梅重

日前有事去溫州，抽空跑了一趟鯨頭楊府殿。

早就聽說，楊府殿是我國(guó)東南沿海漁家、商家崇信的民間宗教場(chǎng)所，里面奉祀的神祇楊老爺能夠庇護(hù)出海之人交通生產(chǎn)，頗為驗(yàn)證，習(xí)俗在浙、閩、粵諸省與港、澳、臺(tái)，以及東南亞地區(qū)廣為流播；嗣后因了某些歷史緣故，其影響力明顯衰退縮小，竟被晚出三百余年的天后宮里的媽祖超越，不過現(xiàn)在上述地方仍散落著五百多座殿廟，僅浙江的溫州、臺(tái)州就達(dá)兩百，其中鯨頭楊府殿聲名較為響亮，因而心中一直存有好奇，總想?yún)⒂^瞻仰一番。

車路延伸，多在山野間穿行，偶爾彎環(huán)海角，極目而望，一片汪洋。

鯨頭在蒼南縣云巖鄉(xiāng)。云巖附近風(fēng)光也優(yōu)美，有浙南的大山玉蒼山余脈和大水橫陽(yáng)江支派匯聚，但偏偏不瀕海。在小攤上購(gòu)一紙的導(dǎo)游圖、幾紙的導(dǎo)游冊(cè)，得知過去這一帶是古海灣，后由潮流帶來的泥沙淤沉而變?yōu)閮?nèi)陸；心中試想，鯨頭本應(yīng)指山，半坡半崖的，形似而名，其下有小村子，村以山名；舊時(shí)人們從這里被稱為南港的鯨頭埠沿橫陽(yáng)支江出海航行漁作，順理成章地便也在村旁建立起楊府殿進(jìn)行質(zhì)樸的祈?；顒?dòng)。

民間宗教屬于自發(fā)的、非制度化的，缺乏哪怕是貧瘠蒼白的哲學(xué)層面上的理論體系作基礎(chǔ)，缺乏抽象的行為規(guī)范和具體的日常儀軌作維系、鞏固、支撐，因而，歷代對(duì)其傳承僅限于口碑，盡管在信眾們的頭腦中根植頗深，有普遍的一村坊一廟堂的田野散布，但終究無法形成相當(dāng)規(guī)模，像楊府殿就是如此。

站在鯨頭橋上四望，這座始建于南宋的拱橋，跨越龍虎溪；過橋，通往楊府殿的“廟路”由此開始，如同踏入佛寺山門，讓人隱隱感覺到古時(shí)鄉(xiāng)間草民的規(guī)劃設(shè)計(jì)的眼力。據(jù)說橋頭兩旁原有榕樹兩株，綠蔭匝地，覆蓋流水；可惜樹鯨頭楊府殿正殿

楊府殿仿廟堂建筑形制，重檐翹角，亦算壯觀。跨進(jìn)上殿，香煙淡淡輕飄，附在大大小小的泥胎神像上。拜讀神主，知道他們是楊老爺、楊家將，以及十大元帥、二十八靈圣。舊志“考證”，楊老爺名精義，唐時(shí)瑞安陶山人，跑到鯨頭靈巖洞修煉而“拔宅飛升”，被人于宋熙寧七年（1074）在這里始建楊府殿供奉為正主，稱楊府上圣，俗呼楊老爺，他的十個(gè)兒子成十大元帥，配享從祀。楊老爺為哪種神圣、主何方事物、佑什么吉祥，看不出來。參讀楹聯(lián)，殿里的“西麓龍?bào)辞锿`耀日月；東山虎踞萬載顯赫并乾坤”，泛泛的不知所云，掛在哪里皆可；入口的“法顯唐帝億萬家頂祝馨香；道成陶山幾百載神靈赫濯”，也只指出時(shí)間地點(diǎn)，法術(shù)道行的由來不詳。導(dǎo)游冊(cè)介紹，陶山祖庭曾出土一截光緒殘碑，說楊老爺逝世“精光不散，道義常昭，由是靈著海澨，祈禱咸應(yīng)”，理由顯然是“強(qiáng)說”，總算既定事實(shí)。

但讓人詫異的是抵抗契丹的歷史人物楊老令公、佘太君，和他們的孫子楊文廣在這里的現(xiàn)身。有學(xué)者研究，南宋死了，鯨頭埠當(dāng)下也冷清。A view of Lord Yang Temple at Jingtou Village

的建炎年間，朝廷在浙東路沿海設(shè)十三處兵寨，守卒北來，軍營(yíng)中抬出楊家將牌位激勵(lì)士氣、護(hù)佑勝戰(zhàn)；風(fēng)尚衍繁，民間百姓紛紛效仿，祈求海事順達(dá)，演繹為信仰習(xí)俗，立廟祭祀。這應(yīng)該可以作為解釋。私自揣測(cè)猜度，楊府殿的正主其實(shí)是護(hù)國(guó)安邦、抵御異域?？艿臈罴覍⑷宋?，因?yàn)橥眨员粻砍杜c楊老爺同伙，楊老爺便由很一般的地方靈異之神轉(zhuǎn)身成消弭風(fēng)云、禳除險(xiǎn)惡的海神或潮神，南宋皇帝甚至還一度敕封什么真君。這是由古代蠻荒之地的族群的下層性和復(fù)雜性所決定的，經(jīng)濟(jì)、文化滯后，造成思想、行為的強(qiáng)烈功利，宗教、信念體現(xiàn)也就不究法理、善于假借、事功為先。

退出上殿，瀏覽兩廂碑廊，不及細(xì)看，卻注意到左右廊首分別塑神船、神馬，大約企圖反映神主駕馭海洋、操縱陸地的超自然力量。下殿聽說擱置著楊老爺夫人和十房媳婦，以及福建古田太陰宮陳靖姑、林九娘、李三娘等十幾尊神像，沒有去看。

坐在空庭，有陳姓廟宇從業(yè)者過來攀談閑聊。陳姓者侃侃而談：過去的鯨頭楊府殿香火熾烈，如今除了幾個(gè)本殿的廟節(jié)和每逢農(nóng)歷初一、十五的廟會(huì)，及佛道慶典日依然人頭攢動(dòng)外，平日里已經(jīng)大不如昔，雖說絡(luò)繹不絕而來，可三三兩兩的，多是周邊閑散客。他話鋒一轉(zhuǎn)：來本殿的，大都為求簽，數(shù)有廿八，第一“堯招舜為婿”，第二“崔文瑞遇張四姐”，第三“梁山伯遇祝英臺(tái)”……廿八“朱洪武鎮(zhèn)南京”，專門稱作楊府簽，別于各地各處各寺觀的簽；求時(shí)運(yùn)前程，求商機(jī)財(cái)路，求婚姻子嗣，求祛病免訟。

一面聽著，一面環(huán)顧，楊府殿果然有一座典型的祠堂戲臺(tái)建筑，四角立柱呈亭臺(tái)狀，重檐歇山頂，戧脊置仙人走獸。

又向陳姓者打聽民俗文娛活動(dòng)，他繼續(xù)娓娓道來：廟會(huì)、廟節(jié)都會(huì)演出戲文，有時(shí)表演武術(shù)。而有數(shù)百年傳承、演繹獨(dú)特、熱鬧別具的是“舞船龍慶太平”，卻在廟會(huì)、廟節(jié)之外，從春節(jié)次日初二起到元宵上燈十五止，時(shí)間遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)長(zhǎng)于各地的劃龍迎春。這船龍正式呼作吉慶太平龍，發(fā)源于鯨頭，與楊府殿

鯨頭楊府殿儀仗

A sacrificial ceremony is under way prior to a dragon parade.

禱祝海事有較大關(guān)聯(lián)。劃龍迎春由附近幾個(gè)村

子輪流操辦。每年的太平龍至少由兩條開門龍、

六條凈龍、數(shù)百條小船龍和一條關(guān)門龍組成，很

見規(guī)模，很見氣勢(shì)。開門龍、凈龍、關(guān)門龍是各村集體產(chǎn)物，分別負(fù)責(zé)開道清障、掃污除穢、庇福佑安，小船龍是各家各戶敬獻(xiàn)楊老爺、祈盼自身不同愿景的船隊(duì)。龍的身首用弱柳柔竹編成骨架，龍檔用散木雜板連接。骨架外裱糊紙張，上面貼以剪刻、畫以圖像、書以文字、插以紙?jiān)?，呈現(xiàn)喜慶吉祥、鬧騰歡悅氣氛，頗稱華美。

劃太平龍有一個(gè)起殤儀式。初二日清早殺一口大豬敬獻(xiàn)楊老爺，再行祭龍、凈龍、參龍和開龍眼程序。參龍時(shí)，參龍手高唱七言《參龍辭》，歌頌龍的英武和功德，祈求神靈楊老爺保佑新的一年風(fēng)調(diào)雨順、五谷豐登、六畜興旺、百姓安康。開門龍起劃，先靜聲繞場(chǎng)三圈，忽聽得場(chǎng)內(nèi)鞭炮火銃爆放、鑼鼓嗩吶奏鳴、喝彩歡呼迭加，龍昂然轉(zhuǎn)首，在歡快的《將軍令》樂曲中盤旋、躥撲、跳躍、騰空，然后先到本村各家大院、再到各村子巡演。龍前有長(zhǎng)號(hào)、燈籠開道，龍后有樂隊(duì)、旗幡隊(duì)、戲裝隊(duì)擁隨，而參龍手以強(qiáng)勁的伸、扭、屈、擰、傾、撲等動(dòng)作，活靈活現(xiàn)地展示出神龍下海、蛟龍嬉水、威龍翻濤、猛龍劈浪、怒龍平波等情景，整支隊(duì)伍蔚為壯觀。往昔劃開門龍連續(xù)數(shù)天數(shù)夜不停歇，現(xiàn)在一條龍劃一天一夜，兩條龍就是兩天兩夜，劃至楊府廟用火仙化?；堃庵^龍門已開，凈龍便先后出動(dòng)，各家各戶也紛紛執(zhí)著小船龍涌往楊府廟。白天廟內(nèi)人聲鼎沸、鼓樂不息，夜晚廟外各色龍等點(diǎn)亮燭火、流光溢彩。十三日關(guān)門龍開劃，其他大小龍便急急停劃仙化，十五日關(guān)門龍進(jìn)廟仙化，整個(gè)劃龍活動(dòng)便降下帷幕。

謝過了陳姓者，心中盤思，廟會(huì)、廟節(jié)無非習(xí)俗；而舞龍起始于對(duì)中華圖騰的祀典儀式，各地普遍存在又有不同衍變，楊府殿的吉慶太平龍，過往保留了敬天法祖、祈愿祝福、懲惡揚(yáng)善的民間價(jià)值，當(dāng)下卻早從祭祀性的敬畏神而轉(zhuǎn)換為世俗性的歡娛人，并且飛張高揚(yáng)，成為根植深入的風(fēng)情，更具文化意蘊(yùn)，可是注意的人恐怕寥寥。

歸途，暮靄中木葉已老黃，明年正月值得再來?！?/p>

)本文攝影：曉柒(

Folk Religion Persists in Jingtou Village

By Mei Chong

The other day I find an opportunity to visit Jingtou Village during my trip to Wenzhou, a port city in southern Zhejiang Province. My purpose is to see Lord Yang Temple in the village. I have long since heard about the folk religion that started centuries ago. Those who relied on the sea for a living such as fishermen and sailors on trad-ing ships in the southeastern provinces of China used to hold their faith in this deity and pray for his blessing. The religion later faded mysteriously. About three hundred years after the deity was first worshipped, Lord Yang was supplanted by Goddess Matsu of the Sea.

However, it is said that there are about five hundred Lord Yang temples scattered across the coastal areas in the southeastern China. Lord Yang Temple numbers about 200 in Wenzhou and Taizhou and the most famous is the one in Jingtou Village.

The bus rides through the countryside, now and then giving me a glimpse of the sea spreading far to the horizon.

Jingtou sits in a spot where the ends of two mountain ranges meet, but the village is not exactly by the sea. It is near a river and fishermen of Jingtou go to sea through the river. That explains partly why the village hosts a Lord Yang Temple.

Unlike institutionalized major religions with sacred scriptures, a system of philosophy and values, and a behavior code, Lord Yang Temple represents a regional worship that passes from one generation to another by word of mouth. Though the religion has taken deep roots in the mind of worshipers and temples can be seen almost everywhere in the region, it cannot stand up to challenges from other religions. Nor can it grow big enough to prevail.

The path to the temple starts at Jingtou Bridge, an arched struc-ture built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The path to the temple looks like a path to a Buddhist temple. It is said that there used to be two towering banyan trees by the bridge.

Lord Yang Temple looks like a religious temple. It looks gran-diose with upturned eaves. Fragrance from burning joss sticks per-meates the front hall. There are many statues. Reading the names, I come to understand that these statues represent Lord Yang, the generals of the Yang Family, ten marshals, and twenty-eight deities.

正殿內(nèi)塑像

A statue in the front hall of Lord Yang Temple

According to local annals, a man surnamed Yang came to Jingtou to convert himself into immortal. Eventually he learned how to be a deity and flew to the heaven together with his house. In 1074, a temple was erected at Jingtou in honor of the new god. His ten sons became marshals. But all the inscriptions and couplets in the temple do not reveal who Lord Yang and his sons are and how they attained the magic and how they stand in comparison with gods of other re-ligions.

I am amazed to find the generals of the Yang Family worshipped in the temple. The generals are both real historical figures and leg-endary characters in folktales. They are not relatives of Lord Yang, the alpha deity of the temple. Scholars say that in the early years of the Southern Song Dynasty, the government set up thirteen military barracks along the southeast coast. Memorial tablets of the generals of the Yang family were set up to boost the morale of the soldiers, who were all northerners. Local people followed suit and eventually dedicated the martyred generals to the temple. There is no knowing

正殿內(nèi)精美的藻井 A finely decorated wood structure in the ceiling of the front hall at Lord Yang Temple

exactly how Yang and his sons and the generals of the Yang family were established as patron saints of fishermen and sailors of trad-ing ships. That is, however, the charm of a homemade religion in a remote religion.

I walk out of the front hall and go through the corridors flanked by stone tablets. I notice each corridor has a magic ship and magic horses at the head of the corridor, symbols of supernatural power wielded by the deities worshipped by villagers of Jingtou. I learn that another hall in the back is home to statues of the wife of Lord Yang and his ten daughter-in-laws and there are some other god-desses worshipped there. I have lost my interest to see them.

I find a place to sit down in the courtyard. A man walks over and

introduces himself. He says his surname is Chen and he works at

劃龍起殤前的祭祀儀式

A sacrificial ceremony is under way prior to a dragon parade.

the temple. The man is eager to

tell me about the temple and I

am willing to listen.

The temple used to attract a

lot of worshipers, but nowadays

worshippers flock only to the temple fairs that happen on the first and fifteenth of every lunar month and to the temple festivals. Those who visit the front hall are there to draw a fortune stick. The temple offers 28 sticks to those who want to know about their future.

Listening to Chen and looking around, I spot a freestanding stage with a roof, a structure often seen in clan temples and big residences in the past in this part of the Yangtze River Delta. I ask Chen about entertainment events at the temple. It turns out that the temple has been the venue over the past hundreds of years for Dragon Parade. The parade starts on the second day of the first lunar month and lasts until the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

The dragon parade is generally referred to as Good Luck Peace Dragon ceremony. The ceremony is closely associated with the sea and hosted by villages in the neighborhood in turn. Each years dragon parade is started with a gate-opening dragon, followed by six cleaning dragons, a few hundreds of household dragons, and rounded up by a gate-closing dragon.

The parade starts at the temple. A pig must be first offered to Lord Yang before a series of ceremonies is held to pay tribute to the dragon. After songs, fireworks, percussion and horn performances, the dragon begins to parade through villages, preceded by groups of horns and lanterns and followed by bands, banners, drama char-acters dressed in costumes. After the big dragons parade back to the temple and go to the heaven in fire, household dragons begin to parade through villages. This can go on for days before they finally come to the temple and all go to the heaven in fire on the 13th day of the first lunar month. On the 15th day, the door-closing dragon goes to the heaven in fire, marking the end of the years dragon pa-rade. □