原文

三关

湟溪、阳山、洭口皆有秦关，名曰三关。清远、汇口亦有之。盖粤东要害，首在西北，故秦所置三关皆在连州之境，而赵佗分兵绝秦新道亦在焉。佗既绝新道，于仁化北一百三十里，即今城口筑城，以壮横浦。于乐昌西南二里，上抵泷口筑城，以壮湟溪。盖仁化接壤桂阳，乐昌接壤郴州，当时东岭未开，入粤者多由此二道。即使南安有守，而精骑间道从郴、桂直趋，可以径薄韶阳，横断南北，此佗设险之意也。或曰乐昌古城，任嚣之所筑。其在隔河二里之城，乃佗所筑，以夹武溪之水者。盖自宜章而下，三泷水最湍急，舟可两日至韶，二城夹扼泷口，则西北之要害据矣。自韶至英德，水路一日，故佗又筑万人城于浈水也。伏波出桂阳，下汇水为奇兵，即此道也。楼船出豫章，下横浦为正兵，其道直，无泷水之险，故先至。攻陷寻陕，伏波从衡岳而下，道远，亦以二城夹扼，费攻坚之力，故后期也。武帝平南粤，以曲江、浈阳、洭洭三县属桂阳郡，隶荆州，所以抉粤之门户，为犬牙参错，意深哉！

白话

中文

三个关隘

湟溪、阳山、洭口这三个地方都有秦朝设立的关隘，合称为“三关”。（另有说法认为）清远、汇口也有秦关。大概因为广东东部的战略要地，首要在于西北方向，所以秦朝所设置的三个关隘都在连州境内，而后来南越王赵佗派兵阻断秦朝开辟的新道也正是在这一带。赵佗阻断新道后，在仁化县北面一百三十里的地方，也就是今天的城口，修筑了城池，用以加强横浦关的防御。又在乐昌县西南二里处，上游靠近泷口的地方修筑城池，用以加强湟溪关的防御。这是因为仁化县与（湖南）桂阳郡接壤，乐昌县与（湖南）郴州接壤，当时东边的大庾岭通道尚未开辟，进入广东的人大多取道这两条路线。即使南安（大庾岭）有关隘防守，精锐骑兵也可以抄小路从郴州、桂阳直接南下，迅速逼近韶州（今韶关），从而横向切断南北交通，这就是赵佗设置险要关隘的用意。也有人说，乐昌的古城是秦将任嚣所修筑。而在河对岸两里处的城池，才是赵佗修筑的，用来夹住武溪（武江）水路。因为从（湖南）宜章县顺流而下，三泷水（指浈江、武江汇合处的险滩）水流最为湍急，船只顺流两天就可以到达韶州，赵佗修筑的两座城池夹住了泷口这个咽喉要道，这样西北方向的要害就被控制住了。从韶州到英德，水路只需一天，所以赵佗又在浈水边修筑了万人城。后来汉朝伏波将军（马援）出兵桂阳郡，沿着汇水南下作为奇袭部队，走的正是这条路。楼船将军（杨仆）从豫章郡出发，沿着横浦水路南下作为主力部队，这条路比较直，没有三泷水那样的险滩，所以先到达目的地。楼船将军攻陷了寻陕（地名，或指番禺附近），而伏波将军从衡山（或指衡阳）南下，路途较远，又因为有赵佗修筑的两座城池夹击扼守，耗费了攻坚的力量，所以晚到一步。汉武帝平定南越国之后，把曲江、浈阳、洭洭三个县划归桂阳郡管辖，隶属于荆州刺史部，这样做是为了扼制广东的门户，形成犬牙交错、互相牵制的局面，用意真是深远啊！

英文

The Three Passes

There were Qin dynasty passes at Huangxi, Yangshan, and Kuangkou, collectively known as the "Three Passes." Some sources say there were also passes at Qingyuan and Huikou. Likely because the primary strategic points of eastern Guangdong lay in the northwest, the three passes established by the Qin were all within the territory of Lianzhou. This was also where Zhao Tuo (King of Nanyue) later deployed troops to block the new road built by Qin. After blocking the new road, Zhao Tuo built a fortification 130 li north of Renhua County, at present-day Chengkou, to strengthen the defense of Hengpu Pass. He also built a fortification two li southwest of Lechang County, upstream near Longkou, to strengthen the defense of Huangxi Pass. This was because Renhua County bordered Guiyang Commandery (in Hunan), and Lechang County bordered Chenzhou (in Hunan). At that time, the Dayu Ridge route to the east was not yet opened, so most people entering Guangdong used these two routes. Even if Nan'an (on the Dayu Ridge) was guarded, elite cavalry could take side paths directly south from Chenzhou and Guiyang, quickly approach Shaozhou (present-day Shaoguan), and cut off north-south communication lines. This was Zhao Tuo's intention in setting up these strategic defenses. Some say the ancient city of Lechang was built by the Qin general Ren Xiao. The city located two li across the river was built by Zhao Tuo to control the Wu River (Wu Jiang) waterway. This is because downstream from Yizhang County (in Hunan), the Sanlong rapids (treacherous rapids where the Zhen and Wu rivers meet) were extremely turbulent. Boats could reach Shaozhou in two days by following the current. Zhao Tuo's two fortifications clamped down on the choke point at Longkou, thus securing the northwestern strategic area. From Shaozhou to Yingde, it was a one-day journey by water, so Zhao Tuo also built the "Wanrencheng" (Ten Thousand Men City) by the Zhen River. Later, during the Han dynasty's campaign, the Fubo General (Ma Yuan) advanced from Guiyang Commandery down the Hui River as a surprise force, taking this very route. The Lou Chuan General (Yang Pu) set out from Yuzhang Commandery down the Hengpu waterway as the main force. His route was more direct and lacked the perils of the Sanlong rapids, so he arrived first. The Lou Chuan General captured Xunxia (a place name, possibly near Panyu). The Fubo General, coming down from Mount Heng (or Hengyang), had a longer route and was delayed because Zhao Tuo's two fortifications controlling the passage required significant effort to overcome. After Emperor Wu of Han pacified Nanyue, he assigned the three counties of Qujiang, Zhenyang, and Hankuang to Guiyang Commandery, under the jurisdiction of Jingzhou Province. This was done to control the gateway to Guangdong, creating an interlocking administrative arrangement ("like dog's teeth"). The strategic thinking behind this was profound!

文化解读/分析

本条目记述了粤北“三关”的地理位置、历史沿革及其在军事和行政上的战略意义，揭示了粤北通道对于控制岭南地区的重要性。

1. 地理决定战略：明确指出广东的“要害，首在西北”，强调了从湖南进入广东的几条通道（经连州、仁化、乐昌等地）是历史上控制广东的关键。湟溪、阳山、洭口等地因其地理位置险要而被秦朝设关，成为早期控制岭南的重要据点。
2. 秦汉经略岭南的见证：条目涉及秦朝设关、秦将任嚣筑城、南越王赵佗设防、汉武帝平定南越等一系列重大历史事件。这些关隘和城池是中央王朝势力向岭南拓展、地方政权（南越国）与中央王朝对抗与融合的历史见证。赵佗“绝秦新道”、“设险”，体现了南越国对北方威胁的高度警惕和积极防御策略。
3. 军事攻防策略：详细描述了赵佗如何利用地形（泷口、武溪、浈水）和水路（湍急的三泷水）构筑防御体系（筑城夹扼、控制水路咽喉）。同时，也记述了汉朝平定南越时兵分两路（伏波将军、楼船将军）、利用不同水路（汇水、横浦）进行钳形攻势的策略，以及赵佗防御工事对汉军（伏波将军一路）造成的阻碍。这为研究古代岭南地区的军事地理和攻防战术提供了具体案例。
4. 行政区划的战略意图：特别指出汉武帝平定南越后，将粤北门户地区的三个县（曲江、浈阳、洭洭）划归内地（荆州桂阳郡）管辖。屈大均精准地解读了这一举措的深层含义：“抉粤之门户，为犬牙参错”，即通过行政区划的调整，从内部拆分和控制岭南的北大门，使地方势力难以据险割据，体现了高超的政治和军事控制手腕。
5. 历史地理变迁：提及“当时东岭未开”，说明在汉代或更早时期，经由大庾岭（东岭）进入广东的路线尚未成为主要通道，西北方向的几条路线（经连州、乐昌、仁化）更为重要。这反映了岭南交通路线的历史变迁。

关键词

三关, 广东, 岭南, 粤北, 秦关, 赵佗, 南越国, 汉武帝, 伏波将军, 马援, 楼船将军, 军事地理, 战略要地, 关隘, 城防, 水路交通, 行政区划, 桂阳郡, 仁化, 乐昌, 连州, 屈大均, 广东新语