Sensuality As A Cure

Somewhat bizarre logic

Sensuality As A Cure

Every time I think I’m going to get a big chunk of this novel translated, I wind up getting caught in one fantastic philosophic idea after another. This passage is no exception. This is naturally longer than the poems that we’ve read. However, there are bits of this passage that hint at what the role of the Goddess Who Unveils Illusion really is. I’ll write more about that in tomorrow’s post.

The most bizarre thing here, of course, is the fact that the Goddess intends to use sensual pleasure to convince Jia Baoyu to no longer follow sensual pleasure.

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My Translation

“Come out quickly and welcome our honored guest!” said the Goddess suddenly with a laugh. As soon as she spoke, several celestial maidens emerged. Their lotus leaf sleeves spun about, and their feather clothing whirled and danced with the wind. They were as tender as spring flowers, and as charming as the autumn moon.

When they saw Baoyu, they turned to the Goddess to complain. “We didn’t know who the honored guest was, so we rushed out quickly,” they said to her. “Sister, you told us that, at this very hour today, the wandering spirit of our crimson pearl sister would come visit us. That’s why we’ve been waiting for so long. Why did you bring this filthy creature here instead to defile the pure world of women?”

When he heard this, Baoyu was so shocked that he couldn’t move. Indeed, he now felt the immensity of the dirt and filth of his own existence.

The Goddess quickly took Baoyu’s hand, turned to the maidens, and said with a smile, “You don’t understand the whole story.

“I originally intended to go to the Rong Mansion today to get the Crimson Pearl. While passing by the Ning Mansion, however, I bumped in to the spirits of the Dukes of Rong and Ning. They asked me a favor:

“‘Since the founding of this dynasty,’ they told me, ‘our family has enjoyed generations of honor and prosperity. It’s been over a hundred years now. But now our family’s fortune has run its course, and nothing can prevent its decline! Though we have many descendants, none are fit to carry on our legacy. The only one who could do it is Baoyu. But, although he is clever and perceptive, his temperament is eccentric and his interests are strangely intense. Though he shows some promise, it seems that our family’s fate is already sealed, and we fear nobody remains to guide him to the proper path.

“‘We beg of you, Goddess, to use the temptations of love and sensual pleasure to awaken him from his delusions. Perhaps then he will break free from his maze of folly and find the correct way. That would be our greatest happiness.’

“I was moved by their plea, and was compelled by compassion to lead him here.

“First, I showed him the three registers of women in his family – high, middle, and low ranks – and had him study their fates thoroughly. And yet he failed to awaken. Therefore, I brought him to this place so he could experience these illusions of feasts and sensual delights, hoping that this might lead him to enlightenment one day. But I can’t say for certain.”

After she said that, she led Baoyu into the inner chamber.

There was a faint fragrance in the air, as if some unknown thing was burning. Baoyu couldn’t help himself, and asked about the smell.

“This incense does not exist in your mortal realm,” replied the Goddess with a cold smile. “How could you recognize it? It was distilled from the essence of rare blossoms that first bloomed in the sacred mountains, blended with oils pressed from the precious trees of pearl and jade. We call it ‘The Marrow of Ten Thousand Flowers.’”

Baoyu was filled with longing as he heard this.

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Translation Critique

Hawkes

Interestingly enough, David Hawkes neglects to mention that the Goddess ran into the spirits of the two Dukes (偶遇榮寧二公之靈 in Chinese; this is quite clear). My guess is that this was an accidental omission.

Hawkes calls 群芳髓 “Belles Se Fanent,” a French phrase that translates to something like “The Beauties Fade.” I suppose it is a reference to the natural tendency of flowers (expressed by 群芳, or the sweet smell of large groups of flowers) to die off.

Yang

The Yangs call the smell “Marrow of Manifold Fragrance,” which is a much better translation of the original.

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Chinese Text

又聽警幻笑道：「你們快出來迎接貴客！」一言未了，只見房中走出幾個仙子來，荷袂蹁躚，羽衣飄舞，嬌若春花，媚如秋月。見了寶玉，都怨謗警幻道：「我們不知系何貴客，忙的接出來。姐姐曾說今日今時必有個絳珠妹子的生魂前來遊玩，故我等久待，何故反引這濁物來汙染清淨女兒之境？」

寶玉聽如此說，便嚇的欲退不能，果覺自形汙穢不堪。警幻忙攜住寶玉的手，向眾仙姬笑道：「你等不知原委。今日原欲往榮府去接絳珠，適從寧府經過，偶遇榮寧二公之靈，囑吾云：『吾家自國朝定鼎以來，功名奕世，富貴流傳，已歷百年；奈運終數盡，不可挽回！我等之子孫雖多，竟無可以繼業者。惟嫡孫寶玉一人，稟性乖張，用情怪譎，雖聰明靈慧，略可望成，無奈吾家運數合終，恐無人規引入正。幸仙姑偶來，望先以情慾聲色等事警其痴頑，或能使他跳出迷人圈子，入於正路，亦吾兄弟之幸矣。』如此囑吾，故發慈心，引彼至此。先以他家上中下三等女子的終身冊籍，令其熟玩，尚未覺悟；故引了再到此處，遍歷那飲饌聲色之幻，或冀將來一悟，未可知也。」說畢，攜了寶玉入室。但聞一縷幽香，不知所焚何物，寶玉不禁相問。警幻冷笑道：「此香乃塵世所無，爾如何能知！此係諸名山勝境初生異卉之精，合各種寶林珠樹之油所制：名為『群芳髓』。」

寶玉聽了，自是羨慕。

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Translation Notes

荷 (hé) means lotus or lotus leaf, and 羽 (yǔ) means feather. 荷袂 means “lotus sleeves,” or sleeves that look like lotus leaves. 蹁躚 means to whirl or spin, and 飄舞 means to flutter and dance.

怨謗 means to complain about and criticize.

絳珠妹子 (“our crimson pearl sister”) clearly refers to Lin Daiyu’s identity before her life on earth began. Remember that she was referred to as 絳珠仙草, or “the crimson pearl fairy plant.”

果覺自形汙穢不堪, or “indeed, he now felt the immensity of the dirt and filth of his own existence,” seems to be a Buddhist themed line. Baoyu appears to be going through the steps necessarily to gain his enlightenment. Remember as well the lines in chapter 2 about women being pure and clean and men being made of mud.

塵世 means the human world or the world of mortals.

寶林珠樹 is a meaningful phrase, obviously. 寶 means “precious,” and happens to be part of Jia Baoyu’s name (賈寶玉). 林 means “forest,” and is part of Lin Daiyu’s name (林黛玉). 珠 means pearl, but implies the world 玉 (jade) that is also part of both of their names. Additionally, Lin Daiyu was known as the “crimson pearl fairy plant” (絳珠仙草) before she went to earth; that name includes the character 珠 (pearl).