第六回 · 真君佈陣 The True Lord Lays His Snare — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

真君佈陣 The True Lord Lays His Snare

真zhēn君jūn笑xiào道dào：「小xiǎo聖shèng來lái此cǐ，必bì須xū與yǔ他tā鬥dòu個gè變biàn化huà。列liè公gōng將jiāng天tiān羅luó地dì網wǎng不bú要yào幔màn了le頂dǐng上shàng，只zhǐ四sì圍wéi緊jǐn密mì，讓ràng我wǒ賭dǔ鬥dòu。若ruò我wǒ輸shū與yǔ他tā，不bú必bì列liè公gōng相xiāng助zhù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì扶fú持chí；若ruò贏yíng了le他tā，也yě不bú必bì列liè公gōng綁bǎng縛fù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì動dòng手shǒu。只zhǐ請qǐng托tuō塔tǎ天tiān王wáng與yǔ我wǒ使shǐ個gè照zhào妖yāo鏡jìng，住zhù立lì空kōng中zhōng。恐kǒng他tā一yì時shí敗bài陣zhèn，逃táo竄cuàn他tā方fāng，切qiè須xū與yǔ我wǒ照zhào耀yào明míng白bái，勿wù走zǒu了le他tā。」天tiān王wáng各gè居jū四sì維wéi，眾zhòng天tiān兵bīng各gè挨āi排pái列liè陣zhèn去qù訖qì。這zhè真zhēn君jūn領lǐng著zhe四sì太tài尉wèi、二èr將jiàng軍jūn，連lián本běn身shēn七qī兄xiōng弟dì，出chū營yíng挑tiǎo戰zhàn；吩fēn咐fù眾zhòng將jiàng緊jǐn守shǒu營yíng盤pán，收shōu全quán了le鷹yīng犬quǎn。眾zhòng草cǎo頭tóu神shén得dé令lìng。真zhēn君jūn只zhǐ到dào那nà水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng外wài，見jiàn那nà一yì群qún猴hóu齊qí齊qí整zhěng整zhěng，排pái作zuò個gè蟠pán龍lóng陣zhèn勢shì。中zhōng軍jūn裡lǐ立lì一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng書shū「齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng」四sì字zì。真zhēn君jūn道dào：「那nà潑pō妖yāo，怎zěn麼me稱chēng得dé起qǐ齊qí天tiān之zhī職zhí？」梅méi山shān六liù弟dì道dào：「且qiě休xiū讚zàn嘆tàn，叫jiào戰zhàn去qù來lái。」那nà營yíng口kǒu小xiǎo猴hóu見jiàn了le真zhēn君jūn，急jí走zǒu去qù報bào知zhī。真zhēn君jūn笑xiào道dào：「小xiǎo圣shèng来lái此cǐ，必bì须xū与yǔ他tā斗dòu个gè变biàn化huà。列liè公gōng将jiāng天tiān罗luó地dì网wǎng不bú要yào幔màn了le顶dǐng上shàng，只zhǐ四sì围wéi紧jǐn密mì，让ràng我wǒ赌dǔ斗dòu。若ruò我wǒ输shū与yǔ他tā，不bú必bì列liè公gōng相xiāng助zhù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì扶fú持chí；若ruò赢yíng了le他tā，也yě不bú必bì列liè公gōng绑bǎng缚fù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì动dòng手shǒu。只zhǐ请qǐng托tuō塔tǎ天tiān王wáng与yǔ我wǒ使shǐ个gè照zhào妖yāo镜jìng，住zhù立lì空kōng中zhōng。恐kǒng他tā一yì时shí败bài阵zhèn，逃táo窜cuàn他tā方fāng，切qiè须xū与yǔ我wǒ照zhào耀yào明míng白bái，勿wù走zǒu了le他tā。」天tiān王wáng各gè居jū四sì维wéi，众zhòng天tiān兵bīng各gè挨āi排pái列liè阵zhèn去qù讫qì。这zhè真zhēn君jūn领lǐng著zhe四sì太tài尉wèi、二èr将jiàng军jūn，连lián本běn身shēn七qī兄xiōng弟dì，出chū营yíng挑tiǎo战zhàn；吩fēn咐fù众zhòng将jiàng紧jǐn守shǒu营yíng盘pán，收shōu全quán了le鹰yīng犬quǎn。众zhòng草cǎo头tóu神shén得dé令lìng。真zhēn君jūn只zhǐ到dào那nà水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng外wài，见jiàn那nà一yì群qún猴hóu齐qí齐qí整zhěng整zhěng，排pái作zuò个gè蟠pán龙lóng阵zhèn势shì。中zhōng军jūn里lǐ立lì一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng书shū「齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng」四sì字zì。真zhēn君jūn道dào：「那nà泼pō妖yāo，怎zěn么me称chēng得dé起qǐ齐qí天tiān之zhī职zhí？」梅méi山shān六liù弟dì道dào：「且qiě休xiū赞zàn叹tàn，叫jiào战zhàn去qù来lái。」那nà营yíng口kǒu小xiǎo猴hóu见jiàn了le真zhēn君jūn，急jí走zǒu去qù报bào知zhī。

逐句解 Line by line

真zhēn君jūn笑xiào道dào：「小xiǎo聖shèng來lái此cǐ，必bì須xū與yǔ他tā鬥dòu個gè變biàn化huà。真zhēn君jūn笑xiào道dào：「小xiǎo圣shèng来lái此cǐ，必bì须xū与yǔ他tā斗dòu个gè变biàn化huà。

The True Lord laughed and said, "Since I, the Lesser Sage, have come, I must contend with him in a match of transformations.

小聖 ("the Lesser Sage") is Erlang's own modest self-title, set against the monkey's 大聖 ("Great Sage") — the pairing named in the chapter heading. 鬥變化 ("to contest in transformations") foretells the magical shape-shifting duel to come.

列liè公gōng將jiāng天tiān羅luó地dì網wǎng不bú要yào幔màn了le頂dǐng上shàng，只zhǐ四sì圍wéi緊jǐn密mì，讓ràng我wǒ賭dǔ鬥dòu。列liè公gōng将jiāng天tiān罗luó地dì网wǎng不bú要yào幔màn了le顶dǐng上shàng，只zhǐ四sì围wéi紧jǐn密mì，让ràng我wǒ赌dǔ斗dòu。

My lords, do not curtain the tops of the Heaven-and-Earth nets — keep only the four sides close-drawn, and leave the fighting to me.

列公 ("my lords, gentlemen") is a courteous address to the assembled commanders. Erlang's tactical insight — leave the top open — anticipates a duel fought partly in the air, and proves shrewd when the monkey takes flight.

若ruò我wǒ輸shū與yǔ他tā，不bú必bì列liè公gōng相xiāng助zhù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì扶fú持chí；若ruò我wǒ输shū与yǔ他tā，不bú必bì列liè公gōng相xiāng助zhù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì扶fú持chí；

If I lose to him, you need not help — I have my brothers to support me;

Erlang insists on fighting his own fight: his pride (the 心高, "high-hearted" temper his portrait will name) will not borrow Heaven's host.

若ruò贏yíng了le他tā，也yě不bú必bì列liè公gōng綁bǎng縛fù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì動dòng手shǒu。若ruò赢yíng了le他tā，也yě不bú必bì列liè公gōng绑bǎng缚fù，我wǒ自zì有yǒu兄xiōng弟dì动dòng手shǒu。

and if I beat him, you need not bind him either — I have my brothers to do that too.

綁縛 ("to bind, to truss up") — Erlang reserves even the capture for his own band, the Mei Mountain brothers. The boast frames the contest as a private match.

只zhǐ請qǐng托tuō塔tǎ天tiān王wáng與yǔ我wǒ使shǐ個gè照zhào妖yāo鏡jìng，住zhù立lì空kōng中zhōng。只zhǐ请qǐng托tuō塔tǎ天tiān王wáng与yǔ我wǒ使shǐ个gè照zhào妖yāo镜jìng，住zhù立lì空kōng中zhōng。

I ask only that the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King work the demon-revealing mirror for me, and stand watch in the sky.

The 照妖鏡 ("demon-revealing mirror") pierces disguises — it will be the one outside help Erlang accepts, and it proves decisive when the monkey hides by transformation.

恐kǒng他tā一yì時shí敗bài陣zhèn，逃táo竄cuàn他tā方fāng，切qiè須xū與yǔ我wǒ照zhào耀yào明míng白bái，勿wù走zǒu了le他tā。」恐kǒng他tā一yì时shí败bài阵zhèn，逃táo窜cuàn他tā方fāng，切qiè须xū与yǔ我wǒ照zhào耀yào明míng白bái，勿wù走zǒu了le他tā。」

For fear that he break and flee elsewhere, you must light him up clearly for me, and not let him get away."

逃竄 ("to flee, to bolt"). Erlang foresees exactly how the duel will end — the monkey running, the mirror tracking him — a neat piece of foreshadowing.

天tiān王wáng各gè居jū四sì維wéi，眾zhòng天tiān兵bīng各gè挨āi排pái列liè陣zhèn去qù訖qì。天tiān王wáng各gè居jū四sì维wéi，众zhòng天tiān兵bīng各gè挨āi排pái列liè阵zhèn去qù讫qì。

The Heavenly Kings took up the four quarters, and the heavenly soldiers ranged themselves in their ranks accordingly.

四維 ("the four corners, the four quarters") — the host redeploys to seal the sides while leaving the sky to Erlang.

這zhè真zhēn君jūn領lǐng著zhe四sì太tài尉wèi、二èr將jiàng軍jūn，連lián本běn身shēn七qī兄xiōng弟dì，出chū營yíng挑tiǎo戰zhàn；这zhè真zhēn君jūn领lǐng著zhe四sì太tài尉wèi、二èr将jiàng军jūn，连lián本běn身shēn七qī兄xiōng弟dì，出chū营yíng挑tiǎo战zhàn；

The True Lord then led out the four Marshals and two Generals — with himself, seven brothers all told — and marched from camp to give challenge;

連本身七兄弟 ("counting himself, seven brothers in all") — the band is the 梅山七聖 (Seven Sages of Mei Mountain). 挑戰 (tiǎo-zhàn, "to give challenge").

吩fēn咐fù眾zhòng將jiàng緊jǐn守shǒu營yíng盤pán，收shōu全quán了le鷹yīng犬quǎn。眾zhòng草cǎo頭tóu神shén得dé令lìng。吩fēn咐fù众zhòng将jiàng紧jǐn守shǒu营yíng盘pán，收shōu全quán了le鹰yīng犬quǎn。众zhòng草cǎo头tóu神shén得dé令lìng。

He bade his generals hold the camp fast and gather in all the hawks and hounds. The plant-headed gods received their orders.

草頭神 ("grass-headed gods," Erlang's rustic minor deities) hold the rear while the seven sages go forward. 收全了鷹犬 — the hunting animals are kept leashed, in reserve, for the chase that will come.

真zhēn君jūn只zhǐ到dào那nà水shuǐ簾lián洞dòng外wài，見jiàn那nà一yì群qún猴hóu齊qí齊qí整zhěng整zhěng，排pái作zuò個gè蟠pán龍lóng陣zhèn勢shì。真zhēn君jūn只zhǐ到dào那nà水shuǐ帘lián洞dòng外wài，见jiàn那nà一yì群qún猴hóu齐qí齐qí整zhěng整zhěng，排pái作zuò个gè蟠pán龙lóng阵zhèn势shì。

The True Lord came right up to the Water-Curtain Cave, and saw the troop of monkeys drawn up neat and trim in a Coiling-Dragon battle array.

水簾洞 (the Water-Curtain Cave) is the monkey's stronghold, established in Chapter 1. 蟠龍陣 ("Coiling-Dragon formation") — even the monkey rabble musters in proper military order, a touch of comic dignity.

中zhōng軍jūn裡lǐ立lì一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng書shū「齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng」四sì字zì。中zhōng军jūn里lǐ立lì一yì竿gān旗qí，上shàng书shū「齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng」四sì字zì。

In the center of their ranks stood a banner, inscribed with the four words "Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

The monkey flies his self-awarded title as a battle-standard — 齊天大聖, the very rank the campaign means to strip from him.

真zhēn君jūn道dào：「那nà潑pō妖yāo，怎zěn麼me稱chēng得dé起qǐ齊qí天tiān之zhī職zhí？」真zhēn君jūn道dào：「那nà泼pō妖yāo，怎zěn么me称chēng得dé起qǐ齐qí天tiān之zhī职zhí？」

Said the True Lord, "That insolent fiend — how does he merit a rank 'Equal to Heaven'?"

潑妖 ("insolent fiend, brazen monster"). Erlang's scorn for the title is the first shot of the war of words about to begin.

梅méi山shān六liù弟dì道dào：「且qiě休xiū讚zàn嘆tàn，叫jiào戰zhàn去qù來lái。」梅méi山shān六liù弟dì道dào：「且qiě休xiū赞zàn叹tàn，叫jiào战zhàn去qù来lái。」

His six Mei Mountain brothers said, "Spare your wonder — let us cry the challenge and have at him!"

且休讚嘆 ("hold off your admiring") — the brothers, impatient for the fight, cut short Erlang's musing on the banner.

那nà營yíng口kǒu小xiǎo猴hóu見jiàn了le真zhēn君jūn，急jí走zǒu去qù報bào知zhī。那nà营yíng口kǒu小xiǎo猴hóu见jiàn了le真zhēn君jūn，急jí走zǒu去qù报bào知zhī。

A little monkey at the camp mouth, seeing the True Lord, ran off quickly to carry the word.

The sentinel-monkey's dash to warn his king sets the next scene in motion — the Great Sage will now arm and come forth.

總評 Commentary

This passage is given over almost entirely to Erlang's battle-plan, and it repays attention as a study in character. Where Heaven's earlier efforts were a matter of mass — a hundred thousand soldiers, eighteen frames of net — Erlang reduces the problem to a single combat and stakes everything on his own prowess and his band of brothers. His one concession is shrewd and specific: leave the top of the nets uncurtained (he expects an aerial fight), and let the Pagoda-Bearing King work the demon-revealing mirror from above (he expects the monkey, beaten, to flee in disguise). Every clause of the plan will be borne out by the chase to come — Wú Chéng'ēn is quietly laying his foreshadowing in plain sight.

The plan also defines Erlang by his pride. Twice he waves off Heaven's help — "if I lose, you need not aid me; if I win, you need not bind him" — reserving both the fight and the capture for himself and his sworn seven. This is the 心高, the "high-hearted" temper his portrait-rhapsody will name in the next passage; it is also exactly the quality that makes him the monkey's true counterpart. Heaven's docile, ranked host could not master the 心猿; only another free and self-willed spirit, fighting on his own terms, can hope to. The two armies facing off here — the Seven Sages with their hawks and hounds against the monkey troop in its Coiling-Dragon array — are evenly grand, and evenly proud.

There is comedy, too, in the staging. The monkey rabble draws itself up "neat and trim" in a proper battle-formation and flies the banner of its self-bestowed title, 齊天大聖 — the very rank the whole campaign exists to revoke. Erlang's curt question, "how does he merit a rank 'Equal to Heaven'?", and his brothers' impatient "spare your wonder, let us cry the challenge," set the tone of mockery that the coming duel of words will sustain. The little sentinel-monkey scampering off to warn his king is the last beat before the two Sages, Great and Lesser, at last come face to face. (For the Water-Curtain Cave and the monkey's kingdom, see Chapter 1.)