第三dì sān第dì三sān十回shí huí十shí回huí木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán初chū吟偈上shàng陳情chén qíng陳chén情qíng表biǎo喪sāng吾wú吟yín偈jì西天xī tiān西xī天tiān三十sān shí

Chapter 30: Mulan Submits Her First Petition, Sangwu Chants a Gatha and Passes to the Western Heavens

卻說què shuō卻què說shuō木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán在zài衙yá中zhōng將jiāng向xiàng日rì機房jī fáng機jī房fáng改為gǎi wéi改gǎi為wéi靜室jìng shì靜jìng室shì供gòng一尊yì zūn一yì尊zūn西王母xī wáng mǔ西xī王wáng母mǔ聖像shèng xiàng聖shèng像xiàng命mìng花huā阿ā珍zhēn專司zhuān sī專zhuān司sī香火xiāng huǒ香xiāng火huǒ

It is said that Mulan, in her official residence, converted her former weaving room into a quiet meditation chamber, where she installed a sacred statue of the Queen Mother of the West and ordered Hua Azhen to be solely in charge of the incense and offerings.

忽hū家人jiā rén家jiā人rén報bào曰yuē「天使tiān shǐ天tiān使shǐ至zhì

Suddenly a servant reported, 'An imperial envoy has arrived.'

木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán舉jǔ香xiāng接jiē旨zhǐ云yún 朕zhèn念niàn卿qīng童年tóng nián童tóng年nián出征chū zhēng出chū征zhēng樹shù奇功qí gōng奇qí功gōng武德於wū北國běi guó北běi國guó耀yào武德wǔ dé武wǔ德dé邊疆biān jiāng邊biān疆jiāng宏hóng宣教xuān jiào宣xuān教jiào命mìng實shí獲huò心xīn

Mulan raised incense and received the decree. It said: 'I recall that you, in your youth, went on a campaign, achieved extraordinary feats in the northern lands, displayed martial virtue on the frontiers, and broadly proclaimed My teachings — this has truly won My heart.'

譁huá於wū眾zhòng口kǒu，曰yuē忠zhōng，曰孝xiào﹔裕yù於一心yì xīn一yì心xīn智zhì，曰勇yǒng。

Praised by many voices for loyalty and filial piety; abundant in a single heart for wisdom and courage.

特tè爵jué卿qīng為wéi武昭wǔ zhāo武wǔ昭zhāo侯hóu領兵lǐng bīng領lǐng兵bīng部bù侍郎shì láng侍shì郎láng事shì

I specially ennoble you as Marquis of Wuzhao, with the duties of Vice Minister of War.

卿qīng何hé久jiǔ回huí不bù朝cháo，致zhì朕zhèn懸xuán望wàng。

Why have you long since returned yet not come to court, causing Me to wait with longing?

詔書zhào shū詔zhào書shū到dào日rì火速huǒ sù火huǒ速sù來lái京jīng

On the day this decree arrives, hasten to the capital without delay.

欽qīn者zhě，用命yòng mìng用yòng命mìng

Revere this command! Carry it out!

木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán接jiē詔zhào畢bì望wàng闕què謝恩xiè ēn謝xiè恩ēn

After Mulan received the decree, she faced the imperial palace and gave thanks for the emperor's grace.

即jí修xiū陳情chén qíng陳chén情qíng表biǎo文wén付fù天使tiān shǐ天tiān使shǐ齎jī回huí長安cháng ān長cháng安ān

She immediately drafted a petition expressing her situation and gave it to the imperial envoy to take back to Chang'an.

表biǎo見jiàn天子tiān zǐ天tiān子zǐ

The petition was presented to the emperor.

太宗tài zōng太tài宗zōng開kāi表biǎo看kàn云yún臣妾chén qiè臣chén妾qiè木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán髫tiáo年nián氣qì怯qiè性xìng僻pì多病duō bìng多duō病bìng

Emperor Taizong opened the petition and read: 'Your subject and servant Mulan, in my childhood was timid and weak in spirit, eccentric in nature, and often ill.'

祖父zǔ fù祖zǔ父fù若ruò虛xū教jiào讀dú孔孟kǒng mèng孔kǒng孟mèng因明忠孝之zhī書shū因明yīn míng因yīn明míng忠孝zhōng xiào忠zhōng孝xiào理lǐ若虛ruò xū

My grandfather, Ruoxu, taught me to read the works of Confucius and Mencius, thereby making clear the principles of loyalty and filial piety.'

臣chén每對měi duì每měi對duì鏡jìng睹dǔ形xíng憮然wǔ rán憮wǔ然rán浩歎hào tàn浩hào歎tàn思sī功gōng垂chuí竹帛zhú bó竹zhú帛bó名míng載zài丹dān書shū幽yōu閨guī弱ruò質zhì何hé能néng望wàng焉yān

Whenever I look at my reflection in the mirror, I sigh deeply with melancholy, thinking of achieving merits recorded on bamboo and silk, and having my name inscribed in the red annals. How could I, a weak and secluded woman, ever hope for such things?'

祖zǔ死sǐ父fù立lì，伯仲bó zhòng伯bó仲zhòng依依yī yī依yī家運jiā yùn家jiā運yùn就jiù衰shuāi災害zāi hài災zāi害hài互hù見jiàn

After my grandfather passed away and my father took over, my uncles and I relied on each other. Our family's fortunes declined, and misfortunes occurred one after another.'

臣妾chén qiè臣chén妾qiè女紅，織機度日rì事shì女nǚ紅hóng織機zhī jī織zhī機jī度dù女紅nǚ hóng

I spent my days doing needlework and passing the time at the weaving loom.'

蒙méng鄂è國公guó gōng國guó公gōng廣guǎng宣xuān聖shèng意yì擢zhuó拔bá善人shàn rén善shàn人rén薦jiàn父天錫為長沙太守，授臣chén伯父bó fù伯bó父fù天tiān錫xī為wéi長沙cháng shā長cháng沙shā太守tài shǒu太tài守shǒu授shòu祿lù西陵xī líng西xī陵líng千戶qiān hù千qiān戶hù天錫tiān xī

I was favored by the Duke of E, who broadly proclaimed Your Majesty's will, promoted the virtuous, recommended my uncle Tianxi as the Prefect of Changsha, and appointed my father Tianlu as the Thousand-Household Commander of Xiling.'

臣妾chén qiè臣chén妾qiè沖chōng年nián心性xīn xìng心xīn性xìng靡mí定dìng乃nǎi竊qiè學xué弓馬gōng mǎ弓gōng馬mǎ靡定mí dìng

In my youthful years, my mind and temperament were unsteady, so I secretly learned archery and horsemanship.'

及jí軍jūn書shū甫fǔ至zhì，父fù病bìng不起bù qǐ不bù起qǐ舉家jǔ jiā舉jǔ家jiā驚惶jīng huáng驚jīng惶huáng

When the military conscription notice arrived, my father fell ill and could not rise. The entire household was thrown into panic.'

妾qiè思sī聖shèng命mìng嚴yán急jí，伯父bó fù伯bó間，兄弟鮮有，遂效身如男，代父fù遠yuǎn間jiàn兄弟xiōng dì兄xiōng弟dì鮮有xiān yǒu鮮xiān有yǒu遂suì效xiào身shēn如rú男nán代父dài fù代dài北běi征zhēng

I thought that the imperial order was strict and urgent, my uncle was far away, and I had few brothers, so I disguised myself as a man and went on the northern campaign in my father's place.

幸xìng天tiān顏yán咫尺zhǐ chǐ咫zhǐ尺chǐ番fān國guó君臣jūn chén君jūn臣chén拱手gǒng shǒu拱gǒng手shǒu受命shòu mìng受shòu命mìng

Fortunately, the emperor's presence was near, and the ruler and ministers of the foreign state submitted with folded hands.

臣妾chén qiè臣chén妾qiè具jù從戎cóng róng從cóng戎róng功力之zhī數shù何hé功力gōng lì功gōng力lì與yǔ有yǒu

I merely served among the ranks of soldiers; what merit or achievement did I truly have?

皇上huáng shang皇huáng上shang恩ēn榮róng並重bìng zhòng並bìng重zhòng錫xī臣chén侯爵hóu jué侯hóu爵jué委任wěi rèn委wěi任rèn兵部bīng bù兵bīng部bù

Your Majesty, with equal grace and honor, bestowed upon me the title of marquis and entrusted me with duties in the Ministry of War.

臣chén以yǐ幼女yòu nǚ幼yòu女nǚ遠yuǎn膺yīng重zhòng命mìng未見wèi jiàn未wèi見jiàn戮lù人，不遺羞於wū狄dí人rén不bù遺yí羞於xiū wū羞xiū上shàng國guó亦yì云yún幸xìng矣yǐ

As a young girl, I received such a weighty commission from afar. That I was not killed by the barbarians and did not bring shame upon our great dynasty is already a stroke of good fortune!

豈可qǐ kě豈qǐ可kě重zhòng上shàng闕què廷tíng閨規自勵，必為貞婦烈女所不bù閨guī規guī自勵zì lì自zì勵lì必bì為wéi貞婦zhēn fù貞zhēn婦fù烈女liè nǚ烈liè女nǚ所suǒ不齒bù chǐ齒chǐ內閣nèi gé內nèi閣gé大臣dà chén大dà臣chén賤jiàn惡è

How could I again appear at the imperial court? If I do not discipline myself according to the rules of the inner chambers, I will surely be despised by virtuous and chaste women and scorned by the grand ministers of the Cabinet.

況kuàng臣chén矢志shǐ zhì矢shǐ志zhì忠孝zhōng xiào忠zhōng孝xiào目mù今jīn親qīn老母lǎo mǔ老lǎo皈依佛教，以素終身，以為父母mǔ病bìng第dì願yuàn皈依guī yī皈guī依yī佛教fó jiào佛fó教jiào以yǐ素sù終身zhōng shēn終zhōng身shēn以為yǐ wéi為wéi父母fù mǔ父fù壽shòu

Moreover, I have sworn to be loyal and filial. Now that my father is aged and my mother is ill, I only wish to take refuge in Buddhism, remain a lay devotee for life, and thereby pray for my parents' longevity.

聖shèng天子tiān zǐ天tiān子zǐ裕yù已yǐ，馭民亦以yǐ孝xiào馭yù民mín亦yì

The Sage Emperor enriches himself with filial piety and also governs the people through filial piety.

臣妾chén qiè臣chén妾qiè拳拳quán quán拳quán孤gū忠zhōng諒liàng逢féng恩ēn宥yòu

I harbor this sincere and solitary loyalty, and I trust that I will meet with Your Majesty's gracious forgiveness.

太宗tài zōng太tài宗zōng看kàn罷bà即jí詔zhào封fēng木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán為wéi武昭wǔ zhāo武wǔ昭zhāo公主gōng zhǔ公gōng主zhǔ賜姓cì xìng賜cì姓xìng曰yuē李lǐ

After Emperor Taizong finished reading, he immediately issued an edict ennobling Mulan as Princess Wuzhao and bestowing upon her the imperial surname Li.

封fēng天tiān祿lù為善wéi shàn養侯，封楊氏為wéi善shàn養yǎng侯hóu楊氏yáng shì楊yáng氏shì芳fāng孟mèng夫人fū rén夫fū人rén木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán之zhī弟dì楚chǔ郡jùn伯bó賜cì黃金huáng jīn黃huáng金jīn萬wàn兩liǎng綵cǎi緞duàn十shí匹pǐ四海sì hǎi四sì海hǎi風聞fēng wén風fēng聞wén傳為chuán wéi傳chuán盛事shèng shì盛shèng事shì萬兩wàn liǎng

Tianlu was enfeoffed as Marquis Shanyang, Lady Yang was enfeoffed as Madam Fangmeng, and Mulan's younger brother was enfeoffed as Earl of Chu Commandery. They were also bestowed ten thousand taels of gold and ten bolts of colored silk. News spread across the land, and it was celebrated as a grand occasion.

再說zài shuō再zài說shuō喪sāng吾wú在zài大悟dà wù大dà悟wù山上shān shàng山shān上shàng夢見mèng jiàn夢mèng見jiàn楊yáng廷臣tíng chén廷tíng臣chén醉zuì月yuè慧huì參cān陳chén榮róng袞gǔn葉yè同tóng觀guān等děng約yuē遊yóu天宮tiān gōng天tiān宮gōng喪吾sāng wú

It is further said that Sangwu, on Mount Dawu, dreamed of Yang Tingchen, Zuiyue, Huican, Chen Ronggun, and Ye Tongguan, among others, who invited him to tour the heavenly palace.

次cì日rì，命mìng人rén請qǐng天tiān祿lù、張zhāng良liáng貞zhēn、木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán花huā阿ā珍zhēn香xiāng元yuán齊qí來lái大悟dà wù大dà悟wù山shān良貞liáng zhēn

The next day, he sent word inviting Tianlu, Zhang Liangzhen, Mulan, Hua Azhen, and Xiangyuan to all come to Mount Dawu.

喪sāng吾wú曰yuē： 「明日míng rì明míng吾西歸之日rì是shì西xī歸guī與諸善人合盡一日之zhī今日jīn rì今jīn與yǔ諸zhū善人shàn rén善shàn人rén合hé盡jìn一日yí rì一yí歡huān可惜kě xī回。他日回來，爾等可kě惜xī于yú飛fēi賢弟xián dì賢xián弟dì為wéi我wǒ之事zhī shì事shì北běi去qù未wèi回huí他tā回來huí lái來lái爾ěr等děng代dài致意zhì yì致zhì意yì喪吾sāng wú于飛yú fēi

Sangwu said, 'Tomorrow is the day I return to the West. Today, I shall enjoy a full day of pleasure with all you virtuous people. It is a pity that my worthy younger brother Yufei, on an errand for me, has gone north and not yet returned. When he comes back, you may convey my regards on my behalf.'

即將jí jiāng即jí將jiāng寺中sì zhōng寺sì中zhōng衣缽yī bō衣yī缽bō等děng項xiàng盡jìn付fù焦jiāo周zhōu執掌zhí zhǎng執zhí掌zhǎng

He then handed over all the robes, alms bowl, and other items in the temple to Jiao Zhou to take charge of.

眾人zhòng rén眾zhòng人rén見jiàn喪sāng吾wú言語yán yǔ言yán語yǔ如舊rú jiù如rú舊jiù飲食yǐn shí飲yǐn食shí如常rú cháng常cháng半信半疑bàn xìn bàn yí半bàn信xìn疑yí喪吾sāng wú

Seeing that Sangwu spoke as usual and ate and drank as usual, the people were half in belief and half in doubt.

次cì日rì午時wǔ shí午wǔ時shí喪sāng吾wú參拜cān bài參cān拜bài各gè殿diàn佛像fó xiàng佛fó像xiàng入rù方丈fāng zhàng方fāng丈zhàng與yǔ眾zhòng位wèi作zuò別bié喪吾sāng wú眾位zhòng wèi

At noon the next day, Sangwu paid homage to the Buddha statues in each hall, then entered the abbot's quarters to bid farewell to everyone.

焦jiāo周率zhōu lǜ周zhōu率lǜ眾zhòng羅拜luó bài羅luó拜bài喪sāng吾wú盤膝pán xī盤pán膝xī坐zuò於wū法fǎ座zuò上shàng口中kǒu zhōng口kǒu中zhōng吟yín曰yuē喪吾sāng wú

Jiao Zhou led the assembly in a circular bowing. Sangwu sat cross-legged on the Dharma seat and chanted from his mouth:

風fēng清qīng月yuè白竹bái zhú窗虛，白bái竹zhú窗chuāng虛xū白髮bái fà髮fà僧人sēng rén僧sēng人rén誦sòng古詩gǔ shī古gǔ詩shī

The wind is clear, the moon bright, the bamboo window empty; a white-haired monk recites ancient poems.

夜半yè bàn夜yè半bàn不知bù zhī不bù知zhī銀yín露lù冷lěng水天一色shuǐ tiān yí sè水shuǐ天tiān一yí色sè正zhèng當時dāng shí當dāng時shí

At midnight, unaware of the cold silver dew, water and sky merge as one — just the right moment.

卻說què shuō卻què說shuō那nà喪sāng吾wú吟yín罷bà合掌hé zhǎng合hé掌zhǎng當dāng胸xiōng悠然yōu rán悠yōu然rán而ér逝shì

It is said that after Sangwu finished chanting, he placed his palms together before his chest and passed away peacefully.

鐵tiě冠guān道dào人命rén mìng人rén命mìng葬zàng於wū大悟dà wù大dà悟wù山頂shān dǐng山shān頂dǐng修造xiū zào修xiū造zào石shí龕kān永垂不朽yǒng chuí bù xiǔ永yǒng垂chuí不bù朽xiǔ

The Iron-Capped Daoist ordered him to be buried at the summit of Mount Dawu, where a stone niche was built to ensure his everlasting remembrance.

至今zhì jīn至zhì今jīn三十sān shí三sān十shí年nián一掃yì sǎo一yì掃sǎo喪sāng吾wú在內zài nèi在zài內nèi仍然réng rán仍réng然rán面貌miàn mào面miàn貌mào如rú生shēng正zhèng身shēn端坐duān zuò端duān坐zuò喪吾sāng wú

To this day, every thirty years when the niche is swept, Sangwu inside still appears with a lifelike countenance, sitting upright in perfect posture.

此cǐ是shì後hòu話huà不bù表biǎo。

This is a later story, which we shall not recount for now.

木蘭mù lán木mù蘭lán與yǔ花huā阿ā珍zhēn見jiàn喪sāng吾wú超脫chāo tuō超chāo脫tuō之zhī妙miào倍加bèi jiā倍bèi加jiā精進jīng jìn精jīng進jìn篤志dǔ zhì篤dǔ志zhì修行xiū xíng修xiū行xíng阿珍ā zhēn喪吾sāng wú

Seeing the wondrous liberation of Sangwu, Mulan and Hua Azhen redoubled their diligence and devoted themselves even more earnestly to cultivation.

不知bù zhī不bù知zhī後hòu事shì如何rú hé如rú何hé細看xì kàn細xì看kàn下xià文wén分解fēn jiě分fēn解jiě

If you do not know what happened afterward, read the following text carefully for the resolution.