原文
越人以文事知名者，自高固始。以武事知名，自梅鋗始。当越人之复畔秦也，以鋗为将，鋗下令，户出壮士一人，领以户将，使合传、胡害将之。战则编为什伍，领以队将，使摇毋余将之。将士受命，乃率之归番君吴芮。鋗劝芮西从沛公伐秦，芮然之，使鋗先往。当是时，郡县苦秦法，多杀长吏以应陈胜等。项梁杀会稽守，田儋杀狄令，刘季以书杀沛令，东阳杀其令以推陈婴，使芮不听鋗言，终为秦守，其不同于会稽、狄、沛、东阳者无几矣。鋗既行，遇沛公于南阳，与言相合，遂从攻柝郦，降之。又从攻武关，破之。秦既灭，项羽封鋗为台侯，食台以南诸邑，其后沛公以鋗能成番君功名，复封鋗广德十万户，广德即今祁门县也。夫以鋗之才为百粤人所归，设当大楚方张之时，使庾胜兄弟绝关自守，其智勇岂遂出嚣、佗之下耶。且是时，鋗之王在浈水上，固勾践之本支也。鋗即奉其王，以继禹、少康宗祀，亦孝子慈孙之所有事焉者。而鋗以为秦者，周之寇仇，非仅越人与六国人之寇仇也，越人首畔秦，吾当帅之，以为周先王报怨。且先君勾践，能灭吴尊周室，其遗风余烈，子姓当继绍而起，毋以窃据一方为天下所指名为也。嗟夫，自唐、虞、夏而后，得天下之正者，莫如汉、明，而越人率为功首，能以大义鼓唱诸侯，鋗与何真是也。鋗可以为赵佗，真可以为刘岩，而皆不为。与冯盎者亟以二十州县归唐，皆可谓能知天命者也。台岭故鋗汤沐地，今无鋗祠，吾尝叹为旷典。夫任嚣且祀于泷口，佗亦祀于玉山，况鋗之贤者乎。祁门地接鄱阳，有鋗祠与鄱阳番君祠相望，今台岭亦即建之以为鋗主祠可也。
白话
中文
越地人因文才而出名的，从高固开始；因武功而出名的，则从梅鋗开始。当越地人再次反叛秦朝时，推举梅鋗为将领。梅鋗下令，每户出一个壮丁，由“户将”统领，让合传、胡害带领他们；作战时则编成十人、五人的队伍（什伍），由“队将”统领，让摇毋余带领他们。将士们接受命令后，梅鋗就率领他们去归附番阳君吴芮。梅鋗劝说吴芮向西跟随沛公（刘邦）讨伐秦国，吴芮同意了，派梅鋗先去联络。当时，各郡县深受秦朝严酷法律之苦，很多人杀死地方长官来响应陈胜等人的起义。例如项梁杀了会稽郡守，田儋杀了狄县县令，刘季（刘邦）用计杀了沛县县令，东阳县民众杀了县令推举陈婴为首领。如果吴芮不听从梅鋗的建议，最终仍为秦朝守土，那他的下场和会稽、狄县、沛县、东阳县那些被杀的长官们恐怕也差不多了。梅鋗出发后，在南阳遇到了沛公，两人言谈投合，于是梅鋗跟随沛公攻打并夺取了析县和郦县，迫使它们投降。又跟随沛公攻打武关，并攻破了它。秦朝灭亡后，项羽封梅鋗为台侯，食邑在台岭以南的几个县。后来沛公（已成为汉高祖）因为梅鋗帮助番阳君吴芮成就了功名，又加封梅鋗为广德侯，食邑十万户，广德就是现在的安徽祁门县。像梅鋗这样有才能、被百越民众所归附的人，假如他处在强大的楚国（指南越赵佗政权）扩张时期，让任嚣、赵佗据守关隘自立为王，梅鋗的智谋和勇气难道会比任嚣、赵佗差吗？而且当时，梅鋗侍奉的越王在浈水流域，本是越王勾践的嫡系后代。梅鋗如果拥立这位越王，继承大禹、少康的宗庙祭祀，这也是孝子贤孙应该做的事情。但是梅鋗认为，秦朝是周朝的死敌，不仅仅是越人和六国人的仇敌。越人首先反叛秦朝，我应当率领他们，替周朝先王报仇。况且先祖越王勾践，能够灭掉吴国、尊崇周王室，他遗留的风范和功业，子孙后代应当继承发扬，不要因为割据一方而被天下人指责。唉，从唐尧、虞舜、夏朝以后，得天下最正统的王朝，没有超过汉朝和明朝的了，而越地人常常在开国时立下首功，能够以大义来号召诸侯，梅鋗和（元末明初的）何真就是这样的人。梅鋗本来可以成为赵佗那样的割据君主，何真本来可以成为（五代十国南汉开国君主）刘岩那样的人，但他们都没有这样做。还有（隋末唐初的）冯盎迅速地带着二十个州县归顺唐朝，他们都可以说是能够知晓天命的人。台岭本是梅鋗的封地（汤沐之地），现在却没有梅鋗的祠堂，我常常感叹这是典礼上的重大疏漏。任嚣尚且在泷口（今广东罗定一带）有祭祀，赵佗也在玉山（广州越秀山）有祭祀，何况是像梅鋗这样贤能、功劳更大的人呢？安徽祁门县地接鄱阳湖，那里有梅鋗祠，与鄱阳的番君吴芮祠遥遥相望，现在也应该在台岭（具体地点待考，可能在今江西或广东境内）建立祠堂，作为梅鋗的主要祭祀场所。
英文
Among the Yue people (people of ancient southern China, including Guangdong), those known for civil achievements began with Gao Gu; those known for military achievements began with Mei Xuan. When the Yue people rebelled against the Qin dynasty again, Mei Xuan was chosen as their general. Mei Xuan ordered that each household contribute one able-bodied man, led by a "household captain" (Hujiang), and appointed He Chuan and Hu Hai to command them. In battle, they were organized into squads of ten and five (Shiwu), led by a "squad captain" (Duijiang), and appointed Yao Wuyu to command them. After the officers and soldiers received their orders, Mei Xuan led them to submit to Wu Rui, the Lord of Fanyang. Mei Xuan persuaded Wu Rui to follow the Duke of Pei (Liu Bang, later Emperor Gaozu of Han) westward to attack Qin. Wu Rui agreed and sent Mei Xuan ahead to make contact. At that time, the commanderies and counties suffered greatly under Qin's harsh laws, and many people killed their local administrators to respond to uprisings like Chen Sheng's. For example, Xiang Liang killed the governor of Kuaiji Commandery, Tian Dan killed the magistrate of Di County, Liu Ji (Liu Bang) used a ruse to have the magistrate of Pei County killed, and the people of Dongyang County killed their magistrate and acclaimed Chen Ying as their leader. If Wu Rui had not listened to Mei Xuan's advice and had ultimately remained loyal to Qin, his fate would likely have been little different from those slain administrators in Kuaiji, Di, Pei, and Dongyang. After setting out, Mei Xuan met the Duke of Pei in Nanyang. They found common ground in their conversation, and Mei Xuan subsequently followed the Duke of Pei to attack and seize Xi County and Li County, forcing them to surrender. He also followed the Duke to attack Wu Pass and broke through it. After the Qin dynasty was destroyed, Xiang Yu enfeoffed Mei Xuan as Marquis of Tai, with his fiefdom consisting of several counties south of Tailing (Tai Ridge). Later, the Duke of Pei (by then Emperor Gaozu of Han), recognizing Mei Xuan's role in helping Wu Rui achieve success and fame, further enfeoffed Mei Xuan as Marquis of Guangde, with a fief of 100,000 households. Guangde is present-day Qimen County in Anhui. For a man of Mei Xuan's talent, who commanded the loyalty of the Baiyue people, if he had lived during the expansion of the powerful Chu state (referring to Zhao Tuo's Nanyue kingdom) and had Ren Xiao and Zhao Tuo defending the passes and ruling independently, would Mei Xuan's wisdom and courage have been inferior to theirs? Moreover, at that time, the Yue king whom Mei Xuan served resided in the Zhen River basin and was a direct descendant of King Goujian of Yue. If Mei Xuan had supported this king, continuing the ancestral sacrifices of Yu the Great and Shaokang, this would also have been the duty of a filial son and virtuous descendant. However, Mei Xuan believed that Qin was the mortal enemy of the Zhou dynasty, not just the enemy of the Yue people and the people of the Six States. Since the Yue people were the first to rebel against Qin, he felt he should lead them to avenge the former kings of Zhou. Furthermore, his ancestor King Goujian was able to destroy the state of Wu and honor the Zhou royal house; his legacy and achievements should be inherited and carried forward by his descendants, who should not become targets of criticism by merely seizing a region for themselves. Alas, since the time of the sage kings Yao, Shun, and the Xia dynasty, no dynasties obtained the Mandate of Heaven more legitimately than the Han and Ming dynasties. And the Yue people often played a leading role in their founding, able to rally the feudal lords with a righteous cause (Dayi). Mei Xuan and He Zhen (late Yuan/early Ming) were such figures. Mei Xuan could have become like Zhao Tuo (a separatist ruler), and He Zhen could have become like Liu Yan (founder of the Southern Han kingdom), but neither chose to do so. Also, Feng Ang (late Sui/early Tang) promptly submitted to the Tang dynasty with twenty prefectures and counties. All of them can be said to have understood the Mandate of Heaven (Tianming). Tailing was Mei Xuan's original fiefdom (Tangmu Di, lit. "bath-water land"), yet today there is no shrine dedicated to him there. I often lament this as a significant omission in ceremonial observances. Even Ren Xiao is worshipped at Longkou (modern Luoding area, Guangdong), and Zhao Tuo is also worshipped on Yushan (Mount Yuexiu, Guangzhou), let alone a worthy figure like Mei Xuan, whose contributions were arguably greater! Qimen County in Anhui borders Lake Poyang; there is a shrine to Mei Xuan there, facing the shrine of Lord Wu Rui of Fanyang across the lake. A shrine should now also be built at Tailing (exact location uncertain, possibly in modern Jiangxi or Guangdong) to serve as the main place of worship for Mei Xuan.
文化解读/分析
本条目记述了秦末汉初时期岭南（越地）军事领袖梅鋗的事迹，其文化和民俗价值体现在以下几个方面：
- 彰显岭南武功与贡献：与“高固”条目对应，屈大均将梅鋗定位为岭南地区以“武事”知名的开创性人物。通过详述其组织军队、参与推翻秦朝、辅佐刘邦建立汉朝的功绩，有力地证明了岭南地区不仅有文才，更有武功，并且在改朝换代的关键历史时期扮演了重要角色，是汉朝开国的功臣之一，提升了岭南在中国历史格局中的地位。
- 推崇“大一统”与“正统”观念：屈大均特别强调梅鋗本有机会割据一方（“可以为赵佗”），但他选择了追随刘邦，维护了国家的统一。作者将此举解释为梅鋗深明“大义”，认为秦是“周之寇仇”，伐秦是为周报仇，并将汉、明视为继唐、虞、夏之后最“正统”的王朝。这种叙述强烈反映了作者推崇国家统一、忠于“正统”王朝（特别是汉族建立的汉、明）的儒家政治伦理观，并借梅鋗、何真、冯盎等岭南先贤的选择来论证“知天命”即在于顺应统一大势。
- 构建地方英雄谱系与身份认同：记述梅鋗这位岭南出身的军事英雄，并将他与任嚣、赵佗等其他岭南重要历史人物并列比较，有助于构建一部丰富的地方英雄史。虽然梅鋗的主要封地后来在江淮地区（广德/祁门），但屈大均仍强调其“越人”身份和在岭南地区的根基（如其王在浈水，台岭封地），旨在强化岭南本地的历史纵深感和自豪感。
- 反映地方信仰与纪念习俗：屈大均对台岭没有梅鋗祠表示“旷典”之叹，并指出任嚣、赵佗皆有祠，提议在台岭为梅鋗建主祠。这不仅反映了明清时期地方社会有为历史名人立祠纪念的习俗，也体现了作者作为地方文人，有责任感去发掘、表彰和倡导纪念那些被遗忘或忽视的地方先贤，以完善地方历史记忆和祭祀体系。梅鋗祠在祁门与番君吴芮祠相望的记述，也暗示了历史人物之间关系在空间纪念上的体现。
- 保存军事史料：条目中关于梅鋗组织军队的描述（“户出壮士一人，领以户将”、“编为什伍，领以队将”）提供了秦末汉初时期地方武装（特别是越人军队）组织方式的珍贵细节，具有一定的军事史料价值。
关键词
梅鋗、越人、岭南、广东、武事、秦末汉初、反秦、刘邦、沛公、项羽、吴芮、番君、台侯、广德侯、祁门、台岭、军事组织、什伍、户将、队将、赵佗、任嚣、何真、冯盎、大一统、正统观、天命、地方英雄、祠堂、祭祀、屈大均、广东新语、神语、地方史、文化认同、百越