第四十五回 · 羊力獻策 Ram-Power's Proposal — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

羊力獻策 Ram-Power's Proposal

羊yáng力lì大dà仙xiān道dào：「師shī兄xiōng勿wù疑yí。想xiǎng是shì我wǒ們men虔qián心xīn敬jìng意yì，在zài此cǐ晝zhòu夜yè誦sòng經jīng，前qián後hòu申shēn文wén，又yòu是shì朝cháo廷tíng名míng號hào，斷duàn然rán驚jīng動dòng天tiān尊zūn。想xiǎng是shì三sān清qīng爺yé爺yé聖shèng駕jià降jiàng臨lín，受shòu用yòng了le這zhè些xiē供gòng養yǎng。趁chèn今jīn仙xiān從cóng未wèi返fǎn，鶴hè駕jià在zài斯sī，我wǒ等děng可kě拜bài告gào天tiān尊zūn，懇kěn求qiú些xiē聖shèng水shuǐ金jīn丹dān，進jìn與yǔ陛bì下xià，卻què不bú是shì長cháng生shēng永yǒng壽shòu，見jiàn我wǒ們men的de功gōng果guǒ也yě？」羊yáng力lì大dà仙xiān道dào：「师shī兄xiōng勿wù疑yí。想xiǎng是shì我wǒ们men虔qián心xīn敬jìng意yì，在zài此cǐ昼zhòu夜yè诵sòng经jīng，前qián后hòu申shēn文wén，又yòu是shì朝cháo廷tíng名míng号hào，断duàn然rán惊jīng动dòng天tiān尊zūn。想xiǎng是shì三sān清qīng爷yé爷yé圣shèng驾jià降jiàng临lín，受shòu用yòng了le这zhè些xiē供gòng养yǎng。趁chèn今jīn仙xiān从cóng未wèi返fǎn，鹤hè驾jià在zài斯sī，我wǒ等děng可kě拜bài告gào天tiān尊zūn，恳kěn求qiú些xiē圣shèng水shuǐ金jīn丹dān，进jìn与yǔ陛bì下xià，却què不bú是shì长cháng生shēng永yǒng寿shòu，见jiàn我wǒ们men的de功gōng果guǒ也yě？」

逐句解 Line by line

羊yáng力lì大dà仙xiān道dào：「師shī兄xiōng勿wù疑yí。羊yáng力lì大dà仙xiān道dào：「师shī兄xiōng勿wù疑yí。

Ram-Power the Immortal said, “Elder brothers, harbour no doubt.

師兄 “senior fellow-disciples.” 勿疑 “entertain no suspicion.”

想xiǎng是shì我wǒ們men虔qián心xīn敬jìng意yì，在zài此cǐ晝zhòu夜yè誦sòng經jīng，前qián後hòu申shēn文wén，又yòu是shì朝cháo廷tíng名míng號hào，斷duàn然rán驚jīng動dòng天tiān尊zūn。想xiǎng是shì我wǒ们men虔qián心xīn敬jìng意yì，在zài此cǐ昼zhòu夜yè诵sòng经jīng，前qián后hòu申shēn文wén，又yòu是shì朝cháo廷tíng名míng号hào，断duàn然rán惊jīng动dòng天tiān尊zūn。

Surely it is that our devout hearts and reverent minds — chanting the scriptures here day and night, submitting our petitions in due order, and all in the sovereign's own name — have stirred the Heavenly Venerable beyond all question.

虔心敬意 “devout heart, reverent intent.” 申文 “to submit a written petition” (to the gods). 朝廷名號: 朝 = cháo, “in the name of the imperial court”; 號 = hào, “title.” 天尊 the Daoist “Heavenly Venerable” — here the Three Pure Ones.

想xiǎng是shì三sān清qīng爺yé爺yé聖shèng駕jià降jiàng臨lín，受shòu用yòng了le這zhè些xiē供gòng養yǎng。想xiǎng是shì三sān清qīng爷yé爷yé圣shèng驾jià降jiàng临lín，受shòu用yòng了le这zhè些xiē供gòng养yǎng。

Surely the Patriarchs of the Three Pure Ones have brought their sacred carriage down among us and partaken of these offerings.

聖駕降臨: 降 = jiàng, “the holy carriage descends.” 供養: 供 = gòng, “offerings, provision.” 受用 “to partake of, enjoy.”

趁chèn今jīn仙xiān從cóng未wèi返fǎn，鶴hè駕jià在zài斯sī，我wǒ等děng可kě拜bài告gào天tiān尊zūn，懇kěn求qiú些xiē聖shèng水shuǐ金jīn丹dān，進jìn與yǔ陛bì下xià，卻què不bú是shì長cháng生shēng永yǒng壽shòu，見jiàn我wǒ們men的de功gōng果guǒ也yě？」趁chèn今jīn仙xiān从cóng未wèi返fǎn，鹤hè驾jià在zài斯sī，我wǒ等děng可kě拜bài告gào天tiān尊zūn，恳kěn求qiú些xiē圣shèng水shuǐ金jīn丹dān，进jìn与yǔ陛bì下xià，却què不bú是shì长cháng生shēng永yǒng寿shòu，见jiàn我wǒ们men的de功gōng果guǒ也yě？」

While the immortals' train has not yet withdrawn and the crane-carriage still lingers here, let us bow in supplication to the Venerable and earnestly beg a little holy water and golden elixir; presenting it to His Majesty — would that not be everlasting life and length of years, and proof besides of our own merit?”

鶴駕 “the crane-drawn carriage” of the descended gods. 拜告 “to petition by prostration.” 長生永壽: 長 = cháng, “long life and everlasting age.” 功果 “merit, spiritual achievement.”

總評 Commentary

Ram-Power converts the crime scene into an omen of grace. His speech is layered with the arc's central irony: the Daoists' twenty-year campaign of 興道滅僧 (exalting the Way, suppressing the monks) has bred a piety so self-assured that they mistake theft for theophany. The proposal — beg holy water and elixir to present to the king — is what lets Wukong spring his scatological trap in the passages to come.