第九回 · 萬花店放鯉 Releasing the Carp at the Myriad Flowers Inn — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

萬花店放鯉 Releasing the Carp at the Myriad Flowers Inn

在zài路lù數shù日rì，前qián至zhì萬wàn花huā店diàn劉liú小xiǎo二èr家jiā安ān下xià。張zhāng氏shì身shēn體tǐ忽hū然rán染rǎn病bìng，與yǔ光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：「我wǒ身shēn上shàng不bù安ān，且qiě在zài店diàn中zhōng調tiáo養yǎng兩liǎng日rì再zài去qù。」光guāng蕊ruǐ遵zūn命mìng。至zhì次cì日rì早zǎo晨chén，見jiàn店diàn門mén前qián有yǒu一yì人rén提tí著zhe個gè金jīn色sè鯉lǐ魚yú叫jiào賣mài，光guāng蕊ruǐ即jí將jiāng一yí貫guàn錢qián買mǎi了le。欲yù待dài烹pēng與yǔ母mǔ親qīn吃chī，只zhǐ見jiàn鯉lǐ魚yú閃shǎn閃shǎn䁪zhǎ眼yǎn。光guāng蕊ruǐ驚jīng異yì道dào：「聞wén說shuō魚yú蛇shé䁪zhǎ眼yǎn，必bì不bú是shì等děng閑xián之zhī物wù。」遂suì問wèn漁yú人rén道dào：「這zhè魚yú那nǎ裡lǐ打dǎ來lái的de？」漁yú人rén道dào：「離lí府fǔ十shí五wǔ里lǐ洪hóng江jiāng內nèi打dǎ來lái的de。」光guāng蕊ruǐ就jiù把bǎ魚yú送sòng在zài洪hóng江jiāng裡lǐ去qù放fàng了le生shēng，回huí店diàn對duì母mǔ親qīn道dào知zhī此cǐ事shì。張zhāng氏shì道dào：「放fàng生shēng好hǎo事shì，我wǒ心xīn甚shèn喜xǐ。」光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：「此cǐ店diàn已yǐ住zhù三sān日rì了le，欽qīn限xiàn緊jǐn急jí，孩hái兒ér意yì欲yù明míng日rì起qǐ身shēn，不bù知zhī母mǔ親qīn身shēn體tǐ好hǎo否fǒu？」張zhāng氏shì道dào：「我wǒ身shēn子zi不bú快kuài，此cǐ時shí路lù上shàng炎yán熱rè，恐kǒng添tiān疾jí病bìng。你nǐ可kě這zhè裡lǐ賃lìn間jiān房fáng屋wū，與yǔ我wǒ暫zàn住zhù，付fù些xiē盤pán纏chán在zài此cǐ。你nǐ兩liǎng口kǒu兒ér先xiān上shàng任rèn去qù，候hòu秋qiū涼liáng卻què來lái接jiē我wǒ。」光guāng蕊ruǐ與yǔ妻qī商shāng議yì，就jiù租zū了le屋wū宇yǔ，付fù了le盤pán纏chán與yǔ母mǔ親qīn，同tóng妻qī拜bài辭cí前qián去qù。在zài路lù数shù日rì，前qián至zhì万wàn花huā店diàn刘liú小xiǎo二èr家jiā安ān下xià。张zhāng氏shì身shēn体tǐ忽hū然rán染rǎn病bìng，与yǔ光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：「我wǒ身shēn上shàng不bù安ān，且qiě在zài店diàn中zhōng调tiáo养yǎng两liǎng日rì再zài去qù。」光guāng蕊ruǐ遵zūn命mìng。至zhì次cì日rì早zǎo晨chén，见jiàn店diàn门mén前qián有yǒu一yì人rén提tí著zhe个gè金jīn色sè鲤lǐ鱼yú叫jiào卖mài，光guāng蕊ruǐ即jí将jiāng一yí贯guàn钱qián买mǎi了le。欲yù待dài烹pēng与yǔ母mǔ亲qīn吃chī，只zhǐ见jiàn鲤lǐ鱼yú闪shǎn闪shǎn䁪zhǎ眼yǎn。光guāng蕊ruǐ惊jīng异yì道dào：「闻wén说shuō鱼yú蛇shé䁪zhǎ眼yǎn，必bì不bú是shì等děng闲xián之zhī物wù。」遂suì问wèn渔yú人rén道dào：「这zhè鱼yú那nǎ里lǐ打dǎ来lái的de？」渔yú人rén道dào：「离lí府fǔ十shí五wǔ里lǐ洪hóng江jiāng内nèi打dǎ来lái的de。」光guāng蕊ruǐ就jiù把bǎ鱼yú送sòng在zài洪hóng江jiāng里lǐ去qù放fàng了le生shēng，回huí店diàn对duì母mǔ亲qīn道dào知zhī此cǐ事shì。张zhāng氏shì道dào：「放fàng生shēng好hǎo事shì，我wǒ心xīn甚shèn喜xǐ。」光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：「此cǐ店diàn已yǐ住zhù三sān日rì了le，钦qīn限xiàn紧jǐn急jí，孩hái儿ér意yì欲yù明míng日rì起qǐ身shēn，不bù知zhī母mǔ亲qīn身shēn体tǐ好hǎo否fǒu？」张zhāng氏shì道dào：「我wǒ身shēn子zi不bú快kuài，此cǐ时shí路lù上shàng炎yán热rè，恐kǒng添tiān疾jí病bìng。你nǐ可kě这zhè里lǐ赁lìn间jiān房fáng屋wū，与yǔ我wǒ暂zàn住zhù，付fù些xiē盘pán缠chán在zài此cǐ。你nǐ两liǎng口kǒu儿ér先xiān上shàng任rèn去qù，候hòu秋qiū凉liáng却què来lái接jiē我wǒ。」光guāng蕊ruǐ与yǔ妻qī商shāng议yì，就jiù租zū了le屋wū宇yǔ，付fù了le盘pán缠chán与yǔ母mǔ亲qīn，同tóng妻qī拜bài辞cí前qián去qù。

逐句解 Line by line

在zài路lù數shù日rì，前qián至zhì萬wàn花huā店diàn劉liú小xiǎo二èr家jiā安ān下xià。在zài路lù数shù日rì，前qián至zhì万wàn花huā店diàn刘liú小xiǎo二èr家jiā安ān下xià。

After some days on the road they came to lodge at the house of Liu the Second, at the Myriad Flowers Inn.

萬花店, the 'Myriad Flowers Inn'; 安下, to put up for the night.

張zhāng氏shì身shēn體tǐ忽hū然rán染rǎn病bìng，與yǔ光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：张zhāng氏shì身shēn体tǐ忽hū然rán染rǎn病bìng，与yǔ光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：

Madam Zhang suddenly fell ill, and said to Guangrui:

染病, to take sick.

「我wǒ身shēn上shàng不bù安ān，且qiě在zài店diàn中zhōng調tiáo養yǎng兩liǎng日rì再zài去qù。」「我wǒ身shēn上shàng不bù安ān，且qiě在zài店diàn中zhōng调tiáo养yǎng两liǎng日rì再zài去qù。」

'I am unwell; let us rest and recover at the inn a day or two before going on.'

調養, to recuperate — 調 here is tiáo.

光guāng蕊ruǐ遵zūn命mìng。光guāng蕊ruǐ遵zūn命mìng。

Guangrui obeyed.

遵命, to comply with an instruction.

至zhì次cì日rì早zǎo晨chén，見jiàn店diàn門mén前qián有yǒu一yì人rén提tí著zhe個gè金jīn色sè鯉lǐ魚yú叫jiào賣mài，至zhì次cì日rì早zǎo晨chén，见jiàn店diàn门mén前qián有yǒu一yì人rén提tí著zhe个gè金jīn色sè鲤lǐ鱼yú叫jiào卖mài，

Next morning he saw before the inn a man holding up a golden carp and crying it for sale,

鯉魚, carp; 提著, 'holding' — 著 here is the durative zhe.

光guāng蕊ruǐ即jí將jiāng一yí貫guàn錢qián買mǎi了le。光guāng蕊ruǐ即jí将jiāng一yí贯guàn钱qián买mǎi了le。

and Guangrui bought it for a string of cash.

一貫, one string (nominally a thousand coins); 將 here is the disposal jiāng.

欲yù待dài烹pēng與yǔ母mǔ親qīn吃chī，只zhǐ見jiàn鯉lǐ魚yú閃shǎn閃shǎn䁪zhǎ眼yǎn。欲yù待dài烹pēng与yǔ母mǔ亲qīn吃chī，只zhǐ见jiàn鲤lǐ鱼yú闪shǎn闪shǎn䁪zhǎ眼yǎn。

Meaning to cook it for his mother, he noticed that the carp kept blinking its eyes.

䁪 (U+406A), 'to blink' (for 眨), read zhǎ — a graph outside the basic CJK block, requiring Extension-A font coverage on the simplified view.

光guāng蕊ruǐ驚jīng異yì道dào：「聞wén說shuō魚yú蛇shé䁪zhǎ眼yǎn，必bì不bú是shì等děng閑xián之zhī物wù。」光guāng蕊ruǐ惊jīng异yì道dào：「闻wén说shuō鱼yú蛇shé䁪zhǎ眼yǎn，必bì不bú是shì等děng闲xián之zhī物wù。」

Astonished, Guangrui said, 'I have heard that a fish or serpent which blinks is surely no common creature.'

聞說, 'I have heard'; 等閑之物, an ordinary thing. 䁪 again zhǎ.

遂suì問wèn漁yú人rén道dào：「這zhè魚yú那nǎ裡lǐ打dǎ來lái的de？」遂suì问wèn渔yú人rén道dào：「这zhè鱼yú那nǎ里lǐ打dǎ来lái的de？」

He then asked the fisherman, 'Where was this fish caught?'

那裡, 'where' — interrogative 那 is nǎ (standing for 哪).

漁yú人rén道dào：「離lí府fǔ十shí五wǔ里lǐ洪hóng江jiāng內nèi打dǎ來lái的de。」渔yú人rén道dào：「离lí府fǔ十shí五wǔ里lǐ洪hóng江jiāng内nèi打dǎ来lái的de。」

The fisherman said, 'It was taken from the Hong River, fifteen li from the prefecture.'

洪江, the Hong River — the very water that will be the scene of the murder.

光guāng蕊ruǐ就jiù把bǎ魚yú送sòng在zài洪hóng江jiāng裡lǐ去qù放fàng了le生shēng，回huí店diàn對duì母mǔ親qīn道dào知zhī此cǐ事shì。光guāng蕊ruǐ就jiù把bǎ鱼yú送sòng在zài洪hóng江jiāng里lǐ去qù放fàng了le生shēng，回huí店diàn对duì母mǔ亲qīn道dào知zhī此cǐ事shì。

Guangrui took the fish and released it alive into the Hong River, then returned to the inn and told his mother of it.

放生, the release of a living creature — a meritorious act in Buddhist practice.

張zhāng氏shì道dào：「放fàng生shēng好hǎo事shì，我wǒ心xīn甚shèn喜xǐ。」张zhāng氏shì道dào：「放fàng生shēng好hǎo事shì，我wǒ心xīn甚shèn喜xǐ。」

Madam Zhang said, 'To set a creature free is a good deed; my heart is glad of it.'

甚喜, greatly pleased.

光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：「此cǐ店diàn已yǐ住zhù三sān日rì了le，欽qīn限xiàn緊jǐn急jí，孩hái兒ér意yì欲yù明míng日rì起qǐ身shēn，不bù知zhī母mǔ親qīn身shēn體tǐ好hǎo否fǒu？」光guāng蕊ruǐ道dào：「此cǐ店diàn已yǐ住zhù三sān日rì了le，钦qīn限xiàn紧jǐn急jí，孩hái儿ér意yì欲yù明míng日rì起qǐ身shēn，不bù知zhī母mǔ亲qīn身shēn体tǐ好hǎo否fǒu？」

Guangrui said, 'We have stayed three days at this inn; the term set me is pressing, and your son means to set out tomorrow — but I do not know whether you are well enough?'

欽限, the imperially fixed term within which the post must be reached.

張zhāng氏shì道dào：「我wǒ身shēn子zi不bú快kuài，此cǐ時shí路lù上shàng炎yán熱rè，恐kǒng添tiān疾jí病bìng。张zhāng氏shì道dào：「我wǒ身shēn子zi不bú快kuài，此cǐ时shí路lù上shàng炎yán热rè，恐kǒng添tiān疾jí病bìng。

Madam Zhang said, 'I am out of sorts; the road just now is fiercely hot, and I fear it would add to my sickness.'

身子, the body — 子 here is the neutral zi of a compound, not zǐ.

你nǐ可kě這zhè裡lǐ賃lìn間jiān房fáng屋wū，與yǔ我wǒ暫zàn住zhù，付fù些xiē盤pán纏chán在zài此cǐ。你nǐ可kě这zhè里lǐ赁lìn间jiān房fáng屋wū，与yǔ我wǒ暂zàn住zhù，付fù些xiē盘pán缠chán在zài此cǐ。

'You might rent a room here for me to stay a while, and leave some money with me for expenses.'

賃, to rent; 盤纏, travelling funds.

你nǐ兩liǎng口kǒu兒ér先xiān上shàng任rèn去qù，候hòu秋qiū涼liáng卻què來lái接jiē我wǒ。」你nǐ两liǎng口kǒu儿ér先xiān上shàng任rèn去qù，候hòu秋qiū凉liáng却què来lái接jiē我wǒ。」

'You two go on ahead to take up the post, and come back to fetch me when the autumn cool comes.'

兩口兒, the married couple.

光guāng蕊ruǐ與yǔ妻qī商shāng議yì，就jiù租zū了le屋wū宇yǔ，付fù了le盤pán纏chán與yǔ母mǔ親qīn，同tóng妻qī拜bài辭cí前qián去qù。光guāng蕊ruǐ与yǔ妻qī商shāng议yì，就jiù租zū了le屋wū宇yǔ，付fù了le盘pán缠chán与yǔ母mǔ亲qīn，同tóng妻qī拜bài辞cí前qián去qù。

Guangrui took counsel with his wife, rented a lodging, left money with his mother, and with his wife took his leave and went on.

屋宇, a dwelling.

總評 Commentary

The golden carp that blinks its eyes (䁪眼) is the hinge of the whole chapter. Guangrui, reading the portent — 'a fish or serpent that blinks is no common thing' — buys it and releases it into the Hong River, an act of 放生 (releasing living creatures, a Buddhist merit) whose reward is deferred but decisive: the fish is the Dragon King of the Hong River, who will preserve Guangrui's body and at length restore him to life. The rare graph 䁪 (U+406A), 'to blink,' is read zhǎ here (for 眨); it lies outside the basic CJK block and needs Extension-A font coverage on the simplified view. The passage also turns on illness and delay: Madam Zhang's sickness keeps her behind at the inn — sparing her the massacre at the ford, and setting up her long wait to be found again.