郧西上津古城千年“火龙”重出江湖
"Burning" Fire Dragon Lantern Resumes In Tranditional Festival Of Shangjin Twon
极目新闻记者 关前裕
Reporter: Guan Qianyu
通讯员 韩家成 孙中鑫 徐光意
Correspondents: Han Jiacheng, Sun Zhongxin, Xu Guangyi
翻译：王梽纯 许洲 卫拉 （湖北大学）
Translated by: Wang Zhichun, Xu Zhou, Lisa M. K (Hubei University)
郧西县上津镇有着1800年的历史，是我国仅有的四座保存完整的县级古城之一，也是“中国历史文化名城”。
Shangjin Town, Yunxi County enjoys the reputation of “Famous Chinese Historical and Cultural City” with a profound history of 1,800 years, and is also one of the only four well-preserved ancient county-level cities in China.
古城最著名的民俗，就是火龙灯会。每年的正月十二到正月十六，古城大街小巷耍火龙，祈求风调雨顺、祛除瘟疫。其庞大的龙灯队伍、精湛的制作工艺，粗犷的舞蹈风格和火红的灯会场面，深受当地民众喜爱，世代相传，至今已有上千年历史。上津火龙在鄂豫陕地区享有盛名，被列入湖北省省级非物质文化遗产目录。
The Fire Dragon Lantern Festival is the most famous traditional custom of Shangjin Town, which runs from the twelfth to the sixteenth of the first month in the Chinese lunar new year. Locals, at the festival, usually dance while flying a red-dragon-shaped lantern mid-air called the “fire dragon lantern” along each and every street to pray for a peaceful year and protection from plagues. Many are fascinated with the festival owing to its huge number of participants, excellently crafted lanterns, unique style of performance and lively atmosphere. The Fire Dragon Lantern Festival has a history of more than a thousand years and has gained prestige in Hubei, Henan, and Shaanxi. It has also been acknowledged as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage of Hubei Province.
近年来，由于疫情等原因，火龙灯会一度停办。
In recent years, the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival has been suspended due to the pandemic and other reasons.
今年，上津镇政府响应群众呼声，因势利导恢复火龙表演，千年“火龙”重出江湖。那火红的场面，不仅烘托了节日氛围，同时也体现了人与人之间相互团结的合作精神，增强了社会凝聚力。
This year, the local government in Shangjin decided to resume celebrations for the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival in response to the local residents' wishes. The fire dragon lantern was lit up again, its red light not only creating a festive atmosphere but also presenting a united spirit and strengthening social cohesion.
传承千年
Heritage from Thousands of Years Ago
上津火龙“重出江湖”
The Fire Dragon Lantern is Lit Up Again
2月2日晚6时，郧西县上津古城的火龙灯会“重出江湖”。
Celebrations for the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival of Shangjin Town, Yunxi County were reinstituted at 6 pm on February 2nd.
上津火龙会始自唐朝，一直延续至今。后来由于疫情等原因，一度停办。
The Fire Dragon Lantern Festival dates back to the Tang dynasty, but has been suspended in recent years for reasons including the pandemic.
上津镇也是湖北省唯一一个保存完好的县级古城。2007年，上津古城被国家评定为第三批“中国历史文化名城”。
Shangjin Town is the only well-preserved ancient city at county-level in Hubei Province. In 2007, it was listed in the third batch of “Famous Chinese Historical and Cultural Cities”.
火龙灯会上人山人海 Crowds at the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival
古城最著名的民俗，就是火龙灯会。古城人对今年的火龙灯会特别期待。
The most famous custom in Shangjin Town is the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival, which local residents were particularly looking forward to this year.
2日的上津古城有些阴冷，上午还在下雪。下午5时，古城墙上早已人头攒动，一个个脑袋从城墙垛口处伸出来东张西望。成群结队的人陆续朝水秀广场赶来。
It was cold and snowy that morning. At 5 pm, large crowds stood along the ancient city walls, looking around in anticipation for the coming festival. Meanwhile, flocks of people were arriving from the Shuixiu Square.
他们都想抢个好角度看看十年不见的“火龙”。
Everyone was trying to find the best spot to enjoy the fire dragon performance, which has been “in hiding” for ten years.
夜幕降临，在街道深处走来一条“火龙”，30多米长，烛光摇曳，摇头摆尾。街道上锣鼓喧天，鞭炮齐鸣，欢呼雀跃。黑压压的人群簇拥着“火龙”往前挤。古城顿时喧嚣、沸腾起来。
When night fell, a “fire dragon” of over 30 meters wagged its head and tail and appeared in the depth of the street decorated with flaming candles. Gongs and drums playing, firecrackers booming, people cheering, and flocks of people moving forward with the fire dragon lantern, this was the scene in Shangjin city.
耍龙人头绑红巾，腰缠红带，手举龙灯，雄赳赳地往前赶。“火龙”所到之处，人群迅速分开，让出一条通道。“火龙”刚过，人群又瞬间合拢。
Performers who waved the dragon lantern were dressed up in red headscarves and red belts. They held the lantern up high, and moved forward valiantly. People on both sides would quickly make way for the lantern when it came and stand close to each other immediately after it left.
水秀广场上摆着两张方桌，方桌上放上猪头、鱼、全鸡、香纸、红烛等祭品，装满小麦大米的升子里插着红香。德高望重的老者点起香蜡、燃起香表、炸响爆竹。用一只白公鸡的鸡冠血兑好三碗酒一齐摆上，最后用粗毛笔蘸上鸡血酒为火龙点睛，以祈求来年风调雨顺、祛除瘟疫、国泰民安。
There were two square tables in the Shuixiu Square, on which offerings such as pig's head, fish, chicken, incense papers, red candles and so on were placed. Shengzi (a Chinese traditional container for grains) was filled with rice and wheat, in which red incenses were stuck. Highly respected seniors in the whole town would then carry out customary rituals, including lighting the candles and incense papers and setting off firecrackers. Afterwards, three bowls of liquor which were mixed with blood from the crown of a white rooster were placed on the table. Finally, using a thick brush dipped in the liquor, the fire dragon lantern had eyes painted on it before entreating for nationwide peace, prosperity, and no plagues in the coming new year.
开光仪式结束后，庞大的龙灯队伍沿着古城墙，由南门进，穿过老街，从北门出，再到每一条街巷舞动……家家户户点香烧表放炮，迎接龙灯的到来。
After this initial ritual ceremony, the huge team in charge of transporting the dragon lantern firstly went through the ancient street along the old city walls from the south gate to the north, and then through the other streets. At that time, every family would burn incense papers and set off firecrackers to celebrate the coming of the dragon lantern.
火龙喜“烧”
Fire Dragon Lantern Favors “Burning”
寓意生活红红火火
“Burning” Symbolizes a Thriving Life
龙灯刚过，两只由鼓钹开道、铜铃引路的狮子飞奔而来。它比龙灯少了几分神秘与威严，多了一份强悍与勇猛。
Just after the dragon lantern passed, two lions led by cymbals and copper bells rushed in. They were slightly less mysterious and majestic than the dragon lantern, but stronger and fiercer.
烟花爆竹放得正燃，凡是龙灯、狮子所到之处，街道两旁烟花和爆竹一齐上阵，大烟柳如金蛇吐信、巨蟒吐雾，亮花子则银光闪烁、火树银花，火龙在扭动翻滚、狮子在奔腾跳动，街道成了一片灯火的世界、欢乐的海洋。
Fireworks were set in a fashion almost resembling a burning fire. Wherever the dragon lantern and lions went, fireworks on both sides of the street would go off non-stop. Billows of smoke looked like snakes spitting letters and pythons spitting fog, bright fireworks like shining silver. Fire dragons were twisting and rolling, and lions galloping and beating, turning the streets into a world of lights and an ocean of joy.
玩灯时，凡整体龙灯不能到达的偏僻村院，两盏排灯要挨家上门道喜，表示整体龙灯队伍到来，决不能漏家掉户。
When the dragon lantern team performed in the villages, they wouldn't leave out even the most remote and faraway places. Instead, the two row lanterns would go door to door to say their blessings, to represent the whole dragon lantern team had arrived, and that they would not miss any household.
“上津”一词最早见于《水经注》，源自北魏太和年间地理学家郦道元之“丰乡水西南合关衬水而南入上津”。上津古城，也被称为“天子渡口”。“上”乃天子，“津”为渡口。上津历史上曾14次建县、6次设郡、2次设州。尽管被历代政权争夺征战，但其历史上水运要道的地位从未动摇。
The term “Shangjin” was first coined in the Notes on the Classic of Water, written by the Northern Wei Dynasty geographer Li Daoyuan. The ancient city of Shangjin was also known as the “Tenko Ferry”. The character “Shang” means the Son of Heaven, and “Jin” means the ferry port. In the history of Shangjin, Shangjin ancient city had been set as a county 20 times and as prefecture twice. Despite being contested and conquered by successive regimes, its status as a major waterway in history has never wavered.
古时候，陕西商洛、山阳、镇安等地的商家带着骡马队，武昌、汉口、襄阳、郧阳、白河等地的商家提前用商船运来外地商品，纷纷云集上津，使上津灯会变成了鄂、豫、陕三省的贸易盛会。上津灯会，使古城贸易经济伴随着火龙灯会的起源而发展，在上津文明发展史上写下浓墨重彩的一笔。
In ancient times, merchants from Shangluo, Shanyang, Zhen'an and other places with mule and horse teams, and merchants from Wuchang, Hankou, Xiangyang, Yunyang, Baihe and other places with merchant ships and goods from other places, all gathered in Shangjin, making the Shangjin Lantern Festival a trade event of Hubei, Henan and Shaanxi provinces. The Shangjin Lantern Festival, helped the ancient city's trade economy develop along with the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival, which was a key deciding factor in the history of the development of Shangjin's civilization.
今年70岁的李锡兵一直从事文化宣传工作，长期搜集、整理、研究火龙文化，对“火龙”的来历如数家珍。他说：“其实，火龙本名并不叫火龙，而是叫水龙。”
Li Xibing, a 70-year-old man, has been engaged in publicizing the local culture. With many years of researching and compiling information on the fire dragon culture, he now has a clear understanding of the origin of the name “fire dragon”. He said: “Actually, the original name of the fire dragon was not fire dragon, but water dragon.”
李锡兵告诉极目新闻记者，因为上津城位于金钱河畔，历史上一直是水码头。之所以叫水龙，是因为当时十年九旱，民众祈求东海龙王施恩布雨，就以“水龙会”的仪式进行纪念。只是“水龙”耍起来，烛火摇曳，一团红火，再加上烟花爆竹燃放，更是火红一片，于是人们就直观形象地叫它“火龙”。人们都希望日子过得红红火火。因此就口口相传，约定俗成火龙灯会。
Li Xibing told Jimu News that, located on the bank of the Qian River, Shangjin city has historically been a water wharf. The reason why it was called the water dragon is at that time, there had been a drought in the past ten years, and the people prayed to the East Sea Dragon King for rain, so they commemorated it with the ceremony of the “Water Dragon Festival”. However, when the “water dragon” passed through the streets, the candle flames would flicker, like a red flame, so people vividly called it “fire dragon”. Additionally, everyone wants to have a prosperous life, therefore, the “fire dragon” tradition was passed down and later became the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival.
上津的灯会讲究的是一个“烧”字，烧得越红，年成越好，象征着红红火火。各种烟花对着舞龙人的脊--龙者跳。在烟花的夹攻之下，舞龙者不断跳跃翻腾，牵动着整个龙身运动，美其名曰“火烧发”。
The Lantern Festival in Shangjin has the main theme of “burning”. The redder the flame is, the more prosperous the new year will be. Various fireworks burn against the back of the dragon dancers, who keep jumping and somersaulting, thus pulling the entire dragon body movement forward. This ritual is called “fire burning hair”.
一脉相传
It is in Our Veins
火龙制作有讲究
The Fire Dragon Made with Great Craftsmanship
上津火龙的制作颇有讲究。一般耗时一两个月。正月十二出灯，十三、十四、十五晚上是真正玩灯的时间，也是灯会最精彩、最热闹的时候，元宵节之夜为最盛，正月十六是禅灯的日子。在金钱河畔绕转三圈，龙灯被堆到一起，付之一炬，金钱河畔火光冲天。
The production of the Fire Dragon is quite exquisite. It usually takes a month or two. The production of dragon lantern is completed on the twelfth day of the first lunar month. The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth nights are the prime time for the celebrations, and it is also the most exciting and lively time of the lantern festival. The night of the Lantern Festival is the most lively night, and the sixteenth day of the first month is the day of burning lanterns. Circling around the bank of the Jinqian River three times, the dragon lanterns are piled together and burned, and the fire on the banks of the Jinqian River burst into the sky.
火龙制作人一般都是篾匠。龙骨用篾编，龙身皮纸糊，龙灯得用羊油蜡，这样才能保证火龙的原汁原味。
Fire dragon makers are generally carpenters. The keel is woven with bamboo strips, the dragon body is pasted with paper, and the dragon lamp must be made of mutton fat wax, so as to ensure the vivid look of the fire dragon.
上津火龙 The Fire Dragon lantern of Shangjin Town
李锡兵告诉极目新闻记者，火龙一般为十二节，象征一年十二月。火龙一般长30多米，龙头高3米，共有56个配件，谐音“吾食禄”，表示物产丰实，获得幸福。闰年就是58个配件，谐音“吾实发”。无论是平年还是闰年，火龙的蜡烛总数均为118只，对应天上118位神仙。火龙队伍的长度是265米。“2”、“6”、“5”分别寓意为成双成对、六六大顺、五谷丰登。
Li Xibin said that the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival generally starts on the twelfth day of the first month of lunar year (“twelfth” symbolizes the twelve months of a year). The dragon is usually designed to be over 30 meters long and 3 meters high with 56 components; the number 56 in Chinese rhymes with “wu shi lu”, which is a wish for abundant produce, blessings and happiness. If it is a leap year, the dragon would have 58 components and the number 58 is pronounced similar to “wu shi fa”, meaning a wish to gain great wealth. Whether it is a common year or leap year, the fire dragon is always equipped with a total of 118 candles which represent 118 celestial beings. The length of the team pulling the dragon is 265 meters long (here 2 implies “in couples”, 6 means “good luck” and 5 symbolizes “great harvests”).
耍龙一般需要180人，分组轮番上阵。仅龙头就达80斤，需要4个青壮年轮流上阵舞动。
It usually takes 180 people working in groups one after another to perform the dragon dance. The dragon's head alone weighs 40 kilograms and requires four young adults to take turns dancing.
火龙开启名“请龙”，中途休息叫“歇龙”，火龙暂停称“卧龙”，火龙回家谓“禅龙”。
The commencement of the dragon dancing is named as “qing long”; taking breaks as “xie long”; pausing as “wo long”; and the dragon returning home as “chan long”.
上津火龙表演的“议程”主要有三项：第一项为请龙、点光、念祭词；第二项为玩灯、戏龙；第三项则为禅灯，就是将龙灯焚烧，将龙送走，火龙灯会结束。
The Shangjin fire dragon performance consists of three main processes: the first step is inviting the dragon, lighting the candles, reciting the ritual verses; the second is transporting the lanterns and dragon; the third one is “chan deng”, meaning burning the lanterns and biding farewell to the dragon, where the whole lantern show ends.
去年，火龙非遗传承人刘正文获评“十堰市优秀非遗代表性传承人”，他说，“老祖宗的东西不能丢，我作为非遗传承人，一定要把上津火龙延续下去。”
Last year, Liu Zhengwen, an inheritor of the Fire Dragon ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage), was awarded as the outstanding representative inheritor of ICH in Shiyan, Hubei province. He said that cultral artifacts left behind by predecessors can not be lost, and as an inheritor of ICH, he is determined to carry on the Shangjin Fire Dragon Festival.
抢救性保护
Rescue Efforts for Cultural Conservation
火龙传承生生不息
Continued Succession
“火龙会的老匠人正在老去，需要抢救性保护，否则就来不及了。”上津镇党委书记王才上告诉极目新闻记者，火龙灯会是上津镇的优秀传统文化，传承了一千多年，深受百姓喜爱。尽管受疫情等方面的影响，导致火龙会延续几年没有举办，但是，上津镇党委、政府始终站在为民服务的高度，倾听群众呼声，依然全力以赴推动火龙文化的传承和传播。
“The old generation of craftsmen of the Fire Dragon Club are aging, so urgent protection is needed to rescue this local culture.” said Wang Caishang, the secretary of the party committee. Having been inherited for over a thousand years, the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival is regarded as an excellent traditional culture and has won deep recognition among the local people. Due to restricting factorssuch as the pandemic, the festival has not been held for years. Nevertheless, the party committee of Shangjin town and the local government always view matters from the aspect of serving the people, listening to what the people need and doing their best to promote the inheritance and transmission of the Fire Dragon culture.
去年腊月，镇政府决定重启火龙表演，由政府引导指导，上津商会主导组织，群众自发参与，达成社会共识，把好事办好。“我们希望通过火龙灯会这个深入民心的民间艺术形式，传承发扬传统文化，鼓舞群众的精气神，凝聚发展创造的力量，推动经济社会全面发展。”
In the twelfth month of last year, the town government decided to resume the fire dragon performance, under the guidance of the government and hosted by the commerce chamber of Shangjin. Local people volunteered to participate in the activity with a consensus that they would do their best to ensure everything went well. “By holding such a celebration featuring popular folk art, we hope to pass on the traditional culture, raise the spirit of all, pool the strengths of innovation and boost the comprehensive, economic and social development of the city.” said Wang.
王才上告诉极目新闻记者，郧西县正在围绕“两区两圈三带”发展布局，将上津古城打造成“出秦入楚的休闲古驿站”、具有历史底蕴的“小长安”。2018年以来，上津镇启动特色小镇建设，包括明清老街、山陕馆修复及“上津道”民宿、天子渡口水体景观、“三桥两路”、集镇道路黑化等30余个项目。上津镇正在全力打造古城文化旅游产业。
He added that the Yunxi County is developing the Shangjin Ancient City into “an ancient courier station for leisure” and “a small-scale Chang'an city” with profound history. Since 2018, Shangjin has launched the construction of a themed town, including over 30 projects such as restoration of the Old Street of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the Shanshan Hall, building of Shangjindao homestays, water landscape of Tianzi ferry, “Three Bridges and Two Roads” and tar-road construction in Jizhen county. All these are the efforts by Shangjin to construct an ancient-city-themed, cultural and tourism industry.
极目新闻记者实地采访发现，观看火龙会的年轻人也不少。很多年轻人只是在很小的时候观看过火龙会，或者只是听长辈讲过火龙会的传说。计划看完火龙会就到深圳电子厂上班的青年魏雨彤告诉极目新闻记者：“尽管现在网络很发达，什么样的文化娱乐形式都能看到，但是作为家乡纯正地道的古城民间文化形式，对火龙会感觉还是很亲切，特别是更有年味了。”
The Jimu correspondent found there was also a swarm of young people watching the performance, most of whom experienced it in their childhood or had heard legends about the festival told by their elders. Wei Yutong, a young man who planned to watch the entire ceremony before returning to work in an electronics factory in Shenzhen, told reporters, “Now with the internet, we can watch any cultural and entertainment programs. But the Fire Dragon Lantern Festival, as a folk culture of my hometown, that is pure and native, it makes me feel warm and nostalgic. And particularly, it adds to the atmosphere of the Spring Festival.”
文化除了其形式本身熏陶情操以外，还是与从小生长其间的文化体验有直接关系。上津人火龙文化的背后是他们难以言表的乡土、乡亲、乡情。
Culture, besides its role in educating and nourishing one's spirit, is also directly relevant to people's life experiences. Hidden behind the Shangjin culture is the people's indescribable love, bond and nostalgia towards their homelands.