原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
拯救生民 To Save The People Here
土地道：「大聖，趁此女深知息火之法，斷絕火根，還他扇子，小神居此苟安，拯救這方生民，求些血食，誠為恩便。」土地道：「大圣，趁此女深知息火之法，断绝火根，还他扇子，小神居此苟安，拯救这方生民，求些血食，诚为恩便。」
逐句解 Line by line
土地道：「大聖，趁此女深知息火之法，斷絕火根，還他扇子，小神居此苟安，拯救這方生民，求些血食，誠為恩便。」
土地道：「大圣，趁此女深知息火之法，断绝火根，还他扇子，小神居此苟安，拯救这方生民，求些血食，诚为恩便。」
The local god said: "Great Sage, take the chance while this woman knows the method of quenching the fire: cut the fire off at its root and give her back the fan. Then this small spirit may live here in some peace, save the people of this region, and beg a little blood-offering; it would be a true kindness."
Piety and self-interest in a single sentence, and he expects neither to be embarrassed by the other. 血食 is the sacrificial offering a local deity lives on, so the argument is that if the people can live here they will feed him. 還 is huán for the third time in this passage; 為 is wéi.
The local god has been the practical intelligence of this chapter throughout — he refused the detour on doctrine, blocked the retreat twice, and supplied the intelligence about the second household — and he closes it with the only argument that actually settles the question.
It is an argument from local interest and he does not hide it. Cut the fire off at the root, give her back the fan, and then he can live here in some peace, the people of the region can be saved, and he will get his offerings. Piety and self-interest in a single sentence, and he expects neither to be embarrassed by the other.