話說唐僧師徒三眾脫難前來，不一日行過了黃風嶺，進西卻是一脈平陽之地。光陰迅速，歷夏經秋，見了些寒蟬鳴敗柳，大火向西流。正行處，只見一道大水狂瀾，渾波湧浪。三藏在馬上忙呼道：「徒弟，你看那前邊水勢寬闊，怎不見船隻行走，我們從那裡過去？」八戒見了道：「果是狂瀾，無舟可渡。」那行者跳在空中，用手搭涼篷而看，他也心驚道：「師父啊，真個是難，真個是難。這條河若論老孫去時，只消把腰兒扭一扭，就過去了；若師父，誠千分難渡，萬載難行。」三藏道：「我這裡一望無邊，端的有多少寬闊？」行者道：「經過有八百里遠近。」八戒道：「哥哥怎的定得個遠近之數？」行者道：「不瞞賢弟說，老孫這雙眼，白日裡常看得千里路上的吉凶。卻才在空中看出，此河上下不知多遠，但只見這經過足有八百里。」長老憂嗟煩惱，兜回馬，忽見岸上有一通石碑。三眾齊來看時，見上有三個篆字，乃「流沙河」；腹上有小小的四行真字云：
八百流沙界，三千弱水深。鵝毛飄不起，蘆花定底沉。
话说唐僧师徒三众脱难前来，不一日行过了黄风岭，进西却是一脉平阳之地。光阴迅速，历夏经秋，见了些寒蝉鸣败柳，大火向西流。正行处，只见一道大水狂澜，浑波涌浪。三藏在马上忙呼道：「徒弟，你看那前边水势宽阔，怎不见船只行走，我们从那里过去？」八戒见了道：「果是狂澜，无舟可渡。」那行者跳在空中，用手搭凉篷而看，他也心惊道：「师父啊，真个是难，真个是难。这条河若论老孙去时，只消把腰儿扭一扭，就过去了；若师父，诚千分难渡，万载难行。」三藏道：「我这里一望无边，端的有多少宽阔？」行者道：「经过有八百里远近。」八戒道：「哥哥怎的定得个远近之数？」行者道：「不瞒贤弟说，老孙这双眼，白日里常看得千里路上的吉凶。却才在空中看出，此河上下不知多远，但只见这经过足有八百里。」长老忧嗟烦恼，兜回马，忽见岸上有一通石碑。三众齐来看时，见上有三个篆字，乃「流沙河」；腹上有小小的四行真字云：
八百流沙界，三千弱水深。鹅毛飘不起，芦花定底沉。
Now, the Tang Monk and his two disciples went on after escaping their ordeal. Before long they had crossed Yellow Wind Ridge, and farther west lay a stretch of level country. Time flew: summer passed and autumn came. They saw cold cicadas calling in withered willows and Great Fire sinking towards the west. As they travelled, they came upon a great river, its muddy waters surging in furious waves. Sanzang called out urgently from his horse, “Disciples, look how wide the water is ahead! Why are there no boats about? Where are we to cross?” Bajie looked and said, “Wild waves indeed, and no boat to carry us over.” Pilgrim sprang into the air, shaded his eyes with his hand and looked. He too was alarmed. “Master, this is a real difficulty, a real difficulty! If Old Sun were crossing this river, one twist of his waist would do it. But for Master, crossing is a thousand times harder; even ten thousand years would scarcely see him through.” Sanzang said, “I can see no end to it from here. How wide is it, exactly?” Pilgrim said, “Some eight hundred li across.” Bajie asked, “Brother, how can you put a figure on the distance?” Pilgrim said, “To tell you the truth, little brother, in daylight these eyes of Old Sun’s can regularly see good fortune and bad a thousand li away. Just now, from the air, I couldn’t tell how far the river stretches upstream or down, but I could see it was a full eight hundred li across.” Sighing in distress, the elder turned his horse round and suddenly noticed a stone tablet on the bank. All three went over to look. At the top were three characters in seal script: “Flowing-Sand River”. Below them were four short lines in regular script:
Eight hundred li of flowing sand;three thousand deep runs Weak Water.A goose feather cannot float;a reed flower sinks straight to the bottom.
師徒們正看碑文，只聽得那浪湧如山，波翻若嶺，河當中滑辣的鑽出一個妖精，十分兇醜：
一頭紅燄髮蓬鬆，兩隻圓睛亮似燈。不黑不青藍靛臉，如雷如鼓老龍聲。身披一領鵝黃氅，腰束雙攢露白藤。項下骷髏懸九個，手持寶杖甚崢嶸。
师徒们正看碑文，只听得那浪涌如山，波翻若岭，河当中滑辣的钻出一个妖精，十分凶丑：
一头红燄发蓬松，两只圆睛亮似灯。不黑不青蓝靛脸，如雷如鼓老龙声。身披一领鹅黄氅，腰束双攒露白藤。项下骷髅悬九个，手持宝杖甚峥嵘。
Master and disciples were studying the inscription when they heard waves surging like mountains, billows rolling like ridges. With a swish, a demon burst out of the middle of the river, hideous and fierce:
A shaggy head of flame-red hair;two round eyes shining like lamps.A face neither black nor green, but indigo blue;an old dragon’s voice, like thunder and drums.A goose-yellow cloak upon his body;two twists of pale vine bound about his waist.Nine skulls hang from his neck;a precious staff in his hand makes a fearsome sight.
那怪一個旋風，奔上岸來，徑搶唐僧。慌得行者把師父抱住，急登高岸，回身走脫。那八戒放下擔子，掣出釘鈀；望妖精便築。那怪使寶杖架住。他兩個在流沙河岸，各逞英雄。這一場好鬥：
九齒鈀，降妖杖，二人相敵河岸上。這個是總督大天蓬，那個是謫下捲簾將。昔年曾會在靈霄，今日爭持賭猛壯。這一個鈀去探爪龍，那一個杖架磨牙象。伸開大四平，鑽入迎風戧。這個沒頭沒臉抓，那個無亂無空放。一個是久占流沙界吃人精，一個是秉教迦持修行將。他兩個來來往往，戰經二十回合，不分勝負。
那怪一个旋风，奔上岸来，径抢唐僧。慌得行者把师父抱住，急登高岸，回身走脱。那八戒放下担子，掣出钉钯；望妖精便筑。那怪使宝杖架住。他两个在流沙河岸，各逞英雄。这一场好斗：
九齿钯，降妖杖，二人相敌河岸上。这个是总督大天蓬，那个是谪下卷帘将。昔年曾会在灵霄，今日争持赌猛壮。这一个钯去探爪龙，那一个杖架磨牙象。伸开大四平，钻入迎风戗。这个没头没脸抓，那个无乱无空放。一个是久占流沙界吃人精，一个是秉教迦持修行将。他两个来来往往，战经二十回合，不分胜负。
The monster rushed onto the bank like a whirlwind and made straight for the Tang Monk. In alarm, Pilgrim caught Master in his arms, hurried up the high bank and turned away to escape. Bajie set down the load, drew his rake and struck at the demon, who blocked it with his precious staff. There on the bank of Flowing-Sand River, each showed his prowess. A fine battle it was:
Nine-toothed rake, demon-quelling staff: the two meet on the riverbank.One is the great commander, Marshal Tianpeng;one is the banished Curtain-Raising General.Once they met in the Hall of Divine Mists;today they contend in might and strength.This one’s rake darts out like a dragon’s reaching claws;that one’s staff blocks like an elephant grinding its teeth.They spread into the great four-square stance,then drive in with a thrust into the wind.One rakes at head and face without mercy;the other strikes without confusion or waste.One is the man-eating spirit who has long held the realm of flowing sand;one is a warrior who has received the faith and taken vows to cultivate the Way.Back and forth they fought for twenty exchanges, without a winner.