原文
刘三妹
新兴女子有刘三妹者，相传为始造歌之人，生唐中宗年间，年十二，淹通经史，善为歌。千里内闻歌名而来者，或一日，或二三日，卒不能詶和而去。三妹解音律，游戏得道，尝往来两粤溪峒间，诸蛮种类最繁，所过之处，咸解其言语。遇某种人，即依某种声音作歌，与之倡和，某种人奉之为式。尝与白鹤乡一少年登山而歌，粤民及傜、僮诸种人围而观之，男女数十百层，咸以为仙，七日夜歌声不绝，俱化为石，土人因祀之于阳春锦石岩。岩高三十丈许，林木丛蔚，老樟千章蔽其半，岩口有石磴，苔花绣蚀若鸟迹书。一石状如曲几，可容卧一人，黑润有光，三妹之遗迹也。月夕辄闻笙鹤之音，岁丰熟，则彷佛有人登岩顶而歌。三妹今称歌仙，凡作歌者，毋论齐民与狼、傜、僮人、山子等类，歌成，必先供一本祝者藏之，求歌者就而录焉，不得携出，渐积遂至数箧，兵后，今荡然矣。
白话
中文
广东新兴县（今属云浮市）有一位名叫刘三妹的女子，相传她是最初创作民歌的人。她生活在唐中宗（李显）时期，十二岁时就已经精通经书史籍，并且擅长唱歌。方圆千里内听到她的歌名而来挑战对歌的人，有的一天，有的两三天，最终都因为无法应对唱和而离去。
刘三妹精通音律，（通过歌唱艺术或自由不羁的生活方式）达到了某种超凡的境界（“游戏得道”）。她曾经往来于两广地区的山间溪谷和少数民族聚居地（溪峒），那里的各个民族部落种类繁多。她所到之处，都能懂得当地的语言。遇到哪个民族的人，就能模仿那个民族的语音声调来创作歌曲，与他们互相唱和，那个民族的人都把她的歌当作典范。
她曾经和白鹤乡（地名）的一位少年登山唱歌，当地的汉族百姓以及瑶族、壮族（僮）等各族人层层围观，男女老少有数十百层之多，都认为他们是神仙下凡。他们连续唱了七天七夜，歌声不断，最后（据说）都化作了石头。当地人因此在阳春县（今属阳江市）的锦石岩祭祀她。锦石岩高约三十丈，林木茂密，上千棵古老的樟树遮蔽了半个山岩。岩口有石台阶，上面布满的苔藓斑点如同鸟兽足迹般的古代文字。岩中有一块石头形状像弯曲的几案，可以容纳一个人躺卧，颜色乌黑润泽有光，据说是刘三妹留下的遗迹。
每逢月夜，那里常常能听到仙鹤鸣叫和笙乐般的声音；年成丰收的时候，就仿佛有人登上岩顶在唱歌。刘三妹如今被称为“歌仙”。凡是创作民歌的人，无论是汉族百姓（齐民）还是狼、瑶、壮（僮）、山子（可能指特定瑶族支系或其他山地民族）等各民族，歌曲创作完成后，都必须先供奉一份给专门的祀者（或保管歌本的人）收藏起来。想要学习或传抄歌曲的人，只能到那里去抄录，不能带走原稿。这样逐渐积累下来，歌本多达好几箱。可惜经历战乱之后，如今这些歌本都已散失殆尽了。
英文
In Xinxing county (now part of Yunfu city), Guangdong, there was a woman named Liu Sanmei, who is traditionally believed to be the originator of folk songs. She lived during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty (Li Xian, r. 684, 705-710). At the age of twelve, she was already well-versed in the classics and history and excelled at singing. People from within a thousand li (a Chinese unit of distance) who heard of her fame came to challenge her in song duels. Some stayed for a day, others for two or three days, but ultimately, they all left, unable to respond to her singing.
Liu Sanmei understood musical temperament and rhythm. She is said to have "attained the Dao through playful means" (yóuxì dédào), possibly meaning she achieved a transcendent state through her art or a free-spirited lifestyle. She used to travel among the mountain valleys and minority settlements (xīdòng) of the Liangguang region (Guangdong and Guangxi), where various ethnic groups ("Man" tribes) were numerous. Wherever she went, she could understand the local languages. When she encountered people of a certain group, she would compose songs imitating their specific sounds and tones, singing back and forth with them. That group would then regard her songs as the standard or model.
Once, she sang on a mountain with a young man from Baihe township (White Crane Village). Local Han Chinese (Yue min) and people from various groups like the Yao and Zhuang (Tong) gathered around to watch, forming dozens or hundreds of layers of men and women. They all considered them immortals. They sang continuously for seven days and nights, and their voices never ceased. Finally, it is said, they both turned into stone. Because of this, the local people established a shrine for her at Jinshi Yan (Brocade Stone Cliff) in Yangchun county (now part of Yangjiang city). The cliff is about thirty zhang (approx. 100 meters) high, covered in dense forests, with a thousand ancient camphor trees obscuring half of it. At the mouth of the cliff cave, there are stone steps, where moss patterns resemble ancient bird-track script. Inside, a stone shaped like a curved couch, large enough for one person to lie on, is black, smooth, and shiny – said to be a relic left by Liu Sanmei.
On moonlit nights, sounds like cranes calling and sheng (reed pipe) music are often heard there. In years of abundant harvest, it seems as if someone ascends the cliff top to sing. Liu Sanmei is now called the "Gēxiān" (Song Immortal). Anyone who composed songs, regardless of whether they were registered Han commoners (qímín) or belonged to groups like the Lang, Yao, Zhuang (Tong), or Shanzi (possibly another Yao branch or mountain group), had to first offer a copy to be kept by a designated ritualist or custodian of songs (zhùzhě). Those who wished to learn or copy the songs had to go there to transcribe them and were not allowed to take the original away. Over time, these accumulated to fill several chests. Unfortunately, after periods of warfare, these collections are now completely lost.
文化解读/分析
刘三妹的故事是岭南地区，特别是粤西一带极具代表性的民间传说，蕴含着丰富的文化和民俗价值：
- 歌仙崇拜与地方歌谣文化：刘三妹被尊为“始造歌之人”和“歌仙”，体现了岭南地区悠久而发达的民歌传统及其在民众生活中的重要地位。将歌谣的源头拟人化、神化，赋予其超凡的智慧（淹通经史）、无与伦比的歌唱天赋（千里闻名，无人能敌）和跨越族群的沟通能力，反映了人们对歌谣创作和演唱才能的高度崇拜。
- 民族融合与文化交流的象征：传说中刘三妹能通晓“诸蛮”语言，并“依某种声音作歌，与之倡和”，使各民族“奉之为式”。这生动地描绘了历史上岭南地区多民族杂居、文化相互影响渗透的景象。刘三妹作为一位能够跨越语言和族群界限、用歌声沟通交流的人物，成为了民族和谐共处与文化融合的象征。她与各族民众一同登山唱歌的场面，更是一幅理想化的民族联欢图景。
- 从人到神的演变与民间信仰：刘三妹的传说经历了从凡人（新兴女子）到超凡之人（游戏得道、咸以为仙）再到地方神祇（化石、立祀、显灵）的演变过程。锦石岩成为祭祀她的圣地，并伴有“月夕闻笙鹤”、“丰年闻歌声”等祥瑞感应现象，这符合中国民间信仰中将有特殊才能或功绩的人物神化为地方保护神的普遍模式。这种信仰为地方社区提供了精神寄托和文化认同的载体。
- 口头传统的记录与失落：条目中记载了“歌成，必先供一本祝者藏之”的习俗，这反映了在印刷术不普及或不适用于记录特定歌谣（可能涉及特殊记谱或方言）的时代，民间社会内部存在着一套自发的、通过特定保管人（祝者）来保存和传承口头文学（歌谣）的机制。然而，“兵后，今荡然矣”的结局，也揭示了这种依赖特定载体和保管人的传承方式的脆弱性，以及战乱对地方文化遗产造成的巨大破坏，令人扼腕。
- 岭南地方认同的文化符号：刘三妹的故事（及其变体，如广西的刘三姐传说）已成为岭南文化的一个重要符号，代表了当地民众的智慧、艺术才华和对歌唱的热爱。屈大均将其收录于《广东新语》，进一步确立了其在广东地方文化叙事中的地位，成为后世了解和研究岭南民俗、歌谣文化和民间信仰的重要资料。
关键词
广东新语, 屈大均, 人语, 刘三妹, 新兴, 阳春, 锦石岩, 歌仙, 民歌, 歌谣, 始祖, 唐代, 唐中宗, 音律, 民族融合, 文化交流, 瑶族, 壮族, 僮人, 山子, 狼人, 民间信仰, 神仙传说, 化石传说, 祭祀, 口头传统, 歌本, 文化遗产, 岭南文化, 粤西