第六回 · 法天象地 Heaven-and-Earth Transformations — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

法天象地 Heaven-and-Earth Transformations

真zhēn君jūn與yǔ大dà聖shèng鬥dòu經jīng三sān百bǎi餘yú合hé，不bù知zhī勝shèng負fù。那nà真zhēn君jūn抖dǒu擻sǒu神shén威wēi，搖yáo身shēn一yí變biàn，變biàn得dé身shēn高gāo萬wàn丈zhàng，兩liǎng隻zhī手shǒu舉jǔ著zhe三sān尖jiān兩liǎng刃rèn神shén鋒fēng，好hǎo便biàn似sì華huá山shān頂dǐng上shàng之zhī峰fēng，青qīng臉liǎn獠liáo牙yá，朱zhū紅hóng頭tóu髮fà，惡è狠hěn狠hěn，望wàng大dà聖shèng著zhuó頭tóu就jiù砍kǎn。這zhè大dà聖shèng也yě使shǐ神shén通tōng，變biàn得dé與yǔ二èr郎láng身shēn軀qū一yí樣yàng，嘴zuǐ臉liǎn一yì般bān，舉jǔ一yì條tiáo如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，卻què就jiù是shì崑kūn崙lún頂dǐng上shàng擎qíng天tiān之zhī柱zhù，抵dǐ住zhù二èr郎láng神shén。諕xià得dé那nà馬mǎ、流liú元yuán帥shuài戰zhàn兢jīng兢jīng，搖yáo不bù得dé旌jīng旗qí；崩bēng、芭bā二èr將jiàng虛xū怯qiè怯qiè，使shǐ不bù得dé刀dāo劍jiàn。這zhè陣zhèn上shàng，康kāng、張zhāng、姚yáo、李lǐ、郭guō申shēn、直zhí健jiàn傳chuán號hào令lìng，撒sā放fàng草cǎo頭tóu神shén，向xiàng他tā那nà水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng外wài縱zòng著zhe鷹yīng犬quǎn，搭dā弩nǔ張zhāng弓gōng，一yì齊qí掩yǎn殺shā。可kě憐lián沖chōng散sàn妖yāo猴hóu四sì健jiàn將jiàng，捉zhuō拿ná靈líng怪guài二èr三sān千qiān。那nà些xiē猴hóu拋pāo戈gē棄qì甲jiǎ，撇piē劍jiàn丟diū槍qiāng，跑pǎo的de跑pǎo，喊hǎn的de喊hǎn，上shàng山shān的de上shàng山shān，歸guī洞dòng的de歸guī洞dòng。好hǎo似sì夜yè貓māo驚jīng宿sù鳥niǎo，飛fēi灑sǎ滿mǎn天tiān星xīng。眾zhòng兄xiōng弟dì得dé勝shèng不bù題tí。真zhēn君jūn与yǔ大dà圣shèng斗dòu经jīng三sān百bǎi余yú合hé，不bù知zhī胜shèng负fù。那nà真zhēn君jūn抖dǒu擞sǒu神shén威wēi，摇yáo身shēn一yí变biàn，变biàn得dé身shēn高gāo万wàn丈zhàng，两liǎng只zhī手shǒu举jǔ着zhe三sān尖jiān两liǎng刃rèn神shén锋fēng，好hǎo便biàn似sì华huá山shān顶dǐng上shàng之zhī峰fēng，青qīng脸liǎn獠liáo牙yá，朱zhū红hóng头tóu发fà，恶è狠hěn狠hěn，望wàng大dà圣shèng着zhuó头tóu就jiù砍kǎn。这zhè大dà圣shèng也yě使shǐ神shén通tōng，变biàn得dé与yǔ二èr郎láng身shēn躯qū一yí样yàng，嘴zuǐ脸liǎn一yì般bān，举jǔ一yì条tiáo如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，却què就jiù是shì昆kūn仑lún顶dǐng上shàng擎qíng天tiān之zhī柱zhù，抵dǐ住zhù二èr郎láng神shén。諕xià得dé那nà马mǎ、流liú元yuán帅shuài战zhàn兢jīng兢jīng，摇yáo不bù得dé旌jīng旗qí；崩bēng、芭bā二èr将jiàng虚xū怯qiè怯qiè，使shǐ不bù得dé刀dāo剑jiàn。这zhè阵zhèn上shàng，康kāng、张zhāng、姚yáo、李lǐ、郭guō申shēn、直zhí健jiàn传chuán号hào令lìng，撒sā放fàng草cǎo头tóu神shén，向xiàng他tā那nà水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng外wài纵zòng着zhe鹰yīng犬quǎn，搭dā弩nǔ张zhāng弓gōng，一yì齐qí掩yǎn杀shā。可kě怜lián冲chōng散sàn妖yāo猴hóu四sì健jiàn将jiàng，捉zhuō拿ná灵líng怪guài二èr三sān千qiān。那nà些xiē猴hóu抛pāo戈gē弃qì甲jiǎ，撇piē剑jiàn丢diū枪qiāng，跑pǎo的de跑pǎo，喊hǎn的de喊hǎn，上shàng山shān的de上shàng山shān，归guī洞dòng的de归guī洞dòng。好hǎo似sì夜yè猫māo惊jīng宿sù鸟niǎo，飞fēi洒sǎ满mǎn天tiān星xīng。众zhòng兄xiōng弟dì得dé胜shèng不bù题tí。

逐句解 Line by line

真zhēn君jūn與yǔ大dà聖shèng鬥dòu經jīng三sān百bǎi餘yú合hé，不bù知zhī勝shèng負fù。真zhēn君jūn与yǔ大dà圣shèng斗dòu经jīng三sān百bǎi余yú合hé，不bù知zhī胜shèng负fù。

The True Lord and the Great Sage fought more than three hundred rounds, with no telling who would win.

三百餘合, over three hundred bouts (合 is hé). The number is not meant literally; it means a deadlock that no quantity of blows is going to break. This is the prose settling the account of the verse just past.

那nà真zhēn君jūn抖dǒu擻sǒu神shén威wēi，搖yáo身shēn一yí變biàn，變biàn得dé身shēn高gāo萬wàn丈zhàng，兩liǎng隻zhī手shǒu舉jǔ著zhe三sān尖jiān兩liǎng刃rèn神shén鋒fēng，那nà真zhēn君jūn抖dǒu擞sǒu神shén威wēi，摇yáo身shēn一yí变biàn，变biàn得dé身shēn高gāo万wàn丈zhàng，两liǎng只zhī手shǒu举jǔ着zhe三sān尖jiān两liǎng刃rèn神shén锋fēng，

Then the True Lord roused his divine might, shook himself, and transformed — growing ten thousand fathoms tall, his two hands hoisting the three-pointed, double-edged blade,

法天象地, modelling Heaven and imaging Earth, is the giant-transformation by which an adept swells to cosmic size. 身高萬丈, ten thousand zhàng tall — a 丈 being roughly ten Chinese feet, so the figure is simply enormous rather than precisely measured. Erlang has given up on skill and switched to scale.

好hǎo便biàn似sì華huá山shān頂dǐng上shàng之zhī峰fēng，青qīng臉liǎn獠liáo牙yá，朱zhū紅hóng頭tóu髮fà，惡è狠hěn狠hěn，望wàng大dà聖shèng著zhuó頭tóu就jiù砍kǎn。好hǎo便biàn似sì华huá山shān顶dǐng上shàng之zhī峰fēng，青qīng脸liǎn獠liáo牙yá，朱zhū红hóng头tóu发fà，恶è狠hěn狠hěn，望wàng大dà圣shèng着zhuó头tóu就jiù砍kǎn。

just like the topmost crag of Mount Hua — green-faced, fanged, with hair of vermilion red, ferocious — and aimed a chop straight at the Great Sage's head.

青臉獠牙, blue face and jutting tusks, is the standard iconography of a wrathful guardian deity — the terrifying figures painted inside temple gates. 著頭就砍, chopped right at the head (著 is zhuó, right at, upon). 華山, Mount Hua, is one of the Five Sacred Peaks, and famously sheer.

這zhè大dà聖shèng也yě使shǐ神shén通tōng，變biàn得dé與yǔ二èr郎láng身shēn軀qū一yí樣yàng，嘴zuǐ臉liǎn一yì般bān，舉jǔ一yì條tiáo如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，这zhè大dà圣shèng也yě使shǐ神shén通tōng，变biàn得dé与yǔ二èr郎láng身shēn躯qū一yí样yàng，嘴zuǐ脸liǎn一yì般bān，举jǔ一yì条tiáo如rú意yì金jīn箍gū棒bàng，

The Great Sage too worked his magic, transforming to a body just like Erlang's, his face and features the same, and hoisting his As-You-Will gold-banded cudgel,

The monkey answers giant with giant, matching Erlang shape for shape and face for face. The contest of magnitude immediately becomes a mirror-match, each of them a colossus staring at his own reflection.

卻què就jiù是shì崑kūn崙lún頂dǐng上shàng擎qíng天tiān之zhī柱zhù，抵dǐ住zhù二èr郎láng神shén。却què就jiù是shì昆kūn仑lún顶dǐng上shàng擎qíng天tiān之zhī柱zhù，抵dǐ住zhù二èr郎láng神shén。

which became the very Sky-Propping Pillar atop the Kunlun range, and with it held off the god Erlang.

崑崙, Kunlun, is the cosmic mountain at the centre of the world; 擎天之柱, the pillar that props the sky. Between them they turn the monkey's cudgel into the axis of the universe — which tells you how far past ordinary combat this has gone.

諕xià得dé那nà馬mǎ、流liú元yuán帥shuài戰zhàn兢jīng兢jīng，搖yáo不bù得dé旌jīng旗qí；崩bēng、芭bā二èr將jiàng虛xū怯qiè怯qiè，使shǐ不bù得dé刀dāo劍jiàn。諕xià得dé那nà马mǎ、流liú元yuán帅shuài战zhàn兢jīng兢jīng，摇yáo不bù得dé旌jīng旗qí；崩bēng、芭bā二èr将jiàng虚xū怯qiè怯qiè，使shǐ不bù得dé刀dāo剑jiàn。

So terrified were the Marshals Ma and Liu that they trembled and could not wave their banners; the Generals Beng and Ba quailed so that they could not wield their blades.

諕 (xià) is a variant of 嚇, to frighten. The monkey's four marshals — 馬, 流, 崩, 芭, Ma, Liu, Beng and Ba — are paralysed by the clash of titans overhead. Note whose side they are on: their own champion has terrified them.

這zhè陣zhèn上shàng，康kāng、張zhāng、姚yáo、李lǐ、郭guō申shēn、直zhí健jiàn傳chuán號hào令lìng，撒sā放fàng草cǎo頭tóu神shén，向xiàng他tā那nà水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng外wài縱zòng著zhe鷹yīng犬quǎn，搭dā弩nǔ張zhāng弓gōng，一yì齊qí掩yǎn殺shā。这zhè阵zhèn上shàng，康kāng、张zhāng、姚yáo、李lǐ、郭guō申shēn、直zhí健jiàn传chuán号hào令lìng，撒sā放fàng草cǎo头tóu神shén，向xiàng他tā那nà水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng外wài纵zòng着zhe鹰yīng犬quǎn，搭dā弩nǔ张zhāng弓gōng，一yì齐qí掩yǎn杀shā。

On this side, Kang, Zhang, Yao, Li, Guo Shen, and Zhi Jian passed the order, set loose the plant-headed gods, and outside his Water-Curtain Cave loosed the hawks and hounds, set their crossbows and drew their bows, and fell on all together.

While the two giants stand locked, Erlang's six brothers do what the giants cannot — they attack the leaderless monkey troop, and the hawks and hounds held back since their arrival are finally slipped.

可kě憐lián沖chōng散sàn妖yāo猴hóu四sì健jiàn將jiàng，捉zhuō拿ná靈líng怪guài二èr三sān千qiān。可kě怜lián冲chōng散sàn妖yāo猴hóu四sì健jiàn将jiàng，捉zhuō拿ná灵líng怪guài二èr三sān千qiān。

Pitiably, the fiendish monkeys' four stalwart commanders were scattered, and two or three thousand of the magic creatures were taken.

The 四健將, the four stalwart generals, are the monkey's own captains. With the Great Sage busy being magnificent, his army is routed and his lieutenants taken. This is what the single combat has cost him.

那nà些xiē猴hóu拋pāo戈gē棄qì甲jiǎ，撇piē劍jiàn丟diū槍qiāng，跑pǎo的de跑pǎo，喊hǎn的de喊hǎn，上shàng山shān的de上shàng山shān，歸guī洞dòng的de歸guī洞dòng。那nà些xiē猴hóu抛pāo戈gē弃qì甲jiǎ，撇piē剑jiàn丢diū枪qiāng，跑pǎo的de跑pǎo，喊hǎn的de喊hǎn，上shàng山shān的de上shàng山shān，归guī洞dòng的de归guī洞dòng。

Those monkeys flung down halberds and cast off armor, dropped swords and threw away spears — some running, some screaming, some scrambling up the mountain, some bolting back into the cave.

The rout is rendered as a tumble of parallel clauses — 跑的跑，喊的喊, some running, some screaming — so that the prose scatters in the same direction as the troops.

好hǎo似sì夜yè貓māo驚jīng宿sù鳥niǎo，飛fēi灑sǎ滿mǎn天tiān星xīng。眾zhòng兄xiōng弟dì得dé勝shèng不bù題tí。好hǎo似sì夜yè猫māo惊jīng宿sù鸟niǎo，飞fēi洒sǎ满mǎn天tiān星xīng。众zhòng兄xiōng弟dì得dé胜shèng不bù题tí。

They were like roosting birds startled by a night-owl, scattered across the sky like a spray of stars. The brothers had won the day — of which no more need be said.

夜貓驚宿鳥, a night-owl startling the perched birds, is a simile any country reader would recognise on sight; 飛灑滿天星, scattered like stars filling the sky, finishes it. 不題 then closes the thread and turns us back to the two giants, who are still standing there.

總評 Commentary

The stalemate of the battle-rhapsody — three hundred rounds and no victor — forces the duel onto a new plane, and the chapter delivers its first great spectacle of magic: the 法天象地 transformation, by which both combatants swell to cosmic size. Erlang becomes a green-faced, fanged colossus like the topmost crag of Mount Hua; the monkey matches him form for form, his cudgel grown into the Sky-Propping Pillar atop Kunlun. It is a mirror-match of titans, and the imagery is deliberately cosmic — Mount Hua and Mount Kunlun, the sacred peak and the world-axis — raising a private quarrel to the scale of myth.

But Wú Chéng'ēn undercuts the grandeur even as he stages it, and this is the passage's real craft. While the two giants stand locked and immovable, the actual fighting is decided far below, among the small fry. The monkey's marshals, 馬、流、崩、芭, are too terrified to lift their banners; Erlang's six brothers, seizing the moment the colossus cannot, loose the hawks and hounds and fall on the leaderless monkey troop. The rout that follows is pure comedy, the rabble flinging down its weapons and scattering like roosting birds startled by a night-owl. The mock-heroic contrast is the point: the cosmic duel above is sublime and useless, while the war is settled by a raid on the rank and file.

There is a hard lesson in this for the monkey, and the allegory presses it. By committing wholly to single combat — by his pride in facing Erlang alone — the Great Sage has left his kingdom undefended; his magnitude wins him nothing and costs him his army. In the inner-alchemical reading, the 心猿 that overreaches, swelling to fill Heaven and Earth, neglects the very ground it stands on, and grandiosity is its undoing. The moment he notices his scattered troops — in the next passage — his nerve will break and the long flight will begin. The giant-transformation is thus the hinge between the duel of strength and the duel of cunning that follows. (On 法天象地 and the cosmography of Kunlun, see the notes in Anthony C. Yu's translation; for the monkey's four marshals, Chapter 3.)