Canonical Classics ← 第七十九回
第七十九回
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Seeking the Cave to Seize the Fiend He Meets the Old Man of Longevity · At Court the True Sovereign Rescues the Infants

送我幾個
模式 Mode Read Study
拼音 Pinyin Off
字體 Script
原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

送我幾個 Send Me A Few As Well

jièkànjiànjiùjiàodào:「lǎoshòuyǒuhuǒzǎosòngchīchī。」shòuxīngdào:「wèicéngdàidàigǎisòngjīn。」jièkànjiànjiùjiàodào:「lǎo寿shòuyǒuhuǒzǎosòngchīchī。」寿shòuxīngdào:「wèicéngdàidàigǎisòngjīn。」


逐句解 Line by line

jièkànjiànjiùjiàodào:「lǎoshòuyǒuhuǒzǎosòngchīchī。」 jièkànjiànjiùjiàodào:「lǎo寿shòuyǒuhuǒzǎosòngchīchī。」

Bajie saw it and called out, "Old Longevity, if you have fire-dates, send me a few to eat."

老壽 — he shortens the god's title to a nickname, the way you would call a man named Longstaff "Longy." 火棗, fire-dates, are a legendary immortal fruit paired in Daoist texts with the 交梨, the crossed pear. Bajie has correctly identified what he just watched and wants some.

shòuxīngdào:「wèicéngdàidàigǎisòngjīn。」 寿shòuxīngdào:「wèicéngdàidàigǎisòngjīn。」

The Longevity Star said, "I did not bring any with me. Another day I will send you a few catties."

未曾帶得 takes . 幾斤, a few catties — about half a kilo each. He has gone from three dates to several kilos, which is what you say to somebody when you have no intention of doing it. The novel does not record the delivery ever arriving.


總評 Commentary

Bajie asks for the thing that has just cured a king, out loud, in front of the court, immediately. Nobody else would and he does it without a flicker.

The god's answer is a brush-off dressed as generosity, and the unit of measure gives it away. Three dates were a serious gift; several catties is what you promise when the promise costs nothing.