如水西塘印日月

徐雪娟

西塘有一百二十二条弄堂，即使是最幽深的弄堂，它的一头总是通向筑有石河埠的河港。

谁也说不清那是多少年前的事了，一条名叫乌泾塘的河，另一条名叫六斜塘的大河，斜直流到这里汇合了。于是，在这江南水乡，有了一个小镇，有了一个美丽的名字：斜塘。

有人说，两千多年前，吴国大将伍子胥带兵来到这里，开凿市河，河名就叫胥塘，镇也叫胥塘。

也有人说，因为西北面的几条河都汇集到南北贯穿的市河胥塘里，故镇名为西塘。

从胥塘、斜塘到西塘，穿越了历朝历代，百年千年的时光，都因为水而得名。西塘的水，莫非就是孕育西塘的文化之源？

一

在西塘，宽不足一丈的街道上，时时可见遮阳挡雨、古趣横生的廊棚，廊棚的一侧，是清粼粼的河水。西塘有122条弄堂，即使是最幽深的弄堂，它的一头总是通向筑有石河埠的河港。

西塘，水网交织，河流纵横，有9条河在镇区交汇，把镇区划分成8个板块，而众多的桥梁又把古镇连成一体。家家户户，青瓦白墙，木栅花窗，门前是街，门后是河，河埠头就建在自家后门口，清粼粼的河水血脉般滋润着西塘。沿河望去，一个个石砌的河埠缩进凸出，高低宽窄错落有致，就像一架架钢琴，在河的两侧次第排开，弹奏出一河清音。

摇一条小船，莫问去处，任木橹吱呀作响，荡漾在西塘的市河里。抬头看，那圆圆的是桥洞，那斑驳的是山墙，那原色的木格小窗，垂挂着青青的藤蔓。低头看，小河里映着的是桥和两岸民宅的倒影，倒影又被多情的水揉得影影绰绰。

那河边的石驳岸里，每隔三五丈，镶嵌着揽船石，有的雕成如意，有的凿成怪兽，有的像朝天的牛鼻，有的似腾跃的鲤鱼……这些维系着西塘人家命运的揽船石，是水乡人在祈祷吉祥如意。

舟船，一代代在西塘市河里摇过;岁月，一年年在西塘市河里流去。

西塘的美食是水养的。

传说晋代那位张翰先生，他从洛阳弃官归来，回到魂牵梦绕的家园，悠闲地享受着菰菜、莼羹、鲈鱼脍。在一个欲雨未雨、烟雨迷蒙的傍晚，他坐着一条小渔船，来到西塘，看到潺潺碧水间，一条条晚归的渔舟，船头上挂两条印有龙凤图样的红布条，船尾上挂一只竹篓般的鸭笼子，养一两只鸭子，这叫“压（鸭）后”或“压（鸭）尾”，象征渔民后代香火不断。张翰先生在西塘住下，日日与鱼鹰作伴，餐餐莼菜鲈鱼。而今，那鲈鱼与竹笋做的汤，成了西塘的一道名菜。

西塘的水，养的鱼鲜，做的酒醇，产的菱嫩，沏的茶香。

每天清晨，当晨光熹微，河面上的氤氲之气，尚未褪去，西塘就在河水的浅唱低吟中醒了。

有人挑着水豆腐担子，挑着馄饨担，从幽深狭窄的长弄里走出来，走在西塘的石板街上;有人拔开自家的排门板，在长廊下摆出热气腾腾的糕点团子，清明时节是青团子、立夏时节是塌饼、过年时是烧卖……

喝一碗用西塘水做的，放着葱花、开洋、榨菜的豆腐花吧，又鲜又嫩的豆腐花是西塘人价廉物美的早点。

“笃笃笃，卖糖粥”，那声声竹梆打击声从石板小街的深处传来，仿佛刺激你的食欲，你的回忆。香喷喷、甜津津的红糖扁豆桂花粥只要喝一碗，让你不想西塘，也要想西塘。

鲜美的鸡肉馄饨、甜糯的酒酿、香糯的麻团都是西塘人精美的点心。

西塘，最有特色的糕点，要数八珍糕。那是根据明代陈实宗《外科正宗》的处方，用西塘水培养的优质糯米和山楂、茯苓、芡实、薏苡仁、白扁豆、麦芽、山药八味研制而成的，名曰“八珍”，具有祛暑、消食、开胃、健脾等作用，老幼皆宜，每年小暑至立秋为供应季节。

西塘的风情也是水做的。

西塘镇上的老人们，清晨有上茶馆吃茶的习惯。小小的茶馆，有的门前靠街，门后是河;有的分楼上楼下。一张张八仙桌旁，围坐着几个几乎是天天见面的茶客，欣赏着茶博士那把长嘴的铜茶壶，一高一低连续三次，称为“凤凰三点头”式的洒茶，回报以手指在桌上叩击的谢意;欣赏着一枚枚茶叶，在水里冉冉绽放，飘溢出沁人心脾的清香。茶客们细细品味，慢慢交谈，今年的年景，市场的信息，东家西家的传闻，一壶茶装着西塘水，关系三百六十行。

二

西塘人在杜鹃花丛中度过一个又一个美好的黄昏。那幽深的小弄内，那石皮的天井里，那木格的花窗下，杜鹃花流光溢彩，树桩盆景古朴苍劲。提一把水壶，浇下那清澈的河水，西塘成了名闻遐迩的“杜鹃之乡”。

到了每年的“七巧节”，家家户户斋星星，舀一碗清清的西塘水，放几朵凤仙花。传说抹一抹凤仙花水，眼目就会清亮，前程就会光明。

西塘的历史底蕴也离不开水。

数百年前，一支运送军粮的船队路过西塘，由于久旱不雨，西塘的小河干涸，农田颗粒无收，饥饿的灾民围着粮船苦苦哀求，久久不散，希望能借粮救灾。一位金姓的运粮官被打动了，毅然决定让灾民把皇粮取去。灾民得救了，运粮官为了西塘百姓免遭追究的劫难，跳进了西塘的市河。

为了念着这位运粮的小官，西塘人在他遇难的河畔建了座庙，封他为“护国随粮王”。因为他排行第七，又叫七老爷，每年四月初三，当地人会举行庙会庆祝他的生日。

那一天，在爆竹声里，一支支自发组织的锣鼓队、舞龙队、莲湘队、荡湖船队、高跷队、江南丝竹队行进在全镇主要的街道上，表演着自己最喜爱的民俗技艺，连续三日三夜演戏酬神。

在庙会期间，还要举行“踏白船”或“摇快船”比赛。那个站在横出船外、接近水面的跳板外端把橹往外拉的人，身似悬空，十分惊险。船头上的划桨者坐在一袋砻（lóng）糠（稻谷经过砻磨脱下的壳）上，随着船头起伏，一上一下快速坐起，臀部撞出去“踏白踏白”的聲音，“踏白船”由此得名。

七月三十夜里的放水灯，是西塘镇人表达美好信仰的又一种习俗。

水灯很小，一只只由稻草编成的草鞋里，插着几支点燃的蜡烛，漂浮在西塘的市河里。在夜色的笼罩下，在河水的映衬下，点点闪闪，仿佛是银河的胜景降临西塘。夜深了，古镇静静的，成了一幅黑白水墨画，白灰的是河水，灰白的是墙，浅黑的是树，深黑的是瓦……远远近近浓浓淡淡深深浅浅，变幻无穷，只有那河水不知疲倦地在流淌。

西塘人的信仰，就在這碧波清流里。西塘人的愿望，就在这绿水细浪中。每一道西塘的水纹，都深深地叠印着漫长而幽深的岁月。

Xitang：Still Water Runs Deep

By Xu Xuejuan

Provenance of Xitang is a mystery. Some say that a long， long time ago， two waterways converged into one， creating a bustling town that came to be known as “Xietang”.

No historical documentation has been found to give the picturesque town an exact birth date. Some more speculative sources claim that Wu Zixu， a high minister of the state of Wu during the late Spring and Autumn period （770-476BC）， took his troops to present-day Xitang where he ordered a canal be built and named “Xutang”. The town where the river was originally sited took the same name.

Still other sources attribute the name “Xitang” to the fact that several rivers to the northwest of Xutang merged into one when they reached the waterway.

Whatever the explanation goes， Xitang was born from “water”， and “water” is the cultural soul of Xitang.

The fact that the alley maze of the “water town” is designed to make sure each of the 122 lanes leads to a quay adds to the mystery and overall appeal of Xitang. Here， nine rivers converge and divide the town into eight zones. The towns intricate layout also includes numerous bridges that have long been the pride and joy of locals who amble over ancient stone arches each and every day. The intricate carvings on the rocks used to fasten the boats are also a joy to behold.

Wherever you turn， you feel the soulful allure of water. It seems that all the local delicacies on offer at the low-slung shopfronts smell as sweet as the morning dews， although the locals busy themselves with daily tasks without realizing the company of the stoic and resolute waterways.

Nearing the end of one of the alleyways， the air is filled with lovely scents of brown sugar and osmanthus fragrance. For local customers and curious visitors alike， Xitangs signature “sweet porridge” is a must-have for a snack in any lazy afternoon. Ones culinary indulgence in the town must also include a taste of many other unique delicacies such as chicken wonton， home-brewed rice wine， “matuan” （fried glutinous rice balls”）， tofu pudding， and “” – the jewel in Xitangs cakes and pastries crown.

It is believed that “bazhengao”， literally “pastry made of eight treasures”， is a reinvention of a prescription written into a TCM masterpiece by Chen Shigong in the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）. The locals believe the combination of the eight Chinese medicinal materials used in the recipe is highly nutritious and effectively therapeutic when consumed in the right season of the year. It is also believed that this good-for-all supplement has magic power to counteract intestinal problems of children.

For the oldies in the town， a new day starts from the breakfast tea at one of those riverside teahouses where regular customers join the revelry of waiters filling the cups skillfully and choreographically and engage in chitchatting and gossiping. For them， the immense solace brought by the morning routines is the ultimate enjoyment of life.

The locals are also fascinated by flowers， and flowers thrive on water. Xitang enjoys the reputation as “the azalea town”. It is a long-time tradition of appreciating balsamina blossoms at the yearly Qiqiao Festival on the 7th of July on the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. It is believed that the extracts of the flowers can enhance the eyesight and promise a bright future.

Behind the yearly temple fair celebrated by the locals on the third day of April is a surprisingly forthright and bittersweet story of a Jin-surnamed grain transport supervisor who saved the starving Xitang people at the cost of his own. A temple was built where the man drowned himself. The temple fair， created by the locals to say thank you， includes various hilarious activities that run from sunrise to sunset for three days.

Behind the tradition of releasing lanterns onto the rivers on the night of the second last day of July is also a quirky backstory about Zhang Shicheng， one of the leaders of the peasants uprising in the late years of the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）. Straw sandals carrying brightly lit candles are released onto the towns main waterways， presenting a glittering nocturnal scene that cleanses the soul of everyone. The sound of running waters only adds to the overwhelming silence， in which the faith of all Xitang people is as charming as the towns historical beginnings. Some things never change， and there is comfort to be taken from that fact.