原文

永安者，惠州府岩邑。先是，嘉靖三十九年，蓝能贼长驱府之东郊，破涌口，旬日乃去，不能以一矢加遗。自是两江群盗并兴，弥满归善、长乐、海丰之间，大群数千人，小群数百，凡数十百群。执官吏，攻乡保，齮龁坟墓，系累子女，屠戮人民，首身分离，暴骸骨于薮泽，假息城郭，不能尽去，高垒相守，往往陷没，从衡六七百里，攻劫恣行。或至郊坰，乃遣一卒道归，且行且劫，猥去爰处，上下相匿，以文辞避法，百姓嗸々无所控诉。自万历初年，五军合剿，贼乃荡平。府以归善秋乡、凤凰冈、磜头等，违县五日。海丰鹅埠岭，违归、海两县亦各二日。山海之寇、倏忽出没。最要害，度地创县控制便。南赣督府下其议，竟寝。叶春及谓，昔人论广，以狭治之。广中一县，常五六百里，缓则不驯，急则啸聚，未可归之山川与有司绥抚失策也。贼不畏民，朝廷之畏官亦然。故贼鲜犯城，官惟城兢兢，民蔑如也。永安县，民乃免于锋镝，咽而固有，食可废哉！永安既县，违惠州府城二百余里，重蠒三日乃至，水行自倍，皆崎岖万山中。异时未县，罪人藜来者鲜。龙蛇易生，盗贼猬毛而起，其地然也。县宜矣。县有古名、宽得、琴江三都，幅员几七百里，连嵕复嶂尽其地，徯隧谽谺少夷衍，或二三十里无室庐，然地肥美，饶五谷，三都皆然。三都一曰古名都，自榄溪入，筰行二百里至火带。自火带以下皆秋乡江，旁溪注之甚众，水道纡曲，舟行半日。从陆以趋，尚不及数里云。两山蹙沓，江流如线，树木蔚薈，多郁燠之气。民皆佃作，地腴多谷，秋冬间，衔接漕归，水湍石径，滩三百六十，乃至泷头。上益浅，不可漕，载不过十石。邑令常议疏浚之，排其填阏而凿横江之石，亦锐矣。春夏水涨，沙随之行，石礧々京积，恐不能卒就也。围子〈外囗內乙〉、李郊、苦竹、车峒间，皆有傜，依凭崖谷，伐山而{艹亩}，爇草而播，患吾扰，彼不为患。一曰宽得都，北界河源，二合南趾、古名东入县，而佛子凹绾毂其口。龙川江西下，都之门户在焉。义容、神两江皆皇流，衡贯都内入龙川江，而神江之源最远，聚落数十，盘错两江间。被山排崎，丰草茂树，散为夷陆，原隰衍沃，自昔以为上田。沥口其望姓也。蓝能作难，则柏埔不能安枕，桃子园阸塞，弄兵之民负焉。上下窖铁冶，昔尝鼓铸，下凤凰冈，隃梁化。因材于山，以入幕府佐饟。后贼大起，因之是惧，不敢言鼓铸事矣。一曰琴江都，石马西驰，突起鸡公嶂，过芙蓉径入都，白叶、帘紫官山诸嶂，怵〈奐中加比〉南走，隃貉獠坪至南岭山漏里，海丰、归善之山，由此始矣。是为邑之脊旅。水东西分流，若两胁然，西皆入秋乡江，东会琴口入横流渡。民务稼穑，饶积聚，有余以出米潭、大梧至潮，上镇、中镇，其会也。上方近河源、密坑、海丰、长乐之间，逃军坑直其下方。异时两处矿开，奸民趋之，如水赴壑，则南岭、赤溪以至上镇，当其要道。日夜行輷々不绝，东与海、揭、程乡地比，三县盗起，不得安枕而卧矣。故昔垒寨，是都为独多云。宋末文信国提兵至循，屯南岭。南岭信险固，不义之民，往往负之。乃设文武将吏，屯戍其地，今空垒矣。狡然思逞其凶，何日蔑有，其可忽诸。

白话

中文

永安县，是惠州府的一个边远县份。此前，明朝嘉靖三十九年（1560年），贼首蓝能长驱直入惠州府东郊，攻破涌口，盘踞十日才离去，官府竟未能射出一箭。从此以后，东江、西江流域的盗贼纷纷兴起，遍布归善、长乐、海丰一带。大的盗贼团伙有数千人，小的也有数百人，总共有几十上百个团伙。他们抓捕官吏，攻打乡镇堡垒，挖掘坟墓，掳掠妇女儿童，屠杀百姓，使得人们身首异处，尸骨暴露在荒野草泽之中。即使侥幸在城郭中得以喘息，盗贼也不能完全清除，只能高筑壁垒互相防守，但这些堡垒也常常被攻陷。在方圆六七百里的范围内，盗贼任意攻打抢劫。有时盗贼到了城郊，官府才派一个士兵去侦察，士兵边走边被劫掠，盗贼随意来去。官吏上下互相包庇，用文书来规避法律责任，百姓们呼号愁苦却无处申诉。直到万历初年（约1573年），朝廷调集五路军队联合剿匪，盗贼才被平定。府衙认为归善县的秋乡、凤凰冈、磜头等地，距离县城有五天的路程；海丰县的鹅埠岭，距离归善、海丰两县县城也各有两天的路程。这些地方处于山区和沿海交界，盗贼出没无常，是最紧要的险要之地，应该勘察地形，设立新县以便控制。南赣总督府将这个建议提交讨论，最终却被搁置了。叶春及（明代官员）曾说，以前的人谈论治理广东，主张用狭小的行政区域来管理。广东的一个县，辖区常常有五六百里，管理宽松了百姓就不顺服，管理严苛了百姓又容易聚集作乱，这不能完全归咎于山川险阻和官吏安抚失策。盗贼不怕百姓，就像朝廷的官员害怕上级一样。所以盗贼很少攻打县城，官员们只在城内提心吊胆，对城外的百姓却漠不关心。设立了永安县，百姓才得以免遭战乱杀戮，虽然生活艰辛但能保有固有家园，吃饭难道可以废止吗！永安设县后，距离惠州府城有二百多里，快马加鞭也要三天才能到达，水路则要加倍时间，而且都要穿行在崎岖的群山之中。以前没有设县的时候，罪犯很少能被押解到官府。这里（指永安地区）容易滋生龙蛇（比喻豪强或不法之徒），盗贼像刺猬的毛一样密集地出现，是这片土地的特性所致。设立县治是适宜的。永安县下辖古名、宽得、琴江三个都，地域面积将近七百里，连绵的山峰和重叠的山岭遍布全境，山间小路深邃险峻，很少有平坦开阔的地方，有时走二三十里都看不到人家。但是土地肥沃，盛产五谷，三个都都是如此。三个都中，一个是古名都，从榄溪进入，沿着栈道行走二百里到达火带。从火带往下都是秋乡江流域，有很多支流汇入，水道弯弯曲曲，坐船要走半天。如果从陆路走，据说还走不了几里路。两岸山峰紧逼，江水像线一样细，树木茂盛，多湿热之气。居民都是佃农，土地肥沃，谷物丰收。秋冬时节，运粮的船只首尾相接，但水流湍急，布满礁石，共有三百六十处险滩，一直到泷头。再往上游水更浅，无法行船，载重量不超过十石。县令曾经商议疏浚河道，清除淤塞，凿开横在江中的巨石，决心也很大。但春夏涨水时，泥沙随水而下，石头堆积如山，恐怕难以最终完成。在围子〈外囗內乙〉、李郊、苦竹、车峒一带，都有瑶族人居住，他们依靠悬崖深谷，砍伐山林进行耕作（刀耕火种），焚烧草木后播种。我们担心他们会造成祸患，但他们（目前）并未成为祸患。一个是宽得都，北面与河源县交界，（其范围）合并了南趾、古名都东部地区而划入永安县，佛子凹是其交通要冲。龙川江向西流淌，这个都的门户就在这里。义容江和神江都是重要的河流，横贯都内注入龙川江，其中神江的源头最远。有数十个村落，交错分布在两条江之间。这里群山环绕，地势崎岖，但也有丰美的草地和茂密的树林，散布着平缓的陆地，河岸平原土地肥沃，自古以来就被认为是上等田地。沥口是这里的望族聚居地。蓝能作乱时，柏埔一带就不得安宁，桃子园地势险要，好勇斗狠的人便依仗此地。上下窖两地铁矿场，以前曾经开炉铸铁，从凤凰冈，越过梁化。就地取用山中材料，供给官府作为军饷。后来盗贼大规模兴起，因此害怕（被盗贼利用），就不敢再提开炉铸铁的事了。一个是琴江都，石马山向西延伸，突然耸起鸡公嶂，经过芙蓉径进入都内。白叶、帘紫、官山等山嶂，蜿蜒向南伸展，越过貉獠坪到达南岭山漏里，海丰、归善两县的山脉就从这里开始。这构成了永安县的主要山脉。水流向东西两边分开，如同人的两胁，西边的水都流入秋乡江，东边的水在琴口汇合流入横流渡。这里的居民从事农耕，物产丰富，有多余的粮食运往米潭、大梧直至潮州，上镇、中镇是集散地。都的北部靠近河源、密坑，与海丰、长乐接壤，逃军坑正在其下方。以前这两处矿场开采时，不法的民众像水流奔向低谷一样涌来，南岭、赤溪直至上镇，都处于交通要道上。日夜车马喧嚣不绝。东面与海丰、揭阳、程乡（今梅县）等地相邻，这三县的盗贼一旦兴起，这里就不得安枕。所以以前这里的堡垒寨子是三个都中最多的。宋朝末年，文天祥带领军队到循州，曾在南岭驻扎。南岭确实险要坚固，不法之徒常常依仗它。于是设立了文武官员，在此驻军防守，如今只剩下空空的营垒了。那些心怀叵测、想为非作歹的人，哪一天没有呢？这难道可以忽视吗？

英文

Yong'an County is a remote county under the jurisdiction of Huizhou Prefecture. Previously, in the 39th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1560 AD), the bandit leader Lan Neng swept into the eastern suburbs of Huizhou Prefecture, breached Yongkou, occupied it for ten days before leaving, and the government forces failed to even shoot an arrow. Since then, bandits from the Dongjiang and Xijiang river basins rose up everywhere, spreading throughout Guishan, Changle, and Haifeng. Large bandit groups numbered in the thousands, smaller ones in the hundreds, totaling dozens or even hundreds of groups. They captured officials, attacked villages and forts, desecrated graves, abducted women and children, and massacred the populace, leaving people dismembered and their bones exposed in the wilderness. Even those who found temporary refuge within city walls couldn't completely escape the threat; they built high ramparts for mutual defense, but these often fell. Within a radius of six to seven hundred li, bandits attacked and plundered at will. Sometimes, when bandits reached the outskirts of a city, the officials would only dispatch a single soldier to scout, who would then be robbed along the way. The bandits came and went as they pleased. Officials at all levels covered for each other, using paperwork to evade legal responsibility, leaving the common people crying out in misery with nowhere to appeal. It wasn't until the early Wanli era (around 1573 AD) that the imperial court mobilized five armies for a joint suppression campaign, finally quelling the banditry. The prefecture government noted that areas like Qiuxiang, Fenghuanggang, and Qitou in Guishan County were a five-day journey from the county seat; E'bu Ridge in Haifeng County was also a two-day journey from both the Guishan and Haifeng county seats. These areas, situated where mountains meet the sea, saw bandits appear and disappear suddenly. They were critical strategic points, and it was deemed necessary to survey the land and establish a new county for better control. The proposal was submitted by the Viceroy of Liangguang (Guangdong and Guangxi) and Southern Jiangxi for discussion but was ultimately shelved. Ye Chunji (a Ming official) once remarked that ancient strategies for governing Guangdong advocated for smaller administrative divisions. A single county in Guangdong often spanned five to six hundred li; lenient governance led to disobedience, while strict governance easily provoked rebellion. This couldn't be solely attributed to the difficult terrain or flawed pacification policies by officials. Bandits did not fear the people, much like officials feared their superiors in the imperial court. Consequently, bandits rarely attacked county seats, and officials remained anxiously within the city walls, showing little concern for the people outside. Only after the establishment of Yong'an County were the people spared from the violence of war. Although life was hard, they could hold onto their homes. How could the necessity of sustenance (food/livelihood) be ignored? After Yong'an was established as a county, it was over two hundred li from the Huizhou prefectural city. It took three days by horse relay, and twice as long by water, all through rugged mountain ranges. Before the county was established, criminals were rarely apprehended and brought to justice. The area easily bred "dragons and snakes" (metaphor for powerful figures or outlaws), and bandits sprang up as densely as hedgehog quills – such was the nature of the land. Establishing the county was appropriate. Yong'an County administered three "Du" (sub-county districts): Guming, Kuande, and Qinjiang, covering an area of nearly seven hundred li. Continuous peaks and overlapping ranges dominated the landscape, with deep and precipitous mountain paths and little flat land. Sometimes one could travel twenty or thirty li without seeing a single dwelling. However, the land was fertile and abundant in grains, which was true for all three Du. One of the three Du was Guming Du. Entered from Lanxi, one travels two hundred li along plank roads to reach Huodai. Below Huodai is the Qiuxiang River basin, fed by numerous tributaries. The waterway is winding, taking half a day by boat. Traveling overland supposedly covers less than a few li in the same time. Mountains press in closely on both sides, the river flows like a thread, trees are lush, and the air is often hot and humid. The inhabitants are tenant farmers; the land is fertile and yields much grain. In autumn and winter, grain transport boats line up end-to-end, but the current is swift and the path rocky, with three hundred and sixty rapids up to Longtou. Further upstream, the water becomes shallower, unsuitable for transport, carrying no more than ten shi (a unit of weight/volume). The county magistrate often discussed dredging the river, clearing blockages, and chiseling rocks obstructing the river – a determined effort. However, when the water rises in spring and summer, sand flows with it, and rocks pile up like mountains, making it unlikely the project could be completed. In the areas of Weizi(囗内乙), Lijiao, Kuzhu, and Chedong, there are Yao people. They live relying on cliffs and valleys, practicing slash-and-burn agriculture – felling trees, burning vegetation, and then planting seeds. We worry they might cause trouble, but (currently) they are not a problem. Another Du was Kuande Du. It borders Heyuan County to the north, incorporates Nantou and the eastern part of Guming Du into Yong'an County, with Fozi'ao serving as its hub. The Longchuan River flows westward, marking the gateway to this Du. The Yirong and Shen rivers are both major waterways, flowing across the Du into the Longchuan River, with the Shen River having the longest source. Dozens of settlements are scattered between the two rivers. Surrounded by mountains and rugged terrain, it also features rich grasslands, dense forests, and stretches of flat land. Its plains and marshes are fertile, considered prime farmland since ancient times. Likou is a prominent local lineage center. When Lan Neng caused trouble, the Baipu area knew no peace, and the strategically important Taoziyuan became a stronghold for militants. The iron smelting sites at Shangjiao and Xiajiao formerly operated, producing iron from Fenghuanggang down to Lianghua. They used local mountain resources to supply the military commanderies. Later, when banditry surged, fear (of bandits seizing the facilities) led to the cessation of iron production, and the matter was no longer discussed. The third Du was Qinjiang Du. The Shima Mountain range extends westward, with Jigong Peak rising abruptly. Passing Furong Trail leads into the Du. The Baiye, Lianzi, and Guanshan ranges wind southward, crossing Heliaoping to reach Nanling Shanlouli, where the mountains of Haifeng and Guishan counties begin. This forms the main mountain spine of the county. Water flows east and west, like two flanks. The western streams all flow into the Qiuxiang River, while the eastern streams converge at Qinkou and flow into Hengliudu. The inhabitants focus on agriculture, accumulating wealth, with surplus grain transported via Mitan and Dawu to Chaozhou; Shangzhen and Zhongzhen are the trading centers. The northern part of the Du is near Heyuan and Mikeng, bordering Haifeng and Changle, with Taojunkeng directly below it. In the past, when mines were opened in these two locations, lawless people flocked there like water flowing into a ravine. Nanling, Chixi, and up to Shangzhen became vital routes, bustling with traffic day and night. To the east, it borders Haifeng, Jieyang, and Chengxiang (modern Meixian). When bandits arose in these three counties, this area could not rest peacefully. Therefore, this Du historically had the most fortresses and stockades. At the end of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang led troops to Xunzhou and garrisoned Nanling. Nanling is indeed strategically located and defensible, and lawless people often relied on it. Consequently, civil and military officials were appointed, and troops were stationed there; now only empty ramparts remain. Those cunning individuals contemplating violence – when are they ever absent? How can this be overlooked?

文化解读/分析

本条目记述了清初设立永安县（今紫金县）的背景、地理概况及其下辖三个“都”（古名都、宽得都、琴江都）的具体情况。其文化与民俗价值体现在：

1. 行政区划与社会治理：反映了明清时期朝廷为加强对边远、动荡地区的控制，采取“析县”（从原有大县划出区域设立新县）的治理策略。永安县的设立，直接目的是为了弹压长期困扰惠州东部（归善、海丰、长乐交界山区）的盗匪活动，维护地方秩序。这体现了中央集权下对“王化”不及之地的经略考量。文末强调南岭险要与潜在威胁，反映了官方对地方控制的持续忧虑。
2. 地方动荡与民间生态：详细描述了明嘉靖至万历年间该区域严重的盗匪问题（“两江群盗”、“弥满”、“攻劫恣行”），揭示了当时粤东山区社会失序、民生凋敝的残酷现实。盗贼的组织规模、活动范围、暴虐行径以及官府的应对不力（“不能以一矢加遗”、“上下相匿”）均有生动记述，为了解明清广东地方史和社会史提供了重要细节。提及“贼不畏民，朝廷之畏官亦然”，深刻揭示了官民关系和治理困境。
3. 地理环境与经济民生：细致描绘了永安三都的地理特征：山峦叠嶂（“连嵕复嶂”）、交通不便（“崎岖万山中”、“滩三百六十”）、地广人稀（“或二三十里无室庐”），但也指出土地肥沃、适宜农耕（“地肥美，饶五谷”）。记录了当地的经济活动，如农业（“佃作”、“务稼穑”）、矿冶（“上下窖铁冶”、“两处矿开”，后因惧贼而停）、贸易（粮食外运至潮州）。这些描述反映了山区经济的特点和局限。
4. 族群分布与互动：明确提到了“傜”（瑶族）的存在及其生活方式（“依凭崖谷，伐山而{艹亩}，爇草而播”），即刀耕火种。作者以汉族中心视角表达了对瑶民潜在威胁的担忧（“患吾扰，彼不为患”），反映了当时主流社会对少数民族的看法以及潜在的族群关系张力。
5. 历史记忆与地方认同：追溯了区域历史事件，如蓝能作乱、宋末文天祥屯兵南岭等，这些历史记忆塑造了地方的战略重要性认知。提及望族（“沥口其望姓也”）和众多堡垒寨子，暗示了地方宗族势力和长期存在的防御需求。

总而言之，“永安三都”条目不仅是地理记述，更是一份关于特定区域社会治理、经济状况、族群关系和历史变迁的综合档案，为了解清初粤东山区的真实面貌提供了宝贵的地方性知识。

关键词

永安县, 紫金县, 惠州府, 三都, 古名都, 宽得都, 琴江都, 屈大均, 广东新语, 清代, 明代, 嘉靖, 万历, 蓝能, 盗贼, 匪患, 社会治安, 行政区划, 析县, 地理, 山区, 瑶族, 傜人, 刀耕火种, 农业, 矿冶, 铁矿, 交通, 秋乡江, 龙川江, 文天祥, 南岭, 地方史, 岭南文化