原文

西王母

　　广州多有祠祀西王母，左右有夫人，两送子者，两催生者，两治痘疹者，凡六位。盖西王母弟子，若飞琼、董双成、萼绿华之流者也。相传西王母为人注寿注福注禄，诸弟子亦以保婴为事，故人民事之惟恐后。考西王母见《山海经》、汲冢《周书》、《穆天子传》、《汉武帝内传》。而庄子云：夫道在太极之先。西王母得之，坐乎少广，莫知其始，莫知其终。是则开辟以来，有天地即有西王母，而道家以为西王母者，金母也。木公生之，金母成之。人类之所以不绝于天地间者，以有金母之成之也。金母者，天下之大母，故曰王母。居于西，以成物为事，故曰西王母云。壁上多绘画保婴之事，名子孙堂，人民生子女者，多契神以为父母，西王母与六夫人像，悉以红纸书契名帖其下，其神某，则取其上一字以为契名，婚嫁日乃遣巫以酒食除之。

白话

中文

广州有很多祠庙供奉西王母。西王母神像左右有六位夫人像：两位是送子娘娘，两位是催生娘娘，两位是治疗痘疹（天花）的娘娘。大概是西王母的弟子，像是传说中的飞琼、董双成、萼绿华这类仙女。相传西王母掌管为世人注定寿命、福分和官禄，她的各位弟子也负责保佑婴孩，所以百姓们都争相供奉她。查考典籍，西王母的记载最早见于《山海经》、汲冢出土的《周书》、《穆天子传》以及《汉武帝内传》。而《庄子》中说：道存在于太极形成之前。西王母得到了道，居住在少广之野，没有人知道她的开始，也没有人知道她的终结。这就是说，自从开天辟地以来，有了天地就有了西王母。道教则认为西王母就是金母。万物由木公（东王公）使其生发，由金母使其长成。人类之所以能在天地间繁衍不绝，就是因为有金母的助成之力。金母是天下的伟大母亲，所以称为王母。她居住在西方，以助成万物为职责，所以称为西王母。庙宇的墙壁上大多绘画了保护婴孩的情景，这种殿堂被称为“子孙堂”。百姓生了子女后，很多人会把孩子过继给神灵作“契仔”或“契女”（干儿子/干女儿），在西王母和六位夫人的神像下都贴上红纸写的契约名帖。孩子所拜的契娘是某位神，就取其名字中的一个字作为孩子的“契名”。等到孩子长大婚嫁之日，才请巫师用酒食等祭品举行仪式，解除这种契约关系。

英文

In Guangzhou, there are many temples dedicated to Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West). Flanking the statue of Xiwangmu are six attendant ladies: two who grant children, two who aid childbirth, and two who cure smallpox. These are likely disciples of Xiwangmu, such as the legendary fairies Fei Qiong, Dong Shuangcheng, and E Lühua. It is said that Xiwangmu presides over bestowing longevity, fortune, and prosperity upon mortals, while her disciples are responsible for protecting infants. Therefore, the populace eagerly worships them. References to Xiwangmu can be found in the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing), the Bamboo Annals (Jizhong Zhoushu), the Tale of King Mu (Mu Tianzi Zhuan), and the Intimate Biography of Emperor Wu of Han (Han Wudi Neizhuan). Furthermore, Zhuangzi stated: "The Dao existed before the Taiji (Supreme Ultimate). Xiwangmu attained it, residing in Shaoguang; none knows her beginning, none knows her end." This implies that since the dawn of creation, with the existence of Heaven and Earth, Xiwangmu has existed. Daoism considers Xiwangmu to be Jinmu (Metal Mother). Mugong (Wood Father, or King Father of the East) initiates life, and Jinmu brings it to fruition. The reason humanity continues to thrive between Heaven and Earth is due to the nurturing power of Jinmu. Jinmu is the great mother of the world, hence called Wangmu (Queen Mother). Residing in the West and tasked with bringing things to completion, she is called Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West). The temple walls are often painted with scenes of infant protection, and such halls are called "Zisun Tang" (Hall of Descendants). When people have children, many ritually entrust them to the deities as godchildren ("qi zi" or "qi nü"). Red paper contracts bearing the child's "contract name" (qi ming) are placed beneath the statues of Xiwangmu and the six ladies. The child's "contract name" often incorporates one character from the name of the specific deity they are dedicated to. On the day the child marries, a shaman is invited to perform a ritual with offerings of wine and food to release this bond.

文化解读/分析

此条目详细记述了清代广州地区西王母信仰的状况，呈现出鲜明的地方化和民俗化特征。首先，它将古代神话中掌管不死药、形象可能威严甚至怪异的西王母，转变为一位慈祥的、主要负责赐予寿、福、禄，并特别庇佑妇女生育和婴幼儿健康的“天下大母”。这种转变迎合了民间社会对生命繁衍和现实福祉的普遍需求。其次，条目突出了西王母身边的“六位夫人”及其具体职能（送子、催生、治痘疹），这可能是地方信仰在吸收西王母随侍仙女传说的基础上，根据民众实际需求进行的再创造和细化分工，使得信仰体系更贴近生活。条目中引经据典，从《山海经》到道教理论，试图为西王母信仰提供历史和理论依据，体现了精英文化对民间信仰的整理和阐释。尤为重要的是，它详细描述了“子孙堂”和“契神”习俗：百姓将子女过继给西王母及其从神，取“契名”，贴“契帖”，并在婚嫁时解除关系。这是一种典型的祈求神灵庇护孩童平安成长的民俗行为，反映了古代社会高婴儿死亡率背景下人们的焦虑以及寻求超自然力量保护的心理，具有重要的民俗学价值。该记载展示了西王母信仰在岭南地区如何与生育、儿童保护等具体民俗实践深度融合，成为地方社会生活的重要组成部分。

关键词

西王母、金母、广州、广东新语、屈大均、民间信仰、道教、六夫人、送子、催生、治痘疹、保婴、子孙堂、契神、契仔、契女、契名、山海经、穆天子传、岭南文化、生育信仰