Journey to the West, Chapter 10

(A poem says:)
(Jenner did not translate this part.)

詩曰：
都城大國實堪觀，八水周流繞四山。
多少帝王興此處，古來天下說長安。此單表陝西大國長安城，乃歷代帝王建都之地。自周、秦、漢以來，三州花似錦，八水繞城流。三十六條花柳巷，七十二座管弦樓。華夷圖上看，天下最為頭。真是奇胜之方。今卻是大唐太宗文皇帝登基，改元龍集貞觀。此時已登极十三年，歲在己巳。

We shall not discuss how Chen Guangrui⁵ performed his duties or Xuanzang⁶ cultivated his conduct. Instead we shall talk about two wise men who lived beside the banks of the River Jing outside the city of Chang'an. One was an old fisherman called Zhang Shao and the other was a woodcutter called Li Ding. They were both advanced scholars who had never taken the official examination, lettered men of the mountains. One day, when Li Ding had sold his load of firewood and Zhang Shao had sold his basketful of carp in Chang'an city, they went into a tavern, drank till they were half tipsy, and strolled slowly home along the banks of the Jing, each holding a bottle in his hand.

且不說他（陳光蕊）駕前有安邦定國的英豪，餘那創業爭疆的杰士（玄奘）。卻說長安城外涇河岸邊，有兩個賢人：一個是漁翁，名喚張稍；一個是樵子，名喚李定。他兩個是不登科的進士，能識字的山人。一日，在長安城里，賣了肩上柴，貨了籃中鯉，同入酒館之中，吃了半酣，各攜一瓶，順涇河岸邊，徐步而回。

"Brother Li," said Zhang Shao, "it seems to me that people who struggle for fame kill themselves for it; those who compete for profit die for it; those who accept honors sleep with a tiger in their arms; and those who receive imperial favours walk around with snakes in their sleeves. Taking all in all, we are much better off living free among our clear waters and blue hills: we delight in our poverty and follow our destinies."

張稍道﹕「李兄，我想那爭名的，因名喪体；奪利的，為利亡身；受爵的，抱虎而眠；承恩的，袖蛇而走。算起來，還不如我們水秀山青，逍遙自在；甘淡薄，隨緣而過。」

"You are right, Brother Zhang," said Li Ding, "but your clear waters have nothing on my blue hills."

李定道：「張兄說得有理。但只是你那水秀，不如我的山青。」

"Your blue hills are not a patch on my clear waters," retorted Zhang Shao, "and here is a lyric to the tune of The Butterfly Loves the Flowers to prove it:
The skiff is tiny amid the misty expanse of waves;
Calmly I lean against the single sail,
Listening to the voice of Xishi the beauty.
My thoughts and mind are cleared; I have no wealth or fame
As I toy with the waterweed and the rushes.
"To count a few gulls makes the journey happy.
In the reedy bend, under the willow bank,
My wife and children smile with me.
The moment I fall asleep, wind and waves are quiet;
No glory, no disgrace, and not a single worry."

張稍道：「你山青不如我的水秀。有一《蝶戀花》詞為証。詞曰：
煙波万里扁舟小，
靜依孤篷，
西施聲音繞。
滌慮洗心名利少，
閑攀蓼穗蒹葭草。　
數點沙鷗堪樂道，
柳岸蘆灣，
妻子同歡笑。
一覺安眠風浪俏，
無榮無辱無煩惱。」

"Your clear waters are no match for my blue hills," said Li Ding, "and there is another lyric to the same tune to prove it. It goes:
The cloudy woods are covered with pine blossom.
Hush! Hear the oriole sing,
As if it played a pipe with its cunning tongue.
With touches of red and ample green the spring is warm;
Suddenly the summer's here as the seasons turn.
"When autumn comes the look of things is changed;
The scented chrysanthemum
Is enough for my pleasure.
Soon the cruel winter plucks all off.
I am free through four seasons, at nobody's beck and call."

李定道：「你的水秀，不如我的山青。也有個《蝶戀花》詞為証。詞曰：
云林一段松花滿，
默听鶯啼，
巧舌如調管。
紅瘦綠肥春正暖，
倏然夏至光陰轉。
又值秋來容易換，
黃花香，
堪供玩。
迅速嚴冬如指拈，
逍遙四季無人管。」

"You don't enjoy the good things in your blue hills that I do on my clear waters," replied the fisherman, "and I can prove it with another lyric to the tune of The Partridge Heaven:
In this magic land we live off the cloudy waters;
With a sweep of the oar the boat becomes a home.
We cut open the live fish and fry the green turtle
As steam coils from the purple crab and the red shrimps bubble.
Green reed shoots,
Sprouts of water-lilies,
Better still, water chestnuts and the gorgon fruit,
Delicate louts roots and seeds, tender celery,
Arrowhead, reed-hearts and bird-glory blossom."

漁翁道：「你山青不如我水秀，受用些好物。有一《鷓鴣天》為証：
仙鄉云水足生涯，
擺櫓橫舟便是家。
活剖鮮鱗烹綠鱉，
旋蒸紫蟹煮紅蝦。
青蘆筍，
水荇芽，
菱角雞頭更可夸。
嬌藕老蓮芹葉嫩，
慈菇茭白鳥英花。」

"Your clear waters cannot compare with my blue hills when it comes to the good things they provide," said the woodcutter, and I can cite another lyric to the tune The Partridge Heaven as evidence:
Mighty crags and towering peaks reach to the sky;
A grass hut or a thatched cottage is my home.
Pickled chicken and duck are better than turtles or crabs,
Roebuck, boar, venison, and hare beat fish and shrimps.
The leaves of the tree of heaven,
Yellow chinaberry sprouts,
And, even better, bamboo shoots and wild tea,
Purple plums and red peaches, ripe gages, and apricots,
Sweet pears, sharp jujubes, and osmanthus blossom."

樵夫道：「你水秀不如我山青，受用些好物。亦有一《鷓鴣天》為証：

崔巍峻岭接天涯，
草舍茅庵是我家。
腌腊雞鵝強蟹鱉，
獐帛兔鹿胜魚蝦。
香椿葉，
黃楝芽，
竹筍山茶更可夸。
紫李紅桃梅杏熟，
甜梨酸棗木樨花。」

"Your blue hills are really nothing on my clear waters," replied the fisherman," and there is another lyric to the tune Heavenly Immortal:
In my little boat I can stay where I like,
Having no fear of the many misty waves.
Drop the hook, cast wide the net, to catch fresh fish:
Even without fat or sauce,
They taste delicious
As the whole family eats its meal together.
When there are fish to spare I sell them in Chang'an market
To buy good liquor and get a little drunk.
Covered with my grass cloak I sleep on the autumn river,
Snoring soundly
Without a care,
Not giving a damn for honour and glory."

漁翁道：「你山青真個不如我的水秀。又有《天仙子》一首：
一葉小舟隨所寓，
萬迭煙波無恐懼。
垂鉤撒网捉鮮鱗，
沒醬膩，
偏有味，
老妻稚子團圓會。
魚多又貨長安市，
換得香醪吃個醉。
蓑衣當被臥秋江，
鼾鼾睡，
無憂慮，
不戀人間榮与貴。」

"Your clear waters still aren't as good as my blue mountains," came back the woodcutter," and I too have a Heavenly Immortal lyric to prove it:
Where I build a little thatched hut under the hill
The bamboo, orchid, plum, and pine are wonderful.
As I cross forests and mountains to look for dry firewood
Nobody asks awkward questions,
And I can sell
As much or as little as the world wants.
I spend the money on wine and I'm happy,
Content with my earthenware bowl and china jug.
When I've drunk myself blotto I lie in the shade of the pine.
No worries,
No books to balance;
What do I care about success or failure?"

樵子道：「你水秀還不如我的山青。也有《天仙子》一首：
持舍數椽山下蓋，
松竹梅蘭真可愛。
穿林越岭覓干柴，
沒人怪，
從我賣，
或少或多憑世界。
將錢沽酒隨心快，
瓦缽磁甌殊自在。
吊醉了臥松陰，
無挂礙，
無利害，
不管人間興与敗。」

"Brother Li," said the fisherman, "you don't make as easy a living in the hills as I do on the water, and I can prove it with a lyric to the tune The Moon on the West River:
The smartweed's flowers are picked out by the moon
While the tangled leaves of rushes sway in the wind.
Clear and distant the azure sky, empty the Chu river:
Stir up the water, and the stars dance.
Big fish swim into the net in shoals;
Little ones swallow the hooks in swarms;
Boiled or fried they taste wonderful—
I laugh at the roaring river and lake."

漁翁道：「李兄，你山中不如我水上生意快活。有一《西江月》為証：
紅蓼花繁映月，
黃蘆葉亂搖風。
碧天清遠楚江空，
牽攪一潭星動。
入网大魚作隊，
吞鉤小鱖成叢。
得來烹煮味偏濃，
笑傲江湖打哄。」

"Brother Zhang," replied the woodcutter, "the living I make in the hills is much easier than yours on the water, and I can prove it with another Moon on the West River lyric:
Withered and leafless rattan fills the paths,
Old bamboo with broken tips covers the hillside.
Where vines and creepers tangle and climb
I pull some off to tie my bundles.
Elms and willows hollow with decay,
Pines and cedars cracked by the wind—
I stack them up against the winter cold,
And whether they're sold for wine or money is up to me."

樵夫道：「張兄，你水上還不如我山中的生意快活。亦有《西江月》為証：
敗葉枯藤滿路，
破梢老竹盈山。
女蘿干葛亂牽攀，
折取收繩殺擔。
虫蛀空心榆柳，
風吹斷頭松楠。
采來堆積備冬寒，
換酒換錢從俺。」

"Although you don't do too badly in your hills, your life is not as elegant as mine on the water," said the fisherman, "as I can show with some lines to the tune The Immortal by the River.
As the tide turns my solitary boat departs;
I sing in the night, resting from the oars.
From under a straw cape the waning moon is peaceful.
The sleeping gulls are not disturbed
As the clouds part at the end of the sky.
Tired, I lie on the isle of rushes with nothing to do,
And when the sun is high I'm lying there still.
I arrange everything to suit myself:
How can the court official compare with my ease
As he waits in the cold for an audience at dawn?"

漁翁道：「你山中雖可比過，還不如我水秀的幽雅。有一《臨江仙》為証：
潮落旋移孤艇去，
夜深罷棹歌來。
蓑衣殘月甚幽哉，
宿鷗惊不起，
天際彩云開。　
困臥蘆洲無個事，
三竿日上還捱。
隨心盡意自安排，
朝臣寒待漏，
爭似我寬怀？」

"Your life on the water may be elegant, but it's nothing compared with mine," replied the woodcutter, "and I have some lines to the same tune to demonstrate the point:
On an autumn day I carry my axe along the greeny path
Bringing the load back in the cool of evening,
Putting wild flowers in my hair, just to be different,
I push aside the clouds to find my way home,
And the moon is up when I tell them to open the door.
Rustic wife and innocent son greet me with smiles,
And I recline on my bed of grass and wooden pillow.
Steamed millet and pear are spread before me,
While the new wine is warm in the pot: This is really civilized."

樵夫道：「你水秀的幽雅，還不如我山青更幽雅。亦有《臨江仙》可証：
蒼徑秋高拽斧去，
晚涼抬擔回來。
野花插鬢更奇哉，
撥云尋路出，
待月叫門開。　　
稚子山妻欣笑接，
草床木枕潮捱。
蒸梨炊黍旋鋪排，
瓮中新釀熟，
真個壯幽怀！」

"All this is about our living and the ways we provide for ourselves," said the fisherman. "I can prove to you that your leisure is nowhere near as good as mine with a poem that goes:
Idly I watch the white cranes as they cross the sky;
As I Moor the boat at the river's bank, a blue door gives me shade.
Leaning on the sail I teach my son to twist a fishing line,
When rowing's done I dry the nets out with my wife.
A settled nature can really know the calm of the waves;
A still body feels the lightness of the breeze.
Always to wear a green straw cape and a blue straw hat
Is better than the purple robes of the court."

漁翁道：「這都是我兩個生意，贍身的勾當，你卻沒有我閑時節的好處。有詩為証，詩曰：
閑看天邊白鶴飛，
停舟溪畔掩蒼扉。
倚篷教子搓釣線，
罷棹同妻晒网圍。
性定果然知浪靜，
身安自是覺風微。
綠蓑青笠隨時著，
胜挂朝中紫綬衣。」

"Your leisure doesn't come up to mine," replied the woodcutter, "as this poem I shall now recite demonstrates:
With a lazy eye on the white clouds in the distance,
I sit alone in a thatched but, then close the bamboo door.
When there's nothing to do I teach my son to read;
Sometimes a visitor comes and we play a game of chess.
When I'm happy I take my stick and walk singing along the paths,
Or carry my lute up the emerald hills.
Grass shoes with hempen thongs, a cloak of coarsest cloth,
A mind relaxed: better than wearing silk."

樵夫道：「你那閑時又不如我的閑時好也。亦有詩為証。詩曰：
閑觀縹緲白云飛，
獨坐茅庵掩竹扉。
無事訓儿開卷讀，
有時對客把棋圍。
喜來策杖歌芳徑，
興到攜琴上翠微。
草履麻絛粗布被，
心寬強似著羅衣。」

"Li Ding," said the other, "how truly it can be said of us that 'by reciting some verses we become close friends: What need for golden winecups and a sandalwood table?' But there is nothing remarkable in just reciting verses; what would you say if we made couplets in which we each contributed a line about our lives as fisherman and woodcutter?"

張稍道：「李定，我兩個‘真是微吟可相狎，不須檀板共金樽。但散道詞章，不為稀罕；且各聯几句，看我們漁樵攀話何如？」

"Brother Zhang," said Li Ding," that is an excellent suggestion. Please be the one to start." Here are their couplets:
My boat is moored in the green waters amid the misty waves;
My home is in the wilds, deep in the mountains.
How well I like the swollen stream under the bridge in spring;
My delight is a mountain peak swathed in clouds at dawn.
Dragon-sized fresh carp cooked at any time;
Dry, rotten, firewood always keeps one warm.
A full array of hooks and nets to support my old age;
Carrying wood and making twine will keep me till I die.
Lying back in a tiny boat watching the flying geese;
Reclining beside the grassy path and hearing the wild swans call.
I have no stall in the marketplace of tongues;
I've left no trace in the sea of disputation.
The nets hung to dry beside the brook are like brocade;
An axe well honed on rock is sharper than a spear.
Under the shining autumn moon I often fish alone;
I meet nobody on the solitary mountain in spring.
I trade my surplus fish for wine and drink it with my wife;
When I've wood to spare I buy a bottle and share it with my sons.
Singing and musing to myself I'm as wild as I care to be;
Long songs, long sighs, I can let myself be crazy.
I invite my brothers and cousins and fellow boatmen;
Leading my friends by the hand I meet the old man of the wilds.
As we play guess-fingers the cups fly fast;
When we make riddles the goblets slowly circulate.
Saute or boiled crab is a delight every morning;
Plenty of fried duck and chicken cooked in ashes every day.
As my simple wife brews tea, my spirits are untrammelled;
While my mountain spouse cooks supper, my mind is at ease.
At the coming of dawn I wash my stick in the ripples;
When the sun rises I carry firewood across the road.
After the rain I put on my cloak to catch live carp;
I wield my axe before the wind to fell a withered pine.
I cover my tracks and hide from the world, acting the imbecile;
I change my name and pretend to be deaf and dumb."

李定道：「張兄言之最妙。請兄先吟。」

「舟停綠水煙波內，
家住深山曠野中。
偏愛溪橋春水漲，
最怜岩岫曉云蒙。龍
門鮮鯉時烹煮，
虫蛀干柴日燎烘。
釣网多般堪贍老，
擔繩二事可容終。
小舟仰臥觀飛雁，
草徑斜潮听唳鴻。
口舌場中無我分，
是非海內少吾蹤。
溪邊挂晒繒如錦，
石上重磨斧似鋒。
秋月暉暉常獨釣，
春山寂寂沒人逢。
魚多換酒同妻飲，
柴剩沽壺共子叢。
自唱自斟隨放蕩，
長歌長嘆任顛風。
呼兄喚弟邀船伙，
挈友攜朋聚野翁。
行令猜拳頻遞盞，
拆牌道字漫傳鐘。
烹蝦煮蟹朝朝樂，
炒鴨簇雞日日丰。
愚婦煎茶情散誕，
山妻造飯意從容。
曉來舉杖淘輕浪，
日出擔柴過大虫。
雨后披蓑擒活鯉，
風前弄斧伐枯松。
潛蹤避世妝痴蠢，
隱姓埋名作啞聾。」

"Brother Li," said Zhang Shao. "I unfairly took the first lines just now, so now it's your turn to compose the first lines while I follow you."
Thus they continued:
The man of the mountains acting mad under wind and moon;
The haughty and unwanted dotard of the river.
With his share of idleness, and able to be quite free;
No sound from his voice as he revels in his peace.
On moonlit nights he sleeps secure in a cottage of thatch;
He lightly covers himself at dusk with clothes of reed.
His passion spent, he befriends the pine and the plum;
He is happy to be the companion of cormorant and gull.
Fame and profit count for nothing in his mind;
His ears have never heard the clash of arms.
One is always pouring out fresh rice-wine,
The other has wild vegetable soup with every meal.
One makes a living with two bundles of firewood;
The other supports himself with rod and line.
One idly tells his innocent son to sharpen the axe of steel;
The other quietly bids his slow-witted child to mend the nets.
In spring one likes to see the willows turning green;
When the seasons change the other enjoys the rushes' blue.
Avoiding the summer heat, one trims the new bamboo;
The other gathers water-chestnuts on cool July evenings.
When frost begins, plump chickens are killed each day;
In mid-autumn the crabs are at their best and always in the pot.
When the sun rises in winter, the one is still asleep;
The other keeps cool in the dog days of summer.
Throughout the year one does as he pleases in the hills;
In all four seasons the other is happy on the lake.
By gathering firewood you can become an Immortal;
There is nothing worldly about fishing.
Sweet smell the wild flowers growing outside my door;
Smooth are the green waves lapping at my boat.
A contented man never speaks of high honors;
A settled nature is stronger than a city wall.
Higher than a city wall for resisting enemy armies;
More illustrious than holding high office and listening to imperial decrees.
Those who are happy with mountains and rivers are few indeed;
Thank Heaven, thank Earth, and thank the spirits.

張稍道：「李兄，我才僭先起句，今到我兄，也先起一聯，小弟亦當續之：

風月佯狂山野漢，
江湖寄傲老余丁。
清閑有分隨瀟洒，
口舌無聞喜太平。
月夜身眠茅屋穩，
天昏体蓋箬蓑輕。
忘情結識松梅友，
樂意相交鷗鷺盟。
名利心頭無算計，
干戈耳畔不聞聲。

隨時一酌香醪酒，
度日三餐野菜羹。
兩束柴薪為活計，
一竿釣線是營生。
閑呼稚子磨鋼斧，
靜喚憨儿補舊繒。
春到愛觀楊柳綠，
時融喜看荻蘆青。

夏天避暑修新竹，
六月乘涼摘嫩菱。
霜降雞肥常日宰，
重陽蟹壯及時烹。
冬來日上還沉睡，
數九天高自不蒸。
八節山中隨放性，
四時湖里任陶情。

采薪自有仙家興，
垂釣全無世俗形。
門外野花香艷艷，
船頭綠水浪平平。
身安不說三公位，
性定強如十里城。
十里城高防閫令，
三公位顯听宣聲。
樂山樂水真是罕，
謝天謝地謝神明。」

When the two of them had recited their verses and matched couplets they came to the place where their ways parted and bowed to each other to take their leave.

他二人既各道詞章，又相聯詩句，行到那分路去處，躬身作別。

"Brother Li," said Zhang Shao, "look after yourself on your way home and keep a sharp look-out for tigers up in the hills. If you met with an accident then 'an old friend would be missing on the road tomorrow.'"

張稍道：「李兄呵，途中保重!上山仔細看虎。假若有些凶險，正是‘明日街頭少故人’！」

This made Li Ding angry. "You scoundrel," he said, "I'm your friend; I'd die for you. How could you put such a curse on me? If I'm killed by a tiger, you'll be capsized by a wave."

李定聞言，大怒道：「你這　憊懶!好朋友也替得生死，你怎么咒我?我若遇虎遭害，你必遇浪翻江！」

"I'll never be capsized!" retorted Zhang Shao.

張稍道：「我永世也不得翻江。」

"'In nature there are unexpected storms and in life unpredictable vicissitudes,'" quoted Li Ding, "so how can you be sure you'll never have an accident?"

李定道：「‘天有不測風云，人有暫時禍福。’你怎么就保得無事？」

"Brother Zhang," replied the fisherman, "despite what you just said, it's your life that's insecure, whereas my life is certain: I'm sure that I shan't have an accident."

張稍道：「李兄，你雖這等說，你還沒捉摸；不若我的生意有捉摸，定不遭此等事。」

"Your life on the water is very dangerous and insecure," said the woodcutter, "so how can you be so certain?"

李定道：「你那水面上營生，极凶极險，隱隱暗暗，有甚么捉摸？」

"There's something you don't know," said Zhang Shao. "Every day I give a golden carp to a fortune-teller on the West Gate Street in Chang'an, and he passes a slip into my sleeve telling me I'll catch something every time provided I go to the right place. I went to buy a forecast from him today, and he told me that if I cast my nets to the East of the bend in the Jing River and lowered my lines on the Western bank, I would be bound to get a full load of fish and shrimps to take home. Tomorrow I shall go into town to sell them to buy wine, and we can continue our talk then, brother."

張稍道：「你是不曉得。這長安城里，西門街上，有一個賣卦的先生。我每日送他一尾金色鯉，他就与我袖傳一課。依方位，百下百著。今日我又去買卦，他教我在涇河灣頭東邊下网，西岸拋釣，定獲滿載魚蝦而歸。明日上城來，賣錢沽酒，再与老兄相敘。」

With this they parted.

二人從此敘別。

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Journey to the West (西遊記 Xi You Ji)
This famous novel (see my further comment plus that in Wikipedia) tells of the monk 玄奘 Xuanzang going to India ("the West") to collect Buddhist sutras. It has a few references to guqin, listed here on a separate page.
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2. Wu Cheng'en 吳承恩 (ca. 1500 - 1582)
See Wikepedia.
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3. Chinese original
Original Chinese text for Xi You Ji can be found on a number of websites, in both standard and simplified characters. The one used here for the dialogue is Chapter 9 from www.millionbook.net/gd/w/wuchengen/xyj/010.htm.
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4. Translation by W. F. Jenner
The translation quoted here is:

Journey to the West, by Wu Cheng'en (1500 - 1582), translated by W. J. F. Jenner
Beijing, Foreign Languages Press, Second Edition, 1990 (three volumes)

W. F. Jenner's entire translation (originally published by Collinson Fair, 1955) is now online. I originally put this section online, instead of simply supplying a link, because at that time the whole novel was in one file, making it so large it often caused my computer to freeze up. This problem seems to be solved, but I have left it online so as to be able to pair the English and Chinese.
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5. Chen Guangrui 陳光蕊
The father of Xuanzang. In Chapter 9 Chen, while on his way with his pregnant wife to take up a government position, is murdered by a riverman who lusts after the wife. After the son is born, to keep the riverman from murdering the son, she puts him in a basket with a note and floats him down the river. The son is rescued by a monk who brings him up with the name River Current. When 17, now named Xuanzang, he sees the note and sets off to get vengeance. Meanwhile Chen Guangrui's soul has been rescued by the Dragon King, who also preserves Chen's body. Once Xuanzang gets his revenge the Dragon King returns Chen Guangrui's soul to his body and he is reunited with his wife and son.
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6. Xuan Zang 玄奘
For the historical Xuanzang see his biography in Wikipedia.
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