌zhuō上shàng有yǒu一yí个gè香xiāng炉lú，炉lú中zhōng香xiāng烟yān霭ǎi霭ǎi。

On the top was set a table, and on the table an incense-burner, with the incense-smoke curling thick from the burner.

桌子: 子 = zi. 爐中: 中 = zhōng. 香煙靄靄 (ǎi ǎi) "the incense smoke hanging thick."

兩liǎng邊biān有yǒu兩liǎng隻zhī燭zhú臺tái，臺tái上shàng風fēng燭zhú煌huáng煌huáng。两liǎng边biān有yǒu两liǎng只zhī烛zhú台tái，台tái上shàng风fēng烛zhú煌huáng煌huáng。

On either side were two candle-stands, and on the stands the wind-candles blazed bright.

風燭 "wind candles," made to stay lit outdoors. 煌煌 (huáng huáng) "blazing bright."

爐lú邊biān靠kào著zhe一yí個gè金jīn牌pái，牌pái上shàng鐫juān的de是shì雷léi神shén名míng號hào。炉lú边biān靠kào着zhe一yí个gè金jīn牌pái，牌pái上shàng镌juān的de是shì雷léi神shén名míng号hào。

Beside the burner leaned a golden placard, on which were engraved the names of the thunder-gods.

靠著: 著 = zhe, propped and staying propped. 鐫 (juān) "to engrave." 雷神名號 "the names and titles of the thunder gods" -- and names matter here, because the rite works by summoning named officials, not by asking the sky nicely.

總評 Commentary

The catalogue moves up to the platform: table, censer, two candle stands, and a gold placard with the thunder gods' names cut into it.

That placard is the key to how this magic is supposed to work. The Daoist rite treats heaven as a civil service with departments, ranks and correct forms of address. You do not pray for rain; you file with the right office, using the right names, and the office is obliged to act.

Which is a perfectly coherent system, and completely useless against someone who outranks the office.