第一回: Chunk 31

derek
September 06, 2008, 04:10 AM posted in General Discussion

士隐听得明白,心下犹豫,意欲问他们来历. 只听道人说道: "你我不必同行,就此分手,各干营生去罢.三劫后,我在北邙山等你, 会齐了同往太虚幻境销号."那僧道:"最妙,最妙!"说毕,二人一去,再不见个踪影了. 士隐心中此时自忖:这两个人必有来历,该试一问,如今悔却晚也.

这士隐正痴想, 忽见隔壁葫芦庙内寄居的一个穷儒----姓贾名化,表字时飞,别 号雨村者走了出来.这贾雨村原系胡州人氏,也是诗书仕宦之族,因他生于末世,父母 祖宗根基已尽, 人口衰丧,只剩得他一身一口,在家乡无益,因进京求取功名,再整基业.自前岁来此,又淹蹇住了,暂寄庙中安身,每日卖字作文为生,故士隐常与他交接. 当下雨村见了士隐,忙施礼陪笑道:"老先生倚门伫望,敢是街市上有甚新闻否?"士隐 笑道: "非也.适因小女啼哭,引他出来作耍,正是无聊之甚,兄来得正妙,请入小斋一 谈,彼此皆可消此永昼."说着,便令人送女儿进去,自与雨村携手来至书房中.小童献 茶.方谈得三五句话,忽家人飞报:"严老爷来拜."士隐慌的忙起身谢罪道:"恕诳驾之 罪,略坐,弟即来陪."雨村忙起身亦让道:"老先生请便.晚生乃常造之客,稍候何妨." 说着,士隐已出前厅去了.

Shi Yin heard this clearly, but his mind was not resolute, desiring to ask them their origin. Only hearing the Daoist say: You and I need not travel together, at this point we will part company, each to go and finish our jobs. After three ages, I will wait for you at Bei Mang Mountain, after we meet, together we will go to the Dreamland of the Great Void to cancel this name/order/business.

The Buddhist said: Wonderful, wonderful! Having finished speaking, the two masters departed, leaving no trace. Shi Yin in his mind pondered this moment, thinking: These two people certainly have a history, [i] should have tried to ask, now regretfully it is too late.

Shi Yin was just wishfully thinking this, when suddenly he saw a poor scholar who lived next door in the Gourd Temple, his family name Jia, given name Hua, literary name Shi Fei, also known as Yu Cun, emerge from [the temple]. This Jia Yu Cun was originally from Hu Zhou, also from a family of scholars and officials, because he was born late, his parents ancestral base was already depleted, and the number of people in the family had declined, until there was only himself remaining, staying at his hometown was useless, therefore he entered the capital to seek official rank, and restore the foundations of his estate. Since he had arrived the year before last, he had lived in difficult circumstances, temporarily depending on the temple for shelter, each day writing letters and documents for a living, consequently Shi Yin often associated with him.

Immediately Yu Cun saw Shi Yin, he hastened to salute and smiling said: Old Sir, leaning on the door and gazing into the distance for so long, there must certainly be some great news on the streets? Shi Yin smiling said: No. It is because my little daughter was crying, I brought her outside to play, and [i] am really bored senseless, it is wonderful that you have arrived, please come into my room for a chat, together we can pass the time of this never ending day. Have said this, he called somebody to take his daughter inside, then himself took Yu Cun's hand and led him into the study, then a child came to offer tea. The had only spoken a few words, when suddenly a family member flew in to report: Master Yan has come to pay a visit. Shi Yin, flustered, hastily rose and apologized saying: Please forgive my rudeness, sit a while, I will return shortly. Yu Cun quickly rose also saying: Old Sir, please do as you wish.  [I am your] junior and a common guest, and may as well wait a moment.This said, Shi Yin then went out to the antechamber.


Breakdown:

士隐听得明白,心下犹豫,意欲问他们来历. ->
Shi Yin heard this clearly, but his (心下犹豫) mind was not resolute, desiring to ask them their (来历) origin.

只听道人说道: "你我不必同行,就此分手,各干营生去罢. ->
Only hearing the Daoist say: You and I need not travel together, (就此)at this point we will (分手) part company, (各干营生去罢) each to go and finish our jobs.

三劫后,我在北邙山等你, 会齐了同往太虚幻境销号." ->
(三劫后) After three ages, I will wait for you at (北邙山) Bei Mang Mountain, after we meet, together we will go to the (太虚幻境) Dreamland of the Great Void to (销号) cancel this name.

(销号: to finish this business?)

那僧道:"最妙,最妙!"说毕,二人一去,再不见个踪影了.  ->
The Buddhist said: (最妙,最妙) Wonderful, wonderful! Having finished speaking, the two masters departed, (再不见个踪影) leaving no trace.

士隐心中此时自忖:这两个人必有来历,该试一问,如今悔却晚也. ->
Shi Yin in his (心中) mind (忖) pondered (此时) this moment, thinking: These two people certainly have a history, [i] (该试一问) should have tried to ask, (如今悔却晚) now regretfully it is too late.

这士隐正痴想, 忽见隔壁葫芦庙内寄居的一个穷儒----姓贾名化,表字时飞,别号雨村者走了出来. ->
Shi Yin was (正痴想) just wishfully thinking this, when suddenly he saw a (穷儒) poor scholar who (寄居) lived (隔壁葫芦庙内) next door in the Gourd Temple, his (姓贾) family name Jia, (名化) given name Hua, (表字时飞) literary name Shi Fei, (别号雨村) also known as Yu Cun, emerged [from the temple].
 

这贾雨村原系胡州人氏,也是诗书仕宦之族,因他生于末世,父母祖宗根基已尽, 人口衰丧,只剩得他一身一口,在家乡无益,因进京求取功名,再整基业. ->
This Jia Yu Cun was (原系) originally from (胡州) Hu Zhou, also from a (诗书仕宦之族) family of scholars and officials, (因他生于末世) because he was born late, his (父母祖宗根基) parents ancestral base was (已尽) already depleted, and the (人口衰丧) number of people in the family had declined, (只剩得他一身一口) until there was only himself remaining, (在家乡无益) staying at his hometown was useless, (因进京) therefore he entered the capital to (求取功名) seek official rank, and (再整基业) restore the foundations of his estate.

自前岁来此,又淹蹇住了,暂寄庙中安身,每日卖字作文为生,故士隐常与他交接. ->
(自前岁来此) Since he had arrived the year before last, he had (淹蹇住) lived in difficult circumstances, (暂寄庙中安身) temporarily depending on the temple for shelter, each day writing letters and documents for a living, (故士隐常与他交接) consequently Shi Yin often associated with him.

当下雨村见了士隐,忙施礼陪笑道:"老先生倚门伫望,敢是街市上有甚新闻否?" -> (当下) Immediately Yu Cun saw Shi Yin, he hastened to (施礼) salute and smiling said: (老先生) Old Sir, (倚门伫望) leaning on the door and gazing into the distance for so long, there must certainly be some (甚新闻) great news on the streets?
 
士隐笑道: "非也.适因小女啼哭,引他出来作耍,正是无聊之甚,兄来得正妙,请入小斋一 谈,彼此皆可消此永昼." ->
Shi Yin smiling said: No. It is because my little daughter was (啼哭) crying, I (引他出来作耍) brought her outside to play, and [i] (正是无聊之甚) am really bored senseless, it is (兄来得正妙) wonderful that you have arrived, (请入小斋一 谈) please come into my room for a chat, (彼此皆) together we (可消此永昼) can pass the time of this never ending day.

说着,便令人送女儿进去,自与雨村携手来至书房中.小童献茶. ->
Have said this, he (令人送女儿进去) called somebody to take his daughter inside, then himself (雨村携手) took Yu Cun's hand and led him (来至书房中) into the study, then (小童献茶) a child came to offer tea.

方谈得三五句话,忽家人飞报:"严老爷来拜." ->
(方谈得三五句话) The had only spoken a few words, when (忽家人飞报) suddenly a family member flew in to report: (严老爷来拜) Master Yan has come to pay a visit.

士隐慌的忙起身谢罪道:"恕诳驾之罪,略坐,弟即来陪." ->
Shi Yin, (慌的忙起身) flustered, hastily rose and (谢罪) apologized saying: (恕诳驾之罪) Please forgive my rudeness, (略坐) sit a while, (弟即来陪) I will return shortly.

雨村忙起身亦让道:"老先生请便.晚生乃常造之客,稍候何妨." 说着,士隐已出前厅去了. ->
Yu Cun quickly rose also saying: Old Sir, (请便) please do as you wish. [I am your] (晚生) junior and a (常造之客) common guest, and (稍候何妨) may as well wait a moment. This said, Shi Yin then (已出前厅去) went out to the antechamber.

 

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changye
September 06, 2008, 05:16 AM

Hi derek,

Welcome back to the world of 红楼梦, and thanks again for your contribution. I'll enjoy your interpretation after I finish interpreting Chinese documents my boss suddenly (as usual) gave me this morning. Thanks to you, I can have an enjoyable weekend. See you later.

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changye
September 06, 2008, 01:29 PM

Hi derek,

Haha, thanks to your interpretation, reading this chunk was much easier than reading the Chinese documents my boss handed me this morning!

销号 exit the project
必有来历
In this case, 来历 just means “a reason to come here”.
痴想 be lost in thought
表字时飞 表字(arias) is a set phrase that means “arias is

敢是(could be, maybe)街市上有(= 什么)新闻否
忙施礼, (accompany, together)笑道
小童献茶 小童 means a underage servant in those days.
诳驾(can’t keep promise)之罪

严老爷来拜 According to info I got on the Net, this 严老爷 only appears in the first chapter, but the (yan2) is a foreshadowing of an ending scene, where 士隐’s house is burnt down in (yan2).

As you see, this novel is very well constructed, and you can find a lot of hints and foreshadowings everywhere. Furthermore, there are about 400 characters from all walks of life, so you can observe the detail of people’s life at that time.

I hear that there is a genre of study called “红学”, which appeared for the purpose of studying 红楼梦 at the end of 清朝 (Qing dynasty). It seems that the world of 红楼梦 might be far more profound and complicated than most of us thought.

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changye
September 06, 2008, 02:07 PM

P/S.

末世 means "at the end of a feudal society, a dynasty".

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changye
September 07, 2008, 12:09 AM

P/S.2

前岁 is a little tricky word. It has three meanings, namely 前年,去年,and 前几年. What an ambiguous word it is!

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derek
September 07, 2008, 02:43 AM

Thanks Changye,

This chunk had some tricky words in it, but the next few chunks are going to be harder, there is some poetry on the next page that is quite incomprehensible to me, it will be a real challenge.  :)

I started reading some online articles by 红学 scholars to get some background knowledge so I could recognize these hints, but the articles are as complex as the novel itself, and anyway I do not have enough time to study them because my boss also keeps handing me piles of documents and actually expecting me to do some work. :(