第九回 · 洪江遇害 Murder at the Hong River — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

洪江遇害 Murder at the Hong River

途tú路lù艱jiān苦kǔ，曉xiǎo行xíng夜yè宿sù，不bù覺jué已yǐ到dào洪hóng江jiāng渡dù口kǒu。只zhǐ見jiàn梢shāo子zi劉liú洪hóng、李lǐ彪biāo二èr人rén，撐chēng船chuán到dào岸àn迎yíng接jiē。也yě是shì光guāng蕊ruǐ前qián生shēng合hé當dāng有yǒu此cǐ災zāi難nàn，撞zhuàng著zháo這zhè冤yuān家jiā。光guāng蕊ruǐ令lìng家jiā僮tóng將jiāng行xíng李lǐ搬bān上shàng船chuán去qù，夫fū妻qī正zhèng齊qí齊qí上shàng船chuán，那nà劉liú洪hóng睜zhēng眼yǎn看kàn見jiàn殷yīn小xiǎo姐jiě面miàn如rú滿mǎn月yuè，眼yǎn似sì秋qiū波bō，櫻yīng桃táo小xiǎo口kǒu，綠lǜ柳liǔ蠻mán腰yāo，真zhēn個gè有yǒu沉chén魚yú落luò雁yàn之zhī容róng，閉bì月yuè羞xiū花huā之zhī貌mào，陡dǒu起qǐ狼láng心xīn。遂suì與yǔ李lǐ彪biāo設shè計jì，將jiāng船chuán撐chēng至zhì沒méi人rén煙yān處chù。候hòu至zhì夜yè靜jìng三sān更gēng，先xiān將jiāng家jiā僮tóng殺shā死sǐ，次cì將jiāng光guāng蕊ruǐ打dǎ死sǐ，把bǎ尸shī首shǒu都dōu推tuī在zài水shuǐ裡lǐ去qù了le。小xiǎo姐jiě見jiàn他tā打dǎ死sǐ了le丈zhàng夫fū，也yě便biàn將jiāng身shēn赴fù水shuǐ。劉liú洪hóng一yì把bǎ抱bào住zhù道dào：「你nǐ若ruò從cóng我wǒ，萬wàn事shì皆jiē休xiū；若ruò不bù從cóng時shí，一yì刀dāo兩liǎng斷duàn。」那nà小xiǎo姐jiě尋xún思sī無wú計jì，只zhǐ得dé權quán時shí應yìng承chéng，順shùn了le劉liú洪hóng。那nà賊zéi把bǎ船chuán渡dù到dào南nán岸àn，將jiāng船chuán付fù與yǔ李lǐ彪biāo自zì管guǎn，他tā就jiù穿chuān了le光guāng蕊ruǐ衣yī冠guān，帶dài了le官guān憑píng，同tóng小xiǎo姐jiě往wǎng江jiāng州zhōu上shàng任rèn去qù了le。途tú路lù艰jiān苦kǔ，晓xiǎo行xíng夜yè宿sù，不bù觉jué已yǐ到dào洪hóng江jiāng渡dù口kǒu。只zhǐ见jiàn梢shāo子zi刘liú洪hóng、李lǐ彪biāo二èr人rén，撑chēng船chuán到dào岸àn迎yíng接jiē。也yě是shì光guāng蕊ruǐ前qián生shēng合hé当dāng有yǒu此cǐ灾zāi难nàn，撞zhuàng著zháo这zhè冤yuān家jiā。光guāng蕊ruǐ令lìng家jiā僮tóng将jiāng行xíng李lǐ搬bān上shàng船chuán去qù，夫fū妻qī正zhèng齐qí齐qí上shàng船chuán，那nà刘liú洪hóng睁zhēng眼yǎn看kàn见jiàn殷yīn小xiǎo姐jiě面miàn如rú满mǎn月yuè，眼yǎn似sì秋qiū波bō，樱yīng桃táo小xiǎo口kǒu，绿lǜ柳liǔ蛮mán腰yāo，真zhēn个gè有yǒu沉chén鱼yú落luò雁yàn之zhī容róng，闭bì月yuè羞xiū花huā之zhī貌mào，陡dǒu起qǐ狼láng心xīn。遂suì与yǔ李lǐ彪biāo设shè计jì，将jiāng船chuán撑chēng至zhì没méi人rén烟yān处chù。候hòu至zhì夜yè静jìng三sān更gēng，先xiān将jiāng家jiā僮tóng杀shā死sǐ，次cì将jiāng光guāng蕊ruǐ打dǎ死sǐ，把bǎ尸shī首shǒu都dōu推tuī在zài水shuǐ里lǐ去qù了le。小xiǎo姐jiě见jiàn他tā打dǎ死sǐ了le丈zhàng夫fū，也yě便biàn将jiāng身shēn赴fù水shuǐ。刘liú洪hóng一yì把bǎ抱bào住zhù道dào：「你nǐ若ruò从cóng我wǒ，万wàn事shì皆jiē休xiū；若ruò不bù从cóng时shí，一yì刀dāo两liǎng断duàn。」那nà小xiǎo姐jiě寻xún思sī无wú计jì，只zhǐ得dé权quán时shí应yìng承chéng，顺shùn了le刘liú洪hóng。那nà贼zéi把bǎ船chuán渡dù到dào南nán岸àn，将jiāng船chuán付fù与yǔ李lǐ彪biāo自zì管guǎn，他tā就jiù穿chuān了le光guāng蕊ruǐ衣yī冠guān，带dài了le官guān凭píng，同tóng小xiǎo姐jiě往wǎng江jiāng州zhōu上shàng任rèn去qù了le。

逐句解 Line by line

途tú路lù艱jiān苦kǔ，曉xiǎo行xíng夜yè宿sù，不bù覺jué已yǐ到dào洪hóng江jiāng渡dù口kǒu。途tú路lù艰jiān苦kǔ，晓xiǎo行xíng夜yè宿sù，不bù觉jué已yǐ到dào洪hóng江jiāng渡dù口kǒu。

The road was hard; travelling by day and resting by night, before they knew it they had reached the Hong River ferry.

曉行夜宿, to travel by day and lodge by night; 渡口, a ferry crossing.

只zhǐ見jiàn梢shāo子zi劉liú洪hóng、李lǐ彪biāo二èr人rén，撐chēng船chuán到dào岸àn迎yíng接jiē。只zhǐ见jiàn梢shāo子zi刘liú洪hóng、李lǐ彪biāo二èr人rén，撑chēng船chuán到dào岸àn迎yíng接jiē。

There they saw two boatmen, Liu Hong and Li Biao, who poled their boat to the bank to receive them.

梢子, a boatman (子 neutral, zi); 撐船, to pole a boat.

也yě是shì光guāng蕊ruǐ前qián生shēng合hé當dāng有yǒu此cǐ災zāi難nàn，撞zhuàng著zháo這zhè冤yuān家jiā。也yě是shì光guāng蕊ruǐ前qián生shēng合hé当dāng有yǒu此cǐ灾zāi难nàn，撞zhuàng著zháo这zhè冤yuān家jiā。

It was that Guangrui was fated from a former life to meet this calamity, and so ran straight into these enemies.

合當, 'destined to'; 災難 ('calamity') takes 難 as nàn; 撞著, 'to run into' — 著 here is the resultative zháo. The karmic frame both motivates the disaster and holds it at a distance.

光guāng蕊ruǐ令lìng家jiā僮tóng將jiāng行xíng李lǐ搬bān上shàng船chuán去qù，夫fū妻qī正zhèng齊qí齊qí上shàng船chuán，光guāng蕊ruǐ令lìng家jiā僮tóng将jiāng行xíng李lǐ搬bān上shàng船chuán去qù，夫fū妻qī正zhèng齐qí齐qí上shàng船chuán，

Guangrui had his serving-boy carry the baggage aboard, and just as husband and wife were boarding together,

將 here is the disposal jiāng.

那nà劉liú洪hóng睜zhēng眼yǎn看kàn見jiàn殷yīn小xiǎo姐jiě面miàn如rú滿mǎn月yuè，眼yǎn似sì秋qiū波bō，櫻yīng桃táo小xiǎo口kǒu，綠lǜ柳liǔ蠻mán腰yāo，那nà刘liú洪hóng睁zhēng眼yǎn看kàn见jiàn殷yīn小xiǎo姐jiě面miàn如rú满mǎn月yuè，眼yǎn似sì秋qiū波bō，樱yīng桃táo小xiǎo口kǒu，绿lǜ柳liǔ蛮mán腰yāo，

Liu Hong, opening his eyes, saw that Yin Wenjiao's face was like the full moon, her eyes like autumn ripples, her small mouth a cherry, her supple waist a green willow —

A conventional catalogue of beauty; 眼似秋波 takes 似 as sì. 那 in 那劉洪 is the demonstrative nà.

真zhēn個gè有yǒu沉chén魚yú落luò雁yàn之zhī容róng，閉bì月yuè羞xiū花huā之zhī貌mào，陡dǒu起qǐ狼láng心xīn。真zhēn个gè有yǒu沉chén鱼yú落luò雁yàn之zhī容róng，闭bì月yuè羞xiū花huā之zhī貌mào，陡dǒu起qǐ狼láng心xīn。

truly one with the look that 'sinks fish and downs wild geese,' the face that 'hides the moon and shames the flowers' — and a wolf's greed rose up in him.

沉魚落雁 and 閉月羞花 are the standard four-character hyperboles for a beautiful woman; 狼心, a wolf's heart.

遂suì與yǔ李lǐ彪biāo設shè計jì，將jiāng船chuán撐chēng至zhì沒méi人rén煙yān處chù。遂suì与yǔ李lǐ彪biāo设shè计jì，将jiāng船chuán撑chēng至zhì没méi人rén烟yān处chù。

He then laid a plan with Li Biao and poled the boat to a spot without a soul about.

沒人煙處, a place with no sign of habitation.

候hòu至zhì夜yè靜jìng三sān更gēng，先xiān將jiāng家jiā僮tóng殺shā死sǐ，次cì將jiāng光guāng蕊ruǐ打dǎ死sǐ，把bǎ尸shī首shǒu都dōu推tuī在zài水shuǐ裡lǐ去qù了le。候hòu至zhì夜yè静jìng三sān更gēng，先xiān将jiāng家jiā僮tóng杀shā死sǐ，次cì将jiāng光guāng蕊ruǐ打dǎ死sǐ，把bǎ尸shī首shǒu都dōu推tuī在zài水shuǐ里lǐ去qù了le。

Waiting till the still of the third watch, they first killed the serving-boy, then beat Guangrui to death, and pushed both bodies into the water.

三更, the third night-watch, around midnight; 更 is gēng. 將 is the disposal jiāng, and 都 ('all, both') is dōu.

小xiǎo姐jiě見jiàn他tā打dǎ死sǐ了le丈zhàng夫fū，也yě便biàn將jiāng身shēn赴fù水shuǐ。小xiǎo姐jiě见jiàn他tā打dǎ死sǐ了le丈zhàng夫fū，也yě便biàn将jiāng身shēn赴fù水shuǐ。

When the lady saw that her husband had been killed, she made to throw herself into the water as well.

赴水, to cast oneself into the water.

劉liú洪hóng一yì把bǎ抱bào住zhù道dào：「你nǐ若ruò從cóng我wǒ，萬wàn事shì皆jiē休xiū；若ruò不bù從cóng時shí，一yì刀dāo兩liǎng斷duàn。」刘liú洪hóng一yì把bǎ抱bào住zhù道dào：「你nǐ若ruò从cóng我wǒ，万wàn事shì皆jiē休xiū；若ruò不bù从cóng时shí，一yì刀dāo两liǎng断duàn。」

Liu Hong seized her in his arms, saying, 'If you will be mine, all is well; but if you will not, then it is the end at a single stroke.'

一刀兩斷, lit. 'one cut, two pieces' — to make a clean and final end.

那nà小xiǎo姐jiě尋xún思sī無wú計jì，只zhǐ得dé權quán時shí應yìng承chéng，順shùn了le劉liú洪hóng。那nà小xiǎo姐jiě寻xún思sī无wú计jì，只zhǐ得dé权quán时shí应yìng承chéng，顺shùn了le刘liú洪hóng。

The lady, finding no recourse, could only consent for the moment and submit to Liu Hong.

只得, 'could only' — 得 here is dé; 應承, to assent — 應 is yìng. She yields 權時, 'for the time being,' carrying her unborn child.

那nà賊zéi把bǎ船chuán渡dù到dào南nán岸àn，將jiāng船chuán付fù與yǔ李lǐ彪biāo自zì管guǎn，那nà贼zéi把bǎ船chuán渡dù到dào南nán岸àn，将jiāng船chuán付fù与yǔ李lǐ彪biāo自zì管guǎn，

The villain poled the boat to the south bank and handed it over to Li Biao to keep,

那賊, with demonstrative 那 = nà; 付與, to hand over.

他tā就jiù穿chuān了le光guāng蕊ruǐ衣yī冠guān，帶dài了le官guān憑píng，同tóng小xiǎo姐jiě往wǎng江jiāng州zhōu上shàng任rèn去qù了le。他tā就jiù穿chuān了le光guāng蕊ruǐ衣yī冠guān，带dài了le官guān凭píng，同tóng小xiǎo姐jiě往wǎng江jiāng州zhōu上shàng任rèn去qù了le。

and himself put on Guangrui's robes and cap, took his official credentials, and went off with the lady to take up the post at Jiangzhou.

衣冠, robes and cap of office (冠 = guān, the noun); 官憑, the credentials of office. Liu Hong now usurps not only Guangrui's wife but his very identity.

總評 Commentary

The catastrophe is swift and brutal: the boatmen Liu Hong and Li Biao, struck by Yin Wenjiao's beauty, murder the serving-boy and Guangrui, dump the bodies in the river, and force the pregnant widow into compliance — Liu Hong taking the dead man's clothes, his credentials, and his post. The novel marks the disaster as karmic — 光蕊前生合當有此災難, 'fated from a former life' — a frame that both motivates and distances the horror. The set-piece catalogue of the lady's beauty (沉魚落雁, 閉月羞花) is conventional, but its placement at the instant of Liu Hong's 狼心 ('wolf's heart') lends it a grim irony. This Chen Guangrui episode is the literary working-out of the old 江流和尚 ('River-Float Monk') legend — an abandoned infant set adrift who grows up to avenge his parents — the material Dudbridge traces behind the novel's Tripitaka backstory.