东极诸岛:海洋精神的文化重塑
2021-10-21孙和军
孙和军
翻开修于300余年前的康熙版《定海县志》,关于定海东北悬海山有这样的记载:“外洋东北界有半洋、狮子、鼠浪湖、青帮、庙子湖、三星、霜子、福山、西福、黄星、环山等名。”这是关于东极諸岛的最早记录。民国版《定海县志》之《舆地志》记载:“自长涂以东诸岛号称中街山,海深浪激,无锚地,唯庙子湖西南岙可避风。庙子湖东为青浜山,为西福山。西福偏南为东福,又东为四姐妹岛,为两兄弟岛,更东尽国界上,故中街山为舟山东北外海之屏障,而掩护浙海之称险要者也。”
中街山列岛就是现在行政意义上的东极诸岛。人们曾一度以东极诸岛在大海中由东至西排列的位置,称之为头块、二块、三块……;外国海图上也曾一度将它们注以“东渔人”岛、“中渔人”岛、“西渔人”岛、“菲地由”岛……如同这些狭长的近百个岛礁点缀成的弧度一样,这群在海上和岛上来去飘忽、萍踪浪迹的追逐乌贼群的渔人,他们的祖先也来自由宁波、台州、温州以及闽东闽南诸城市组合成的东南沿海最具张力的生动弧带,一实一虚,一内一外,一张一弛。来自中原内陆的一代又一代移民,以及世代繁衍于此的古越民,为了躲避战乱或迫害,为了生存,他们只有冒险穿透第一度弧线,向大海突围,在蛮荒之岛上硬生生开辟出绽放生命之花的绿色家园,蘸着金色的阳光和蔚蓝的海水,那探海斗海的生命激情,那乐海玩海的豪迈灵魂,链接起人与大海和谐共存的第二度弧线,那是东极诸岛海洋背景下极具魅力的文化之弧,是东极诸岛海洋精神的文化重塑。
追逐不止 生生不息
英国格林尼治国家天文台测定,中国大陆居人岛新世纪第一道曙光照射点为东极东福山,日出时间是2001年1月1日6点42分。为日出而激动,千年来百看不厌,这应该是古越民祖先存留给我们的原始激情。
东福山的第一缕曙光,让我们在体验灵魂苏醒、心灵照应的同时,直抵远古时代的那份精神臆想——鸿蒙初开,懵懂而开始觉醒的先人为生命的无常和人生的意义苦苦探求,直至今天。凝望冉冉升起的旭日,心灵如浴光明与唯美,祈愿吉祥平安。漫漫长夜之中,一轮圆月当空,光彩重生。对太阳和月亮的礼赞几乎遍布地球各个时期各个角落的诗歌、音乐、建筑乃至生命。而东福山白顶山头那座白云庵的日月门联,显然更让我们回味悬海孤岛上那份迷人的神秘:日昍(xuān)晶 (huá)通天地,月朋 (liáo)朤(lǎng)定乾坤。日月光华,普照大地,这也许只是刚刚触摸东极的外人浅层次的理解。借助日月的升落而确定东西方位和昼夜之别,实质上是空间意识和时间意识在神话思维投射作用下的天然尺度:日月是时、空的创造者和管理者。《山海经》记载:帝俊之妻常羲生月十二,又以羲和的名义生十日,天地始生,羲和实为日神而兼月神,日月同为天地间光明之源。《系辞下》云:“日往则月来,月往则日来,日月相推而明生焉。”人类的生存状态需要附著于这种日月的运行规则,周而复始才能生生不息。耕海牧渔、漂乎风浪之中的东极人,无论从其生死难卜的自然生存环境,还是从其搏风斗浪的生产劳作方式,显然更推崇和需要母系文化中顽强的繁衍能力。作为古越民的后裔,这种推崇与典型的古越人崇拜龙蛇图腾的文化特质一脉相承。东福山的岛民至今还沿承着尊蛇崇蛇的习俗,白云庵供奉的就是传说中守护东福山的白蛇,人们尊她为白云娘娘。与陈财伯成为东极海洋精神中的父系图腾一样,白云娘娘也成为东极海洋精神中的母系图腾。
因此东极人对白云庵日月门联的解读赋予了更深层次的涵义,“一日二日三日四日通天地,一月二月三月四月定乾坤。”这种看似舍生僻就简易的读法,却诠释了东极人最内蕴最原生态的精神诉求:坚忍不拔,追逐不止,日月不灭,生生不息。所谓大道无形,大音希声。看似漂浮不定、虚无缥缈,却是生命的真实状态。生命的意义,既如生命初始时的纯洁与美丽,也有生命在成长过程中挟着泥沙追逐奔走的艰辛。追逐奔走的永恒目标就是达到“通天地,定乾坤”的理想境界。
追逐波浪,追逐鱼群,追逐生命,追逐日月,就是生生不息的夸父精神在东极诸岛海洋背景下的文化重塑!
大爱无疆 大善无痕
东极的开发历史源于200多年前一艘触礁沉没的渔船。夜色茫茫,海雾漫漫,唯一幸存的福建人陈财伯随波漂到了庙子湖岛。为了不使其他渔民重蹈覆辙,每逢雾天黑夜,好心的陈财伯就在山上堆柴点火,为过往船只导航,为渔民带来光明,直致力竭身亡。在附近海域打鱼的人们给他建了庙,塑了泥像供奉,并将他点火导航的这座山取名为“放火山”。每到逢年过节、春夏渔汛,当地和来自福建的渔民,就会带着丰盛的祭品,来到财伯公庙祭祀。
陈财伯以生命为代价,真实演绎了菩萨诞生的过程。“菩萨”就是梵语中的“菩提萨”,菩提即觉、智之意,萨即有情、众生之意。但凡立下宏愿,上求佛道、下化众生者都称之为菩萨。“青浜庙子湖,菩萨穿笼裤”,这个在东极诸岛妇孺皆知、代代相传的故事,被以歌谣的形式定格在了深厚无比的海洋文化的史籍之中。据王水所著《东钱湖渔俗调查断想》记载:“渔民风俗中的笼裤,据调查,分布带从无锡起直至闽粤……它是综合了女性布裥、男性竹裙的式样,为了适应船上生活而出现的……。”做工讲究、色彩鲜艳、又肥又大的笼裤,从大陆传到海岛,从渔民身上穿到了菩萨身上,奇异的传统风俗究竟还是将人性中的关爱融汇进了今天日益广泛的海洋精神层次之中。
东极的自由男神,东极的普罗米修斯,海港边这尊数十米高的男性塑像,高举着火把,陈财伯身上“大爱无边”的人性光辉,塑造成了东极诸岛的精神象征。
如果说陈财伯所弘扬的精神是属于其个体的,那么,同样发生在另一艘沉船“里斯本丸”号上的“东极大营救”则昭显了东极诸岛群体的人道主义。1942年10月2日,384名英俘是如此真实而深切地感受到了东极渔民的“大善无痕”。同弃船而逃的敌方惨无人道地持枪扫射逃出船舱落水的英俘相比,东极人“驾小舟冒死营救”的壮举何其让人仰望;同敌方上岛重新搜捕并抓走已被东极百姓供给衣食的英俘相比,东极人奋不顾身藏匿伊文斯等3人的义举,让东极这片海域永远荡漾着关于善良与慈悲的可歌可泣的动人情节。
一段曾被世人遗忘的历史,终于有了个清晰、公正的评判;东极渔民默默守护了65年的集体记忆,今天终于不再尘封。大海浩渺,无边无际,孕于海长于海播耕于海的东极人,塑造的是一颗颗比大海更廣阔的爱心、让生命更富含价值的善心。
执着传承 矢志不渝
传说盘古开天辟地,身体化为大地,骨骼化为金石。天有五星,地有五行,金木水火土,《宋杜绾云林石谱 · 序》云,天地至精之气结而为石。石负土而出,石为土精(“精”者,或为精灵,或为精华),凿石又能取火,所以,石又作为火的生源和依托,被视为宇宙生命力的象征。而东极诸岛,就是一块块浮在波涛上的大石群。钢青色的裸露巨岩,或如万马奔腾,或如蛟龙出海。包裹在岁月长河和天地沧桑之中一种绵绵不绝的内在力量,与那源自冰川世纪的浓缩自然界精髓、见证海洋变迁的文化咏叹,一同重塑了东极诸岛的海洋精神。
山蕴玉而石润,水怀珠而川媚。大自然慷慨赠予的东海碧玉,将山海形胜与山海之利结合得如此经典和雅致。在这种经典和雅致中,一切喧嚣将变得不可言喻。所以在青浜岛、黄兴岛,在庙子湖、东福山,聚居于此的岛民用最简单原始的手工,劈山凿石,就地取材,以方方正正的石块垒建起了气势恢弘的亦仙亦道的石居家园。很难想象,在机械设备几乎为零的日子里,他们就是凭着肩挑手扛,在哟嗬哟嗬的渔歌号子中,塑造并延续着海上石居的文化!坚硬的石头在他们的手上已经幻化成有生命、有生气的龙凤花鸟等各种图案花纹,厚重的古老石居文化在这里积淀、传承并创新,岁月把过去各式各样石居的浩瀚石刻,剥蚀得模糊不清,青苔绵绵。
天地未分之时,有位叫多阔霍的古老女神,住在石头里,孕育着光与热的宇宙能量。天母阿布卡赫赫吞下了石头和石头里的多阔霍,肢体被多阔霍的热火融化,眼睛变成了日月,头发变成了森林,汗水变成了江海。这个传说不是出自东极,但用来形容东极人恋土的精神根基却很适宜。在东福山,每一座坟墓边上必竖着一块刻着“土地”两字的短碑,这是怎样的一种恋土情结。即使托体山阿,也要化作一草一木、一石一土,也要与家乡山水与共。
尽管曾经人口成千的诸岛如今只剩下百余人或数十人坚守。因为拆迁、因为教育资源的整合等,东极的很多青壮年和小孩季节性地离开了美丽纯净的家园,一种生活方式或者一种生活态度或许会发生迁移,但是他们的精神根基还驻留着、眷恋着。而每年生产的季节他们还是要回到他们的石居,下下海,泡泡海水澡,经营他们的海产。法国哲学家巴舍拉尔《空间的诗》说:“房子庇护白日梦;房子保护做梦者;房子允许一个人平静地做梦。”层层叠叠的东福山枫树湾小渔村石居,曾是繁华与川流不息的代名词,如今,3个不减本色的叶姓老渔民就寸步不移地守候着全村数百幢镶嵌在蓝天碧海之间的青白色石居,收藏着他们所有如潮涨潮落、如炊烟袅袅的梦想。
代表着海与岛、牧海耕耘与梦想庇护的石居,成了东极海洋文化的精神根基。石居是一种固守,一种执着与传承,一种矢志不渝的情怀,同时它又是一种开放态度,东极人在走向外部世界的同时,也敞开胸怀,源源不断地迎纳一批又一批流连于此的游客。这永远都澄明清丽的石居,不染尘世的纷扰。将东极人的精神重塑超脱于方外:人类除了家园的海岸,还有精神的海岸!
同舟共济 负重超越
海洋文化的演化肇始于人类对海洋环境的改造和自我生存的需求。因此风雨同舟,和衷共济,成为东极人永远不变的精神基因。大海诡秘莫测,风险重重,东极人长期驾舟闯海,在于他们凝结成的坚强的群体精神。岛屿是他们抵御风浪的唯一自然屏障,同舟共济则是他们抵抗自然界一切恶象的精神屏障。
“船拔高,吭唷;饭靠烧,吭唷;众位老兄,竭把劳力;吭唷吭唷嚯。拔其阖只船,吭唷;人情做到底,吭唷;砻糠变白米,吭唷;送佛送西天,吭唷……”这首拔船号子,无数次震荡在风雨交加、狂浪排空的台风前夕。长长的队伍里,满是披着雨衣穿着雨靴或龙衣龙裤的汉子,从镇上的行政一把手,到年轻的渔夫、行贩,或把纤绳勒在肩膀上,拽在手心里,一步一步地前行;或把双手推放在船体上,铆足了平生最大的劲道,从滚滚而来的滔天大浪中拔船登岸。这是一种群体的感动!深深熔铸在东极人生命的灵魂里。我们也曾为伏尔加河上的纤夫感动,这两种感动叠加在一起,就汇成了一种穿透历史精神而播扬时代精神的文化震撼!与天斗与海斗,齐心协力,承担一切苦难与重负,这个时代需要纤夫精神的回归!东极人没有放弃,没有丢失他们与生俱来的阳刚!
“风的故乡、雨的温床、雾的王国、浪的摇篮”,恶劣的海洋环境也是培育开发海洋实践的试金石。“大海给了我们茫茫无定、浩浩无际和渺渺无限的观念;人类在大海的无限里感到他自己的无限的时候,他们就会被激起了勇气,要去超越那有限的一切。”黑格尔充满哲学理性的话语,让我们在尊重环境造化人的同时,也有足够的勇气去改造环境和超越自己的精神领域。透过陈列在庙子湖的船模馆,关于船的进化与东极岛民改造生存状态的历史长卷就这样静静地传递给了每一个探寻船文化和船精神的人;透过一张张述说海洋神话和海洋风情的渔民画,关于东极人风雨同舟、共建美好家园的世纪理想就这样悄悄地传递给了每一个不再浮躁、渴望文化本真的人!
由此,我们可以明白:为什么东极的渔民画家一批又一批地诞生?为什么他们的画可以承载着永恒的“生猛海鲜”的魅力,如同经得起大海的惊涛骇浪一样,经得起艺术品市场的风云突变?因为他们是一批海洋文化的忠实捍卫者,同舟共济,又甘愿负重前行、勇于超越!任何精神本质上的重塑,既是口号、箴言、象征等符号意义上的重塑,也是行为方式等文化内核上的重塑,更是最高价值及其主导下的价值观念体系的重塑。思索在东极诸岛发展过程中什么起了助推作用,文化一直以某种高雅的姿态左右着什么。重塑东极诸岛的海洋精神,离不开提炼、弘扬东极海洋文化的精髓,这是东极崛起之魂。
(本栏目由普陀区委宣传部提供支持)
Dongji Islands: The Cultural Reshaping of
the Soul of the Sea
By Sun Hejun
Opening the Kangxi (r. 1662-1722) edition of the Annals of Dinghai County, published some 300 years ago, you will find such an entry about the Xuanghai (literally “hanging sea”) Mountain in the northeast of Dinghai district, Zhoushan city, “Off the northeast of the sea, there are such names as Banyang, Shizi, Shulang Lake, Qingbang, Miaozi Lake, Sanxing, Shuangzi, Fushan, Xifu, Huangxing and Huanshan.” This is the earliest record of the Dongji Islands. According to Republic of China edition of the Annals of Dinghai County, “The islands east of Changtu township are known as Zhongjieshan Islands. The sea is deep and the waves fierce. There is no anchorage, and only a small piece of land southwest of the Miaozi Lake Island can serve as a shelter. East of the Miaozi Lake Island lie Qingbangshan Island and Xifushan Island. To the south of Xifushan Island is Dongfushan Island, to the east of which are another four ‘sister islands and two ‘brother islands, located on the eastern border. All in all, the Zhongjieshan Islands are the barriers of Zhoushan facing the sea in the northeast, and a strategic location.”
The Zhongjieshan Islands are in fact todays Dongji Islands, which have been called by various names in history and in different countries. Like these islands, the fishmen living on them have floated on the sea, chasing fish for a living. Coming from Ningbo, Taizhou, Wenzhou and cities in east and south Fujian, they emigrated from the interior lands, either to avoid war or persecution or simply to survive, and together with the native Yue people, they have reshaped the soul of the sea.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England determined that Dongfushan Island, one of the easternmost inhabited islets among the Dongji Islands, was the place where China met the first ray of sunlight. The precise sunrise time was 6:42 on January 1, 2001. The excitement that sunrise, which has been watched for thousands of years, brings is a primitive passion left to us by the ancestors of the ancient Yue people.
Throughout history, the worshipping of the sun and the moon has pervaded poetry, music, architecture and life in almost every corner of the earth. It is no surprise as human existence relies on the smooth running of the sun and the moon, to which is added the caprice of the sea when it comes to inhabitants on the Dongji Islands. That is also why the tenacious reproduction ability of a matriarchal culture had been more highly regarded. In fact, islanders on Dongfushan Island today still worship snakes, which is in line with the tradition of the ancient Yue people worshipping dragon and snake totems.
The settlement of the Dongji Islands began in earnest over 200 years ago, when a fishing boat ran aground on a reef and sank. In the misty sea amid the seemingly endless night, Chen Caibo, a Fujian native and the only survivor, drifted to Miaozi Lake Island. In order to warn other fishermen who may repeat the same mistake, on every foggy night, the kind-hearted Chen piled firewood on the mountain and lit a fire to guide the passing boats and bring light to the fishermen, until he died of exhaustion. Fishermen in nearby areas built a temple for him, and erected a giant statue to worship him. During festivals, and the spring and summer fishing seasons, local fishermen and those from Fujian province would bring abundant offerings to his temple.
To some extent, Chen Caibo, at the cost of his life, was a true reincarnation of bodhisattva, who made great sacrifices for humanity. Indeed, Chens statue, often regarded as the male version of the Statue of Liberty and Dongjis very own Prometheus, holding up high the torch, is the very embodiment of Chens determination to guide the fishermen and his humane love. It is the very spiritual symbol of the Dongji Islands.
If Chen Caibos spirit is kindness on an individual basis, then “Dongji Rescue”, the rescue efforts in the aftermath of the sinking of the ship Lisbon Maru, speaks of Dongji Islands humanitarianism on a collective basis. On October 2, 1942, when the ship carrying Japanese military personnel and British POWs (prisoners of wars) was torpedoed and sunk near the Dongji Islands, Japanese guards fired on the POWs who reached the deck and other Japanese ships used machine guns to fire at POWs who were in the water. Instead, Chinese fishermen nearby rushed to the scene and risked their lives to save the surviving POWs; a total of 384 POWs were saved. Later, Japanese army landed on the islands, searching for and recapturing those POWs, who had already been taken care of by the fishermen. Fortunately, three POWs had been hidden well by local islanders and transferred to safe areas afterwards.
Such bravery should have been made public long ago. But it wasnt until 2005, more than 60 years after the incident, when one of the survivors made a special trip to thank the local fishermen the that the details were revealed to the world. To the residents of the Dongji Islands, the act of saving the POWs is never something to “boast of”; kindheartedness has already been etched into their souls. Nowadays, only a few dozens to several hundred people stay on the islands once populated by thousands. Thanks to demolition of age-old houses, integration of educational resources and various other factors, most of the young and the middle-aged as well as children have left their beautiful homes, albeit seasonally. A way of life or an attitude towards life may be able to migrate together with their owners, but their spiritual foundation still remains on the islands and is attached to the place. Indeed, every year during the harvest season, these people still return to their stone dwellings, swimming and bathing in the sea, and selling their seafood. On the other hand, as they venture outside, they also open their hearts and welcome a steady stream of tourists here. Adventurous, open-minded and much attached to homes, these perhaps are the most valuable qualities of the Dongji people.