Pagoda Odyssey - Pagoda Tales

《宝塔的故事》

 

1. Legend of the White Snake 《白蛇传》

Legend of the White Snake is a Chinese tale that centres around the romance between a scholar Xu Xian and a snake spirit named Bai Suzhen.

The tale begins with Xu Xian unknowingly buying immortality pills disguised as tangyuan (glutinous riceballs) from a deity at the Broken Bridge in Hangzhou. After eating them, Xu Xian did not feel hungry for three days. When he confronted the deity, he laughed and made Xu Xian vomit the tangyuan into the lake.

Bai Suzhen, the white snake spirit who dwelled in the lake, ate the pills and gained 500 years' worth of power. She felt grateful to Xu Xian. The tortoise spirit from the lake became jealous of Bai Suzhen for gaining this power.

《白蛇传》是中国的民间故事，说的是书生许仙和白蛇精的爱情故事。

很久以前，许仙在杭州断桥上，无意间从神仙那里买了汤圆，他不知道原来那是长生不老的仙丹。许仙吃了仙丹后，三天都不饿。他便去责问神仙，神仙大笑，让许仙把汤圆吐到湖里去。

住在湖里的白蛇精，名叫白素贞，她吃了这些仙丹后，得到500年的法力，所以她很感激许仙。可是，湖里的乌龟精眼红白素贞得到这么大的法力。

 

The white snake spirit had a companion named Xiaoqing, a green snake spirit she once saved. Eighteen years later, they transformed themselves into women and met Xu Xian again at the same Broken Bridge on a rainy day. He kindly lent them his umbrella, creating a connection that led to Xu Xian falling in love with Bai Suzhen and their eventual marriage.

白蛇精有一个同伴叫小青，那是她曾经救过的一条青蛇精。18年后，她们化身为女子，在一个雨天，在同一座断桥上又遇到了许仙。许仙是一个好心人，他把自己的雨伞借给她们。他们相遇后，许仙爱上了白素贞，他们后来结为夫妻。

The tortoise spirit, now disguised as a Buddhist monk named Fahai, remained resentful of Bai Suzhen. Wanting to separate her from Xu Xian, he advised Xu Xian to let his wife drink realgar wine (believed to cure diseases) during the Dragon Boat Festival. This caused Bai Suzhen to reveal her true form as a large white snake. Xu Xian died of shock after realising that his wife was not human.

Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing then travelled to Mount Emei to obtain a magical herb that could revive Xu Xian. He came back to life and realised that he still loved Bai Suzhen.

Fahai tried to imprison Xu Xian at a temple, but Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing fought to rescue him. Bai Suzhen’s powers were weak, as she was pregnant with Xu Xian's child.

Xu Xian eventually escaped and reunited with Bai Suzhen, who gave birth to their son. Fahai tracked them down and imprisoned Bai Suzhen under a pagoda, the Pagoda of Thunder Peak, while Xiaoqing fled, vowing to defeat Fahai.

乌龟精化身为和尚，名叫法海。他心里一直不满白素贞，决定拆散白素贞和许仙，于是他叫许仙在端午节那天让妻子白素贞喝雄黄酒。白素贞喝下酒后现出原形，变回一条大白蛇。许仙发现妻子不是人类，被吓死了。

白素贞和小青到峨眉山找到了一种仙草，让许仙又活过来了。许仙活过来后，发现自己还是爱着白素贞。

法海把许仙关在寺庙里，白素贞和小青出尽全力去救他。由于白素贞怀了许仙的孩子，她的力量变得很弱了。

许仙最后还是逃脱了，跟白素贞团聚，白素贞生下了他们的儿子。但是，法海追来了，把白素贞压在雷峰塔下。小青逃跑了，但她决心要打败法海。

Twenty years later, their son became the Zhuangyuan (top scholar) in the imperial examinations and returned home in glory. At the same time, Xiaoqing finally defeated Fahai after years of refining her powers. Bai Suzhen was freed from the Pagoda of Thunder Peak and reunited home with Xu Xian and her son.

20年后，他们的儿子考中了状元，风风光光地回到家乡。这个时候，小青经过多年苦炼后，打败了法海。白素贞从雷峰塔中脱身，回到家里同许仙和儿子团圆。

Pagoda of Thunder Peak Tushanwan Workshop China, Shanghai, about 1912–14 Teakwood 雷峰塔 土山湾工艺院 中国上海，大约1912到1914 年 柚木 2023-00395

 

2. Tale of Liuhe 《六和的故事》

In the ancient city of Hangzhou, there was a mighty river called the Qiantang River. Within its depths dwelled a troublesome dragon who lived in a palace. When angered, the dragon created huge waves that crashed onto the shores, capsizing fishing boats and destroying farmland.

在古老的杭州城，有一条大河，叫做钱塘江。江里住着一条凶猛的龙，它生气时就会翻起大浪。大浪冲向岸边，打翻捕鱼的船，也破坏了农田。

 

The people of Hangzhou lived in fear. Among them was a brave boy named Liuhe, whose father drowned and whose mother was swept away by the powerful waves. Devastated, Liuhe threw stones into Qiantang River every day, which caused the dragon’s palace to shake violently.

杭州的人民都很害怕。有一个勇敢的男孩，名叫六和，他的爸爸被河水淹死了，妈妈也被大浪卷走。六和非常伤心，他每天把石块丢进钱塘江里，造成龙宫猛烈摇动。

The dragon tried to stop Liuhe by offering him gold, silver, and other treasures. Liuhe declined, insisting that he would continue unless the dragon released his mother and stopped the waves from harming people. Reluctantly, the dragon agreed. After this, the tides calmed. To honour Liuhe’s bravery, the people of Hangzhou built a pagoda and named it after him. This is the Pagoda of Six Harmonies (Liuhe Ta).

恶龙为了让六和平静下来，给他送上金银财宝。但六和不接受，他决心继续丢石块，除非恶龙放了他的妈妈，并且不再制造水灾。恶龙在不得已之下，答应了六和的要求。从此，江水平静了下来。为了纪念六和的勇敢行为，杭州人民建造了一座宝塔，名叫“六和”。

Pagoda of Six Harmonies Tushanwan Workshop China, Shanghai, about 1912–14 Teakwood 六和塔 土山湾工艺院 中国上海，大约1912到1914 年 柚木 2023-00397