《虎丘記》是明代文學(xué)家袁宏道創(chuàng)作的作品。本文記述了中秋夜蘇州人游虎丘的盛況。最精彩的是有關(guān)唱歌的場(chǎng)面。從開始“唱者千百”到最后“壯士聽而下淚”,層層深入,情景交融,把讀者引入到一個(gè)若有所失,但更有所得、充滿了藝術(shù)美的境界里。
袁宏道 《虎丘記》
虎丘去城可七八里,其山無高巖邃壑,獨(dú)以近城,故簫鼓樓船,無日無之。凡月之夜,花之晨,雪之夕,游人往來,紛錯(cuò)如織,而中秋為尤勝。
每至是日,傾城闔戶,連臂而至。衣冠士女,下迨蔀屋,莫不靚妝麗服,重茵累席,置酒交衢間。從千人石上至山門,櫛比如鱗,檀板丘積,樽罍云瀉,遠(yuǎn)而望之,如雁落平沙,霞鋪江上,雷輥電霍,無得而狀。
布席之初,唱者千百,聲若聚蚊,不可辨識(shí)。分曹部署,竟以歌喉相斗,雅俗既陳,妍媸自別。未幾而搖手頓足者,得數(shù)十人而已;已而明月浮空,石光如練,一切瓦釜,寂然停聲,屬而和者,才三四輩;一簫,一寸管,一人緩板而歌,竹肉相發(fā),清聲亮徹,聽者魂銷。比至夜深,月影橫斜,荇藻凌亂,則簫板亦不復(fù)用;一夫登場(chǎng),四座屏息,音若細(xì)發(fā),響徹云際,每度一字,幾盡一刻,飛鳥為之徘徊,壯士聽而下淚矣。
劍泉深不可測(cè),飛巖如削。千頃云得天池諸山作案,巒壑競(jìng)秀,最可觴客。但過午則日光射人,不堪久坐耳。文昌閣亦佳,晚樹尤可觀。而北為平遠(yuǎn)堂舊址,空曠無際,僅虞山一點(diǎn)在望。堂廢已久,余與江進(jìn)之謀所以復(fù)之,欲祠韋蘇州、白樂天諸公于其中;而病尋作,余既乞歸,恐進(jìn)之之興亦闌矣。山川興廢,信有時(shí)哉。
吏吳兩載,登虎丘者六。最后與江進(jìn)之、方子公同登,遲月生公石上。歌者聞令來,皆避匿去。余因謂進(jìn)之曰:“甚矣,烏紗之橫,皂隸之俗哉!他日去官,有不聽曲此石上者,如月!”今余幸得解官稱吳客矣?;⑶鹬?,不知尚識(shí)余言否耶?
Tiger Hillock
Yuan Hongdao
Tiger Hillock is about seven to eight li from the city. It has neither high cliffs nor deep gullies, but because it is near town, the music from pleasure-boats can be heard there every day. Moonlit nights, flowery mornings and snowy evenings attract endless streams of visitors to and fro, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
On that day, every family in the city flocks there. All, from officials, young scholars and young ladies, down to shanty-dwellers, are decked out and dressed in their best. They spread several layers of mats along the highway and sit there feasting and drinking in crowded ranks all the way from the Thousand Men Rock to the gate of the monastery, their musical clappers piled up in heaps, their wine vessels like floating clouds. From a distance it seems that a flock of wild geese has alighted on a sandbank or rosy clouds have overspread a great river. The uproar and flashing colours defy description.
When the feasting starts, thousands of people begin to sing, their voices as indistinguishable as the droning of swarms of mosquitoes. Then they divide into groups and arrange a singing contest. Their songs suit either refined or popular tastes and one can easily tell which are the best. Before long, only several dozens of singers are left, wagging their heads and beating time with their feet. When the bright moon sails up the sky and the rocks gleam like silk, the rustic songs stop abruptly and only a few people continue singing. Then a man beats a pair of clappers slowly and sings to the accompaniment of a flute and a piccolo. The clarion fluting and singing leave all listeners transported with joy. When the night is deep and slanting moonlight makes the flowers and trees cast chequered shadows on the water, the instruments are set aside and a solo is sung to which all present listen with bated breath. The singer's voice, fine as a thread, carries up to the skies, each word on a long-drawn-out note, inducing birds to hover above and moving heroes to tears.
Sword Spring is unfathomably deep, the cliffs soaring above it as if sliced by a sword. Cloud Garden is set off by the Heavenly Pool and other hills, where the cliffs and gullies rival each other in beauty; and this is the best place for a drinking party to enjoy the scenery. But after noon the sunlight is too strong for you to sit there for long.
Wenchang Pavilion is lovely too, its trees in the evening especially enchanting. To the north is the site of the old Pingyuan Hall, a vast open expanse with Yushan Mountain looming in the distance. The hall has long been derelict and Jiang Jinzhi and I had planned to have it repaired as a shrine for Wei Yingwu and Bai Juyi. But then I fell ill. Since I retired and returned home, perhaps Jinzhi has lost interest in this scheme. I believe that mountains and rivers have a time to flourish or to be left desolate.
I served as an official in Suzhou for two years and have climbed Tiger Hillock six times. The last time was with Jiang Jinzhi and Fang Zigong, and we enjoyed the moon on Monk Zhu Daosheng's Rock till la