Canonical Classics ← Contents
第九十四回
sēngyànhuāyuán
guàikōnghuáiqíng

Four Monks Feast at Their Ease in the Royal Garden · A Single Monster Cherishes Her Longing to No Purpose

第九十四回
模式 Mode Read Study
拼音 Pinyin Off
字體 Script
得一步就進一步

huàbiǎosūnxíngzhěsānrénsuízhexuānzhàoguānzhìménwàihuángménguānshíchuánzòuxuānjìnsānzhàndìnggèngxiàbàiguówángwèndào:「sānwèishìshèngsēngzhīgāoxìngshènmíngshuífāngzhùyīnshènshìchūjiājīngjuǎn?」xíngzhějìnqiánshàng殿diànpángyǒujiàdedào:「yàozǒuyǒushènhuàxiàzòulái。」xíngzhěxiàodào:「menchūjiārénjiùjìn。」suíhòujièshāsēngjìnqiánhuàbiǎosūnxíngzhěsānrénsuízhexuānzhàoguānzhìménwàihuángménguānshíchuánzòuxuānjìnsānzhàndìnggèngxiàbàiguówángwèndào:「sānwèishìshèngsēngzhīgāoxìngshènmíngshuífāngzhùyīnshènshìchūjiājīngjuǎn?」xíngzhějìnqiánshàng殿diànpángyǒujiàdedào:「yàozǒuyǒushènhuàxiàzòulái。」xíngzhěxiàodào:「menchūjiārénjiùjìn。」suíhòujièshāsēngjìnqián

豈有貴人不坐之理

zhǎnglǎokǒngcūnjīngjià便biànshēnjiàodào:「axiàwènláiyīnzòushàng。」xíngzhějiànshīzàipángshìrěnzhùjiàoshēngdào:「xiàqīngrénqīngzhāoshīwéijiàoshìshìjiānchēngwèizhīguìrényǒuguìrénzuòzhī。」guówángtīngshuōjīngshī退tuì殿diànkǒngshīleguānzhānzhǐyìngzhedǎnjiàojìnshìdexiùdūnláiqǐngtángsēngzuòlezhǎnglǎokǒngcūnjīngjià便biànshēnjiàodào:「axiàwènláiyīnzòushàng。」xíngzhějiànshīzàipángshìrěnzhùjiàoshēngdào:「xiàqīngrénqīngzhāoshīwéijiàoshìshìjiānchēngwèizhīguìrényǒuguìrénzuòzhī。」guówángtīngshuōjīngshī退tuì殿diànkǒngshīleguānzhānzhǐyìngzhedǎnjiàojìnshìdexiùdūnláiqǐngtángsēngzuòle

父天母地,石裂吾生

xíngzhěcáizòudàoxíngzhěcáizòudào

lǎosūndōngshèngshénzhōuàoláiguóhuāguǒshānshuǐliándònglǎosūndōngshèngshénzhōuàoláiguóhuāguǒshānshuǐliándòng
tiānshílièshēngcéngbàizhìrénxuéchéngdàotiānshílièshēngcéngbàizhìrénxuéchéngdào
zhuǎnxiānxiāngxiàozàidòngtiānxiàhǎixiánglóngdēngshānqínshòuxiāomíngshàngshēngguānbàitiānshèngzhuǎnxiānxiāngxiàozàidòngtiānxiàhǎixiánglóngdēngshānqínshòuxiāomíngshàngshēngguānbàitiānshèng
wánshǎngqiónglóuyóubǎohuìtiānxiānhuānshèngjìngzhāozhāokuàiwánshǎngqiónglóuyóubǎohuìtiānxiānhuānshèngjìngzhāozhāokuài
zhǐyīnluànquèpántáoyànfǎntiāngōngbèiqínkùnzàixíngshānxiàcāntiědànyǐntóngzhībǎiniánwèichángcháfànzhǐyīnluànquèpántáoyànfǎntiāngōngbèiqínkùnzàixíngshānxiàcāntiědànyǐntóngzhībǎiniánwèichángcháfàn
xìngshīchūdōngbài西fāngguānyīnjiàolìngtuōtiānzāinànguīzhèngzàijiāménxiàjiùhuìkōngchēngmíngxíngzhě。」xìngshīchūdōngbài西fāngguānyīnjiàolìngtuōtiānzāinànguīzhèngzàijiāménxiàjiùhuìkōngchēngmíngxíngzhě。」
慌得下了龍床

guówángwénzhèbānmíngzhònghuāngdexiàlelóngchuángzǒujiāngláishǒuwǎndìngzhǎnglǎodào:「shìzhènzhītiānyuánzhèxiānyīnxiānjuàn。」sānzàng滿mǎnkǒuxièēnqǐngguówángdēngwèiwèn:「wèishìèrgāo?」guówángwénzhèbānmíngzhònghuāngdexiàlelóngchuángzǒujiāngláishǒuwǎndìngzhǎnglǎodào:「shìzhènzhītiānyuánzhèxiānyīnxiānjuàn。」sānzàngmǎnkǒuxièēnqǐngguówángdēngwèiwèn:「wèishìèrgāo?」

半句話,解開孽網

jièzuǐyángwēidàojièzuǐyángwēidào

lǎozhūxiānshìwéiréntānhuānàilǎnshēnghùndùnluànxìngxīnwèishítiāngāohòunánmínghǎikuòshānyáolǎozhūxiānshìwéiréntānhuānàilǎnshēnghùndùnluànxìngxīnwèishítiāngāohòunánmínghǎikuòshānyáo
zhèngzàiyōuxiánzhīránzhēnrénbànhuàjiěkāinièwǎngliǎngsānyánzāiménzhèngzàiyōuxiánzhīránzhēnrénbànhuàjiěkāinièwǎngliǎngsānyánzāimén
dāngshíxǐngtóushījǐnxiūèrzhīgōngfujìngliànsānsānzhīqiánhòuxíng滿mǎnfēishēngchāotiāndāngshíxǐngtóushījǐnxiūèrzhīgōngfujìngliànsānsānzhīqiánhòuxíngmǎnfēishēngchāotiān
ménghòuēnguāntiānpéngyuánshuàiguǎnbīngxiāoyáohànquèménghòuēnguāntiānpéngyuánshuàiguǎnbīngxiāoyáohànquè
zhǐyīnpántáojiǔzuìnòngchángézhéguānxiánzāobiǎnlínfáncuòtóutāituōshēngzhūxiàngzhǐyīnpántáojiǔzuìnòngchángézhéguānxiánzāobiǎnlínfáncuòtóutāituōshēngzhūxiàng
zhùlíngshānzàoèbiānguānyīnzhǐmíngshàndàoguījiàobǎotángsēngzhùlíngshānzàoèbiānguānyīnzhǐmíngshàndàoguījiàobǎotángsēng
jìngwǎng西tiānbàiqiúmiàodiǎnhuìnéngchēngwéijiè。」jìngwǎng西tiānbàiqiúmiàodiǎnhuìnéngchēngwéijiè。」
指河為姓

shāshàngzhǎngdàoshāshàngzhǎngdào

lǎoshāyuánfányīnlúnhuífǎngdàoyúnyóuhǎijiǎolàngdàngtiānlǎoshāyuánfányīnlúnhuí访fǎngdàoyúnyóuhǎijiǎolàngdàngtiān
chángsuíshēnměiliànxīnshénzàishèyīnqiánchéngféngxiānchángsuíshēnměiliànxīnshénzàishèyīnqiánchéngféngxiān
yǎngjiùháiérpèiyuánchàgōng滿mǎnsānqiānxiàngyǎngjiùháiérpèiyuánchàgōngmǎnsānqiānxiàng
chāotiānjièbàixuánqióngguānshòujuǎnliánjiàngshìfèngniǎnlóngchēfēnghàojiàngjūnchāotiānjièbàixuánqióngguānshòujuǎnliánjiàngshìfèngniǎnlóngchēfēnghàojiàngjūn
wèipántáohuìshàngshīshǒuzhǎnbiǎnzàiliúshāgǎitóuhuànmiànzàonièshāngshēngwèipántáohuìshàngshīshǒuzhǎnbiǎnzàiliúshāgǎitóuhuànmiànzàonièshāngshēng
xìngyuǎnyóudōngquànguīděnghòutángcháowǎng西tiānqiújīngguǒzhèngxìngyuǎnyóudōngquànguīděnghòutángcháowǎng西tiānqiújīngguǒzhèng
cóngxīnxiūjuézhǐwéixìnghuìjìngchēngmíngshàng。」cóngxīnxiūjuézhǐwéixìnghuìjìngchēngmíngshàng。」
猿猴獻果

guówángjiànshuōduōjīngduōdeshìérzhāolehuójīngdeshìsānshínǎiyāoshénzhèngzàijīngzhījiānyǒuzhèngtáiyīnyángguānzòudào:「hūndìngběnniánběnyuèshíèrrénchénliángzhōutángtōngpèihūnyīn。」guówángdào:「jīnshìchén?」yīnyángguānzòu:「jīnchūnǎishēnzhīyuánhóuxiànguǒzhèngjìnxiánshì。」guówángzhuódāngjiàguānsǎohuāyuánguǎnlóutíngqiěqǐngtóngsānwèigāoānxiēdàihòuānpáijǐnjiāyánzhuógōngzhǔpèizhòngděngqīnzūnguówáng退tuìcháoduōguānjiēsànguówángjiànshuōduōjīngduōdeshìérzhāolehuójīngdeshìsānshínǎiyāoshénzhèngzàijīngzhījiānyǒuzhèngtáiyīnyángguānzòudào:「hūndìngběnniánběnyuèshíèrrénchénliángzhōutángtōngpèihūnyīn。」guówángdào:「jīnshìchén?」yīnyángguānzòu:「jīnchūnǎishēnzhīyuánhóuxiànguǒzhèngjìnxiánshì。」guówángzhuódāngjiàguānsǎohuāyuánguǎnlóutíngqiěqǐngtóngsānwèigāoānxiēdàihòuānpáijǐnjiāyánzhuógōngzhǔpèizhòngděngqīnzūnguówáng退tuìcháoduōguānjiēsàn

撐腸拄腹

quèshuōsānzàngshīmendōudàohuāyuántiānjiànwǎnbǎileshànjièdào:「zhègāichīfànle。」guǎnbànrénjiāngfànmiànfànděngzhěngdàntiāoláijièchīleyòutiāntiānleyòuchīzhíchīdechēngchángzhǔfāngcáizhùshǒushǎoqǐngyòudiǎnshàngdēngshègàiguīqǐnquèshuōsānzàngshīmendōudàohuāyuántiānjiànwǎnbǎileshànjièdào:「zhègāichīfànle。」guǎnbànrénjiāngfànmiànfànděngzhěngdàntiāoláijièchīleyòutiāntiānleyòuchīzhíchīdechēngchángzhǔfāngcáizhùshǒushǎoqǐngyòudiǎnshàngdēngshègàiguīqǐn

先母也是拋打繡毬

zhǎnglǎojiànzuǒyòurénquèhènxíngzhěshēngjiàodào:「kōngzhèsūnfānfānhàishuōzhǐdàohuànguānwénxiàngcǎilóuqiánzěnmezhíyàoyǐnkànkànjīnkàndehǎomequèchūzhèbānshìláizěnshēngshìhǎo?」xíngzhěpéixiàodào:「shīshuō:『xiānshìpāoxiùqiújiùyuánchéng。』yǒuzhīlǎosūncáiyǐnzhǎnglǎojiànzuǒyòurénquèhènxíngzhěshēngjiàodào:「kōngzhèsūnfānfānhàishuōzhǐdàohuànguānwénxiàngcǎilóuqiánzěnmezhíyàoyǐnkànkànjīnkàndehǎomequèchūzhèbānshìláizěnshēngshìhǎo?」xíngzhěpéixiàodào:「shīshuō:『xiānshìpāoxiùqiújiùyuánchéng。』yǒuzhīlǎosūncáiyǐn

火眼金睛

yòuxiǎngzhejīnzhǎnglǎozhīyánjiùjiǎnshìzhēnjiǎshìjiànhuángzhīmiànlüèyǒuxiēhuìànzhīdànzhǐwèijiàngōngzhǔěr。」zhǎnglǎodào:「jiàngōngzhǔ便biànzěnde?」xíngzhědào:「lǎosūndehuǒyǎnjīnjīngdànjiànmiànjiùrènzhēnjiǎshànèguìpínqióngquèhǎoshīwéibiànmíngxiézhèng。」shāsēngjièxiàodào:「gejìnyòuxuédehuìxiàngmiànle。」yòuxiǎngzhejīnzhǎnglǎozhīyánjiùjiǎnshìzhēnjiǎshìjiànhuángzhīmiànlüèyǒuxiēhuìànzhīdànzhǐwèijiàngōngzhǔěr。」zhǎnglǎodào:「jiàngōngzhǔ便biànzěnde?」xíngzhědào:「lǎosūndehuǒyǎnjīnjīngdànjiànmiànjiùrènzhēnjiǎshànèguìpínqióngquèhǎoshīwéibiànmíngxiézhèng。」shāsēngjièxiàodào:「gejìnyòuxuédehuìxiàngmiànle。」

相面之士,當我孫子罷了

xíngzhědào:「xiàngmiànzhīshìdāngsūnzile。」sānzàngdào:「qiěxiū調tiáozuǐzhǐshìjīndìngyàozhāoguǒchǔzhī?」xíngzhědào:「qiědàoshíèrhuìzhīshídìnggōngzhǔchūláicānbàiděnglǎosūnzàipángguānkànruòháishìzhēnrénjiùzuòlexiǎngyòngguónèizhīrónghuá。」sānzàngwényányuèshēngchēndào:「hǎosūnháihàilixíngzhědào:「xiàngmiànzhīshìdāngsūnzile。」sānzàngdào:「qiěxiūtiáozuǐzhǐshìjīndìngyàozhāoguǒchǔzhī?」xíngzhědào:「qiědàoshíèrhuìzhīshídìnggōngzhǔchūláicānbàiděnglǎosūnzàipángguānkànruòháishìzhēnrénjiùzuòlexiǎngyòngguónèizhīrónghuá。」sānzàngwényányuèshēngchēndào:「hǎosūnháihàili

十節兒已上了九節七八分

quèshìnéngshuōdemenshíjiéérshànglejiǔjiéfēnleháishétóuduókuàizǎojiāzhexiūkāichòukǒuzàiruòjiùniànzhòuláijiàoliǎodāngde。」xíngzhětīngshuōniànzhòuhuāngdeguìzàimiànqiándào:「niànniànruòshìzhēnréndàibàitángshímennàohuánggōnglǐng。」quèshìnéngshuōdemenshíjiéérshànglejiǔjiéfēnleháishétóuduókuàizǎojiāzhexiūkāichòukǒuzàiruòjiùniànzhòuláijiàoliǎodāngde。」xíngzhětīngshuōniànzhòuhuāngdeguìzàimiànqiándào:「niànniànruòshìzhēnréndàibàitángshímennàohuánggōnglǐng。」

鞦韆索冷空留影

shīshuōhuàjuézǎogēngzhèngshìshīshuōhuàjuézǎogēngzhèngshì

chénchéngōnglòuyìnyìnhuāxiāngxiùchuízhūxiántíngjuéhuǒguāngchénchéngōnglòuyìnyìnhuāxiāngxiùchuízhūxiántíngjuéhuǒguāng
qiūqiānsuǒlěngkōngliúyǐngqiāngshēngcánjìngfāngràoyǒuhuālóngyuècànkōngshùxiǎnxīngmángqiūqiānsuǒlěngkōngliúyǐngqiāngshēngcánjìngfāngràoyǒuhuālóngyuècànkōngshùxiǎnxīngmáng
juānxiēdiémèngchángyínhànhéngtiānbáiyúnguīxiāngjuānxiēdiémèngchángyínhànhéngtiānbáiyúnguīxiāng
zhèngshìrénqíngqièchùfēngyáonènliǔgèngliángzhèngshìrénqíngqièchùfēngyáonènliǔgèngliáng

jièdào:「shīshēnleyǒushìmíngzǎozàiqiěshuìqiěshuì。」shīmenguǒránānxiēxiāojièdào:「shīshēnleyǒushìmíngzǎozàiqiěshuìqiěshuì。」shīmenguǒránānxiēxiāo

海晏河清一統朝

zǎoyòujīnchàngxiǎoguówángdēng殿diànshècháodànjiànzǎoyòujīnchàngxiǎoguówángdēng殿diànshècháodànjiàn

gōng殿diànkāixuāngāofēngchuīyuètòuqīngxiāogōng殿diànkāixuāngāofēngchuīyuètòuqīngxiāo
yúnbàowěijīngdòngshèchītóupèiyáoyúnbàowěijīngdòngshèchītóupèiyáo
xiāngtiāngōngliǔzhūwēirùnyuànhuājiāoxiāngtiāngōngliǔ绿zhūwēirùnyuànhuājiāo
shāndǎoqiānguānlièhǎiyànqīngtǒngcháoshāndǎoqiānguānlièhǎiyànqīngtǒngcháo

zhòngwénbǎiguāncháoyòuxuān:「guāng祿ānpáishíèrhuìjiāyánjīnqiězhěngchūnléiqǐngzàihuāyuánzhōngkuǎnwán。」zhòngwénbǎiguāncháoyòuxuān:「guāngānpáishíèrhuìjiāyánjīnqiězhěngchūnléiqǐngzàihuāyuánzhōngkuǎnwán。」

這個買賣生意弄不成

fēnfuzhìlǐngsānwèixiánqīnhuìtóngguǎnshǎozuòzhuóguāng祿ānpáisānyànfèngpéiliǎngchùzhuójiàofāngzòuyuèshìshǎngchūnjǐngxiāochíjièwényìngshēngdào:「xiàshīxiānghuìgèngxiāngjīnzàihuāyuányǐnyàndàimenshuǎliǎnghǎojiàoshījiāzuòránzhèmǎimàishēngnòngchéng。」fēnfuzhìlǐngsānwèixiánqīnhuìtóngguǎnshǎozuòzhuóguāngānpáisānyànfèngpéiliǎngchùzhuójiàofāngzòuyuèshìshǎngchūnjǐngxiāochíjièwényìngshēngdào:「xiàshīxiānghuìgèngxiāngjīnzàihuāyuányǐnyàndàimenshuǎliǎnghǎojiàoshījiāzuòránzhèmǎimàishēngnòngchéng。」

留春亭

guówángjiànchǒulòushuōhuàyòujiànniǔtóuniējǐngzuǐyáoěrduoxiàngyǒuxiēfēngyóukǒngjiǎoqīnshìzhǐcóng便biànjiào:「zàiyǒngzhènhuáānpáièrtóngzuòliúchūntíngshàngānpáisānqǐngsānwèibiézuòkǒngshīmenzuò便biàn。」dāizicáicháoshàngchàngjiàoshēng:「duōxiè。」ér退tuìyòuchuánzhǐjiàonèigōngguānpáiyànzhuósāngōngliùyuànhòufēigōngzhǔshàngtóujiùwèitiānzhuāngnuǎnzidàishíèrjiāpèijiāngyǒushíqiánhòuguówángpáijiàqǐngtángsēngdōudàohuāyuánnèiguānkànguówángjiànchǒulòushuōhuàyòujiànniǔtóuniējǐngzuǐyáoěrduoxiàngyǒuxiēfēngyóukǒngjiǎoqīnshìzhǐcóng便biànjiào:「zàiyǒngzhènhuáānpáièrtóngzuòliúchūntíngshàngānpáisānqǐngsānwèibiézuòkǒngshīmenzuò便biàn。」dāizicáicháoshàngchàngjiàoshēng:「duōxiè。」ér退tuìyòuchuánzhǐjiàonèigōngguānpáiyànzhuósāngōngliùyuànhòufēigōngzhǔshàngtóujiùwèitiānzhuāngnuǎnzidàishíèrjiāpèijiāngyǒushíqiánhòuguówángpáijiàqǐngtángsēngdōudàohuāyuánnèiguānkàn

好去處

hǎochùhǎochù

jìngcǎishíkǎnzáodiāolánjìngcǎishíjìngbiānshípànzhǎngkǎnzáodiāolánkǎnwàilánzhōngshēnghuìjìngcǎishíkǎnzáodiāolánjìngcǎishíjìngbiānshípànzhǎngkǎnzáodiāolánkǎnwàilánzhōngshēnghuì
yāotáofěicuìnènliǔshǎnhuángjuéyōuxiāngláixiù滿mǎnxíngzhānqīngwèishàngduōyāotáofěicuìnènliǔshǎnhuángjuéyōuxiāngláixiùmǎnxíngzhānqīngwèishàngduō
fèngtáilóngzhǎozhúsōngxuānfèngtáizhīshàngchuīxiāoyǐnfèngláilóngzhǎozhījiānyǎnghuàlóngérfèngtáilóngzhǎozhúsōngxuānfèngtáizhīshàngchuīxiāoyǐnfèngláilóngzhǎozhījiānyǎnghuàlóngér
zhúyǒushīfèijìntuīqiāocáibáixuěsōngxuānwénkǎochéngzhūzhùqīngbiānzhúyǒushīfèijìntuīqiāocáibáixuěsōngxuānwénkǎochéngzhūzhùqīngbiān
jiǎshānquánshícuìshuǐshēndāntíngqiángwēijiàdiéjǐnróngkǎnhǎitángduīxiájiǎshānquánshícuìshuǐshēndāntíngqiángwēijiàdiéjǐnróngkǎnhǎitángduīxiá
sháoyàoxiāngshǔkuíyànbáihóngxìngdòufāngfēihuìjīnxuānzhēnglànmànsháoyàoxiāngshǔkuíyànbáihóngxìngdòufāngfēihuìjīnxuānzhēnglànmàn
chūnhuāhuājuānhuāyāoyāozhuózhuóhánxiàohuāfèngxiānhuāzānhuāzhànzhànwēiwēichūnhuāhuājuānhuāyāoyāozhuózhuóhánxiàohuāfèngxiānhuāzānhuāzhànzhànwēiwēi
chùchùhóngtòuyānzhīrùncóngcóngfāngnóngjǐnxiùwéigèngdōngfēnghuínuǎn滿mǎnyuánjiāomèichěngguānghuīchùchùhóngtòuyānzhīrùncóngcóngfāngnóngjǐnxiùwéigèngdōngfēnghuínuǎnmǎnyuánjiāomèichěngguānghuī
杯斝飛傳玉液清

xíngjūnwángwèiguānzhīliángjiǔzǎoyǒuzhìguānyāoqǐngxíngzhěsānrénliúchūntíngguówángxiétángsēngshànghuáyǐnyànchuītánzhāngchénshèzhēnshìxíngjūnwángwèiguānzhīliángjiǔzǎoyǒuzhìguānyāoqǐngxíngzhěsānrénliúchūntíngguówángxiétángsēngshànghuáyǐnyànchuītánzhāngchénshèzhēnshì

zhēngróngchāngshǔguāngshēngfènglónglóuruìǎihéngzhēngróngchāngshǔguāngshēngfènglónglóuruìǎihéng
chūnhuācǎoxiùtiānguāngyáoshèjǐnpáomíngchūnhuācǎoxiùtiānguāngyáoshèjǐnpáomíng
shēngliáoràoxiānyànbēijiǎfēichuánqīngshēngliáoràoxiānyànbēijiǎfēichuánqīng
jūnyuèchénhuāntóngwánshǎnghuáyǒngzhènshìkāngníngjūnyuèchénhuāntóngwánshǎnghuáyǒngzhènshìkāngníng
壁上掛著四面金屏

shízhǎnglǎojiànguówángjìngzhòngnàizhǐmiǎnqiǎngsuíchéngshìwàiérnèiyōuzuòjiānjiànshàngguàzhemiànjīnpíngpíngshànghuàzhechūnxiàqiūdōngjǐngjiēyǒuyǒngjiēshìhànlínmíngshìzhīshī:《chūnjǐngshīyuēshízhǎnglǎojiànguówángjìngzhòngnàizhǐmiǎnqiǎngsuíchéngshìwàiérnèiyōuzuòjiānjiànshàngguàzhemiànjīnpíngpíngshànghuàzhechūnxiàqiūdōngjǐngjiēyǒuyǒngjiēshìhànlínmíngshìzhīshī:《chūnjǐngshīyuē

zhōutiānzhuǎnhóngjūnwànxiàngxīnzhōutiānzhuǎnhóngjūnwànxiàngxīn
táozhēngyánhuālànmànyànláihuàdòngdiéxiāngchéntáozhēngyánhuālànmànyànláihuàdòngdiéxiāngchén

xiàjǐngshīyuēxiàjǐngshīyuē

xūnfēngchíchígōngyuànliúkuíyìnghuīxūnfēngchíchígōngyuànliúkuíyìnghuī
yīn調diàojīngmèngxiāngsàndàotíngwéiyīndiàojīngmèngxiāngsàndàotíngwéi

qiūjǐngshīyuēqiūjǐngshīyuē

jīnjǐngtónghuángzhūliánjuǎnláishuāngjīnjǐngtónghuángzhūliánjuǎnláishuāng
yànzhīshècháoyànzhéhuāguòbiéxiāngyànzhīshècháoyànzhéhuāguòbiéxiāng

dōngjǐngshīyuēdōngjǐngshīyuē

tiānfēiyúnàndànhánshuòfēngchuīxuěqiānshāntiānfēiyúnàndànhánshuòfēngchuīxuěqiānshān
shēngōngyǒuhóngnuǎnbàodàoméikāi滿mǎnlánshēngōngyǒuhóngnuǎnbàodàoméikāimǎnlán
如不吝珠玉

guówángjiàntángsēngkànshī便biàndào:「wánshīzhōngzhīwèidìngshànyínélìnzhūqǐngyùnshǒu?」zhǎnglǎoshìduìjǐngwàngqíngmíngxīnjiànxìngzhījiànguówángqīnzhòngmìngqiányùnjuéyǒngdào:「nuǎnbīngxiāojūn。」guówángzhàoshìwèiguān:「wénfángbǎoqǐngwánxiàzhènhuǎnhuǎnwèizhī。」zhǎnglǎoxīnránérguówángjiàntángsēngkànshī便biàndào:「wánshīzhōngzhīwèidìngshànyínélìnzhūqǐngyùnshǒu?」zhǎnglǎoshìduìjǐngwàngqíngmíngxīnjiànxìngzhījiànguówángqīnzhòngmìngqiányùnjuéyǒngdào:「nuǎnbīngxiāojūn。」guówángzhàoshìwèiguān:「wénfángbǎoqǐngwánxiàzhènhuǎnhuǎnwèizhī。」zhǎnglǎoxīnránér

請依韻各和一首

chūnjǐngshīyuēchūnjǐngshīyuē

nuǎnbīngxiāojūnyuánhuāhuìyòugēngxīnnuǎnbīngxiāojūnyuánhuāhuìyòugēngxīn
fēnggāomínzhānhǎiyànqīngjuéchénfēnggāomínzhānhǎiyànqīngjuéchén

xiàjǐngshīyuēxiàjǐngshīyuē

dǒuzhǐnánfāngbáizhòuchíhuáiyúnliúhuǒdòuguānghuīdǒuzhǐnánfāngbáizhòuchíhuáiyúnliúhuǒdòuguānghuī
huángyàngōngliǔqiǎozhuǎnshuāngshēngjiàngwéihuángyàngōngliǔqiǎozhuǎnshuāngshēngjiàngwéi

qiūjǐngshīyuēqiūjǐngshīyuē

xiāngpiāochénghuángsōngbǎiqīngqīngjiàngshuāngxiāngpiāo绿chénghuángsōngbǎiqīngqīngjiàngshuāng
bànkāicuánjǐnxiùshēngyùnchèshuǐyúnxiāngbànkāicuánjǐnxiùshēngyùnchèshuǐyúnxiāng

dōngjǐngshīyuēdōngjǐngshīyuē

ruìxuěchūqíngwèihánfēngqiǎoshítuánshānruìxuěchūqíngwèihánfēngqiǎoshítuánshān
shāoshòutànwēilàoxiùshǒugāocuìlánshāoshòutànwēilàoxiùshǒugāocuìlán

guówángjiànchēngchàngdào:「hǎoxiùshǒugāocuìlán』!」suìmìngjiàofāngxīnshīzòuyuèjìnérsànguówángjiànchēngchàngdào:「hǎoxiùshǒugāocuìlán』!」suìmìngjiàofāngxīnshīzòuyuèjìnérsàn

你那裡知道

xíngzhěsānrénzàiliúchūntíngjìnshòuyòngyǐnlebēidōuyǒuxiēhānzhèngxúnzhǎnglǎozhǐjiànzhǎnglǎotóngguówángzàijièdāixìngzuòyìngshēngjiàodào:「hǎokuàihuóhǎozàijīnshòuyòngzhèxiàlequègāichènbǎoérshuìjiào。」shāsēngxiàodào:「èrméixiūyǎngzhèbǎoshuìjiào?」jièdào:「zhīdàoyún:『chīlefànértǐngshīméibǎnzhīli。」xíngzhěsānrénzàiliúchūntíngjìnshòuyòngyǐnlebēidōuyǒuxiēhānzhèngxúnzhǎnglǎozhǐjiànzhǎnglǎotóngguówángzàijièdāixìngzuòyìngshēngjiàodào:「hǎokuàihuóhǎozàijīnshòuyòngzhèxiàlequègāichènbǎoérshuìjiào。」shāsēngxiàodào:「èrméixiūyǎngzhèbǎoshuìjiào?」jièdào:「zhīdàoyún:『chīlefànértǐngshīméibǎnzhīli。」

打不斷的親,罵不斷的鄰

tángsēngguówángxiāngbiézhìtíngnèichēnjièdào:「zhèhānghuòyuècūnlezhèshìshènmechùzhǐguǎnxiǎojiàotǎnghuònǎozháoguówángquèbèishānghàixìngmìng?」jièdào:「méishìméishìmenqìngjiadàode便biànhǎoshēngguàichángyándào:『duàndeqīnduàndelín。』jiāshuǎzizěnde?」tángsēngguówángxiāngbiézhìtíngnèichēnjièdào:「zhèhānghuòyuècūnlezhèshìshènmechùzhǐguǎnxiǎojiàotǎnghuònǎozháoguówángquèbèishānghàixìngmìng?」jièdào:「méishìméishìmenqìngjiadàode便biànhǎoshēngguàichángyándào:『duàndeqīnduàndelín。』jiāshuǎzizěnde?」

打他二十禪杖

zhǎnglǎochìdàojiàoguòdāiziláièrshíchánzhàngxíngzhěguǒjiūfānzhǎnglǎozhàngjiùdāizihǎnjiàodào:「yeráozuìráozuì。」pángyǒupéiyànguānquànzhùdāizijiāngláināngnāngdedào:「hǎoguìrénhǎoqīnháiwèichéngjiùxíngwángláile。」xíngzhězhezuǐdào:「shuōshuōkuàizǎoshuì。」menyòuzàiliúchūntíngzhùle宿xiǔdàomíngzǎojiùyànzhǎnglǎochìdàojiàoguòdāiziláièrshíchánzhàngxíngzhěguǒjiūfānzhǎnglǎozhàngjiùdāizihǎnjiàodào:「yeráozuìráozuì。」pángyǒupéiyànguānquànzhùdāizijiāngláināngnāngdedào:「hǎoguìrénhǎoqīnháiwèichéngjiùxíngwángláile。」xíngzhězhezuǐdào:「shuōshuōkuàizǎoshuì。」menyòuzàiliúchūntíngzhùle宿xiǔdàomíngzǎojiùyàn

葷素共五百餘席

juélesānzhèngzhíshíèrjiāchényǒuguāng祿sānguānhuízòudào:「chénděngfèngzhǐxiūwánzhuānděngzhuāngliánshèjǐnyànwánbèihūngòngbǎi。」guówángxīnqǐngyǒunèigōngguānduìqiánzòudào:「wànsuìzhènggōngniángniangyǒuqǐng。」guówángsuì退tuìnèigōngzhǐjiànsāngōnghuánghòuliùyuànpínfēiyǐnlǐngzhegōngzhǔdōuzàizhāoyánggōngtánxiàozhēnshìhuātuánjǐnpiànyāoráozhēnshèngtiāntángyuè殿diànxiānyáogōngyǒuhuìjiāyīnxīnshǒuwéizhèngjuélesānzhèngzhíshíèrjiāchényǒuguāngsānguānhuízòudào:「chénděngfèngzhǐxiūwánzhuānděngzhuāngliánshèjǐnyànwánbèihūngòngbǎi。」guówángxīnqǐngyǒunèigōngguānduìqiánzòudào:「wànsuìzhènggōngniángniangyǒuqǐng。」guówángsuì退tuìnèigōngzhǐjiànsāngōnghuánghòuliùyuànpínfēiyǐnlǐngzhegōngzhǔdōuzàizhāoyánggōngtánxiàozhēnshìhuātuánjǐnpiànyāoráozhēnshèngtiāntángyuè殿diànxiānyáogōngyǒuhuìjiāyīnxīnshǒuwéizhèng

巧樣宮妝,嫦娥怎比

yúnyún

xīnránjiéhūnyīnēnàiměiqiǎoyànggōngzhuāngchángézěnxīnránjiéhūnyīnēnàiměiqiǎoyànggōngzhuāngchángézěn
lóngchāifèngchāiyànyànfēijīnyīngchúnhàochǐzhūyánniǎonuóhuāqīnglóngchāifèngchāiyànyànfēijīnyīngchúnhào齿chǐzhūyánniǎonuóhuāqīng
jǐnchóngchóngcǎicóngzhōngjǐnchóngchóngcǎicóngzhōng
xiāngqiānjīnduìxiāngqiānjīnduì

huìyúnhuìyún

huìhuìhuìyāoráojiāomèisàimáoqiángchǔmèiqīngguóqīngchénghuāhuìhuìhuìyāoráojiāomèisàimáoqiángchǔmèiqīngguóqīngchénghuā
zhuāngshìgèngxiānyánchāihuánduōyànlánxīnhuìxìngqīnggāofěnliǎnbīngróngguìdàiméixiànyuǎnshānwēiyǎotiǎoyānrǎncuánjǐnduìzhuāngshìgèngxiānyánchāihuánduōyànlánxīnhuìxìngqīnggāofěnliǎnbīngróngguìdàiméi线xiànyuǎnshānwēiyǎotiǎoyānrǎncuánjǐnduì
天臺福地遠,怎似國王家

jiāyúnjiāyún

jiājiājiāxiānshēnàishíkānkuāxiāngzhīfěnjiāojiājiājiājiāxiānshēnàishíkānkuāxiāngzhīfěnjiāojiā
tiāntáiyuǎnzěnguówángjiāxiàofēnránjiāotàishēngliáoràoxuānhuátiāntáiyuǎnzěnguówángjiāxiàofēnránjiāotàishēngliáoràoxuānhuá
huāduījǐnqiānbānměikànbiànrénjiānzěnruòhuāduījǐnqiānbānměikànbiànrénjiānzěnruò

yīnyúnyīnyún

yīnyīnyīnlánshèxiāngpēnxiānzhènměirénqúnpínfēihuàncǎigōngzhǔzhuāngxīnyīnyīnyīnlánshèxiāngpēnxiānzhènměirénqúnpínfēihuàncǎigōngzhǔzhuāngxīn
yúnbìnduīchángfèngqúnpàixiānyīnliáoliàngliǎnghángzhūbīnfēndāngniáncéngjiéchéngluánxìnjīnzhāoxìnghuìjiāyīnyúnbìnduīchángfèngqúnpàixiānyīnliáoliàngliǎnghángzhūbīnfēndāngniáncéngjiéchéngluánxìnjīnzhāoxìnghuìjiāyīn
不要錯過時辰

quèshuōguówángjiàdàohòufēiyǐnzhegōngzhǔbìngcǎigōngédōuláiyíngjiēguówángjìnlezhāoyánggōngzuòxiàhòufēiděngcháobàiguówángdào:「gōngzhǔxiánchūjiécǎipāoqiúxìngshèngsēngxiǎngshìxīnyuànménguānyòunéngzhènxīnxiàngshìwánbèijīnzhèngshìjiāzǎojǐnzhīyànyàocuòguòshíchén。」quèshuōguówángjiàdàohòufēiyǐnzhegōngzhǔbìngcǎigōngédōuláiyíngjiēguówángjìnlezhāoyánggōngzuòxiàhòufēiděngcháobàiguówángdào:「gōngzhǔxiánchūjiécǎipāoqiúxìngshèngsēngxiǎngshìxīnyuànménguānyòunéngzhènxīnxiàngshìwánbèijīnzhèngshìjiāzǎojǐnzhīyànyàocuòguòshíchén。」

萬望父王將他發放出城

gōngzhǔzǒujìnqiándǎoshēnxiàbàizòudào:「wángshèxiǎowànqiānzhīzuìyǒuyánzòuzhèwéngōngguānchuánshuōtángshèngsēngyǒusānshēngdeshífēnchǒuèxiǎogǎnjiànkǒngjiànshíshēngkǒngwànwàngwángjiāngfàngchūchéngfānghǎozhìjīngshāngruòfǎnwéihuòhài。」guówángdào:「háiérshuōzhènwàngleguǒránshēngdeyǒuxiēchǒuèliánjiàozàihuāyuánliúchūntíngguǎndàigōngzhǔzǒujìnqiándǎoshēnxiàbàizòudào:「wángshèxiǎowànqiānzhīzuìyǒuyánzòuzhèwéngōngguānchuánshuōtángshèngsēngyǒusānshēngdeshífēnchǒuèxiǎogǎnjiànkǒngjiànshíshēngkǒngwànwàngwángjiāngfàngchūchéngfānghǎozhìjīngshāngruòfǎnwéihuòhài。」guówángdào:「háiérshuōzhènwàngleguǒránshēngdeyǒuxiēchǒuèliánjiàozàihuāyuánliúchūntíngguǎndài

捏指頭兒算日子

chènjīnjiùshàng殿diànguānwénjiàochūchéngquèhǎohuìyàn。」gōngzhǔkòutóuxièleēnguówángchūjiàshàng殿diànchuánzhǐqǐnggòngsānwèiyuánláitángsēngniēzhǐtóuérsuànziáozhìshíèrtiānwèimíngjiùsānrénjiàodào:「jīnquèshìshíèrlezhèshìchǔ?」chènjīnjiùshàng殿diànguānwénjiàochūchéngquèhǎohuìyàn。」gōngzhǔkòutóuxièleēnguówángchūjiàshàng殿diànchuánzhǐqǐnggòngsānwèiyuánláitángsēngniēzhǐtóuérsuànziáozhìshíèrtiānwèimíngjiùsānrénjiàodào:「jīnquèshìshíèrlezhèshìchǔ?」

老孫一覷,就知真假

xíngzhědào:「guówángshíyǒuxiēhuìháiwèizhānshēnwéihàidànzhǐgōngzhǔjiànmiànruòchūláilǎosūnjiùzhīzhēnjiǎfāngcáidòngzuòzhǐguǎnfàngxīnjīndìngláiqǐngděngchūchéngyìngchéngshǎnshǎnshēnérjiùláijǐnjǐnsuí。」shīmenzhèngjiǎngguǒjiàndāngjiàguāntóngzhìláiqǐngxíngzhěxiàodào:「láiláidìngshìmensòngxínghǎoliúshīhuì。」xíngzhědào:「guówángshíyǒuxiēhuìháiwèizhānshēnwéihàidànzhǐgōngzhǔjiànmiànruòchūláilǎosūnjiùzhīzhēnjiǎfāngcáidòngzuòzhǐguǎnfàngxīnjīndìngláiqǐngděngchūchéngyìngchéngshǎnshǎnshēnérjiùláijǐnjǐnsuí。」shīmenzhèngjiǎngguǒjiàndāngjiàguāntóngzhìláiqǐngxíngzhěxiàodào:「láiláidìngshìmensòngxínghǎoliúshīhuì。」

千百兩黃金白銀

jièdào:「sòngxíngdìngyǒuqiānbǎiliǎnghuángjīnbáiyínmenhǎomǎixiērénshìhuídàozhàngrénjiāzàihuìqīnshuǎziér。」shāsēngdào:「èrqiánzhekǒuxiūluànshuōzhǐpíngzhǔzhāng。」suìjiāngxíngsuíxiēguāndàodānchíxiàguówángjiànlejiàoqǐngxíngzhěsānwèijìnqiándào:「děngjiāngguānwénshàngláizhèndāngyòngbǎohuājiāoděngwàiduōbèipánchánsòngsānwèizǎolíngshānjiànruòjīnghuíláiháiyǒuzhòngxièliúzàixuánniàn。」jièdào:「sòngxíngdìngyǒuqiānbǎiliǎnghuángjīnbáiyínmenhǎomǎixiērénshìhuídàozhàngrénjiāzàihuìqīnshuǎziér。」shāsēngdào:「èrqiánzhekǒuxiūluànshuōzhǐpíngzhǔzhāng。」suìjiāngxíngsuíxiēguāndàodānchíxiàguówángjiànlejiàoqǐngxíngzhěsānwèijìnqiándào:「děngjiāngguānwénshàngláizhèndāngyòngbǎohuājiāoděngwàiduōbèipánchánsòngsānwèizǎolíngshānjiànruòjīnghuíláiháiyǒuzhòngxièliúzàixuánniàn。」

聒噪,聒噪

xíngzhěchēngxièsuìjiàoshāsēngchūguānwénshàngguówángkànleyòngleyìnlehuāyòuhuángjīnshídìngbáijīnèrshídìngliáoqīnjièyuánláicáixīnzhòngjiēlexíngzhěcháoshàngchàngdào:「guāzàoguāzào。」便biànzhuǎnshēnyàozǒuhuāngdesānzàngluchězhùxíngzhěyǎoxiǎnggēndào:「mendōujiùle?」xíngzhěchēngxièsuìjiàoshāsēngchūguānwénshàngguówángkànleyòngleyìnlehuāyòuhuángjīnshídìngbáijīnèrshídìngliáoqīnjièyuánláicáixīnzhòngjiēlexíngzhěcháoshàngchàngdào:「guāzàoguāzào。」便biànzhuǎnshēnyàozǒuhuāngdesānzàngluchězhùxíngzhěyǎoxiǎnggēndào:「mendōujiùle?」

丟個眼色

xíngzhěshǒuniēzhesānzàngshǒuzhǎngdiūyǎndào:「zàizhèkuānhuáihuānhuìděnglejīnghuíláikàn。」zhǎnglǎoxìnxìndekěnfàngshǒuduōguāndōukànjiànwéishíshìxiāngbiéérzǎojiànguówángyòuqǐngshàng殿diànzhuóduōguānsòngsānwèichūchéngzhǎnglǎozhǐfàngleshǒushàng殿diànxíngzhěsānréntóngzhòngchūlecháoménxiāngbiéjièdào:「mendàngzhēndezǒuli?」xíngzhěshǒuniēzhesānzàngshǒuzhǎngdiūyǎndào:「zàizhèkuān怀huáihuānhuìděnglejīnghuíláikàn。」zhǎnglǎoxìnxìndekěnfàngshǒuduōguāndōukànjiànwéishíshìxiāngbiéérzǎojiànguówángyòuqǐngshàng殿diànzhuóduōguānsòngsānwèichūchéngzhǎnglǎozhǐfàngleshǒushàng殿diànxíngzhěsānréntóngzhòngchūlecháoménxiāngbiéjièdào:「mendàngzhēndezǒuli?」

行者不言語,只管走

xíngzhěyánzhǐguǎnzǒuzhìzhōngchéngjiēkànchábǎifànxíngzhěduìjièshāsēngdào:「liǎngzhǐzàiqièchūtóudànchéngwènshènmeshìqíngqiěhányìngshuōhuàbǎoshī。」hǎoshènggēnháomáochuīkǒuxiānjiào:「biàn!」biànzuòběnshēnyàngjièshāsēngtóngzàinèizhēnshēnquèhuǎngdetiàozàibànkōngbiànzuòfēngérxíngzhěyánzhǐguǎnzǒuzhì驿zhōng驿chéngjiēkànchábǎifànxíngzhěduìjièshāsēngdào:「liǎngzhǐzàiqièchūtóudàn驿chéngwènshènmeshìqíngqiěhányìngshuōhuàbǎoshī。」hǎoshènggēnháomáochuīkǒuxiānjiào:「biàn!」biànzuòběnshēnyàngjièshāsēngtóngzài驿nèizhēnshēnquèhuǎngdetiàozàibànkōngbiànzuòfēngér

釀成濃美自何嘗

dànjiàndànjiàn

chìhuángkǒutiánwěisuífēngpiāodiānkuángzuìnéngzhāiruǐtōuxiāngliǔ穿chuānhuāyáodàngchìhuángkǒutiánwěisuífēngpiāodiānkuángzuìnéngzhāiruǐtōuxiāngliǔ穿chuānhuāyáodàng
xīnfāntáorǎnfēiláifēikōngmángniàngchéngnóngměichángzhǐhǎoliúcúnmíngzhuàngxīnfāntáorǎnfēiláifēikōngmángniàngchéngnóngměichángzhǐhǎoliúcúnmíngzhuàng

kànqīngqīngdefēicháozhōngyuǎnjiàntángsēngzàiguówángzuǒbiānxiùdūnshàngzuòzhechóuméizhǎnxīncúnjiāozàojìngfēizhìmàoshàngqiāoqiāodeěrbiānjiàodào:「shīláileqièyōu。」kànqīngqīngdefēicháozhōngyuǎnjiàntángsēngzàiguówángzuǒbiānxiùdūnshàngzuòzhechóuméizhǎnxīncúnjiāozàojìngfēizhìmàoshàngqiāoqiāodeěrbiānjiàodào:「shīláileqièyōu。」

禪心動念念生愁

zhèhuàzhǐyǒutángsēngtīngjiànhuǒfánrénxiǎngzhījuétángsēngtīngjiànshǐjuéxīnkuānshígōngguānláiqǐngdào:「wànsuìjǐnjiāyánpáishèzàizhīquègōngzhōngniángnianggōngzhǔzàigōnghòuzhuānqǐngwànsuìtóngguìrénhuìqīn。」guówángzhījìntóngjìngōngérzhèngshìzhèhuàzhǐyǒutángsēngtīngjiànhuǒfánrénxiǎngzhījuétángsēngtīngjiànshǐjuéxīnkuānshígōngguānláiqǐngdào:「wànsuìjǐnjiāyánpáishèzàizhīquègōngzhōngniángnianggōngzhǔzàigōnghòuzhuānqǐngwànsuìtóngguìrénhuìqīn。」guówángzhījìntóngjìngōngérzhèngshì

xiézhǔàihuāhuāzuòhuòchánxīndòngniànniànshēngchóuxiézhǔàihuāhuāzuòhuòchánxīndòngniànniànshēngchóu

jìngzhītángsēngzàinèigōngzěnshēngjiětuōqiětīngxiàhuífēnjiějìngzhītángsēngzàinèigōngzěnshēngjiětuōqiětīngxiàhuífēnjiě

英譯 The Bee on the Hat

The tale takes up: Pilgrim Sun and the other two followed the summoning officer out to the Meridian Gate, and the gate officer at once carried word in and announced them. The three of them planted themselves in a row and did not so much as bow. The king asked, “Those three are the eminent disciples of the holy monk, our Prince Consort? What are your names? Where do you live? What business drove you to leave home? What scriptures are you fetching?” Pilgrim stepped straight forward, meaning to go right up onto the dais. A guard at the king's side barked at him, “Stop there! If you have something to say, say it from where you stand.” Pilgrim laughed. “We who have left home get one step, we take one step.” And Eight Rules and Sha Monk came forward right behind him.

The elder, afraid their coarseness would startle His Majesty, rose and called out, “Disciples! His Majesty is asking how you come to be here. Report to him at once.” Pilgrim, seeing his master standing there in attendance at the side, could not hold it in. “Your Majesty, in slighting others you slight yourself! If you have taken my master as Prince Consort, how can you have him stand in attendance? Everywhere under heaven a daughter's husband is called a man of rank. Whoever heard of a man of rank who is not given a seat?” The king went pale with alarm. He wanted to withdraw from the hall, and was afraid of losing face if he did. So he screwed up his nerve, ordered his attendants to fetch an embroidered stool, and invited the Tang Monk to sit. Only then did Pilgrim make his report.

“Old Monkey's home of old is the Water Curtain Cave, on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit, in the Country of Aolai, in the Eastern Continent of Superior Spirit. “Heaven my father and earth my mother, the stone split and I was born. Once I bowed to a perfected man and mastered the Great Way. “Then I turned back to the immortals' country and gathered a roaring company in a cave heaven and a blessed land. I went down into the sea and subdued the dragons, I climbed the mountains and took the beasts. I struck out my name from the roll of the dead and set it on the roll of the living, and I was appointed Great Sage Equal to Heaven. “I took my pleasure in jade towers and roamed for delight through treasure pavilions. I met with the immortals of heaven and there was singing and gladness day after day; I lived in the holy country and there was ease and happiness morning after morning. “It was only because I threw the Peach Banquet into confusion and raised a great revolt in Heaven that I was seized and subdued by the Buddha. Pinned and pressed beneath the Mountain of Five Phases, I ate iron pellets when I hungered and drank molten copper when I thirsted, and for five hundred years I never tasted tea or rice. “Happily my master came out of the Land of the East and made his bow to the West. Guanyin instructed me to shake off the calamity of Heaven and leave the great tribulation behind, and I turned to the right path under the gate of Yoga. My old religious name is Wukong, and I am called Pilgrim.”

When the king heard how weighty a name this was, he came down off the dragon couch in a fluster, walked over, and with his own royal hand took hold of the elder. “Prince Consort, this too is Heaven's match for us, that we should have met with kin as blessed as these.” Tripitaka thanked him profusely and asked the king to resume his throne. Then the king asked again, “And which of you is the second disciple?” Eight Rules stuck out his snout, put on a swagger, and said:

“Old Hog in a former life was a man, greedy for pleasure and fond of idleness. All my days were a muddle, my nature unruly and my heart lost. I did not know how high heaven stood or how deep the earth lay, and could make nothing of how wide the sea ran or how far off the mountains stood. “Just when I was drifting along at my ease, all of a sudden I met a perfected man. Half a sentence, and the net of sin was opened; two or three words, and the gate of calamity was split apart. “On the spot I woke to myself, and there and then I threw myself at a master's feet. Carefully I worked the labour of the two eights, and reverently I refined the before and after of the three threes. My practice complete, I flew up and won my way past into the mansions of Heaven. “I received the Jade Emperor's generous favour, was granted office as Marshal Tianpeng, put in charge of the river troops, and roamed at leisure about the gates of the Sky River. “It was only that I got drunk on the Peach Banquet wine and made sport with Chang'e, so that I was stripped of my office rank and sentenced to fall among mortals; and I went into the wrong womb and was born in the shape of a pig. “I settled on Mount Fuling and worked evil without end. Then I met Guanyin, who pointed out the good road to me. I took refuge in the teaching of the Buddha and became the protector of the Tang Monk. “Straight on to the Western Heaven I go, to bow and beg for the wondrous scriptures. My religious name is Wuneng, and I am called Eight Rules.”

Hearing this, the king trembled in his heart and dared not look straight at him. The idiot only worked himself up the more, waggling his head, pursing his snout, cocking up his ears, and roaring with laughter. Tripitaka, again afraid of alarming His Majesty, snapped at him at once: “Eight Rules, control yourself!” Only then did he fold his hands and stand up straight, putting on a false show of good breeding. The king asked again, “And the third eminent disciple — what brought him to take refuge?” Sha Monk pressed his palms together and said:

“Old Sha was originally an ordinary mortal, and it was fear of the wheel of rebirth that sent me looking for the Way. I drifted like cloud to the corners of the sea and wandered loose to the ends of the sky. “I kept robe and bowl about me always, and refined heart and spirit within my own dwelling. And so, through that devotion, I came to meet with immortal companions. “I nursed the child to ripeness and paired it in union with the fair maid. When the labour was complete at three thousand, I brought the four marks into harmony. “I rose above the heavenly realms, made my bow at the dark vault, and was appointed Great Curtain-Raising General, attending upon the phoenix carriage and the dragon coach, with the title of General. “It was also over the Peach Banquet that I let a crystal cup slip and shatter, and I was banished to the River of Flowing Sand, where I changed my head and swapped my face, working sin and doing harm to living things. “Happily the Bodhisattva came roaming far into the Land of the East and urged me to take refuge, and to wait for the Tang court's son of Buddha and go west with him to seek the scriptures and win the true fruit. “From then I set myself to begin again and took up the great awakening once more. I pointed at the river and made it my surname; my religious name is Wujing, and I am called Monk.”

Hearing all this, the king was as much alarmed as delighted: delighted that his daughter had taken a living Buddha for a husband, alarmed that the three of them were in truth demon spirits. In the midst of it an astrologer from the Board suddenly reported, “The wedding date is settled for the twelfth day of this month of this year, a rén-zǐ day of good hours. The chart is clear all round, and it is fitting to make the match.” “And what day is today?” said the king. “Today is the eighth,” the astrologer reported, “a wù-shēn day — the Monkey Offers Fruit. It is a fitting day for advancing the worthy and taking up business.” Greatly pleased, the king at once ordered the duty officer to sweep out the halls, pavilions and towers of the royal garden, and asked the Prince Consort and his three eminent disciples to rest there, so that in due course the wedding feast could be laid on and the princess given in marriage. All obeyed respectfully, the king withdrew from the hall, and the officials all dispersed. Now to tell of Tripitaka and his disciples. They all came to the royal garden. The light was fading, and a meatless meal was set out. “About time we got fed today!” said Eight Rules happily. The stewards took the plain rice and the noodles and the rest of it and carried it in by the whole pole-load; and that Eight Rules ate and had more piled on, and had more piled on and ate, until he had eaten his belly into a prop and his gut into a post, and only then did he stop. A little later the lamps were lit, the bedding was spread, and each went off to sleep.

The elder, seeing there was nobody about, turned on Pilgrim in his resentment and shouted at him angrily, “Wukong, you wretched ape, time and again you ruin me! I said we would only go and get the travel rescript stamped, and not go near the coloured tower. Why did you insist on leading me over to have a look? Well, how good does it look now? You have stirred up all this trouble — what is to be done about it?” Pilgrim said with an ingratiating grin, “Master, you said, ‘My own late mother also threw an embroidered ball, met her old bond again, and so became man and wife.' You seemed to have a fondness for the old ways in you, and that is why Old Monkey led you over. I was also thinking of what that elder of the Almsgiver's Golden-Spread Monastery told us, and meant to use the chance to check the true against the false. When I saw the emperor's face just now there was a faint darkness on it — only I have not yet seen what the princess is like.” “And what will you do when you have seen the princess?” said the elder. “Old Monkey's fiery eyes and golden pupils — one look at a face and I know true from false and good from bad, rich from poor, and I can act on it and tell the crooked from the straight.” Sha Monk and Eight Rules laughed. “So our big brother has taken up face-reading lately as well.” “Face-readers can be my grandsons and welcome,” said Pilgrim. Tripitaka shouted him down. “Enough of your wagging tongue. The point is that he is now determined to have me — what in fact is to be done about it?” “Just wait until the wedding day on the twelfth,” said Pilgrim. “The princess is bound to come out and pay her respects to her father and mother, and Old Monkey will be watching from the side. If she really is a genuine woman, then you shall be Prince Consort after all and enjoy the wealth of the kingdom, and much good may it do you.” Hearing this, Tripitaka grew angrier still and swore at him. “You wretched ape! You are ruining me still. It is just as Wuneng said — of ten joints we have climbed nine and seven or eight parts of the last, and here you are poking at me with that hot tongue of yours. Clamp it shut, quick, and do not open that stinking mouth of yours again. If you are impertinent once more I shall start reciting the spell, and I will leave you unable to cope with it.” Hearing the spell mentioned, Pilgrim dropped in a fluster to his knees in front of him. “Don't recite, don't recite. If she is a genuine woman, then when it comes to the bowing we will make one great uproar through the palace together and carry you off.” As master and disciples talked, the watches of the night had already come on without their noticing. It was just as:

Deep, deep, the palace water-clock; thick, thick, the scent of flowers. At the embroidered door the bead curtain hangs; in the quiet courtyard not a lamp is lit. The rope of the swing hangs cold and keeps only a shadow; the Qiang flute's sound has died and all four quarters are still. Around the house there are flowers, and the moon is caged in them and bright; across the open sky there are no trees, and the starlight shows. The cuckoo has left off calling; the butterfly's dream runs long. The Silver River lies across the vault of heaven; the white clouds go home. This is truly the place where a parted man feels it most: the wind stirs the young willows and it is bleaker still.

“Master,” said Eight Rules, “it is late in the night. Anything else can be discussed in the morning. Go to sleep, go to sleep.” And master and disciples did indeed rest for the night. Early again the golden cock crowed up the dawn, and the king went straight to the hall and opened court. And this was the sight:

The palace opens its casements and the purple vapour stands high; the wind blows the royal music through the blue of the sky. The cloud shifts, the leopard-tail banners stir; the sun strikes the dragon-head carvings and the jade pendants swing. A fine mist of fragrance deepens the green of the palace willows; a light dew freshens the garden flowers into beauty. They cry the mountain acclamation and dance in their ranks, a thousand officers drawn up: the sea calm and the river clear, one court over all.

When the civil and military officers had finished at court, the king proclaimed further: “Let the Court of Imperial Entertainments prepare the wedding feast for the twelfth. For today, set out the spring wine and let the Prince Consort take his ease in the royal garden.” He instructed the Bureau of Ceremonies to take the three worthy relatives to sit a while at the guest house for envoys, and had the Court of Imperial Entertainments lay on three tables of meatless food to attend them there. At both places he had the Music Bureau play, to wait on them while they enjoyed the spring scene and whiled away the long day. Eight Rules heard this and spoke up in answer. “Your Majesty, ever since we master and disciples came together we have not been apart for a single moment. Since today's drinking is in the royal garden, take us along and let us amuse ourselves for a day or two, so that our master can be your family's Prince Consort properly. Otherwise this deal of yours falls through.” The king, seeing how ugly he was and how coarse his speech, and seeing him twisting his head and pinching up his neck, pursing his snout and waggling his ears, thought he seemed to have something of a derangement about him; and being afraid of upsetting the marriage, he had no choice but to agree. So he gave the order: “Set two places in the Pavilion of Eternal Peace over Chinese and Barbarian, and I shall sit with the Prince Consort. Set three places up at the Spring-Keeping Pavilion, and let the three of them sit separately — I am afraid the order of seating would be awkward for master and disciples.” Only then did the idiot make his bow up towards the throne and call out, “Much obliged!” And they all withdrew. The king further sent down orders that the officers of the inner palace should lay on a feast, and that the consorts of the three palaces and six courts, together with the princess, should perform the pinning of the hair and add gifts to the trousseau and the third-day dishes, against the fine match on the twelfth. Towards the hour of the Snake the king had his carriage made ready and asked the Tang Monk and the rest to come into the royal garden and look. A fine place it was:

The paths are laid with coloured stone, the balustrades carved from the rail. The paths are laid with coloured stone, and beside the path, at the foot of the stones, rare blossoms grow; the balustrades are carved from the rail, and outside the rail, within the fence, strange flowers spring up. The delicate peach blurs into kingfisher-green; the tender willow flashes with orioles. A step, and you notice a hidden fragrance filling your sleeves; a pace, and a clean savour has settled thick on your clothes. The phoenix terrace and the dragon pool, the bamboo lodge and the pine gallery. Above the phoenix terrace, a flute is played and the phoenixes come in state; in the dragon pool, the fish are reared and turn to dragons and go. The bamboo lodge has its poems, where White Snow was cut at the cost of endless polishing; the pine gallery its collected essays, where pearl and jade were weighed and notes set down in the green-bound books. The rockery's piled stones are green, the winding water's ripples deep. The peony arbour and the rose trellis, heaped brocade and spread velvet; the jasmine rail and the crabapple bed, banked cloud and inlaid jade. The peonies are strangely scented, the hollyhocks marvellously bright. White pear and red apricot contend in their sweetness; purple orchid and golden daylily strive in their blaze. Poppy, magnolia and azalea, tender and glowing; banana-shrub, balsam and plantain-lily, trembling and towering. Everywhere the red is flushed through, rich as rouge; every clump is thick with scent and ringed in brocade. Better still, the east wind brings the warm days round again, and the whole garden's loveliness puts out its light.

The royal party, several of them, looked at it a long while. Presently an officer of the Bureau of Ceremonies invited Pilgrim and the other two into the Spring-Keeping Pavilion, while the king took the Tang Monk up to the Pavilion of Eternal Peace, and each party fell to its own feasting. With the singing and dancing, the piping and the plucking, and everything set out and displayed, it was truly:

The heights of the gate of heaven, and the light of dawn is born; on phoenix hall and dragon tower the auspicious haze lies level. Spring's colour lays its fine embroidery of flower and grass; the light of the sky strikes far and the brocade robes shine. The pipes and the singing wind about as at an immortals' feast; the winged cups fly from hand to hand and the jade liquor runs clear. Lord and subject take their pleasure together in the sight of it: peace over Chinese and barbarian for ever, an age of calm and quiet.

By now the elder, seeing how much respect the king showed him, had no way out of it and could only make a show of enjoying himself — glad on the outside and grieving within, as the saying goes. Sitting there he saw four gold screens hung on the wall, and painted on them the four scenes of spring, summer, autumn and winter, each with a poem inscribed, and all of them by celebrated men of the Hanlin. The Poem of the Spring Scene ran:

One breath goes round the heavens and turns the great wheel; over the wide earth all is bright and the ten thousand shapes are new. Peach and plum contend in their beauty and the blossom blazes; the swallows come to the painted beams and layer the scented dust.

The Poem of the Summer Scene ran:

The warm wind comes stirring and stirring and the thoughts go slow and slow; in the palace courts the pomegranate and the hollyhock catch the light of the sun. The jade flute's tune startles the noonday dream; the scent of water-chestnut and lotus drifts as far as the curtained hall.

The Poem of the Autumn Scene ran:

By the golden well the wutong tree has one leaf gone yellow; the pearl curtain is not rolled up, and in the night the frost comes. The swallow knows the festival day and quits its nest; the wild goose snaps a reed-flower and passes into another country.

The Poem of the Winter Scene ran:

The sky rains flying cloud, dim and cold; the north wind blows the snow and it piles on a thousand hills. Deep in the palace there is a red brazier and warmth of its own; word comes that the plum has opened and the jade fills the balustrade.

The king, seeing the Tang Monk looking at the poems as long as he pleased, said, “The Prince Consort takes such pleasure in the flavour of poetry that he must surely be good at composing it. If you will not begrudge us your pearls and jade, would you match each of them to its own rhymes?” The elder is a man who meets a scene and forgets himself, whose mind is set on clearing the heart and seeing his own nature. Seeing the king's high regard and being bidden to match the earlier rhymes, without meaning to he suddenly chanted out a line: “The sun warms, the ice melts, the great wheel of earth.” The king was delighted and at once called an attendant officer. “Fetch the four treasures of the study, and have the Prince Consort finish the matching poems and write them down, so that we may savour them at leisure.” The elder, glad to oblige and making no excuses, took up the brush and matched them. The Matching Poem of the Spring Scene ran:

The sun warms, the ice melts, the great wheel of earth; in the royal garden the flowers and plants are made new again. Gentle wind and rich rain, and the people are steeped in the blessing; the sea calm and the river clear, and the dust of the world is gone.

The Matching Poem of the Summer Scene ran:

The Dipper's handle points to the south and the daylight draws out long; scholar tree like cloud and pomegranate like fire contend in their brightness. Yellow oriole and purple swallow cry in the palace willows; deftly they turn their paired notes and enter the crimson curtains.

The Matching Poem of the Autumn Scene ran:

Fragrance drifts from the green tangerine and the yellow orange; pine and cypress stand green and green and welcome the frost. The hedge chrysanthemums are half open and gather their brocade; the pipes and singing carry their music through to the country of water and cloud.

The Matching Poem of the Winter Scene ran:

The lucky snow has just cleared and the air tastes cold; strange peaks and cunning stones are hills of jade balled together. The brazier burns its beast-shaped charcoal and warms the milk curd; hands in sleeves, he sings aloud and leans on the green balustrade.

The king, seeing the matching poems, was greatly pleased and cried out in praise: “What a line — ‘hands in sleeves, he sings aloud and leans on the green balustrade'!” So he ordered the Music Bureau to set the new poems for the players, and they made a day of it and dispersed. Pilgrim and the other two had enjoyed themselves thoroughly in the Spring-Keeping Pavilion as well, and having drunk several cups apiece they were all somewhat merry. They were just about to go and look for the elder when they saw that he was already with the king up in the other pavilion. Eight Rules's foolish streak came out and he called out in answer, “How pleasant! How comfortable! We have had a good time of it today. Now we ought to go and sleep on a full belly.” Sha Monk laughed. “Second brother, you have no self-discipline at all. With your wind that full, how are you going to sleep?” “You have no idea,” said Eight Rules. “As the common saying goes, ‘Eat your rice and don't flop down like a corpse, or there'll be no fat on your gut.'” The Tang Monk took his leave of the king and came to the pavilion, where he told Eight Rules off. “You clumsy oaf, you get coarser and coarser. What sort of place do you think this is, that you keep bawling and shouting? Suppose you anger the king — will he not do us some harm?” “It's nothing, it's nothing,” said Eight Rules. “We are on in-law terms with him and he can hardly take it badly. As the common saying has it, ‘A kinship you cannot beat apart, a neighbour you cannot curse away.' We are all enjoying ourselves — what is there to be afraid of?” The elder shouted at him and ordered the idiot to be brought over and given twenty strokes of the Chan staff. Pilgrim promptly grabbed him and threw him down, and the elder raised the staff and set about him. The idiot yelled out, “Your Lordship the Prince Consort! Mercy, mercy!” An official attending the feast was standing by and stopped him. The idiot scrambled up and said, mumbling and grumbling, “Fine sort of lord, fine sort of Prince Consort! The marriage isn't even made yet and already he's handing out the king's law.” Pilgrim covered his mouth. “Don't talk rubbish, don't talk rubbish. Off to bed with you, quick.” They stayed another night in the Spring-Keeping Pavilion, and the next morning there was feasting and merriment again as before.

Before they knew it three or four days had gone in pleasure, and it came to the auspicious hour of the twelfth. Officers of the three departments of the Court of Imperial Entertainments reported back: “Since receiving the command on the eighth your servants have finished building the Prince Consort's house, and await only the setting out of the trousseau. The wedding feast is likewise complete: five hundred tables and more, meat and meatless together.” The king was glad at heart and was about to invite the Prince Consort to the feast, when an officer of the inner palace suddenly announced before him, “Your Majesty, the Queen of the Principal Palace requests your presence.” So the king withdrew into the inner palace, and there he found the empresses of the three palaces and the consorts of the six courts, with the princess among them, all talking and laughing in the Zhaoyang Palace. Truly it was a mass of flowers and a press of brocade; that whole spread of richness and bewitching beauty was better than a moon-palace in heaven and no less than a jade court among the immortals. There are four new lyrics on the joyful meeting and the fine match to bear witness to it. The Lyric of Joy runs:

Joy, joy, joy — and gladness in it. The marriage is made, the love of it is sweet. Deft in her palace dress — how should the moon lady compare? Dragon pin and phoenix pin, glittering, flying with gold thread. Cherry lips, white teeth, a red face, slender and swaying, a body light as a flower. Brocade layer on layer, in among the five colours; fragrance stirring and stirring, among the thousand of gold.

The Lyric of Meeting runs:

Meeting, meeting, meeting — bewitching and lovely. She outdoes Mao Qiang, she puts the girls of Chu to shame. A ruin of kingdoms and a ruin of cities, she stands against flowers, she stands against jade. Her adornment is fresher still, her pins and rings the more brilliant. Orchid heart and iris nature, pure and lofty; powdered face and ice-clear skin, honoured and noble. Dark brows in a single line, faint as distant hills; graceful and delicate, gathered in ranks of brocade.

The Lyric of Fineness runs:

Fine, fine, fine — a jade girl, an immortal beauty. Deeply to be loved, truly to be praised. Strange fragrance thick about her, powder and rouge laid on together. The blessed land of Tiantai is far away — when could it compare with the house of a king? Laughter and talk on every side, and a charming manner; pipes and singing wind about and the noise goes up. Flowers heaped and brocade laid, a thousand kinds of beauty; look the whole world over — how could any of them match her?

The Lyric of Marriage runs:

Marriage, marriage, marriage — orchid and musk breathing out their scent. Ranks of immortal maidens, a crowd of lovely women. The consorts change into coloured silk, the princess is newly dressed. Cloud-tresses piled in raven coils, rainbow skirts pressing down phoenix gowns. A strain of immortal music, clear and ringing; two ranks of crimson and purple, brilliant and confused. In that year the pledge of riding the phoenix was made, and this morning, happily, the fine match is met.

Now to tell of the king. When he arrived, the consorts led the princess out, and the waiting-women and palace maids all came to receive him. Beaming, the king went into the Zhaoyang Palace and sat down. When the consorts had made their obeisance he said, “Worthy daughter, since you hung the coloured silk and threw the ball on the eighth and had the good fortune to meet the holy monk, your heart's wish must surely be satisfied. The officers of the several departments have entered into our mind, and everything is ready. Today is the fine day. Go early to the wedding cup, and do not let the hour go by.” The princess came forward, went down full length in obeisance and said, “Father and king, forgive your little daughter a thousand faults — I have a word to lay before you. These few days I have heard the palace officers say that the holy monk of Tang has three disciples, and that they are hideously ugly. Your little daughter dare not see them, and fears that at the sight of them she would be seized with terror. I beg my father and king to send them out of the city, which would be best, so that they may not startle and hurt a weak body and turn instead into a calamity.” “If my child had not spoken I should almost have forgotten,” said the king. “They really are somewhat hideous, and these several days I have had them entertained at the Spring-Keeping Pavilion in the royal garden. Taking today, I shall go up to the hall, hand over their travel rescript and send them out of the city, which will suit the feast very well.” The princess knocked her head and thanked him for the favour. The king went out at once and up to the hall, and sent down an order asking for the Prince Consort and the three of them. Now that Tang Monk had been counting the days off on his fingers and had held out until the twelfth. Before it was light he was talking it over with the three of them. “Today is the twelfth after all. How is this business to be handled?”

“That king,” said Pilgrim, “I have already made him out to have something unlucky on him, but it has not touched his body yet and is no great harm. The only trouble is that I have not been able to get sight of the princess. If she will come out, one look from Old Monkey and I shall know true from false, and then I can act. Set your mind at rest. He will certainly send for us presently and pack us out of the city. Just agree to it and have no fear — I shall slip back in a flash and keep close beside you.” Master and disciples were still talking when sure enough they saw the duty officer and the Bureau of Ceremonies come to fetch them. Pilgrim laughed. “Let's go, let's go. This will certainly be to see us off, so as to leave the master behind for the wedding.” “Seeing us off there will certainly be a thousand taels of gold and silver,” said Eight Rules, “and we can buy a few presents to take back with us. When we get to my father-in-law's place we can go and be family and lark about again.” Sha Monk said, “Second brother, keep your mouth shut and stop talking nonsense. Leave it all to the eldest brother's judgement.” So they took the luggage and the horse and followed the officers down to the vermilion steps. The king, seeing them, had Pilgrim and the two others called forward. “Bring up your travel rescript, and we shall apply the seal and our signature and hand it back to you, and provide besides a good deal of travelling money, to send you three off early to Vulture Peak to see the Buddha. If you come back with the scriptures there will be a handsome reward besides. Leave the Prince Consort here and give it no anxious thought.” Pilgrim gave his thanks, and then had Sha Monk take out the travel rescript and hand it up. The king looked at it, applied the seal at once and set down his mark, and further took out ten ingots of gold and twenty of white metal as a small gesture of the family courtesy. Eight Rules, being at bottom heavy-hearted for wealth and beauty, went straight up and took it. Pilgrim made his bow up towards the throne and said, “Sorry to have troubled you, sorry to have troubled you.” He was just turning to go when Tripitaka scrambled up in a fluster like a rolling wheel, caught hold of Pilgrim and said through gritted teeth, “You are all going off without a thought for me?” Pilgrim took Tripitaka's palm and pressed it in his hand, gave him a look, and said, “Stay here at your ease and enjoy the wedding. When we have fetched the scriptures we will come back and see you.” The elder, half believing and half not, would not let go. The officials all saw it and took it for a real parting. Presently the king again asked the Prince Consort up into the hall, and had his officers see the three of them out of the city. The elder had no choice but to let go of his hand and go up. Pilgrim and the other two went out of the palace gate with the crowd and took their several farewells. “Are we really going, then?” said Eight Rules. Pilgrim said nothing and only kept walking as far as the post house. The postmaster received them in, brought tea and set out food. Pilgrim said to Eight Rules and Sha Monk, “You two stay right here and on no account show yourselves. Whatever the postmaster asks about, answer vaguely and don't talk to me. I am going to protect the master.” Fine Great Sage! He pulled out one of his hairs, blew a breath of immortal air on it and called, “Change!” — and it turned at once into the very likeness of himself and stayed in the post house with Eight Rules and Sha Monk, while his real body flicked up into mid-air and became a bee. And this was the sight:

Yellow of wing, sweet of mouth, sharp of tail, he rides the wind and dances wildly. Best of all at plucking the bud and stealing the scent; he crosses the willows and threads the flowers and swings. Hard work, and time and again a steeping and a straining; flying this way and that and busy for nothing. He brews the rich sweetness — when did he ever taste it? All he gets is to have his name kept.

Look at him now, flying lightly into the court, seeing from a distance the Tang Monk seated on the embroidered stool at the king's left, his brows knotted and unable to clear, his heart full of fret. Straight to the Vairocana hat he flew, and crept quietly to the ear and called, “Master, I am here. Do not be anxious.” Only the Tang Monk heard those words; that crowd of ordinary mortals could not begin to be aware of them. The Tang Monk heard, and at last felt his heart loosen. In no time at all a palace officer came to invite him: “Your Majesty, the wedding banquet is already laid out in the Zhique Palace, and the queen and the princess are both waiting there. They request Your Majesty and the honoured gentleman to go in to the family meeting.” The king was beyond himself with delight and went into the palace with the Prince Consort. It was just as:

The false one loves the flower, and the flower works the ruin; the Chan mind stirs a thought, and the thought breeds sorrow.

In the end we do not know how the Tang Monk got himself free inside the inner palace. Let us listen to the next chapter and it will be explained.

札記 Notes

A row about where to stand. The chapter opens on a joke made out of furniture. A Chinese audience hall was a diagram of rank built in architecture: who kneels, who may approach the dais, who is given a seat. Pilgrim does not argue with the diagram, he simply keeps walking through it — first the bow he does not make, then the step he takes anyway, then the two disciples who follow him up. His one real argument is not a monk's argument at all. He says nothing about vows or the Buddha; he says that a man of rank must be given a chair, and that a king who seats his son-in-law nowhere has insulted himself. It works in a single sentence, and a stool is fetched.

Three lives told in the same shape. The king asks four short questions and gets three enormous self-accounts instead. Read them together and the repetition becomes an argument: humble beginnings, a chance master, hard practice, high office in Heaven, one catastrophic lapse, exile into an animal body, rescue by the same Bodhisattva, and two names at the end. All three men fell out of Heaven at the same party. Pilgrim overturned the banquet and fought its armies; Eight Rules got drunk and pestered a goddess; Sha Monk dropped a cup. The punishments were the same, and the novel never once says so.

The joke the astrologer does not hear. Chinese almanacs give every day a name, and the name of the eighth is the Monkey Offers Fruit. The court astrologer says it out loud, in a formal report, as a reason the day is favourable — in a room containing an actual monkey who has just finished explaining that he used to run the peach orchard of Heaven. Nobody notices. The reader is not told to notice. Everything else in the scene is machinery: a date calculated, a chart checked, a bureau reporting to the throne. Every instrument the kingdom owns says this match is auspicious, and the bride is not who she says she is.

Matching the rhymes. Four screens hang on the wall with a seasons poem apiece, written by the best men in the kingdom, and the king asks Tripitaka to answer them in their own rhymes. That is a real constraint and a sociable one — a parlour game for men with the same education, in which you take somebody else's rhyme words and build your own poem around them. Tripitaka reuses every single one, twelve of them across four poems, in position. He does it on the spot, in a foreign country, and the novel points out that he began before he had decided to: a line simply arrived and he said it aloud. This is the hinge of the chapter. Nobody flatters him into the marriage. He forgets himself in front of a painting.

A pleasure garden with the pleasure removed. The night lyric is the finest writing in the chapter and it says everything in objects. A water-clock, an unlit courtyard, an empty swing with its rope gone cold, a frontier flute that has stopped, a cuckoo that has left off calling, a river of stars, clouds going home. Nobody in the story says Tripitaka is homesick and frightened. The garden it describes is the one they have just been given to stay in, and every pleasant thing in it has been switched off. The pavilion they are lodged in is called the place where spring is kept, and the one next door promises peace with the barbarians for ever. Four men who must reach India spend four days in a building named for not letting the season move on.

The bee. Pilgrim spends this chapter at tables — arguing about seating, listening to poems, drinking at the far pavilion — and then says nothing, walks to the post house, and takes his own body out of the room. The shout the storyteller has been saving comes at last, and what follows is a lyric about a bee in one of the commonest tune-patterns in the book. Read its second half again: he works hard, flies about, is busy for nothing, brews something rich and never tastes it, and is left with nothing but the name of what he made. That is a bee. It is also an exact description of four days spent arranging, watching, being thanked, being paid and being sent away.

Who the chapter blames. The closing couplet — the matched pair of lines that ends every chapter — is the only place the narrator says plainly what he thinks, and he folds each clause back on itself: the flower that is loved becomes the flower that ruins, the thought that stirs becomes the thought that grieves. The first half is about the false princess. The second is about Tripitaka, and it is not kind. A mind settled in Chan is a mind that does not stir. His stirred — over a painting, in a walled garden, with a brush in his hand — and the last thing we see is a man in a ceremonial hat being led into an inner palace by a delighted king, with a bee on his head and no idea what is waiting.