千古兴衰独松关

陈富强

《水浒传》对杭宣古道独松关及古驿道上的独松岭有一段描述：“卢先锋自从去取独松关，那关两边，都是高山，只中间一条路。山上盖着关所，关边有一株大树，可高数十丈，望得诸处皆见。下面尽是丛丛杂杂松树——收入得董平、张清、周通三人尸骸，葬于关上。”

这段描写，涉及一场惨烈的独松关之战。说来话长，此处暂不展开，简单说，独松关守将是吴升、蒋印、卫亨。刚开始时南军连日下关交战，蒋印被林冲蛇矛刺伤，吴升不敢下关交战，只在关上守护。江南方腊国镇国大将军元帅厉天闰率领援军赶到后，南军再次出战，厉天祐和吕方交手，约斗五六十合后，吕方一戟刺死厉天祐，南军上关。卢俊义见山岭险峻，派李忠、周通、欧鹏、邓飞上山探路。厉天闰要给弟弟报仇，率军冲杀下关来。厉天闰杀死了绰号“小霸王”的周通。董平誓言报仇，他瞒着卢俊义，和张清徒步杀上关去，关上走下厉天闰、张韬来交战。厉天闰和董平交手，打了十个回合后，董平因为左手受伤使枪不应败下关来。厉天闰去追，张清一枪刺向厉天闰，厉天闰躲到松树后，张清的枪刺在树上拔不出来，也被厉天闰趁机刺杀。董平回身去救，结果被张韬在背后拦腰一刀砍死。

古道入口处所在的杭州余杭百丈镇半山村为周通立了一尊艺术雕塑，平面的，有些生锈的铁板上，是一个古代勇士的影像，影像边上，则是周通的简要介绍。这面雕塑在田园上一立，《水浒传》的故事就在这里活了起来。但凡经过之人，无不惊讶，如此偏远山村，居然还有这等壮烈之事。

事实上，《水浒传》中的独松关之战，只不过是多次战事中的一次。自唐至清，在独松关发生的战事不下十余次。且说同治三年，太平军晚期将领列王徐郎、佑王李远继，多次凭借独松关与清军激战。在距关五华里有一处地名“大白地”者，据说就是清军大败太平军的地方，“大白地”原名应是“大败地”。至今还常有人在河滩挖出锈烂的刀、矛、剑、戟等兵器。独松关雄踞在独松岭上，地形峻险。关旁原有一棵千年古松，故称“独松关”。明代诗人凌说《独松冬秀》诗云：“撞破关门山势开，树头云起唤龙来。擎天老干高千丈，傲雪贞标压众材。岁久根节坚作玉，风生岩壑响成雷。苍颜不改浑依旧，万古相期竹与梅。”

独松关旁的古松已不见，但独松关古驿道半山村入口处，却有一棵杉树直刺苍天，高约五六十米，主干笔直，没有横生枝节，只见树叶密集依附于主干，跟着向上生长。这棵杉树，具体年份不明，但看上去，也有三五百年之龄，被村民奉为“杉树王”，仿佛一个旗杆，立于杭宣古道入口处，远远望去，与天空融为一体，颇有些苍凉与孤独。村民在树下建了庙，虽然不大，但足以点上一炷香，搁得下风调雨顺，国泰民安。

半山村是余杭百丈镇的一个小山村，原住民不多，从前以竹业为生，后又植茶叶。小村两侧为崇山峻岭，多以竹林覆盖，远眺郁郁葱葱，无边的苍茫绿意。村民大多富庶，纷纷建起别墅。我家孩子幼儿园的老师小王，就出生在半山村。王老师家是村里较早建造别墅的，相比周边人家后建的别墅，显得稍许逊色，但在我看来，已经十分阔绰。王老师家难得保留了柴火大灶，炒出的菜肴特别香，王老师说，如果以铁锅煮饭，则有锅巴可吃，在饭快熟时，在锅中央置一只汤碗，可留得一碗饭汤。米汤下锅巴，是她们姐妹几个最爱的美食。

在王老师家吃了一顿柴火饱饭。餐桌上，除了鱼肉，蔬菜大多是自己种的，有南瓜、冬瓜、丝瓜、土豆、秋葵和辣椒等。王爸邀我喝一杯自己配制的白酒，我婉拒了。见我不喝，他自饮一杯，说，当年独松关上好汉，出征前，可都是要喝上一杯壮胆的。王爸说，门外的山楂熟了，想吃，尽管摘。那株山楂，我一来就看到了，一串一串红果挂枝头，沉甸甸的，十分好看。在山楂树旁，还有一株造型如金字塔的，满树都是成串小果子的枸骨，民间俗称老虎刺，叶子形似虎掌，带刺。树上的果子还青着，王爸说，再过一段时间，果子就全红了，会非常漂亮，显得喜庆。但我透过这些渐红的果子，仿佛隐隐看到，独松古驿道上，金戈铁马，连天的烽火。

饭后，冒细雨徒步去杭宣古道，杭宣古道也称独松古驿道，始建于唐。杭宣古道在《元和郡县图志》中有记载，是指杭州西北至宣州496公里。在余杭境内，自余杭镇向北行，经长乐、双溪、黄湖、百丈至独松关，长百余里，出境后经安吉至安徽宣城。出独松关后为山间小道，可直达南京。有野史载，北宋宰相王安石从南京到杭州，走的就是独松岭古道到釜托寺。釜托寺还在，就在半山村地盘上。另有一说，明朝朱元璋定都南京，也曾经过独松关翻越独松岭古驿道。

古道狭窄，多以大小不等的石块或鹅卵石铺成。余杭境内百余里古道，大多已损，寻不到踪迹，唯有半山村境内，尚存1500米左右，保存完好。过茅草覆盖的竹亭，进入古道，野草几乎盖住路面，古道两旁，野花朵朵，开得十分繁密，我粗略数了一下，总有十几个品种，在细雨中争奇斗艳。也有苍耳、紫苏、狼尾巴、茅草等，不由令我想起《送别》中的几句：长亭外，古道边，芳草碧连天。

行数百米，可见一座石桥架于溪上。这座小桥，有名曰寶昌，已越千年。桥的这头是余杭，桥的另一头则是安吉。再继续往前，则可至独松关。独松关与百丈幽岭关、铁岭关合称“独松三关”，是南宋京城临安北侧的主要屏障，从地理位置上来看，只要守住了独松关，也就挡住了杭州北来的兵患，因此，独松关是古时兵家必争之地。史上一战，可以证明独松关之险。清咸丰十年（1860），清军进攻太平天国天京（今江苏南京），太平天国将领李秀成由杭州借独松捷径，迅速北上，与各路太平军一起大破清军，遂解天京之围。

从杭州驾车去安吉往返，如果走省道，途中会经过幽岭隧道，隧道之上，即为幽岭关所在山岭。每次导航提示前方幽岭隧道，我都会产生一种莫名的恐慌感，下意识放慢车速，仿佛行至幽岭关，就可见古战场上鼓角争鸣、狼烟四起。

在安吉，从友人处讨得一本清光绪版《孝丰县志》，对独松关有简洁而清晰的描写：“独松关在独松岭上，自天目而北，重岗结涧，回环数百里，独松岭杰峙其中。岭路险狭，东南侧直走临安，西北则道安吉趋广德，为江浙境步骑争逐之交。”

我站在獨松关前，只见关墙悉数由大石砌成。据安吉的县志上说，关墙之上原有箭楼，关内有兵营6间。关墙长约60米，厚10米。关墙横跨湍急的独松涧，衔联左右两条高峻的山脉。沿山涧右侧是一条陡峭的羊肠小道，直通关门。关门如洞，深十米，高约三米，宽不足一米，只能容一人通过。洞顶中部开有两米长、一米宽的天窗。此天窗极有创意，平时可给关洞内透光，战时敌人进入关洞内，守兵可从头顶上袭击之，使敌人无处躲避，大有“一夫当关，万夫莫开”之势。

历经千年，独松关虽已无当年全貌，但雄关之势依然不减。关隘高踞独松岭上，依旧是关险道峻，崎岖难行，坡上则松竹繁茂，鸟鸣莺啼。而关下，是竹松参天，翳天蔽日，竹海汹涌，松涛阵阵，有凄神寒骨、惊心动魄之感。由于独松关地处安吉与余杭地界，安吉又素以竹子为主要经济作物，一入安吉境内，漫山遍野，都是望不断的竹林，风过去，竹林摇曳，似海洋一般的辽阔与澎湃。

王老师从小在半山村长大，对古驿道再熟悉不过，她带着我们一路穿行在古道上，关于每一幢建筑、每一棵树木、每一条溪流、每一朵野花，都能说出它们的故事。比如她指着村口的杉树说，这棵杉树是半山村的标志，等同于独松关的那棵松树，她每次回家远远地见到这棵杉树时，身体内装满的城市喧嚣，瞬间就能安静下来。她把这棵杉树看作灵魂的栖息地，无论走多远，它都会站在村口眺望着自己。

在王老师家门前，有一个池塘，半亩见方，池塘里的荷叶已渐渐枯萎，但依旧可想象夏天的繁华。王老师告诉我们，这里原本是废弃的水田，她父亲种了些荷花，一年一年生长，竟也有接天莲叶的模样。“美丽乡村”整治时，村里索性将池塘围了起来，塘边修了游步道，池塘的另一端，是一个面积不大的湖，分隔池塘与湖泊的，是一座亭子，穿过亭子，就可以上山，这里已成为村口一景。而我们正是从荷塘边的步道，走向独松古驿道的。

从前的车马都慢，从杭州去安徽宣城，得走好多天。而现在，蜿蜒的公路，将半山村与国道相连，这个藏在深山的小村落，曾经是杭宣古道的一个驿站，它见证过独松关的烽火，时隔千年，依旧成为古道的守护者，宁静，与世无争，一年一年，度它的山中日月。

在独松关口的驿站，立有一碑。细看，正面碑上，有一些文字，虽已被日月磨损得看不清楚了，但这是古驿道的重要物证，轻慢不得。村民也知道碑的重要，小心呵护，碑上建亭，既可让游人小憩，也可为碑挡风遮雨。我离开石碑，站在村口回头望，发现石碑与杉树恰好相对，它们把守山河古道，虽不语，却已沧海桑田。

Dusongguan Pass： Witness to History

By Chen Fuqiang

The entrance to the Hang-Xuan （Hangzhou-Xuancheng） Ancient Trail is located in the Banshan village， Baizhang township in Hangzhous Yuhang district. An art sculpture was erected on its side in memory of Zhou Tong， a warrior who died in a bloody battle depicted by Water Margin， one of Chinas “Four Great Classic Novels”. On this flat statue， an image of Zhou is shown on its somewhat rusted iron plate， with a brief introduction of Zhou next to the image. The very existence of the sculpture in the play brings the story from Water Margin to life. Everyone passing by is surprised that a magnificent historical story like this happened in such a remote mountain village.

In fact， the battle mentioned by Water Margin is only one of many： no fewer than a dozen battles took place at the Dusongguan Pass between the Tang dynasty （618-907） and the Qing dynasty （1616-1911）.

The ancient pine next to the Dusongguan Pass （“Dusong” literally means “solitary pine” and “guan” is the generic name for “pass”） is gone， but at the entrance of the Banshan village on the ancient post road leading to the Dusongguan Pass there is a fir sticking straight to the sky， about 50 to 60 meters tall. The fir only has straight branches and its leaves cling densely to the main trunk， growing upward. The exact age of this tree is unknown， but it seems that it is at least three to five hundred years old and is worshiped by the villagers as the “King of Fir”. Looked from afar， it stands tall like a flagpole at the entrance of the Hang-Xuan Ancient Trail， melting into the sky in desolation. The villagers have built a temple under the tree， not a big one but enough for them to light a stick of incense and wish for favorable weather， peace and prosperity.

The Banshan village is a small mountain village. The local inhabitants are small in number， living off the bamboo industry at first， then the tea industry. The village has sublime mountains on both sides， which are mostly covered with bamboo forests of boundless lush green. Most of the villagers are affluent， dwelling in self-built villas.

My childs kindergarten teacher， Miss Wang， was born in the village. Her family is among the earliest to build their own villa， which， compared to their neighbors later jobs， is a little humble. But in my opinion it is just as magnificent. Her family sill keeps in their house a rare firewood stove， with which they can make specially delicious stir-fried dishes. Miss Wang said that if the rice is cooked in an iron pot， there would be rice crust for them to eat， and also a bowl of rice soup — if you place a soup bowl in the center of the pot when the rice is almost cooked. Rice crust with rice soup is her and her sisters favorite.

We ate a hearty meal at Miss Wangs home， and most of the vegetables we had were grown by themselves， including pumpkins， winter melons， loofah， potatoes， okra and peppers.

After lunch， we hiked in the drizzle to the Hang-Xuan Ancient Trail， which is also known as the Dusong Ancient Post Road， which was first built in the Tang dynasty. Within Yuhang it goes northward through Changle， Shuangxi， Huanghu， Baizhang to the Dusongguan Pass， stretching for more than 100 li or 50 kilometers， and then goes out of Yuhang through Anji county in Huzhou city to Xuancheng in neighboring Anhui province. From the Dusongguan Pass onward， it is a mountain trail that leads directly to Nanjing.

The ancient path is narrow， largely paved with rocks or cobblestones of different sizes. The part of hundred-odd li in Yuhang is mostly damaged with no traces to be found， except for in the Banshan village， where a section about 1，500 meters remains intact. Going across the thatch-covered bamboo pavilion into the ancient path， you can find the surface is almost covered by weeds， with wild flowers blooming very densely on both sides.

Walking a few hundred meters further， you can see a stone bridge over the stream. This small bridge named Baochang has been there since over a thousand years ago. This end of the bridge is Yuhang， and the other end is Anji， which makes the bridge the boundary between the two places. If you walk on， you can reach the Dusongguan Pass， which， together with the Youlingguan Pass and the Tielingguan Pass， is called “the Three Passes at Dusong” — the main barrier on the north side of Linan （present-day Hangzhou）， the capital during the Southern Song dynasty （1127-1279）.

Driving from Hangzhou to Anji and back， if you take the provincial highway， you will pass through the Youling Tunnel， above which is the mountain range of the Youlingguan Pass. Every time the car navigation shows that the Yuling Tunnel is ahead， I will feel a sense of inexplicable panic and subconsciously slow the car down， as if at the Youlingguan Pass the scene of drumbeats， horns and beacon fire on the ancient battlefield were always there to be seen.

I stood in front of the Dusongguan Pass， and saw that the walls were all made of boulders. After a thousand years， the Dusongguan Pass no longer looks the same as in the past， but its majesty still remains. The pass is perched high on the Dusongling Range， a dangerous， rugged and difficult road to travel， and on the slope grow towering pines and bamboos accompanied by chirping birds. And under the pass， the sky is heavily shaded by pines and bamboos， giving a sense of chilling thrill. The Dusongguan Pass is located at the convergence of Anji and Yuhan， and Anji has bamboos as its main cash crop. Therefore， the moment you enter Anji， your view will be filled with bamboo forests widely across mountains， which tend to sway gently in the wind like a vast ocean.

In the past， carriages and horses were very slow， and it took many days to walk from Hangzhou to Xuancheng. Now， the winding highway connects the Banshan village with the national highway. This small village hidden deep in the mountains was once a post station of the ancient road of Hangzhou-Xuancheng. After a thousand years， it still is the guardian of the ancient road， quietly and peacefully spending its years in the mountains.

At the post station at Dusongguan Pass， there is a monument. If you look closely， you will find something written on it， almost indiscernible. But still， it is an important relic of the ancient road. Fully aware of this， villagers have taken good care of it： they built a pavilion to shelter the monument， both to allow visitors to take a rest there and to protect it from wind and rain.

Leaving the monument， I stood at the entrance of the village and looked back. The monument and the fir are exactly opposite to each other， guarding the ancient road silently against the changing of time.