原文
黄盗名萧养,初为盗下狱,卧榻枯竹生花,诸囚以为祥也。萧养乃率囚越狱,纠集战船数百艘,直犯广州,于五羊驿僣位,称东阳王,改授伪官百余人。珠江之南,有伪南汉离宫故址,增筑居之,船抵五羊门外,其手下衣貌与同者数十人,官兵莫能辨。乃以响箭向天射,萧养仰视,一箭直贯其喉,堕水死,其众尽降。于是广州始作外罗城,今南面新城是也。海寇之雄,莫过萧养,前有曾一本,后有刘香,皆力攻广州弗克,盖当盛当则然。
白话
中文
黄盗名叫萧养,起初因为做盗贼被关进监狱。(他)躺卧的床铺边枯萎的竹子竟然开了花,囚犯们都认为这是吉祥的征兆。于是萧养就带领囚犯们越狱逃跑,聚集了几百艘战船,直接进攻广州城。在五羊驿(这个地方)僭越称王,自封为东阳王,改换名号任命了一百多个伪官。在珠江南岸,有过去南汉政权的离宫旧址,他增建修筑后住在那里。当他的船队抵达五羊门外时,他手下有几十个人穿着打扮和他一样,官兵无法分辨哪个是他。于是(有人)用响箭向天空射去,萧养抬头观看,一支箭正好射穿了他的喉咙,(他)掉进水里死了。他的部下全都投降了。因此,广州才开始修筑外罗城,就是现在南面的新城墙。海盗中的枭雄,没有谁能超过萧养。在他之前有曾一本,之后有刘香,都曾竭力攻打广州但没能攻克,大概是因为他们攻打的时候正值(广州)防御强盛的时期吧。
英文
The Yellow Bandit was named Xiao Yang. Initially imprisoned for banditry, a withered bamboo stalk near his sleeping place unexpectedly flowered, which fellow prisoners regarded as an auspicious sign. Consequently, Xiao Yang led the prisoners in a jailbreak, gathered several hundred warships, and directly attacked Guangzhou city. At the Wuyang Post Station, he usurped authority, proclaiming himself the King of Dongyang and appointing over a hundred illegitimate officials. South of the Pearl River, on the former site of a detached palace from the Southern Han regime, he added constructions and resided there. When his fleet reached the outside of the Wuyang Gate, dozens of his subordinates were dressed identically to him, making it impossible for the government soldiers to identify him. Then, someone shot a whistling arrow towards the sky. Xiao Yang looked up, and an arrow pierced straight through his throat. He fell into the water and died. All his followers surrendered. As a result of this, Guangzhou began constructing its outer city wall, which is the present-day southern new city wall. Among the formidable sea bandits, none surpassed Xiao Yang. Before him, there was Zeng Yiben, and after him, Liu Xiang; both vigorously attacked Guangzhou but failed to conquer it, likely because they attacked when the city's defenses were particularly strong.
文化解读/分析
本条目记述了海盗萧养的事迹,虽然篇幅简短,但蕴含了丰富的历史信息和文化元素:
- 海盗活动与地方历史:记述了萧养从囚犯到啸聚数百战船、攻打广州、僭号称王、最终败亡的过程。这反映了明清时期广东沿海地区海盗活动的猖獗程度及其对地方统治秩序构成的严重威胁。萧养的势力一度达到可以“直犯广州”、“僣位”、“改授伪官”的程度,显示其组织的规模和野心。
- 传奇色彩与民间想象:“卧榻枯竹生花”是典型的祥瑞征兆,常被附会于将要成就大事的人物身上,为萧养的越狱和崛起增添了传奇色彩和某种“天命”的暗示,这可能是民间传说或时人对其崛起的解释。其戏剧性的死亡方式——因抬头看响箭而被射穿喉咙——也带有故事性和警示意味。
- 历史事件与城市建设:明确指出广州修筑外罗城(南面新城)是萧养事件的直接后果(“于是广州始作外罗城”)。这为研究广州城市发展史,特别是城防建设史,提供了具体的动因和时间节点线索,体现了军事威胁对城市形态的塑造作用。
- 人物评价与历史定位:屈大均将萧养称为“海寇之雄”,并将其与著名的海盗曾一本(明嘉靖年间)、刘香(明末清初)相提并论,肯定了他在海盗史上的“地位”和影响力。同时,通过对比指出曾、刘未能攻克广州是因为“当盛当”(时值广州防御强盛),暗示萧养的成功(一度占据离宫)和最终失败可能与时机或防御状况有关,也隐含了对官方防御能力的评价。
- 社会控制与反抗:萧养的故事是一个典型的官逼民反或乱世枭雄的叙事模式。从阶下囚到一方霸主,虽然最终失败,但其过程反映了社会底层力量在特定条件下可能爆发出的巨大能量,以及与官方权威的激烈对抗。他利用南汉离宫故址作为据点,也带有某种历史象征意味。
总的来说,“黄盗”条目不仅是关于一个特定海盗人物的记录,更是研究明清广东海防、地方治安、城市建设、民间传说以及社会反抗等多方面议题的宝贵史料。
关键词
黄盗, 萧养, 海盗, 广东, 广州, 明清时期, 屈大均, 广东新语, 五羊驿, 南汉离宫, 外罗城, 城市防御, 曾一本, 刘香, 枯竹生花, 响箭, 民间传说, 地方史