第四十八回 · 石匣藏僧 The Monk Shut in the Stone Coffer — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

石匣藏僧 The Monk Shut in the Stone Coffer

那nà妖yāo邪xié將jiāng三sān藏zàng捉zhuō住zhù，引yǐn群qún精jīng徑jìng回huí水shuǐ府fǔ，厲lì聲shēng高gāo叫jiào：「鱖guì妹mèi何hé在zài？」老lǎo鱖guì婆pó迎yíng門mén施shī禮lǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng，不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。」妖yāo邪xié道dào：「賢xián妹mèi何hé出chū此cǐ言yán？『一yì言yán既jì出chū，駟sì馬mǎ難nán追zhuī。』原yuán說shuō聽tīng從cóng汝rǔ計jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，與yǔ你nǐ拜bài為wéi兄xiōng妹mèi。今jīn日rì果guǒ成chéng妙miào計jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，就jiù好hǎo昧mèi了le前qián言yán？」教jiào：「小xiǎo的de們men，擡tái過guò案àn桌zhuō，磨mó快kuài刀dāo來lái，把bǎ這zhè和hé尚shàng剖pōu腹fù剜wān心xīn，剝bō皮pí剮guǎ肉ròu；一yí壁bì廂xiāng響xiǎng動dòng樂yuè器qì：與yǔ賢xián妹mèi共gòng而ér食shí之zhī，延yán壽shòu長cháng生shēng也yě。」鱖guì婆pó道dào：「大dà王wáng，且qiě休xiū吃chī他tā，恐kǒng他tā徒tú弟dì們men尋xún來lái吵chǎo鬧nào。且qiě寧níng耐nài兩liǎng日rì，讓ràng那nà廝sī不bù來lái尋xún，然rán後hòu剖pōu開kāi，請qǐng大dà王wáng上shàng坐zuò，眾zhòng眷juàn族zú環huán列liè，吹chuī彈tán歌gē舞wǔ，奉fèng上shàng大dà王wáng，從cóng容róng自zì在zài享xiǎng用yòng，卻què不bù好hǎo也yě？」那nà怪guài依yī言yán，把bǎ唐táng僧sēng藏cáng於yú宮gōng後hòu，使shǐ一yí個gè六liù尺chǐ長cháng的de石shí匣xiá蓋gài在zài中zhōng間jiān不bù題tí。那nà妖yāo邪xié将jiāng三sān藏zàng捉zhuō住zhù，引yǐn群qún精jīng径jìng回huí水shuǐ府fǔ，厉lì声shēng高gāo叫jiào：「鳜guì妹mèi何hé在zài？」老lǎo鳜guì婆pó迎yíng门mén施shī礼lǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng，不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。」妖yāo邪xié道dào：「贤xián妹mèi何hé出chū此cǐ言yán？『一yì言yán既jì出chū，驷sì马mǎ难nán追zhuī。』原yuán说shuō听tīng从cóng汝rǔ计jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，与yǔ你nǐ拜bài为wéi兄xiōng妹mèi。今jīn日rì果guǒ成chéng妙miào计jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，就jiù好hǎo昧mèi了le前qián言yán？」教jiào：「小xiǎo的de们men，抬tái过guò案àn桌zhuō，磨mó快kuài刀dāo来lái，把bǎ这zhè和hé尚shàng剖pōu腹fù剜wān心xīn，剥bō皮pí剐guǎ肉ròu；一yí壁bì厢xiāng响xiǎng动dòng乐yuè器qì：与yǔ贤xián妹mèi共gòng而ér食shí之zhī，延yán寿shòu长cháng生shēng也yě。」鳜guì婆pó道dào：「大dà王wáng，且qiě休xiū吃chī他tā，恐kǒng他tā徒tú弟dì们men寻xún来lái吵chǎo闹nào。且qiě宁níng耐nài两liǎng日rì，让ràng那nà厮sī不bù来lái寻xún，然rán后hòu剖pōu开kāi，请qǐng大dà王wáng上shàng坐zuò，众zhòng眷juàn族zú环huán列liè，吹chuī弹tán歌gē舞wǔ，奉fèng上shàng大dà王wáng，从cóng容róng自zì在zài享xiǎng用yòng，却què不bù好hǎo也yě？」那nà怪guài依yī言yán，把bǎ唐táng僧sēng藏cáng于yú宫gōng后hòu，使shǐ一yí个gè六liù尺chǐ长cháng的de石shí匣xiá盖gài在zài中zhōng间jiān不bù题tí。

逐句解 Line by line

那nà妖yāo邪xié將jiāng三sān藏zàng捉zhuō住zhù，引yǐn群qún精jīng徑jìng回huí水shuǐ府fǔ，厲lì聲shēng高gāo叫jiào：「鱖guì妹mèi何hé在zài？」那nà妖yāo邪xié将jiāng三sān藏zàng捉zhuō住zhù，引yǐn群qún精jīng径jìng回huí水shuǐ府fǔ，厉lì声shēng高gāo叫jiào：「鳜guì妹mèi何hé在zài？」

The fiend seized Tripitaka and led his crowd of spirits straight back to the water mansion, calling out in a harsh loud voice: 「Where is Sister Mandarin-Fish?」

那妖邪 is nà; 將 is jiāng; 三藏: 藏 is zàng.

老lǎo鱖guì婆pó迎yíng門mén施shī禮lǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng，不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。」老lǎo鳜guì婆pó迎yíng门mén施shī礼lǐ道dào：「大dà王wáng，不bù敢gǎn，不bù敢gǎn。」

The old Mandarin-Fish Dame came to the door and made her bow, saying: 「Great King, I dare not, I dare not.」

不敢 doubled is a set formula of self-deprecation — "I would not presume." She is declining the very honour she negotiated for, which is exactly how these things were done.

妖yāo邪xié道dào：「賢xián妹mèi何hé出chū此cǐ言yán？妖yāo邪xié道dào：「贤xián妹mèi何hé出chū此cǐ言yán？

The fiend said: 「Worthy sister, why do you speak so?

賢妹, "worthy younger sister." He is already using the kinship word he promised.

『一yì言yán既jì出chū，駟sì馬mǎ難nán追zhuī。』『一yì言yán既jì出chū，驷sì马mǎ难nán追zhuī。』

『A word once out, four horses cannot overtake it.』

駟馬難追: 難 is nán. Say a word, and a team of four horses cannot overtake it. The proverb is Confucian in origin, and the speaker is a river-demon arranging to eat a monk.

原yuán說shuō聽tīng從cóng汝rǔ計jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，與yǔ你nǐ拜bài為wéi兄xiōng妹mèi。原yuán说shuō听tīng从cóng汝rǔ计jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，与yǔ你nǐ拜bài为wéi兄xiōng妹mèi。

It was agreed that if I followed your plan and took the Tang Monk I would bow with you as brother and sister.

拜為兄妹: 為 is wéi, the verb — as in the passage where the bargain was struck.

今jīn日rì果guǒ成chéng妙miào計jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，就jiù好hǎo昧mèi了le前qián言yán？」今jīn日rì果guǒ成chéng妙miào计jì，捉zhuō了le唐táng僧sēng，就jiù好hǎo昧mèi了le前qián言yán？」

Today your excellent scheme has come off and the Tang Monk is taken — am I to go back on what I said?」

昧了前言, to darken one's earlier word: to go back on it.

教jiào：「小xiǎo的de們men，擡tái過guò案àn桌zhuō，磨mó快kuài刀dāo來lái，把bǎ這zhè和hé尚shàng剖pōu腹fù剜wān心xīn，剝bō皮pí剮guǎ肉ròu；教jiào：「小xiǎo的de们men，抬tái过guò案àn桌zhuō，磨mó快kuài刀dāo来lái，把bǎ这zhè和hé尚shàng剖pōu腹fù剜wān心xīn，剥bō皮pí剐guǎ肉ròu；

He gave orders: 「Lads, carry in the table, whet the knives sharp, cut this monk's belly open and dig out the heart, flay off the skin and slice up the flesh;

教 is jiào. Four verbs of butchery in eight characters, and the novel softens none of them.

一yí壁bì廂xiāng響xiǎng動dòng樂yuè器qì：與yǔ賢xián妹mèi共gòng而ér食shí之zhī，延yán壽shòu長cháng生shēng也yě。」一yí壁bì厢xiāng响xiǎng动dòng乐yuè器qì：与yǔ贤xián妹mèi共gòng而ér食shí之zhī，延yán寿shòu长cháng生shēng也yě。」

and on the other side strike up the music: my worthy sister and I will eat him together, and lengthen our years and live long.」

樂器: 樂 is yuè, "music" — not lè, "joy." 長生: 長 is cháng. 一壁廂 lifts 一 to yí before a falling tone.

鱖guì婆pó道dào：「大dà王wáng，且qiě休xiū吃chī他tā，恐kǒng他tā徒tú弟dì們men尋xún來lái吵chǎo鬧nào。鳜guì婆pó道dào：「大dà王wáng，且qiě休xiū吃chī他tā，恐kǒng他tā徒tú弟dì们men寻xún来lái吵chǎo闹nào。

The Dame said: 「Great King, do not eat him yet — I fear his disciples may come looking for him and make a disturbance.

She is the only one in the water mansion still thinking, exactly as she was when the plan was made.

且qiě寧níng耐nài兩liǎng日rì，讓ràng那nà廝sī不bù來lái尋xún，然rán後hòu剖pōu開kāi，請qǐng大dà王wáng上shàng坐zuò，眾zhòng眷juàn族zú環huán列liè，吹chuī彈tán歌gē舞wǔ，奉fèng上shàng大dà王wáng，從cóng容róng自zì在zài享xiǎng用yòng，卻què不bù好hǎo也yě？」且qiě宁níng耐nài两liǎng日rì，让ràng那nà厮sī不bù来lái寻xún，然rán后hòu剖pōu开kāi，请qǐng大dà王wáng上shàng坐zuò，众zhòng眷juàn族zú环huán列liè，吹chuī弹tán歌gē舞wǔ，奉fèng上shàng大dà王wáng，从cóng容róng自zì在zài享xiǎng用yòng，却què不bù好hǎo也yě？」

Be patient a couple of days, and when that crew have given up the search, then cut him open. Let the Great King take the upper seat with all your kindred ranged about, with piping and strumming, singing and dancing, and let him be served up to the Great King to be enjoyed at leisure and at ease — would that not be better?」

那廝 is nà. 吹彈: 彈 is tán, "to pluck a string," not dàn, a pellet — the compound is wind and strings, a small band. 寧耐 is the same word as 寧奈, to bear patiently.

那nà怪guài依yī言yán，把bǎ唐táng僧sēng藏cáng於yú宮gōng後hòu，使shǐ一yí個gè六liù尺chǐ長cháng的de石shí匣xiá蓋gài在zài中zhōng間jiān不bù題tí。那nà怪guài依yī言yán，把bǎ唐táng僧sēng藏cáng于yú宫gōng后hòu，使shǐ一yí个gè六liù尺chǐ长cháng的de石shí匣xiá盖gài在zài中zhōng间jiān不bù题tí。

The monster took her advice, and hid the Tang Monk behind the palace, and had a stone coffer six chǐ long laid over him; of which no more.

那怪 is nà. 藏於宮後: 藏 is cáng, "to hide" — the chapter's single occurrence of that reading, against twenty-seven appearances of zàng in 三藏. One of those twenty-seven opens this very passage, some two hundred characters back. The character that spells the monk's name has become the verb for what is done to him. 六尺長: 長 is cháng, dimension. 石匣: 石 is shí, stone; 尺 stays as chǐ, so six of them make a box about the length of a man.

總評 Commentary

The scene in the water mansion is played, disconcertingly, as a comedy of manners. The demon comes home with his prize and immediately honours the contract: he calls for 鱖妹, sister Mandarin-Fish, and when she demurs he quotes the proverb about the word that four horses cannot overtake. He is a creature of his word. What he has given his word about is the division of a man's body.

The Dame's counsel is again the shrewd one, and again it is the reason the story can continue: do not eat him yet, wait until the disciples have given up searching, and then do it properly — the Great King in the upper seat, the kindred ranged around, pipes and strings and dancing. Her whole argument is about ceremony, and it buys Tripitaka the two days Chapter Forty-Nine needs.

The chapter's last image of its protagonist is one of the bleakest in the book. He is hidden behind the palace under a stone box six chǐ long — the dimensions of a grave — and the narration drops him there with 不題, of which no more. Note the character used for hiding him: 藏, read cáng, the same character that in 三藏 is his own name.