第一回: Chunk 30

derek
August 26, 2008, 11:04 AM posted in General Discussion

两边又有一幅对联,道是:假作真时真亦假,无为有处有还无.
士隐意欲也跟了过去,方举步时,忽听一声霹 雳,有若山崩地陷.士隐大叫一声,定睛一看,只见烈日炎炎,芭蕉冉冉,所梦之事便忘 了大半.又见奶母正抱了英莲走来.士隐见女儿越发生得粉妆玉琢,乖觉可喜,便伸手 接来,抱在怀内,斗他顽耍一回,又带至街前,看那过会的热闹.方欲进来时,只见从那 边来了一僧一道: 那僧则癞头跣脚,那道则跛足蓬头,疯疯癫癫,挥霍谈笑而至.及至到了他门前,看见士隐抱著英莲,那僧便大哭起来,又向士隐道:"施主,你把这有命无运, 累及爹娘之物,抱在怀内作甚?"士隐听了,知是疯话,也不去睬他.那僧还说:"舍 我罢,舍我罢!"士隐不耐烦,便抱女儿撤身要进去,那僧乃指著他大笑,口内念了四句 言词道:惯养娇生笑你痴,菱花空对雪澌澌. 好防佳节元宵后, 便是烟消火灭时.


On each side [of the stone arch] was a scroll with antithetical sentences saying:  When falseness serves as truth, then truth is also false, when nothing serves as something, then something is still nothing.

Shi Yin, meaning to follow, just as [he] lifted a foot, suddenly heard a clap of thunder, as if a landslide had fallen. Shi Yin gave a great shout, eyes fixed upon [the scene], but could only see the scorching hot sun and banana plants drooping, and all the matters of the dream were more than half forgotten. Just then he saw a nurse coming over carrying Ying Lian. Shi Yin seeing his daughter growing more and more beautiful, clever and adorable, stretched out his arms to accept her, embraced her to his chest, and played with her for a while, then took her to the street front, to see a passing commotion.

Just then wishing to return inside, [he] saw from one side a Buddhist and a Daoist monk coming: The Buddhist monk had a mangy scalp and was barefooted, the Daoist monk had a lame leg and disheveled hair, [they seemed] to be mentally deranged, as they talked and laughed extravagantly. When [they] reached his front door, seeing Shi Yin embracing Ying Lian, the Buddhist monk let out a great cry, again saying to Shi Yin: Benefactor, what are you doing embracing this thing that is destined to a luckless fate and will implicate [its] parents?

Shi Yin hearing this, knew it was insane talk, and did not pay attention to him. The Buddhist monk also said: She Wo Ba, She Wo Ba! Shi Yin impatiently, still holding his daughter, turned to go inside, the Buddhist monk again pointed at him and laughed aloud, then spoke four sentences saying: [They] will laugh at your foolishness for spoiling and doting on [this child], the flower of the water chestnut is empty when the snow disappears, take care after the Lantern Festival, only then will the smoke clear and the fire be extinguished.

Breakdown:

两边又有一幅对联,道是: 假作真时真亦假,无为有处有还无. ->
On either side [of the stone arch] was a scroll with antithetical sentences saying:  (假作真时) When falseness serves as truth, (真亦假) then truth is also false, when (无为有) nothing serves as something, then (有还无) something is still nothing.

(假作真时真亦假,无为有处有还无: a Buddhist aphorism?)

士隐意欲也跟了过去,方举步时,忽听一声霹 雳,有若山崩地陷.士隐大叫一声,定睛一看,只见烈日炎炎,芭蕉冉冉,所梦之事便忘了大半. ->
Shi Yin, meaning to also follow, just as [he] lifted a foot, suddenly heard a clap of thunder, as if a (山崩地陷) landslide had fallen. Shi Yin gave a great shout, (定睛一看) eyes fixed upon [the scene], but could only see the (烈日炎炎) scorching hot sun and (芭蕉冉冉) banana plants drooping, and (所梦之事) all the matters of the dream were (忘了大半) more than half forgotten.

(忘了大半: almost completely forgotten?)

又见奶母正抱了英莲走来.士隐见女儿越发生得粉妆玉琢,乖觉可喜,便伸手接来,抱在怀内,斗他顽耍一回,又带至街前,看那过会的热闹. ->
Just then he saw a nurse coming over carrying Ying Lian. Shi Yin seeing his daughter (越发生得) growing more and more (粉妆玉琢) beautiful, (乖觉可喜) clever and adorable, stretched out his arms to accept her, embraced her to his chest, and (斗他顽耍一回) played with her for a while, then took her to the street front, to see a passing commotion.

(粉妆玉琢: a 成语?)

方欲进来时,只见从那边来了一僧一道: 那僧则癞头跣脚,那道则跛足蓬头,疯疯癫癫,挥霍谈笑而至. ->
Just then wishing to return inside, [he] saw from one side a Buddhist and a Daoist monk coming: The Buddhist monk had a (癞头跣脚) mangy scalp and was barefooted, the Daoist monk had a (跛足蓬头) lame leg and disheveled hair, [they seemed] to be (疯疯癫癫) mentally deranged, as they (挥霍谈笑) talked and laughed extravagantly.

及至到了他门前,看见士隐抱著英莲,那僧便大哭起来,又向士隐道:"施主,你把这有命无运, 累及爹娘之物,抱在怀内作甚?" ->
When [they] reached his front door, seeing Shi Yin embracing Ying Lian, the Buddhist monk let out a great cry, again saying to Shi Yin: (施主) Benefactor, what are you doing embracing this thing that is (有命无运) destined to a luckless fate and will (累及爹娘) implicate [its] parents?

士隐听了,知是疯话,也不去睬他.那僧还说:"舍我罢,舍我罢!" ->
Shi Yin hearing this, (知是疯话) knew it was insane talk, and (不去睬他) did not pay attention to him. The Buddhist monk also said: She Wo Ba, She Wo Ba!

(舍我罢: give me alms?)

士隐不耐烦,便抱女儿撤身要进去,那僧乃指著他大笑,口内念了四句 言词道:惯养娇生笑你痴,菱花空对雪澌澌. 好防佳节元宵后, 便是烟消火灭时. ->
Shi Yin (不耐烦) impatiently, still holding his daughter, turned to go inside, the Buddhist monk again pointed at him and laughed aloud, then spoke four sentences saying: [They] will (笑你痴) laugh at your foolishness for (惯养娇生) spoiling and doting on [this child], the (菱花空) flower of the water chestnut is empty when the (雪澌澌) snow disappears, (好防) take care (佳节元宵后) after the Lantern Festival, only then will the (烟消火灭) smoke clear and the fire be extinguished.

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changye
August 26, 2008, 02:16 PM

Hi derek,

Hehe, I shouldn’t have drunk beer this evening. I didn’t expect that you would post the next comment so soon. Below is my supplemental comment written with the help of alcohol. I also didn’t understand the true meanings of the 四句, but don’t worry. I’ve managed to find “relevant information” on the Net.

(make)真时真亦假,(become)有处有(return)
This phrase is something like 色即是空,空即是色 (reality is empty, and empty is reality), which is a phrase of wisdom often used in Buddhism.

忘了大半 forgot almost all the things

粉妆玉琢 a chengyu that means “beautifully-pancaked and like a statue carved out of jade ”, in short, it means "very beautiful."

(= , dou4, lull)(= 玩)耍一回
In those days, the character
meant both “he” and “she”.

[这有命无运, 累及爹娘之物(i.e.女儿)]抱在怀内 作甚(= 干什么)
累及
(affect unfavorably)爹娘(parents)(= )(= 女儿)

舍我罢(= ) = 施舍(shi1 she3, give alms)给我吧!

菱花(= his daughter, 英莲)(= )(reply)雪澌澌(like silent snow). This implies that raising his daughter will come to nothing.

好防佳节元宵后 be careful after the new year, because 英莲 is destined to be kidnapped after 元宵 in the novel.

便是烟消火灭时 and take care after fire is extinguished, because his house will be burnt down at the end of the novel and after that his family will be brought down to ruin.

Congratulations on Chunk 30!

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derek
August 27, 2008, 07:01 AM

Thanks Changye,

30 chunks finished, only about 5000 left, I will celebrate tonight, oh wait, I have to fly to Sydney tomorrow, better not celebrate too much, he he.

Do you know if this 佳节元宵 the end of the 1st Day of the 1st Lunar month, or the end of the lunar new year festival, I think about two weeks later.

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changye
August 27, 2008, 08:54 AM

Hi derek,

I was wrong! I took 元宵 for 元旦.

元宵 the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar.
元旦 the New Year's day in the solar calendar.
春节 the New Year's day in the lular calendar.

You can see a full moon on 元宵, and so Chinese people generally eat sweet dumplings on this day.

http://images.google.cn/images?complete=1&hl=zh-CN&newwindow=1&q=%E5%85%83%E5%AE%B5&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Have a nice trip!

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henning
August 30, 2008, 05:10 AM

I haven't gotten much further than Chunk 24 yet - currently only making a line or two a day for time reasons. But I am still on it.

And everybody is welcomed to join us here.

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changye
August 30, 2008, 06:09 AM

Hi henning,

趁derek出差不在家,你加快步伐尽早赶上我们吧!

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henning
August 30, 2008, 06:51 AM

我尽量努力。。。不过还得判卷子,完成一篇(为一在夏威夷主办的会议的)论文, 跟儿子们出去玩。。。