文劉照丁 Liu Zhaoding 譯曹宇光Cao Yuguang

到粵北第一古郡看“古堡”

Chinese “Ancient Castles”at the Eldest County in North Guangdong

文劉照丁 Liu Zhaoding 譯曹宇光Cao Yuguang

中國廣東省始興縣置縣于三國吳永安六年（公元263年），距今有1750多年的歷史，是粵北第一古郡。在這片2174平方公里的大地上，至今聳立著249座客家“圍樓”。有人說，這些“圍樓”與福建“土樓”、廣東開平“碉樓”一起，堪稱中國式“古堡”奇觀。由此，這個千年古縣也被稱為“中國圍樓之鄉(xiāng)”。

說起“古堡”，許多人自然會想到歐洲的城堡。歐洲城堡的鼎盛時期是公元1066年至1400年，是貴族為爭奪土地、糧食、牲畜、人口不斷爆發(fā)戰(zhàn)爭而修建的，它以神秘、財富、復仇、浪漫愛情等關鍵詞填充其故事內涵，吸引不少人前往探究其奧秘。

其實，類似“古堡”式的建筑在中國并不鮮見，公元641 年松贊干布為迎娶唐朝文成公主，在中國西藏拉薩建造的布達拉宮，就是世界上海拔最高的“古堡”。還有分布在中國東南部福建、江西、廣東客家地區(qū)，始建于公元769年的土樓，也可稱作是中國式“古堡”建筑的代表，已被聯(lián)合國教科文組織列入世界文化遺產名錄。

歐洲“古堡”和中國式“古堡”之所以稱為“堡”，是之于兩個共同的特征，即建筑堅固和利于防御。正所謂“堡”者，堡壘也。不同之處是建造材質和外表形式，還有就是用途的變異。歐洲“古堡”的城墻大部分是柱石建筑，外表有“古典柱式”“羅馬式”等，用途上既為防御，也用于擴張領土，使用者皆為上層貴族。而中國式“古堡”的建材則強調就地取材，由土、石、磚、木融合建造，用途上主要是防御，此外還用于居民生活，使用者既有權貴，也有平民百姓?？梢?，同是“古堡”，卻反映了不同的民族文化特質。

現(xiàn)存于粵北第一古郡始興縣的“古堡”，應是中國式“古堡”的一種，它的表現(xiàn)形式就是“圍樓”。這種“圍樓”始于東漢時期的“塢堡”，經過唐宋時期的發(fā)展，到明清進入鼎盛階段?！皣鷺恰苯ú闹饕悄唷⑸?、磚、石、木、瓦等，全部就地取材，通過混生泥胚加入黃糖、糯米漿、竹片、三合土、茅草等碼砌而成。“圍樓”建筑占地面積一般為100平方米以上，平面布局有“口字型”“二字型”“十字形”“品字形”“凹字形”“回字形”“圓角型”“器字型”“國字型”“組合型”等。“圍樓”高三至五層，墻厚有8.24米的，最薄的也有35厘米，可抵御土槍、土炮猛烈的攻擊；二層以上墻面設置了數(shù)個瞭望射擊孔，起守護的作用?！皣鷺恰眱仍O有廳堂、住房、廚房、儲糧房、磨坊、柴草房、牲畜房、武器彈藥房、水井、廁所等，可供居民生活與守樓用。當?shù)孛耖g對這種古建筑稱之為炮樓、角樓、箭樓、碉堡、古堡等。

該縣最大的“圍樓”是“滿堂客家大圍”，占地面積為13000多平方米；大圍位于縣城南約70公里的隘子鎮(zhèn)，始建于清道光十三年（公元1833年），竣工于咸豐十年（公元1860年），歷時28年，是當?shù)馗缓拦偾瑯s為保護家族和鄉(xiāng)親安寧所建；更為神奇的是，該“圍樓”選址于兩條河流的交匯處，用“水浸千年松”作地基，由上、中、下三個小圍樓組合構成，內有4個前后大院、32個大小廳堂、16個小天井、4口水井和777間房，被稱為“嶺南第一圍”。該縣最小的“圍樓”位于縣城南約6公里，名“水田壩細圍”，占地面積僅16平方米，高5層，用河卵石壘砌而成，是當年水田壩村民為躲避賊匪之害集資建造的。

始興“圍樓”的興盛源于當時當?shù)亟洕鐣l(fā)展的情況。歷史上，由于中原戰(zhàn)亂頻繁，百姓民不聊生，從中原遷徙而來的客家人成為了這個古郡的主要居民。而該縣在東經113.5-114度、北緯24.5至26度間的位置，注定了其優(yōu)良的生態(tài)環(huán)境，也成就了其“粵北糧倉”之聲譽。然而，又因其居于嶺南交通要沖的關口，給其帶來了兵匪賊盜之患。為此，勤勞智慧的客家人不得不建起了這種“古堡”式的“圍樓”，每遇兵匪賊盜侵擾，居民們便迅速躲進“圍樓”自保，時間短則幾天，長則數(shù)月。所以在當?shù)乇阈纬闪恕坝写灞赜袊瑹o圍不成村”的現(xiàn)象。據(jù)考證，該縣境內歷史上建造的“圍樓”有500多座。

在始興縣，“圍樓”被人們賦予了“長居久安”的文化內涵，許多“圍樓”的命名都打上了這樣的烙印，如“安靖樓”“永安樓”“永興圍”等，祈求的是“族泰圍安”。事實上，這些“圍樓”也為當?shù)鼐用竦纳a生活起了保護的作用。 據(jù)民國十五年的《始興縣志》記載，從清道光8年至30年，該縣就有多起“匪黨”擾害村鄉(xiāng)事件，人數(shù)多時達數(shù)千人。咸豐年間，更是兵匪橫行，他們打家劫舍，焚墟場、攻“圍樓”，搞得人心惶惶，是“圍樓”給了居民暫時的安全。

近代歷史上，始興“圍樓”也為民族解放和新中國建立作出了重大貢獻。據(jù)該縣研究人員介紹，在該縣城西5公里的沈所鎮(zhèn)，相隔不遠有兩座“圍樓”，一座是位于沈北村的“紅圍”，占地面積900多平方米，圍高5層，磚石木結構，墻厚1米多，建于清道光年間。1940年春夏，中共廣東省委機關秘密遷入該“圍樓”內辦公，指揮廣東的抗日斗爭，使該“圍樓”成為名副其實的紅色指揮所。1942年5月，因叛徒出賣，省委遭到破壞。1945年2月，始興淪陷，日軍侵入沈北村和“紅圍”后，大肆奸淫掠奪，并縱火焚燒圍樓，大火燒了三日三夜，直到圍內沒有任何物品殘存。2008年起，省、市、縣正式籌劃重修“紅圍”。另一座是外營村的“外營圍”，占地面積300多平方米，高5層，墻厚1.2米，建于民國初年。1945年8月1日，國民黨一個團和縣偽自衛(wèi)大隊千余人突然包圍抗日根據(jù)地外營村，妄圖消滅在這里的抗日風度大隊和外營村游擊隊。為掩護部隊撤退和全村老百姓轉移，游擊隊與敵人進行了激戰(zhàn)。由于敵強我弱，游擊隊30多名戰(zhàn)士掩護百余名尚未沖出敵人包圍圈的村民退入了“圍樓”，并以此為據(jù)點拖住敵人，堅持戰(zhàn)斗幾個晝夜，使敵人受到沉重打擊，確保了游擊隊主力安全轉移。后因敵人挖地道炸開墻洞，“圍樓”被攻破，112名戰(zhàn)士和群眾英勇犧牲。新中國成立后，外營村更名“八一村”。

到粵北第一古郡看“古堡”，拂去“圍樓”的塵埃，我們看到的不僅僅是飽經滄桑的圍墻和碉樓，更看到了通過“圍樓”反映出的中華民族崇尚善美、和睦共處、同心御敵的精神——愿古郡的“圍樓”文化長存。

變遷·韻律 于志新 Transformation·Rhythm by Yu Zhixin

始興縣頓崗鎮(zhèn)竹苞松茂圍 張安華Weilou in Fresh Bamboos and Ripe Pines of Dungang Village of Shixing County by Zhang Anhua

Initially built in the year A.D. 263, Shixing County in Guangdong Province of China has a history of 1750 years so far and thus enjoys the title of “First Ancient County in North Guangdong”. Within its area of 2174 square kilometers, 249 “Weilous” of Hakka people are still available. Together with “Tulou” in Fujian Province and “Diaolou” in Kaiping County of Guangdong Province, these “Weilous” are considered to be a wonder of Chinese Ancient Castles. In this sense, this time-honored county of over thousand years is reputed as the “County of Chinese Weilous”.

The concept of ancient castles naturally reminds many people of European ones. Between 1066 and 1400, European aristocrats waged constant wars to vie for land, grain, livestock and population with each other and during the course they built up so many castles that a prime period of castle architecture was realized. With legendary anecdotes with such key words as mystery, wealth, revenge and romance, those ancient castles have attracted plenty of visitors to explore the unknown secrets.

As a matter of fact, similar ancient castles are not rare in China. In the year A.D.641 , the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo ordered to have Potala Palace built in Lhasa of Tibet in order to honor his marriage with Princess Wencheng from Tang Dynasty, and therefore the ancient castle of the highest altitude in the world came into existence. Moreover, the famous “Tulou”, widely located in Hakka residential communities in Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong in Southeast China as early as in A.D. 769, is regarded as the typical representative of Chinese ancient castle and listed into the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Either in Europe or in China, those ancient castles share two common characteristics: sturdy architecture and advantage of fortification as they mainly function as fortress and may vary in construction material, external layout and other functions. European ancient castles are mostly of pillar architecture in external layouts of Classical Type or Roman Type, and their owners were top aristocrats whose purpose was fortification and territory expansion. In contrast, the materials for Chinese ancient castles were mainly obtained from local sources such as soil, stone, brick and wood and integrated in a perfect balance, and those castles served for household living in addition to fortification because its owners involved ordinary people as well as officials and rich lords. In this way, both kinds of ancient castles reflect different national features in culture.

The ancient castle in Shixing County in North Guangdong ought to be one of the Chinese type and has a special name “Weilou”. Having origin from “Wubao” in Eastern Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-220), such “Weilou”underwent a rapid development in Tang and Song Dynasties and entered its peak time in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Its main materials, namely soil, sand, brick, stone, wood and tile, were all drawn on local basis and were laid together through a mixture of clay, brown sugar, glutinous rice paste, bamboo slice, Trinity earth and thatch. “Weilou”normally has an average area of over 100 square meters, plane shapes of rectangle, square, double parallel line, cross, homocentric square and other combined or complicated formality, and three to five storeys. The wall of “Weilou” can be as thick as 8.24 meters or as thin as 35 centimeters with a fortified capability against attack from homemade pistol or cannon. Several holes were drilled on the surface over the first floor for observation or shooting and inside halls, bedrooms, kitchens, grain storage room, mill, faggot room, livestock room, ammunition storehouse, well and toilets were available for daily use and defense. Local people usually nickname such castles as “cannon tower”, “corner tower”, “arrow tower” or “blockhouse”.

With an area of more than 13000 square meters, the largest “Weilou”in this county, called “Full-house Hakka Giant Weilou”, is located in Aizi Township, some 70 kilometers away to the south of Shixing County. Initiated in 1833 and completed in 1860, this “Weilou” took the local magnate Qian Rong 28 years for the security of his family and fellow people. The amazing part is its location at the intersection of two rivers and its special foundation of a rare pine timber that had been soaked in stream for thousands of years. Constituted with three respective“Weilous” in the upper, middle and lower levels, 4 spacious courtyards, 32 halls of different sizes, 16 small yards, 4 wells and 777 rooms, this compound is reputed as the “Top Weilou in Guangdong”. The smallest one, called “Slim Weilou in Shuitian Dam”, is located 6 kilometers away to the south of Shixing County. With an area of no more than 16 square meters, five storeys and elements of pebbles from the riverside, this building was the outcome of local villagers’ collective funds for sheltering from bandits.

The typical phenomenon of “Weilou” in Shixing County is attributed to the local economic and social development in the past. In history, frequent warfare in Middle China made life impossible for ordinary people and Hakka people who migrated from afar gradually became the main residents in Shixing County. The geographic location between 113.5 and 114 degrees E and between 24.5 and 26 degrees N ensures its perfect environment for grain harvest in the entire North Guangdong.However, its location at the strategic pass of Guangdong transportation inevitably aroused trouble made by pass-by troops, bandits and outlaws. Consequently, those wise and diligent Hakka people were obliged to set up “Weilous” of such castle type everywhere so that they could escape from harassment for several days or even months. You will find that there must be some “Weilous” in every village. Historical records have proved that there once existed over 500 “Weilous” in the local history.

In Shixing County, local people endowed the “Weilou” with a cultural connotation of “everlasting peace and stability” and similar expectation was imbued with the names of many “Weilous” such as “Anjing”(literally “peaceful living”), “Yong’an” (literally “everlasting stability”) and “Yongxing” (literally “everlasting prosperity”) as good wish for local prosperity and security. In fact, those “Weilous” did protect the production and living of local residents for many times. As the official journal of Shixing County compiled in 1926 showed, lots of bandits disturbed this county on many occasions and even amounted in thousands. In the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of Qing Dynasty, varied batches of outlaws came to plunder houses and burn villages, which rendered local people in a state of great anxiety. It was “Weilou” that ensured a temporary safety at that time.

In the modern history, the “Weilou” in Shixing County has made a significant contribution to national liberation and the founding of New China. As the local researchers introduced, there are two “Weilous” in a short distance in Shensuo Town, five kilometers away to the west of Shixing County. One is called “Red Weilou” in Shenbei Village, which covers an area of over 900 square meters and has a structure of brick, stone and wood with five storeys and wall thickness of over one meter. It was built in the reign of Emperor Daoguang of Qing Dynasty and in the spring and summer of 1940, the head office of CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee secretly entered this “Weilou” for daily maneuver in Anti-Japanese battles in Guangdong Province. Then this ancient castle became a command post for Communist fighters. In May of 1942, the Committee was severely sabotaged owing to traitor’s betrayal and in February of 1945 when Shixing County was invaded by Japanese army, enemies launched a barbarian plunder and set fire to the “Weilou”for three days and nights until the last ash. From the year 2008 on, local governments at provincial, municipal and county levels launch an official plan for restoration of this “Red Weilou”. The other “Weilou”, located in Waiying Village, was built in early 1910s and currently covers an area of over 300 square meters and has five storeys and wall thickness of 1.2 meters. On August 1, 1945, over 1000 soldiers from a regiment of KMT and puppet army of Japanese invasion suddenly besieged the counter-Japanese base area in Waiying Village in order to eradicate the Communist forces and guerilla. In order to cover the retreat of Communist army and villagers, the local guerilla had a fierce battle against the invaders. As enemy outweighed in numbers, more than 30 soldiers of the local guerilla, together with some hundred villagers who failed to rush out of encirclement retreated into this “Weilou” as their base. They kept fighting for several days and nights with the enemy forces and managed to ensure the secure transition of the main cast of guerilla while dealing a heavy blow to foes. Later, the enemy forces blew out a big hole through their tunnel and conquered the “Weilou”, and altogether 112 soldiers and villagers sacrificed their lives. Upon the founding of New China, Waiying Village was renamed as “August 1st Village”.

Take a careful look at those ancient castles in Shixing County in North Guangdong through the history of“Weilou”, and we will not only appreciate the time-honored enclosing walls and towers, but also witness the Chinese nation’s advocacy for goodness, peace and harmony as well as consolidated perseverance against enemies reflected from those “Weilous”. May the culture of those ancient “Weilous” live forever.

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