江南網(wǎng)船會:流淌著的運河民俗文化

吳桂潮

熙熙攘攘的觀眾注視著正待出發(fā)的龍船。Spectators wait anxiously for dragon boats to race.

網(wǎng)船會已于2010年列入國家級非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)代表性項目保護名錄，它是嘉興悠久歷史文化的重要體現(xiàn)和延續(xù)。

2012網(wǎng)船會活動將以保護利用非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)為主題，以北部濕地新城開發(fā)為契機，使非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)融入生活、煥發(fā)時代活力。今年3月29日，一個具有江南民俗特色的水鄉(xiāng)盛會將在嘉興市秀洲區(qū)王江涇鎮(zhèn)蓮泗蕩舉行。

水鄉(xiāng)盛會，感受流淌民俗

仲春的蓮泗蕩畔，綿延十里的網(wǎng)船排泊整齊，大片高聳的旗幟迎風(fēng)招展，與滿目的油菜花海交相輝映。在香火鼎盛的劉王廟里，四鄰八鄉(xiāng)的香客接踵而至，民俗表演隊伍浩浩蕩蕩……

“承載著運河歷史的網(wǎng)船會是與江南水鄉(xiāng)漁民生產(chǎn)、生活息息相關(guān)的民間水上廟會活動。 ”據(jù)秀洲區(qū)委常委、區(qū)委宣傳部部長王國華介紹，自2009年3月21日首次由政府主辦從明代流傳至今的“江南網(wǎng)船會”以來，已經(jīng)舉辦了三年，在江浙滬乃至全國打響了品牌，有較高的知名度和較大的影響力，每年有來自江浙滬的83個民間社團和數(shù)萬民眾參與，是江南水鄉(xiāng)民俗的重要活動。

2011年4月11日，“江南網(wǎng)船會”在嘉興秀洲區(qū)舉行。從杭州沿著滬杭高速，轉(zhuǎn)到乍嘉蘇高速，到了王江涇鎮(zhèn)上。一路蜿蜒開到蓮泗蕩，放眼望去，水面上籠罩了濃濃的一層水霧，百里蓮蕩上浩浩蕩蕩的龍船見首不見尾。

蓮泗蕩本名連四蕩，以陶家蕩、文泉蕩、廟前蕩、橋北蕩四蕩相連而名，是古太湖的遺存。蓮泗蕩水域面積四千余畝，盛產(chǎn)魚蝦，環(huán)湖四周，盡是煙樹村落。

劉王廟就建在這一片煙波浩渺的水面之上。明黃色的廟宇，莊嚴(yán)肅穆，里面供奉著驅(qū)蝗神劉猛將。每個月，廟里的祭品都是陸續(xù)不斷，香客來自江浙滬各地。走過九曲廊，就是劉公塔。

活動當(dāng)天，只見節(jié)日的蓮泗蕩鑼鼓喧天，人山人海。數(shù)百條漁船，上萬名來自江浙滬的農(nóng)漁居民，都不約而同地匯聚到王江涇蓮泗蕩。

瞧，一字排開的船只將百里蓮泗蕩變成了船的海洋。水中、岸上旗幡招展，“咣咣”的鑼鼓聲映入耳際。天蒙蒙亮，各路漁民、船民、商人攜帶雞、魚、豬（豬頭）等祭品涌向蓮泗蕩北岸的劉王廟，來紀(jì)念心目中的這位傳奇英雄。各路社團不但在船上進行祭祀活動，而且在廟里舉行舞龍、打腰鼓、打蓮湘等趕廟活動，成為江南獨有的漁民水上狂歡節(jié)。

“平時工作壓力大，趁著雙休日，又恰逢一年一度的網(wǎng)船會，特意帶孩子來湊湊熱鬧。 ”家住上海的周女士周六帶著孩子來到了秀洲區(qū)王江涇鎮(zhèn)蓮泗蕩風(fēng)景區(qū)，正好趕上了這一盛會，第一次感受到了這里江南水鄉(xiāng)的原生態(tài)畫卷。

在歷屆網(wǎng)船會上，三五成群、談笑風(fēng)生的身影隨處可見?！熬W(wǎng)船會是我們一年一度集會的大日子，好像古代的趕集一樣熱鬧。 ”一位老阿姨樂呵呵地說。歷史上，在運河水系長年漂泊勞作的漁民、船民，每年三次的網(wǎng)船會也是他們聯(lián)絡(luò)感情、認(rèn)祖歸宗的特殊節(jié)日。打蓮湘、挑花籃、蕩湖船、看戲文、踏白船、扎肉提香……各種原生態(tài)民間的文藝節(jié)目，不僅豐富了百姓的生活，也增進了彼此的感情。

自清咸豐以來，水鄉(xiāng)漁民、船民和當(dāng)?shù)匕傩諡榧漓朐┏染葹?zāi)英雄劉承忠將軍，通過廟會的方式，祈求風(fēng)調(diào)雨順、出入平安、農(nóng)漁豐收；通過廟會觀光游樂、休閑購物，寄托情懷。商船、燒香船、絲網(wǎng)船、漁船、駁船、腳船、輪船等向蓮泗蕩匯集而來，船隊從劉公園門口延伸至古運河，長達5公里多。每次集會，活動時間達四五天，人數(shù)達三萬多，這就形成了水鄉(xiāng)獨有的“網(wǎng)船會”。

在江南網(wǎng)船會上趕完集，你還可以去看看江南水鄉(xiāng)首個漁俗文化博物館。博物館就設(shè)在蓮泗蕩風(fēng)景區(qū)，蓑衣、漁舟、圓魚叉、萱麻線搖車……走進400多平方米的漁俗文化博物館，一件件漁民過去常用的生產(chǎn)工具、生活用具映入眼簾。這里的東西大部分是從浙北地區(qū)的漁民那里收集來的，其中不少是大家主動捐獻的。半年多時間，博物館已收集了100多件漁民生產(chǎn)工具、生活用具和千百年來關(guān)于太湖流域漁業(yè)發(fā)展情況、漁民生活習(xí)俗等的歷史資料。

水上廟會，“非遺”保護基地

嘉興市古屬吳越之地，水鄉(xiāng)澤國，有著豐富的水鄉(xiāng)旅游資源，極具江南水鄉(xiāng)神韻?！巴粮辔逐?，風(fēng)俗淳秀”，民風(fēng)柔順，敦厚善良。境內(nèi)港、河、浜、蕩縱橫密布，千年運河風(fēng)光旖旎，文物古跡豐富多彩，文化底蘊深厚源遠。

網(wǎng)船會活動地劉王廟地處蓮泗蕩北岸的民主村民委駐地，三面環(huán)水，東鄰嘉善，北鄰江蘇黎里鎮(zhèn)、蘆墟鎮(zhèn)，南鄰本區(qū)的油車港鎮(zhèn)，西連京杭大運河（約2公里）及王江涇古鎮(zhèn)。蓮泗蕩是浙北一處方圓3.2平方公里的湖泊。

龍獅共舞好鬧猛

Dragon and Lion dance excites audience.

“大船峨峨破空來，小船金鼓喧春雷”。踏白船是過去每逢農(nóng)歷三月十六蠶花娘娘生日，在三塔塘、蓮泗蕩一帶運河塘上都要舉行的水上競賽。

古時江浙滬一帶漁民自發(fā)的民俗祭祀活動，為的是紀(jì)念驅(qū)蝗神劉猛將。劉猛將究竟何許人也？劉猛將大名叫劉承忠。據(jù)民間傳說，元朝末年，江、浙一帶蝗蟲泛濫成災(zāi)，朝廷張榜招賢。當(dāng)時，官屬江淮指揮的將軍劉承忠揭皇榜自薦，經(jīng)批準(zhǔn)后率領(lǐng)軍隊星夜趕赴災(zāi)區(qū)，與百姓一起夜以繼日撲滅蝗蟲。據(jù)說，劉猛將拿一竹竿，竿上扎一被裙，跑到田里驅(qū)蝗，竿到哪里，蝗蟲即從哪里飛去。劉猛將日夜趕蝗，直到把蝗蟲全趕下海，喂了大魚小魚。最后，蝗蟲消滅了，立了大功的劉將軍本應(yīng)赴京領(lǐng)賞，但他看到百姓顆粒無收，生活無著，便又組織生產(chǎn)自救，帶領(lǐng)部下和百姓下湖捕魚捉蟹、摸蚌撈螺螄度荒，后因勞累過度，不幸溺死于蓮泗蕩中。他死后，百姓由感恩到崇敬，遂將他視為農(nóng)業(yè)豐收的保護神，后又成為漁民船民心目中的“水神”，尊稱為“劉王爺”，人們年年祭祀，以祈消蟲免災(zāi)、五谷豐登。

清明節(jié)、中秋節(jié)前后都是網(wǎng)船會集會的日子，各路船隊旗

綿延十里的網(wǎng)船排泊在蓮泗蕩畔。圖為泊船一角。

Boats moored along Liansidang Lake and rivers for five kilometers during a boat festi-val.

LIFESTYLES民俗大觀

網(wǎng)船會活動中，上演的越劇《劉猛將傳奇》廣受歡迎。

“Legend of General Liu”, a Yueju Opera play, is highly appreciated at the boat festival.

幡招展、鞭炮齊鳴，水上、岸上鑼鼓喧天、人聲鼎沸，持續(xù)時間短則三天、長則七天。各路漁民、船民、商人涌向蓮泗蕩北岸的劉王廟，舉行舞龍、扭秧歌、打腰鼓等趕廟活動。

這種習(xí)俗百余年來，代代相傳，綿延不絕，既保留了江南水鄉(xiāng)純樸的原生態(tài)文化風(fēng)貌，又展示了水鄉(xiāng)漁民、船民水信仰的獨特傳統(tǒng)文化和深厚的民俗內(nèi)涵。

“網(wǎng)船會”是國內(nèi)唯一的一處水上廟會，也是秀洲區(qū)的地方文化資源。2008年，蓮泗蕩網(wǎng)船會被列為浙江省“非遺”保護基地。2009年，網(wǎng)船會又積極申報國家級非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)保護項目。2010年，網(wǎng)船會被列入國家級非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)目錄。目前，網(wǎng)船會在江浙滬乃至全國打響了品牌，有較高的知名度和較大的影響力。

2011年網(wǎng)船會推出的《劉猛將傳奇》首演儀式、水鄉(xiāng)踏白船表演賽、中國江南網(wǎng)船會民俗風(fēng)情攝影大賽獲獎作品展及江南網(wǎng)船會民間社團“船民祭祀活動”等活動，將水鄉(xiāng)水上廟會、“非遺”保護基地的獨特民俗文化演繹得惟妙惟肖。

“活魚要在水中看，遺產(chǎn)要在用中傳”，作為國內(nèi)唯一的一處水上廟會的江南網(wǎng)船會，其開發(fā)模式采取的也是“流淌

龍舟競渡蓮泗蕩

Dragon boats race across Liansidang Lake.

著”的活態(tài)保護開發(fā)模式，香客、民間藝人是“表演者”，游客是觀看者與參與者。近年來，王江涇鎮(zhèn)先后投入1000多萬元，建造了劉公塔、九曲廊橋，擴建了停車場，遷建了娘舅廟，新建了祭祀前殿，同時在蓮泗蕩風(fēng)景區(qū)建起了江南水鄉(xiāng)首個漁俗文化博物館。蓮泗蕩景區(qū)也被列入國家A A級風(fēng)景區(qū)，并建設(shè)了相關(guān)旅游景點。

肅穆面容下，展露的是“風(fēng)調(diào)雨順、農(nóng)漁豐收”的質(zhì)樸愿景；踢腿頓足間，流動的是祖輩相傳的民俗舞蹈的古樸韻味；笑語飛落處，綻放的是對幸福明天的美好期許，網(wǎng)船會上這一個個鮮活而個性化的具體影像背后，正是一幅綿延百年的江南水鄉(xiāng)純樸的原生態(tài)文化長卷。

《王江涇鎮(zhèn)旅游發(fā)展總體規(guī)劃》指出：“特色鄉(xiāng)村之‘特，只能來自鮮明的鄉(xiāng)村形象和個性化旅游品牌形成的旅游吸引力，從而構(gòu)筑起區(qū)別其他鄉(xiāng)村的旅游形象。這一‘特，指的就是王江涇鎮(zhèn)的江南網(wǎng)船會。 ”

王江涇鎮(zhèn)黨委書記陳天榮說：“我們將以科學(xué)發(fā)展觀為統(tǒng)領(lǐng)，以規(guī)劃為藍圖，以網(wǎng)船會為重點，深入發(fā)掘歷史文化內(nèi)涵，保持民俗文化的本色本味，以此推進王江涇鎮(zhèn)文化旅游事

業(yè)的進一步繁榮、發(fā)展。 ”

魚米之鄉(xiāng)的嘉興擇水而居、舟楫渡生。嘉興人的生產(chǎn)活動離不開船，嘉興人的出行離不開船，也由此形成了許多以船為主要內(nèi)容的民風(fēng)民俗，網(wǎng)船會也就是嘉興水鄉(xiāng)文化的活化石。

“不僅要治理好王江涇的水，而且要整合全鎮(zhèn)相關(guān)旅游資源，積極規(guī)劃江南水鄉(xiāng)漁俗文化一日游，推出龍船賽、垂釣節(jié)等一些極具水鄉(xiāng)漁俗文化特色的旅游休閑活動。 ”王江涇鎮(zhèn)鎮(zhèn)長李陳源表示要這樣做好“水文章”。

在商貿(mào)重鎮(zhèn)的基礎(chǔ)上，打造“長三角地區(qū)生態(tài)濕地度假休閑旅游之地”，是王江涇未來的發(fā)展方向。以江南網(wǎng)船會為載體，推進水鄉(xiāng)民俗旅游，是王江涇鎮(zhèn)黨委、政府建設(shè)“旅游新鎮(zhèn)”的一大戰(zhàn)略。近幾年網(wǎng)船會的成功舉辦，必將進一步深化王江涇運河文化的挖掘整理，促進全鎮(zhèn)文化旅游業(yè)發(fā)展，為江南濕地新城建設(shè)增添色彩?！?/p>

江南網(wǎng)船會上的文藝演出。An entertaining show at the boat festival

Inscribed in 2010 as a national cultural heritage, the boat festival in Wangjiangjing is a big regional event. Wangjiangjing is a rural town in Jiaxing, a central city in northern Zhejiang Province.

The boat gathering started in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and resumed in 2009 under the sponsorship of Xiuzhou District Govern-ment. Over the past three years, the event has attracted the partici-pation of 83 non-governmental organizations and tens of thousands of local residents. Preparations for this years boat event on March 21 are now underway.

The gathering point for the boat festival is Lord Liu Temple situ-ated near Minzhu Village. The village faces the 3.2-km2 Liansidang Lake on three sides and is connected with the outside world through rivers. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is about 2 kilometers away in the west. Liansidang Lake is part of the ancient Taihu Lake, the largest freshwater lake in this part of the country. Through the dense river network, boats and barges from the lake can reach Shanghai and other big cities in the region.

People come all over from near and far by boat to pay homage to Lord Liu, a general of the Ming Dynasty. Liu was a general who helped combating a locust disaster in the region. After the locust plague was put out, the general stayed behind to help residents re-start their life. The hero was deified by local residents and the tem-ple was built in his honor.

The last official boat festival was held on April 11, 2011. On

the day, hundreds of fishing boats gathered on Liansidang Lake

and tens of thousands of fishermen, villagers, and businesspeople

came together. The boats were all adorned with banners; gongs and

drums could be heard everywhere. Chickens, fish, and pigs were brought in for a sacrifice ceremony at the temple. Various memorial

rituals were held on the boats. Some rituals required bundling boats together and building a large make-do platform. Folk organizations staged their dragon dances and waist-drum shows at the temple.

Though the boat festival is now an annual event, people actually come by boat to pay homage to Lord Liu and meet each other three times a year as they did in the past.

The other two occasions are around Qingming Festival in early April and Moon Festival in September or October. People come in by all kinds of boats: barges, fishing boats, pilgrims boats, cargo ships, ferry boats, auto-boats. These boats can extend for five kil-ometers and a gathering lasts 4 to 5 days. In addition to a series of traditional festivities, the gathering also provides local residents with an opportunity to meet each other, for many who know each other but are engaged in different jobs, this is a good time to meet each other.

Liansidang Lake is now a national AA scenic zone, created to conserve local ecology and promote tourism. In the zone is a mu-seum that displays the fishermen lifestyle. The 400-m2 museum has a collection of more than 100 exhibits, all being traditional fishing devices and house utensils. These exhibits were donated by local residents over a period of six months.

The boat festival is the only temple fair held on water in China. It was inscribed on the provincial list of intangible cultural heritage in 2008 and recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2010. To boost tourism, Wangjiangjing Town has invested more than 10 million to develop a series of scenic spots around the lake area.

The hardware development has paved the way for more tour-ism programs to come along. At the 2011 festival, “The Legend of General Liu,” a Yueju Opera play, was premiered. Also staged at the festival were a boat performance, a photo competition, and boatpeo-ples memorial rituals.

The faith in Lord Liu in Wangjiangjing has survived. The folk

religion flourished during the dynasties of the Ming and the Qing

(1644-1911) and spread to many other regions.□