葉向陽

中國香文化是華夏祖先在幾千年的生活實(shí)踐中逐步形成的，它是一個(gè)融哲學(xué)思想、文化、醫(yī)學(xué)、藥學(xué)、養(yǎng)生、美學(xué)、工藝制作等為一體的系統(tǒng)學(xué)說，許多天然的香具有很好的消炎、抗菌、催情、鎮(zhèn)咳、袪痰、補(bǔ)身作用。 “靜坐一爐香，萬事可思量”，這是中國古代文人對香的認(rèn)定，既確定了香的文化品位，又讓香文化在中國文人的心目中成為雅事，它對中國人文精神和哲學(xué)思想的形成及發(fā)展都有著重要的促進(jìn)作用?！对娊?jīng)》《尚書》《禮記》《周禮》《左傳》及《山海經(jīng)》等典籍都有很多關(guān)于香的記述。孟子說：“香為性性之所欲，不可得而長壽?！毕阄幕侥纤伟l(fā)展達(dá)到鼎盛，香文化融入日常生活。

南宋（1127-1279年）是北宋滅亡后宋室南渡在江南建立的政權(quán)。南宋軍事實(shí)力較為軟弱，但卻是中國歷史上封建經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)達(dá)、古代科技發(fā)展、對外貿(mào)易對外開放程度較高的一個(gè)時(shí)期，杭州城從“東南名郡”發(fā)展成“全國最大的城市”。《夢粱錄》是南宋吳自牧所著的筆記，是一本介紹南宋都城城市風(fēng)貌的著作?！秹袅讳洝酚涊d：“燒香點(diǎn)茶，掛畫插花，四般閑事，不宜累家”，點(diǎn)出了南宋文人雅致生活的“四藝”。此四藝者，將日常生活提升至藝術(shù)境界。伴隨著燒香點(diǎn)茶，掛畫插花，杭州逐漸形成了南宋風(fēng)雅灑脫的生活方式和深邃雋永的生活美學(xué)。這些對后世產(chǎn)生了深遠(yuǎn)的影響，也融進(jìn)了杭州的市井生活。

南宋時(shí)期雖然內(nèi)憂外患，但南宋朝廷還是延續(xù)北宋體制，設(shè)立香藥局，屬四司六局之一，掌筵席上備辦各種香具、醒酒湯菜等。灌圃耐得翁 《都城紀(jì)勝 · 四司六局》記載：“香藥局，專掌藥楪、香毬、火箱、香餅。聽候索喚諸般奇香及醒酒湯藥之類?！蹦纤蔚南阄幕M(jìn)入鼎盛時(shí)期。南宋設(shè)立了市舶司，負(fù)責(zé)海上對外貿(mào)易，并設(shè)置了各種貿(mào)易點(diǎn)。與南宋有外貿(mào)關(guān)系的國家和地區(qū)更是增至60個(gè)以上，海上貿(mào)易范圍從南洋、西洋直至波斯灣、地中海和東非海岸。貿(mào)易港口多達(dá)二十多個(gè)，主要有廣州港、泉州港、明州港（今寧波），當(dāng)時(shí)泉州是最大的海上貿(mào)易集散地。朝廷還在貿(mào)易港口增設(shè)市舶司，加強(qiáng)海外貿(mào)易的管理和規(guī)范，并在市舶司所在的港口，增設(shè)專供外國商人居住的“番坊”和用于番貨交易的“番市”。進(jìn)口商品中香料是市舶司收入中最大的外宗物品之一，也是當(dāng)時(shí)朝廷重要的稅賦來源。宋紹興二十五年，從占城運(yùn)進(jìn)泉州的商品中就有沈香（古代沉香寫作沈香）等七種香料，達(dá)六萬三千三百三十四斤，海外輸入香料數(shù)量之大令人咋舌。 北宋初年香料收入為全國歲入的3.1%，到南宋建炎四年（1130年）達(dá)到6.8%，紹興初達(dá)到13%，紹興二十九年（1159年）僅乳香一項(xiàng)就達(dá)到24%，幾乎占到全國歲入的四分之一。據(jù)《建炎以來朝野雜記》載，僅南宋紹興三十二年（1162年），泉州和廣州兩地市舶司的稅收就達(dá)兩百萬緡（一千文為一緡）。發(fā)達(dá)的海外貿(mào)易是南宋的重要財(cái)政收入來源，對政權(quán)的穩(wěn)定和發(fā)展有重大作用，另一方面也加強(qiáng)了中外文化的交流，豐富了人民的物質(zhì)生活，促進(jìn)各國經(jīng)濟(jì)、文化的發(fā)展，開辟了古代中國東西方交流的新紀(jì)元。

南宋城市繁華便利，民物康阜。宋人注重衣冠打扮，講究生活品位。飲酒品茶，焚香插花，琴棋書畫，自在悠閑。此時(shí)香文化完全融入了人們的日常生活。不單各種宗教儀式要焚香，日常生活中人們也大量使用香料，并將調(diào)香（調(diào)配天然香料）、薰香、評香、斗香發(fā)展成為高雅的藝術(shù)。普通百姓日常生活中，居室廳堂里有熏香，在各式宴會慶典場合也要焚香助興，而且還有專人負(fù)責(zé)焚香的事務(wù)。不僅有熏燒的香，還有各式各樣精美的香囊香袋可以掛佩，在制作點(diǎn)心、茶湯、墨錠等物品時(shí)也會調(diào)入香料。集市上有專門供香的香道店鋪，人們不僅可以買香，還可以請人上門制香。在市集酒館喝酒，也會有“香婆”把點(diǎn)著的香爐放在客官的酒桌上。南宋周密《武林舊事》記載：杭州的酒樓“各分小閣十余，酒器悉用銀，以競?cè)A侈?！坝欣蠇炓孕t炷香為供者，謂之香婆。”富貴之家的婦人出行時(shí)，常有丫鬟持香薰球陪伴左右;文人雅士則多設(shè)香齋，不僅用香品香，還親手制香，并呼朋喚友，一同鑒賞品評香。

文人讀書宴慶時(shí)要焚香，閑居時(shí)也有燒香的習(xí)慣，這叫“燕居焚香”。許多南宋詩人都寫到燕居焚香的生活趣味。如楊萬里的《二月十三日謁西廟早起》：“起來洗面更焚香，粥罷東窗未肯光?！标懹蔚摹冻跸摹罚骸按灿衅褕F(tuán)坐負(fù)墻，室無童子自燒香?！蹦纤沃嫾荫R遠(yuǎn)有一幅《竹澗焚香圖》，畫的正是文人雅士閑居獨(dú)處時(shí)焚香。

在宋朝女性的閨房中，香爐也是必不可少的日常用具。李清照是生活在南北宋時(shí)期的女詞人，她的好幾首詩詞寫了女性生活中的焚香場景：“藤床紙帳朝眠起，說不盡、無佳思。沈香斷續(xù)玉爐寒，伴我情懷如水?！薄氨§F濃云愁永晝，瑞腦銷金獸?！比鹉X，即香料;金獸，即香爐。她的詞，前期多寫其悠閑生活;后期多悲嘆身世，情調(diào)感傷憂愁。

香爐是古人用以薰香焚香的工具，后多用于為神佛燒香。到了南宋，焚香和祭祀的習(xí)俗更甚，用香爐焚香也是南宋的雅致之事。由于焚香的需要，各方面對香具的要求也日趨多元化。這些香爐比較小，以仿古式樣的小型香爐最具特色。筒式香爐又稱“奩式爐”，流行于南宋以后，其造型似漢代桶形樽，也被稱為“樽式爐”。此器形特殊，獨(dú)具三扁足。宋代燒瓷技術(shù)高超，瓷窯遍及各地。瓷爐雖然不能像銅爐那樣精雕細(xì)琢，但宋代瓷爐卻自成樸實(shí)簡潔的風(fēng)格，具有很高的美學(xué)價(jià)值。

到了南宋，龍泉窯異軍突起。此時(shí)由于熟練掌握了胎釉配方和多次上釉技術(shù)，釉色純正，釉層加厚，成功地?zé)闪朔矍嘤院兔纷忧嘤?，達(dá)到青釉史上的高峰。鎮(zhèn)江揚(yáng)中永鑫堂藏南宋龍泉窯梅子青釉鬲式香爐，該香爐胎灰白色，全器施梅子青釉，釉層豐厚，釉色濃翠瑩潤。此爐的形制是仿古代青銅器的樣式燒制，其外形簡練，線條曲直有致，腹部到足面呈現(xiàn)的“出筋”，既加強(qiáng)了器物的美感，逼真地摹仿了青銅器的構(gòu)造，又體現(xiàn)出梅子青釉之美。

南宋時(shí)先后設(shè)立了“修內(nèi)司窯”和“郊壇下窯”。杭州鳳凰山麓尚留有南宋官窯老虎洞窯址遺跡。該窯址出土的仿青銅器禮器造型的香爐，胎體黑，外表施青釉;釉面青淳、滋潤，色澤淡雅，通體開冰裂紋。香爐造型端莊古樸，雋永典雅，是南宋老虎洞官窯的典型器物。

滄海桑田，南宋香文化是歷史留給我們的一曲文化樂章。我們有必要研究挖掘南宋香文化，發(fā)揚(yáng)其中積極健康的養(yǎng)性、怡情、防疫、袪病的功能，讓香文化重放光彩。

Song’s Charming Culture

— Exploring the Incense Culture of the Southern Song Dynasty

By? Ye Xiangyang

Incense culture was gradually formed in the thousands of years of Chinese people’s life as a systematic theory that integrates philosophy， culture， medicine， pharmacy， health preservation， aesthetics and craftsmanship. Many natural incense sticks have anti-inflammatory， antibacterial， aphrodisiac， antitussive， phlegm-expelling， as well as tonic effect. Ancient Chinese literati identified with incense intellectually， not only affirming the cultural status of incense， but also taking incense culture as an elegant thing in their minds， with an important role in promoting the formation and development of Chinese humanistic spirit and philosophical thoughts. There are many descriptions of incense in ancient Chinese classics， like Book of Songs， Book of Rites， Book of Mountains and Seas. Mencius （372-289 BC） also described incense as what one’s nature desired. Incense culture entered its heyday in the Southern Song dynasty （1127-1279）， when it was integrated into daily life.

The Southern Song dynasty was established in the southern part of China after the dynasty lost its northern territory. Its military strength was relatively weak， but it was a period in Chinese history when the feudal economy thrived， science and foreign trade flourished， and the degree of opening to the outside world was quite high. Hangzhou rose from a “noted city in Southeast China” to become the largest city in the country. In Mengliang Lu， or Dreaming Over a Bowl of Millet， a book published in the Southern Song introducing the urban style of Hangzhou， the capital city， “Burning incense and boiling tea， hanging pictures and arranging flowers” were the “four arts” of the elegant literati， which elevated everyday life to the realm of art. Along with these， Hangzhou gradually formed an elegant and free lifestyle and aesthetics， with a profound impact on later generations， as it has been integrated into the life of Hangzhou citizens.

Although there were external troubles， the Southern Song continued the system of Incense and Pharmacy Bureaus as major administrative organs in charge of arranging banquets and providing various incense utensils， hangover soups and the like. The imperial court established the Maritime Trade Bureau and set up various trading posts. The number of countries and regions that traded with the Southern Song increased to more than 60， with trading routes ranging from the Southeast Asia， India to the Persian Gulf， the Mediterranean Sea and the coast of East Africa. There were more than 20 trading ports， including the Guangzhou Port， Quanzhou Port and Mingzhou Port （now Ningbo）， with Quanzhou as the largest gathering and distribution center for maritime trade then. The court also set up maritime trade supervisorates at the trading ports to strengthen its management and regulation of overseas trade， and in some ports， there were Fanfang （foreigners’ quarters） for foreign merchants and Fanshi （markets for foreigners） for foreign merchandise transactions. Spices as imports were one of the largest foreign items in the income of supervisorates， as well as an important source of taxation for the imperial court at that time. In 1155， among the commodities shipped from Champa Kingdom to Quanzhou， there were seven kinds of spices， which amounted to a staggering 63，334 catties. In the early Northern Song dynasty （960-1127）， revenue from spices accounted for 3.1 percent of the annual national total， and it reached 6.8 percent in 1130， 13 percent in the early 1130s， and in 1159 revenue from frankincense alone reached 24 percent， or almost a quarter of the country’s annual revenue. According to historical records， the tax revenue in 1162 from the supervisorates in Quanzhou and Guangzhou amounted to 2 billion cash. The developed overseas trade was an important source of fiscal revenue， playing a major role in the stability and development of the regime. A new era of East-West exchanges in ancient China began， enriching the local people and promoting the development of economy and culture in various countries.

The cities were prosperous and the people well-off. Song people emphasized their dress and the taste of life. Incense culture was completely integrated into people’s leisurely daily life along with wine and tea drinking， flower arranging， music， chess， calligraphy and painting. Not only was incense needed in various religious ceremonies， but people also used a lot of spices in daily life， and developed an elegant art of incense mixing， incense fumigation， incense evaluation and incense contests. In ordinary people’s everyday life， there was incense in their living rooms and halls， and incense was also burned in various banquet and celebration venues， with specially designated people responsible for incense burning. There were not only incense fumigating， but all kinds of exquisite sachets and pouches were hung， and spices were also added when making snacks， tea soup， ink sticks and other items. There were shops specializing in incense in the market. People could buy incense， but also invited professionals to make incense at home. In market taverns， an “incense lady” would place lit incense burners on the wine table of guests， as recounted in Wulin Jiushi， or Ancient Matters from the Wulin Garden. Wealthy ladies went out often accompanied by maids holding aromatherapy balls; scholars often set up incense studios， not only to savor incense， but also to make incense sticks by themselves， and they used to invite friends to appreciate incense together.

The literati burned incense sticks when reading and feasting， and had the habit of burning them when idle. Many contemporary poets， for example， Yang Wanli （1127-1206） and Lu You （1125-1210）， wrote about the taste of such life. Ma Yuan （1160-1225）， a famous painter then， painted Burning Incense by a Bamboo Stream， a picture of enjoying incense when elegant scholars lived alone. In the women’s boudoir of the Song dynasty （960-1279）， an incense burner was an essential daily utensil as well. Li Qingzhao （1084-1155） the poetess described this several times about her leisurely life in the early stage and her lamentable life experience in the later stage.

Incense burners were a tool used by the ancients to fumigate incense， but later mostly used in worshiping gods and Buddha. In the Southern Song dynasty， the custom of burning incense and offering sacrifices was practiced even more fiercely. Burning incense in an incense burner was also an elegant thing to do then. Thus requirements for incense utensils were increasingly diversified. These were small， especially in antique style. Popular after the Southern Song， this barrel-type vessel had a special shape with three flat feet. The technique of firing porcelain was superb， and porcelain kilns were spread all over the country. Although not as finely crafted as the copper furnace， the porcelain furnace was simple in style and high in aesthetic value.

Longquan Kiln emerged suddenly. Due to its fetal glaze formula and repeated glazing techniques， the glaze color was pure， and the glaze layer thickened. Hence the peak in the history of celadon， with its either pale or plum green glaze. The Longquan Kiln plum green celadon incense burner collected by Yongxintang in Yangzhong of Zhenjiang is in the form of an ancient bronze cooking tripod， with a gray and white body and covered with plum green glaze， and the rich glaze layer makes the glaze color thick and green. The shape of this utensil is concise with its straight and curving lines， and its “ribs” showing from the body to the feet not only strengthen the beauty of the utensil by imitating the structure of bronze ware realistically， but also reflect the beauty of plum green glaze.

The Southern Song court also set up the Xiuneisi Kiln and Jiaotanxia Kiln. At the foot of the Phoenix Mountain in Hangzhou， there are still the remains of the Southern Song Guan （or Official） Kiln. The incense burners unearthed from the kiln site in the shape of a bronze ritual vessel show a black body and green glaze; the glazed surface is green， sleek and elegant in color， with ice cracks all over. The shape of the incense burner is dignified and simple， as a typical artifact of the Official Kiln.

Although it has been nearly a thousand years since the Southern Song period， after the vicissitudes of life， its incense culture is an invaluable heritage left to us. We need to study and excavate it and carry forward its positive and healthy functions of character cultivation， happiness nurturing， epidemic and disease prevention， so that the incense culture can regain its brilliance.