第七回 · 老君獻計 Laozi Proposes the Brazier — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

老君獻計 Laozi Proposes the Brazier

話huà表biǎo齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng被bèi眾zhòng天tiān兵bīng押yā去qù斬zhǎn妖yāo臺tái下xià，綁bǎng在zài降xiáng妖yāo柱zhù上shàng，刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，槍qiāng刺cì劍jiàn刳kū，莫mò想xiǎng傷shāng及jí其qí身shēn。南nán斗dòu星xīng奮fèn令lìng火huǒ部bù眾zhòng神shén放fàng火huǒ煨wēi燒shāo，亦yì不bù能néng燒shāo著zháo。又yòu著zhuó雷léi部bù眾zhòng神shén以yǐ雷léi屑xiè釘dīng打dǎ，越yuè發fā不bù能néng傷shāng損sǔn一yì毫háo。那nà大dà力lì鬼guǐ王wáng與yǔ眾zhòng啟qǐ奏zòu道dào：「萬wàn歲suì，這zhè大dà聖shèng不bù知zhī是shì何hé處chù學xué得dé這zhè護hù身shēn之zhī法fǎ，臣chén等děng用yòng刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，雷léi打dǎ火huǒ燒shāo，一yì毫háo不bù能néng傷shāng損sǔn，卻què如rú之zhī何hé？」玉yù帝dì聞wén言yán道dào：「這zhè廝sī這zhè等děng這zhè等děng，如rú何hé處chǔ治zhì？」太tài上shàng老lǎo君jūn即jí奏zòu道dào：「那nà猴hóu吃chī了le蟠pán桃táo，飲yǐn了le御yù酒jiǔ，又yòu盜dào了le仙xiān丹dān。我wǒ那nà五wǔ壺hú丹dān，有yǒu生shēng有yǒu熟shú，被bèi他tā都dōu吃chī在zài肚dù裡lǐ。運yùn用yòng三sān昧mèi火huǒ，鍛duàn成chéng一yì塊kuài，所suǒ以yǐ渾hún做zuò金jīn鋼gāng之zhī軀qū，急jí不bù能néng傷shāng。不bù若ruò與yǔ老lǎo道dào領lǐng去qù，放fàng在zài八bā卦guà爐lú中zhōng，以yǐ文wén武wǔ火huǒ鍛duàn煉liàn，煉liàn出chū我wǒ的de丹dān來lái，他tā身shēn自zì為wéi灰huī燼jìn矣yǐ。」玉yù帝dì聞wén言yán，即jí教jiào六liù丁dīng、六liù甲jiǎ將jiāng他tā解jiě下xià，付fù與yǔ老lǎo君jūn。老lǎo君jūn領lǐng旨zhǐ去qù訖qì。一yí壁bì廂xiāng宣xuān二èr郎láng顯xiǎn聖shèng，賞shǎng賜cì金jīn花huā百bǎi朵duǒ、御yù酒jiǔ百bǎi瓶píng、還huán丹dān百bǎi粒lì、異yì寶bǎo明míng珠zhū、錦jǐn繡xiù等děng件jiàn，教jiào與yǔ義yì兄xiōng弟dì分fēn享xiǎng。真zhēn君jūn謝xiè恩ēn，回huí灌guàn江jiāng口kǒu不bù題tí。话huà表biǎo齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng被bèi众zhòng天tiān兵bīng押yā去qù斩zhǎn妖yāo台tái下xià，绑bǎng在zài降xiáng妖yāo柱zhù上shàng，刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，枪qiāng刺cì剑jiàn刳kū，莫mò想xiǎng伤shāng及jí其qí身shēn。南nán斗dòu星xīng奋fèn令lìng火huǒ部bù众zhòng神shén放fàng火huǒ煨wēi烧shāo，亦yì不bù能néng烧shāo著zháo。又yòu著zhuó雷léi部bù众zhòng神shén以yǐ雷léi屑xiè钉dīng打dǎ，越yuè发fā不bù能néng伤shāng损sǔn一yì毫háo。那nà大dà力lì鬼guǐ王wáng与yǔ众zhòng启qǐ奏zòu道dào：「万wàn岁suì，这zhè大dà圣shèng不bù知zhī是shì何hé处chù学xué得dé这zhè护hù身shēn之zhī法fǎ，臣chén等děng用yòng刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，雷léi打dǎ火huǒ烧shāo，一yì毫háo不bù能néng伤shāng损sǔn，却què如rú之zhī何hé？」玉yù帝dì闻wén言yán道dào：「这zhè厮sī这zhè等děng这zhè等děng，如rú何hé处chǔ治zhì？」太tài上shàng老lǎo君jūn即jí奏zòu道dào：「那nà猴hóu吃chī了le蟠pán桃táo，饮yǐn了le御yù酒jiǔ，又yòu盗dào了le仙xiān丹dān。我wǒ那nà五wǔ壶hú丹dān，有yǒu生shēng有yǒu熟shú，被bèi他tā都dōu吃chī在zài肚dù里lǐ。运yùn用yòng三sān昧mèi火huǒ，锻duàn成chéng一yì块kuài，所suǒ以yǐ浑hún做zuò金jīn钢gāng之zhī躯qū，急jí不bù能néng伤shāng。不bù若ruò与yǔ老lǎo道dào领lǐng去qù，放fàng在zài八bā卦guà炉lú中zhōng，以yǐ文wén武wǔ火huǒ锻duàn炼liàn，炼liàn出chū我wǒ的de丹dān来lái，他tā身shēn自zì为wéi灰huī烬jìn矣yǐ。」玉yù帝dì闻wén言yán，即jí教jiào六liù丁dīng、六liù甲jiǎ将jiāng他tā解jiě下xià，付fù与yǔ老lǎo君jūn。老lǎo君jūn领lǐng旨zhǐ去qù讫qì。一yí壁bì厢xiāng宣xuān二èr郎láng显xiǎn圣shèng，赏shǎng赐cì金jīn花huā百bǎi朵duǒ、御yù酒jiǔ百bǎi瓶píng、还huán丹dān百bǎi粒lì、异yì宝bǎo明míng珠zhū、锦jǐn绣xiù等děng件jiàn，教jiào与yǔ义yì兄xiōng弟dì分fēn享xiǎng。真zhēn君jūn谢xiè恩ēn，回huí灌guàn江jiāng口kǒu不bù题tí。

逐句解 Line by line

話huà表biǎo齊qí天tiān大dà聖shèng被bèi眾zhòng天tiān兵bīng押yā去qù斬zhǎn妖yāo臺tái下xià，綁bǎng在zài降xiáng妖yāo柱zhù上shàng，刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，槍qiāng刺cì劍jiàn刳kū，莫mò想xiǎng傷shāng及jí其qí身shēn。话huà表biǎo齐qí天tiān大dà圣shèng被bèi众zhòng天tiān兵bīng押yā去qù斩zhǎn妖yāo台tái下xià，绑bǎng在zài降xiáng妖yāo柱zhù上shàng，刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，枪qiāng刺cì剑jiàn刳kū，莫mò想xiǎng伤shāng及jí其qí身shēn。

The tale tells how the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was marched by the host of Heaven's troops to the foot of the Execution Scaffold and bound to the demon-subduing pillar. Hewn with knife and axe, stabbed with spear and slashed with sword — none could so much as graze his body.

斬妖臺 (zhǎn yāo tái), the scaffold for beheading fiends, and 降妖柱, the demon-subduing pillar: 降 here is xiáng (to subdue), not jiàng (descend). 刳 (kū) is to gouge open. The elixir-tempered body is already invulnerable.

南nán斗dòu星xīng奮fèn令lìng火huǒ部bù眾zhòng神shén放fàng火huǒ煨wēi燒shāo，亦yì不bù能néng燒shāo著zháo。南nán斗dòu星xīng奋fèn令lìng火huǒ部bù众zhòng神shén放fàng火huǒ煨wēi烧shāo，亦yì不bù能néng烧shāo著zháo。

The Star of the Southern Dipper sharply commanded the gods of the Fire Bureau to set him ablaze and roast him — yet still they could not burn him.

煨燒 (wēi shāo) is to roast in embers. 燒著 takes the resultative 著 = zháo ("to succeed in burning"), distinct from durative zhe and alchemical zhuó.

又yòu著zhuó雷léi部bù眾zhòng神shén以yǐ雷léi屑xiè釘dīng打dǎ，越yuè發fā不bù能néng傷shāng損sǔn一yì毫háo。又yòu著zhuó雷léi部bù众zhòng神shén以yǐ雷léi屑xiè钉dīng打dǎ，越yuè发fā不bù能néng伤shāng损sǔn一yì毫háo。

Then they dispatched the gods of the Thunder Bureau to strike him with thunder-shards, and still less could they injure a single hair.

又著 — "again dispatched" — takes 著 = zhuó (to set someone to a task). 一毫: 一 before 毫 (háo, 2nd tone) is yì.

那nà大dà力lì鬼guǐ王wáng與yǔ眾zhòng啟qǐ奏zòu道dào：「萬wàn歲suì，這zhè大dà聖shèng不bù知zhī是shì何hé處chù學xué得dé這zhè護hù身shēn之zhī法fǎ，臣chén等děng用yòng刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，雷léi打dǎ火huǒ燒shāo，一yì毫háo不bù能néng傷shāng損sǔn，卻què如rú之zhī何hé？」那nà大dà力lì鬼guǐ王wáng与yǔ众zhòng启qǐ奏zòu道dào：「万wàn岁suì，这zhè大dà圣shèng不bù知zhī是shì何hé处chù学xué得dé这zhè护hù身shēn之zhī法fǎ，臣chén等děng用yòng刀dāo砍kǎn斧fǔ剁duò，雷léi打dǎ火huǒ烧shāo，一yì毫háo不bù能néng伤shāng损sǔn，却què如rú之zhī何hé？」

The mighty Demon-King and the others reported to the throne: "Your Majesty, this Great Sage — we know not where he learned this art of body-warding. Your servants have hewn him with knife and axe, struck him with thunder and burned him with fire, yet cannot harm a single hair. What is to be done?"

啟奏 (qǐ zòu) is the verb for memorializing the throne. 何處 keeps 處 = chù (place); 一毫 again takes yì. Heaven's whole apparatus is helpless — the engine that will summon first Laozi, then the Buddha.

玉yù帝dì聞wén言yán道dào：「這zhè廝sī這zhè等děng這zhè等děng，如rú何hé處chǔ治zhì？」玉yù帝dì闻wén言yán道dào：「这zhè厮sī这zhè等děng这zhè等děng，如rú何hé处chǔ治zhì？」

The Jade Emperor heard and said: "This wretch — so-and-so, just so — how shall he be dealt with?"

這廝 (zhè sī), "this fellow," is a contemptuous demonstrative. 處治 takes 處 = chǔ (to handle/punish), not chù (place).

太tài上shàng老lǎo君jūn即jí奏zòu道dào：「那nà猴hóu吃chī了le蟠pán桃táo，飲yǐn了le御yù酒jiǔ，又yòu盜dào了le仙xiān丹dān。太tài上shàng老lǎo君jūn即jí奏zòu道dào：「那nà猴hóu吃chī了le蟠pán桃táo，饮yǐn了le御yù酒jiǔ，又yòu盗dào了le仙xiān丹dān。

Laozi, the Most High Lord, at once memorialized: "That monkey has eaten the immortal peaches, drunk the imperial wine, and stolen the elixir of the immortals.

太上老君 (Tài Shàng Lǎo Jūn) — Laozi deified, master of the furnace. He alone diagnoses why the monkey is invulnerable: the accumulated potencies of peach, wine and elixir.

我wǒ那nà五wǔ壺hú丹dān，有yǒu生shēng有yǒu熟shú，被bèi他tā都dōu吃chī在zài肚dù裡lǐ。運yùn用yòng三sān昧mèi火huǒ，鍛duàn成chéng一yì塊kuài，所suǒ以yǐ渾hún做zuò金jīn鋼gāng之zhī軀qū，急jí不bù能néng傷shāng。我wǒ那nà五wǔ壶hú丹dān，有yǒu生shēng有yǒu熟shú，被bèi他tā都dōu吃chī在zài肚dù里lǐ。运yùn用yòng三sān昧mèi火huǒ，锻duàn成chéng一yì块kuài，所suǒ以yǐ浑hún做zuò金jīn钢gāng之zhī躯qū，急jí不bù能néng伤shāng。

My five gourds of elixir, some raw and some refined, he swallowed whole into his belly. Working the Fire of Samādhi, it has forged into a single mass — so his whole frame has become a body of adamant, and cannot be harmed in haste.

三昧火 (sān mèi huǒ) — the Fire of samādhi, the true inner fire of meditative concentration. 金鋼之軀 (the source writes 鋼, "steel," for the usual 剛): a body of adamant. The monkey is now himself an elixir-vessel.

不bù若ruò與yǔ老lǎo道dào領lǐng去qù，放fàng在zài八bā卦guà爐lú中zhōng，以yǐ文wén武wǔ火huǒ鍛duàn煉liàn，煉liàn出chū我wǒ的de丹dān來lái，他tā身shēn自zì為wéi灰huī燼jìn矣yǐ。」不bù若ruò与yǔ老lǎo道dào领lǐng去qù，放fàng在zài八bā卦guà炉lú中zhōng，以yǐ文wén武wǔ火huǒ锻duàn炼liàn，炼liàn出chū我wǒ的de丹dān来lái，他tā身shēn自zì为wéi灰huī烬jìn矣yǐ。」

Better let this old Daoist take him away and set him in the Brazier of the Eight Trigrams; with civil and martial fire I shall refine him, draw out my elixir — and his body will of itself become ash."

文武火 (wén wǔ huǒ) — civil and martial fire, the gentle and fierce heats of refining. 八卦爐, the Brazier of the Eight Trigrams, is the chapter's central device. 自為灰燼: 為 = wéi ("become").

玉yù帝dì聞wén言yán，即jí教jiào六liù丁dīng、六liù甲jiǎ將jiāng他tā解jiě下xià，付fù與yǔ老lǎo君jūn。老lǎo君jūn領lǐng旨zhǐ去qù訖qì。玉yù帝dì闻wén言yán，即jí教jiào六liù丁dīng、六liù甲jiǎ将jiāng他tā解jiě下xià，付fù与yǔ老lǎo君jūn。老lǎo君jūn领lǐng旨zhǐ去qù讫qì。

The Jade Emperor heard this and at once ordered the Six Ding and Six Jia to unbind him and hand him to Laozi. Laozi received the command and departed.

六丁六甲 are the twelve cyclical guardian-spirits. 將他解下 takes the disposal-將 = jiāng. 去訖 (qù qì): 訖 marks completed departure.

一yí壁bì廂xiāng宣xuān二èr郎láng顯xiǎn聖shèng，賞shǎng賜cì金jīn花huā百bǎi朵duǒ、御yù酒jiǔ百bǎi瓶píng、還huán丹dān百bǎi粒lì、異yì寶bǎo明míng珠zhū、錦jǐn繡xiù等děng件jiàn，教jiào與yǔ義yì兄xiōng弟dì分fēn享xiǎng。一yí壁bì厢xiāng宣xuān二èr郎láng显xiǎn圣shèng，赏shǎng赐cì金jīn花huā百bǎi朵duǒ、御yù酒jiǔ百bǎi瓶píng、还huán丹dān百bǎi粒lì、异yì宝bǎo明míng珠zhū、锦jǐn绣xiù等děng件jiàn，教jiào与yǔ义yì兄xiōng弟dì分fēn享xiǎng。

On the other side, Erlang the Manifest Sage was summoned and rewarded: a hundred golden flowers, a hundred bottles of imperial wine, a hundred pellets of reverted elixir, rare gems and bright pearls, brocades and the like — to be shared with his sworn brothers.

一壁廂 (yí bì xiāng), "on the one side / meanwhile" — 一 before 壁 (bì, 4th tone) is yí. 還丹 takes 還 = huán: the reverted elixir (huándān) of inner alchemy.

真zhēn君jūn謝xiè恩ēn，回huí灌guàn江jiāng口kǒu不bù題tí。真zhēn君jūn谢xiè恩ēn，回huí灌guàn江jiāng口kǒu不bù题tí。

The True Lord gave thanks for the grace and returned to Guanjiangkou — of which no more here.

灌江口 (Guànjiāngkǒu) is Erlang's home seat. 不題 ("we set this aside") is the storyteller's formula for closing one thread to take up another.

總評 Commentary

The chapter resumes exactly where Chapter 6 left off: the captured monkey, bound to the demon-subduing pillar, proves wholly invulnerable. Blade, axe, fire and thunder all fail — a demonstration that the elixir-tempered body has passed beyond ordinary celestial force. The narrative needs an escalation, and Laozi supplies both the diagnosis and the means.

Laozi's speech is a compact lesson in 內丹 (inner alchemy). The monkey has become a walking crucible: peaches, wine and the five gourds of elixir, fused by the 三昧火 into a single adamantine mass. Laozi proposes to refine him in the 八卦爐 until "his body becomes ash" and the elixir is recovered — treating the monkey as raw material to be processed. The irony the chapter exploits is that refinement does not destroy the 心猿 but tempers it, producing the fire-forged 火眼金睛.

Note the textual detail 金鋼之軀: the 世德堂 source writes 鋼 (steel) where later editions often print 剛 (the standard jīngāng, "adamant / vajra"). We encode the source graph as it stands; the sense is the same — a diamond-hard, vajra-like body, the Buddhist vajrakāya reimagined through Daoist metallurgy.