鳳凰寺：探源古代“一帶一路”

丁山

杭州西湖大道北側(cè)，南宋御街之中山中路227號(hào)，繁盛的街市忽地出現(xiàn)一處規(guī)模頗巨的伊斯蘭清真寺院，一派濃郁的阿拉伯建筑風(fēng)格，莊重，優(yōu)雅，安謐。若遇開(kāi)放之時(shí)，你還可以循步其中，在寺內(nèi)各文物點(diǎn)參觀。它便是與廣州獅子寺、泉州麒麟寺、揚(yáng)州仙鶴寺并稱(chēng)、我國(guó)南方伊斯蘭教四大古寺的杭州鳳凰寺。毫不夸張地說(shuō)，如今得到各國(guó)響應(yīng)的中國(guó)“一帶一路”倡議，還能從鳳凰寺探尋出其淵源。

鳳凰寺又名禮拜寺、真教寺、回回堂，因當(dāng)年的整個(gè)建筑群布局形似鳳凰展翅，故于清道光十八年（1838）改稱(chēng)鳳凰寺。據(jù)史書(shū)記載，鳳凰寺規(guī)模鼎盛期，其占地面積較之現(xiàn)存大一倍以上。如今，倘若站在寺院北側(cè)跨越西湖大道的御街人行天橋上向南俯視，但見(jiàn)屋宇錯(cuò)落，樓塔相疊，檐角重重，不凡氣勢(shì)撲面而來(lái)。

作為一座設(shè)施完備的清真寺，鳳凰寺在結(jié)構(gòu)和功能上具備濃郁的阿拉伯建筑風(fēng)格，而在總體布局、建筑形制、建筑裝飾等方面，又明顯融合了中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)建筑藝術(shù)。

緣自中-西亞貿(mào)易和文化交流

宋元時(shí)期，杭州進(jìn)入了高速發(fā)展期。南宋時(shí)為國(guó)都，元時(shí)為江浙行省首府，人口達(dá)百萬(wàn)以上。中國(guó)陸上絲綢之路最主要的三大商品絲綢、瓷器、茶葉，均乃杭州一帶的傳統(tǒng)優(yōu)勢(shì)產(chǎn)品。隨著海上絲綢之路的開(kāi)辟，加之大運(yùn)河商品流通的功能得以顯現(xiàn)，杭州商品經(jīng)濟(jì)日益發(fā)達(dá)，使其逐漸成為中國(guó)東南沿海國(guó)際性大都市。

“羊壩頭”地名由“洋壩頭”訛化而來(lái)。漢時(shí)，此地為一片海涂，潮水時(shí)常滋擾。為免受海侵，這一帶筑起一條御海大壩，稱(chēng)為“洋壩”。隋唐以后海上貿(mào)易興盛，洋壩頭港成為重要的貨物進(jìn)出口集散地，來(lái)自中西亞、歐洲、非洲的絲綢、瓷器、茶葉、香料、珠寶商人在此云集，且以阿拉伯人、波斯人為數(shù)最多，他們中的不少人還在此定居。

貿(mào)易和文化交流的繁盛，使得開(kāi)辟宗教禮拜活動(dòng)場(chǎng)所成為一種必需，穆斯林清真寺院便在羊壩頭港（宋時(shí)又稱(chēng)文錦坊）附近出現(xiàn)。而關(guān)于此寺的始建年代，據(jù)清康熙九年（1670）《重修真教寺碑》記載：“寺創(chuàng)自唐，毀于季宋，元代辛巳年有大師阿老丁者，來(lái)自西域，息足于杭，瞻遺址而慨然捐金，為鼎新之舉，表以崇閎，繚以修廡，煥然盛矣?！狈治鍪妨峡芍P凰寺可能始建于唐貞觀年間，南宋嘉泰三年毀于戰(zhàn)亂，元延祐年間由“回回大師”阿老丁主持重建。

據(jù)載，明景泰年間該寺重修，使鳳凰寺形成建筑群。惜明崇禎年間遭遇火患，部分建筑毀壞。清順治五年（1648）、康熙九年（1670）、道光五年（1825），清廷數(shù)次出資修建鳳凰寺，規(guī)模達(dá)到現(xiàn)存的兩倍左右，使該寺成為當(dāng)時(shí)中國(guó)規(guī)模最巨的清真寺之一。顯然，各代擴(kuò)修鳳凰寺的目的，也與加強(qiáng)中-西亞貿(mào)易和文化交流有關(guān)。民國(guó)17年（1928），杭州辟建中心馬路（今中山中路），原五層塔式大門(mén)、照壁、長(zhǎng)廊及門(mén)前的一對(duì)石馬被拆除，寺院地盤(pán)隨之縮小。

新中國(guó)成立后，政府多次撥款修建鳳凰寺，1953年的那一次可謂工程浩大：整修了老大殿、復(fù)建了與老大殿相連的新大殿、修建了碑廊、綠化了庭院，使全寺占地面積達(dá)3300平方米，主要建筑格局形成且保存至今。2009年，五層木制望月樓重現(xiàn)門(mén)廳之上，更顯整體建筑格局的完整性。1961年，鳳凰寺被列為“浙江省重點(diǎn)文物保護(hù)單位”。2001年被列為“全國(guó)重點(diǎn)文物保護(hù)單位”。

珍貴碑石記錄真實(shí)歷史印痕

鳳凰寺內(nèi)北墻建有碑廊，內(nèi)存阿拉伯文、波斯文碑石24塊。1974年，鳳凰寺管委會(huì)在寺內(nèi)庭院左側(cè)專(zhuān)門(mén)修建了一間小屋，明永樂(lè)、弘治敕諭碑和清順治、康熙年間重修寺碑記等若干寺碑也集中收存于此。

鳳凰寺所藏的墓碑，石質(zhì)、刻紋均極為講究。相較于泉州麒麟寺等處所藏大部分墓碑，其墓碑尺寸相對(duì)較大，所載銘文內(nèi)容豐富，不單有墓主姓名、生卒年，《古蘭經(jīng)》經(jīng)文句子等，還鐫有墓主生平介紹、主要功績(jī)，乃至波斯語(yǔ)詩(shī)歌片段等。碑上既有波斯文，也有阿拉伯文。

國(guó)內(nèi)外學(xué)界對(duì)鳳凰寺所藏碑石銘文的釋讀，一直極為關(guān)注。早在1911年，聚景園石碑照片就刊載于英國(guó)報(bào)紙。1936年，回族史學(xué)家白壽彝先生在民國(guó)史地學(xué)術(shù)刊物《禹貢》第11期上發(fā)表文章，介紹民國(guó)以來(lái)從該公墓出土的古阿拉伯文、波斯文墓碑相關(guān)史料，并公布了兩通拓片。英國(guó)倫敦大學(xué)阿拉伯文碑銘釋讀專(zhuān)家亞歷山大·莫爾頓及弟子喬治·蘭天浪博士對(duì)此潛心研究，取得一批研究成果。2010年以來(lái)，杭州市啟動(dòng)這批古碑銘文的轉(zhuǎn)譯和釋讀研究，北京大學(xué)、中國(guó)人民大學(xué)、南開(kāi)大學(xué)、南京大學(xué)和浙江大學(xué)等高校和研究機(jī)構(gòu)的專(zhuān)家學(xué)者組成學(xué)術(shù)研究團(tuán)隊(duì)，投身其中。伊朗德黑蘭大學(xué)、英國(guó)倫敦大學(xué)、福建省社會(huì)科學(xué)院中國(guó)與海上絲綢之路研究中心等專(zhuān)家學(xué)者也積極參與。2015年，中華書(shū)局正式出版發(fā)行《杭州鳳凰寺藏阿拉伯文波斯文碑銘釋讀譯注》，是對(duì)這批碑銘的首次釋讀，有力地實(shí)證了杭州當(dāng)時(shí)的國(guó)際化發(fā)展水平和古代“一帶一路”重要起訖點(diǎn)的盛況。

杭州為何成為古代“一帶一路”起訖點(diǎn)？

史載，漢唐時(shí)期，杭州出產(chǎn)的絲綢即通過(guò)絲綢之路運(yùn)往西域各國(guó)。南宋年間，中國(guó)歷史上最早的外貿(mào)倉(cāng)儲(chǔ)就出現(xiàn)在臨安（杭州），元時(shí)，杭州和泉州之間設(shè)立過(guò)“海站”，專(zhuān)門(mén)用來(lái)轉(zhuǎn)運(yùn)舶貨貢品到大都（北京）。據(jù)阿拉伯文獻(xiàn)記載，在當(dāng)時(shí)的欽察汗國(guó)首都拔都薩萊（地處今俄羅斯伏爾加河流域）就能買(mǎi)到杭州的絲綢。

杭州之所以成為古代中國(guó)與西方“一帶一路”的重要起訖點(diǎn)，是因?yàn)樗鼡碛械锰飒?dú)厚的地理位置和交通條件。元朝都城大都與杭州有運(yùn)河相連，阿拉伯、波斯海商在印度西南部進(jìn)行貿(mào)易中轉(zhuǎn)后，下一個(gè)目的地往往是中國(guó)沿海地區(qū)。享有河運(yùn)、海運(yùn)、倉(cāng)儲(chǔ)之便，尤其是擁有豐富物產(chǎn)，且直達(dá)元朝大都的杭州顯然是商賈首選。在海上絲綢之路暢通的同時(shí)，陸上絲綢之路也常以杭州為始點(diǎn)。

鳳凰寺珍貴古碑銘文除了記載鳳凰寺沿革史，留存古代杭州回民風(fēng)俗等珍貴歷史記憶，更重要的是記錄了當(dāng)年杭州與絲綢之路沿線各國(guó)的貿(mào)易和文化交流。古碑銘文表明，所有墓碑均屬元代之物，碑主大多為擁有相當(dāng)社會(huì)地位的商人、官員和宗教人士等。在這些墓主人中，有波斯人、阿拉伯人、中亞人和突厥人。endprint

從墓碑所鐫墓主生平介紹中，還可得悉他們是怎樣來(lái)到杭州的，在杭期間主要從事何種職業(yè)，還能得知他們?cè)鵀楹贾菖c中亞及至西方的貿(mào)易和文化交流做出怎樣的貢獻(xiàn)。他們中的大多數(shù)經(jīng)陸路抵達(dá)杭州，部分經(jīng)海路抵達(dá)，有的還經(jīng)元大都來(lái)到這里。一位名叫阿老馬迪·德?tīng)栺R契的波斯人，來(lái)此主要從事傳教活動(dòng)，另有不少墓主生前則在販運(yùn)絲綢、瓷器、茶葉及細(xì)香料、藥材和寶石等物產(chǎn)的同時(shí)，還帶來(lái)了西域各個(gè)門(mén)類(lèi)的藝術(shù)，包括詩(shī)歌、繪畫(huà)、音樂(lè)、建筑等方面的文化精華。

中國(guó)與西亞乃至西方貿(mào)易和文化交流，肇始于漢唐時(shí)期，元代達(dá)到巔峰。如今中國(guó)所倡議之“一帶一路”愿景和行動(dòng)，倘若追溯歷史，可以說(shuō)那時(shí)已經(jīng)顯露端倪。作為杭州存世至今的重要?dú)v史建筑，鳳凰寺無(wú)疑是古代中國(guó)“一帶一路”的重要象征。多少年過(guò)去了，它依然深情訴說(shuō)著綿長(zhǎng)悠遠(yuǎn)的動(dòng)人故事。

The Phoenix Temple， a place of worship for followers of Islam in Hangzhou， is situated at 227 Central Zhongshan Road， to the north of West Lake Avenue. The architectural style oozes magnificence， serenity， grace. It is one of the four major ancient mosques in southeast Chinas coastal areas. The other three are the Lion Temple in Guangzhou， the Qilin Temple in Quanzhou and the Crane Temple in Yangzhou.

In history， the mosque in Hangzhou had other names in different times and to different people. It officially became Phoenix Temple in 1838 after a major restoration project. The name has remained unchanged since then， but the current complex is only half of what it was at its climax in the Qing Dynasty. The mosque functions as a place of worship for followers of Islam， but its layout and decoration features elements of Chinese architecture.

The mosque is situated at a place where business prospered in the Song （960-1279） and the Yuan （1279-1368）， a period when Hangzhou as a city boomed. In the Yuan， the citys population amounted to 1 million， largely thanks to the wealth accumulated through international trade of silk， porcelain and tea， all major products made in Hangzhou and neighboring regions. In very ancient times， part of Hangzhou was in the sea. In the Tang dynasty， international trade in Hangzhou flourished and traders from west and central Asia， Europe and Africa set up their communities in the city. The Arabians and the Persians gravitated. In the Yuan， the Muslin community had about 60，000 residents. A former royal garden of the Southern Song Dynasty， which had become ruins in the Yuan， was purchased by the Muslin community to serve as a cemetery.

Hangzhou had its mosque in the Tang Dynasty （618-916）. The mosque was destroyed several times in history. It was ravaged in war in the Southern Song Dynasty. After a reconstruction in the Ming （1368-1644）， the architecture took the shape of a phoenix. Then it came down in a fire toward the last years of the Ming. In 1648， 1670， and 1825， the Phoenix Temple experienced refurbishment and expansion three times， thanks to the funds from the national government. It became one of the major mosques in China.endprint

In 1928， the five-tiered tower-like gate， the screen wall behind the gate， a long corridor， and a pair of stone horses in front of the gate of the mosque were removed to make room for the main street， which is Central Zhongshan Road today.

Since the founding of the Peoples Republic in 1949， the government has funded several major restoration and refurbishment projects for the time-honored temple. The project in 1953 was gigantic. The old prayer hall was refurbished， and a new prayer hall was reconstructed to connect with the old one； a corridor of steles was built， and the whole complex was landscaped. After the restoration， the complex measured about 3，300 square meters. In 2009， the five-tier gate structure， which was removed in 1928， was restored to make the complex complete. In 1961， the mosque was listed as a key cultural relic unit under the provincial governments protection. In 2001， it was inscribed as a national cultural relic.

The steles now housed at the stele corridor add a special touch to the uniqueness of the mosque. In the collection are 24 tombstones in the Arabian and Persian languages， collected from the Muslin cemetery which disappeared in the citys ups and downs. Also in the collection are a number of steles in Chinese， two bearing the edicts of two emperors of the Ming Dynasty and the steles bearing accounts of the restoration projects in the Qing Dynasty.

The tombstones at the mosque are quite unique. Unlike the similar tombstones in the collection of Qilin Temple in Quanzhou， these tombstones in Hangzhou are larger and inscriptions are longer with more information about the dead. The rubbings of two tombstones from the Muslin cemetery in Hangzhou were published in a newspaper in UK in 1911. In 1936， Bai Shouyi， a scholar specialized in the history of Chinese muslins， published a general review on the tombstones unearthed from the former Muslin cemetery in Hangzhou. His study interested some scholars. In 2010， two UK scholars made public two research papers based on the review of Bai Shouyi at a forum in Hangzhou. In 2010， Hangzhou launched a research project on the 24 tombstones. A number of prestigious universities were engaged. The research results were put into a book and published in 2015 by Zhonghua Book Company. The papers give Chinese translations of the tombstone inscriptions and explain how these people came to Hangzhou and what they did in their lifetime. One of the conclusions is obvious： Hangzhou acted as the departure and destination city of Chinas Silk Routes both across the continents and on the seas in ancient times.endprint