6 Foshan Folk Stories

Foshan, referred to as Zen, is the third largest city in Guangdong Province and a provincial municipality. It is located in the center of Guangdong Province and in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta. It borders Guangzhou to the east and Zhongshan to the south. Historically, it has been one of the four gathering places in China. One of the four famous towns, there are many folk stories circulating. Below are the Foshan folk stories I compiled for you. I hope you like them.

Foshan Folk Story Huang Feihong

The story of Huang Feihong’s magical martial arts is a household name in Xiqiao, Nanhai. But the legend of the lion dance using flying weights to collect high green is rarely known.

When the author was buying feed at an eel feed store in Xiangang Village, Datong, Xiqiao recently, I heard the store owner, Uncle Yong, tell the story of Huang Feihong who once assisted the Xianggang Quanshengtang Lions Team to use flying weights to harvest high greens. I listened with gusto and felt very magical! Uncle Yong is in his seventies this year and is an authentic Xiangang villager. He once met the original members of the Quan Sheng Tang Lions Team (now deceased) and told the story vividly. .

Quan Sheng Tang meets Gao Qing in Hong Kong

It is said that at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, in Nanyi (folks used to call Nanhai County Nanyi), the lion awakening at Quan Sheng Tang in Datongxianggang was held by the instructor, Master Hong. Under the leadership of the police, I came to Hong Kong to pick young people. Put all the green on the ground, the green on the shop head, the green on the first floor, the green on the second floor and the green on the gate into the bag. When everyone was excited, they saw a tall figure hanging on the fourth floor, which was daunting! Quan Shengtang's Lion Dancer used his special skills, including riding an arhat and flying with pennies. After two days, he still couldn't get it. Down. When everyone was worried, they heard someone say: "The address of the lion's head and the flag, Nanyi, Qianjiaduo, Xiqiao," there are experts to help pick green. Although the instructor, Master Hong, didn't know what was going on, he had no choice but to do as he was told! He immediately changed the address of Shitou and Banner to "Quanshengtang, Nanyi, Xiqiao".

The divine dragon has its head but not its tail.

At this time, the lion awakening in Quanshengtang continued to dance below the fourth floor! I heard someone shouting: Set off more firecrackers. ?Suddenly, thousands of cannons burst into flames! The smoke was rising, covering the sky and the sun; suddenly a mysterious figure with agile skills appeared in the smoke, and immediately came over to replace the lion-headed dancer. The mysterious figure asked several big men to carry the rattan saucer (shield), and he jumped onto the rattan saucer with a whoosh, moving left and right, dancing the lion's head up and down! After a while, the awakening lion opened its bloody mouth and raised its head. Looking up at Gao Qing on the fourth floor. At this time, the mysterious figure immediately took out the flying weight from his waist, grasped the tail of the weight, stretched out his hand and raised it quickly! A flying star flashed, and the flying weight flew up to the fourth floor in an instant, hitting Gao Qing, and the flying weight spun around to tie up the green objects. The mysterious figure pulled back the tail of the mound with all his strength! It was too late, but it was too soon! Gao Qing quickly fell into the lion's mouth. The scene immediately burst into cheers!

It was like a magic show, and everyone onlookers were dumbfounded! There were endless exclamations and cheers! At this time, someone called for a large number of firecrackers to be set off. Thousands of cannons fired instantly! Thick smoke billowed! A mysterious figure jumped off the rattan saucer, and a "golden cicada" retreated from its shell, asking someone to immediately take over the lion's head to dance. The green harvest is done! The mysterious figure quickly left the scene and disappeared without a trace.

The Quan Shengtang Lion Dance continues to perform a series of wonderful lion performances such as eating green, swallowing green, and spitting green.

The mysterious figure is Huang Feihong

Later, Quan Shengtang sent people to inquire in various ways, and then they found out that the mysterious figure who used the flying weight to pick Gaoqing was Huang Feihong of Xiqiao. In order to commemorate this historical fact, the addresses of the lions and flags in Quanshengtang are still "Quanshengtang, Nanyi, Xiqiao". ?Foshan Folktale 2

It originated from a place in Foshan, Guangdong. Every New Year's Eve, a monster will appear. It has a big head and a small body, and is more than ten feet long. It has eyes like copper bells, comes and goes like the wind, and keeps breathing out. The sound of every year. The locals named it Nian Beast. When this nian beast appears every year, it does not harm people or animals, and only goes around chewing field vegetables.

The villagers couldn't bear the disturbance, so they called together the villagers and agreed to use bamboo strips and paper, tie them into animal heads according to their shapes, paint them with various colors, and then cut them into triangular shapes with various cloths to make the animal bodies. The two people held them and danced After that, dozens of villagers gathered together, carrying arrows, and crouched under the bridge in the field. When the Nian beast appeared, they gathered together to strike the arrows, and the sound shook the field. Sure enough, the Nian beast was snatched away, and it never appeared again! Min'in commemorative paper The head-piercing beast can drive away the Nian beast, so they made this kind of animal head every year and encouraged it on New Year's Eve to perform the Nian Dance. Later, after research by the village elders, they believed that the lion is the most powerful and auspicious animal among beasts, so they performed the Nian Dance. It was renamed Wurui Lion. Foshan Folk Story 3

It is said that when Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty went to the south of the Yangtze River, he dreamed of an auspicious beast with colorful fur coming to worship him. After returning to Beijing, Emperor Qianlong ordered people to make one according to the image of the auspicious beast he saw in his dream. He ordered people to dance it during festivals and celebrations, which was said to symbolize peace and good fortune for the country and the people.

According to ancient records, the lion dance was very common in early Chinese society. "Shaanxi Tongzhi" records: "Xaxi opera began in the Qin and Han Dynasties, with fish and dragons spreading, Gao Niu phoenix, elephants, and monsters." ?The lion art matured in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. At that time, the lion dance was called Taiping Le. According to the "Music Chronicles" of the Tang Dynasty, "Taiping Le" was created during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Later Zhou Dynasty. It was also called the Five Directions Lion Dance. The lions were decorated with fur, and people lived in them, like the guests who bowed down and tamed the animals. , the two of them held ropes and brushes to make fun of the text. ?In the Tang Dynasty, it was even more widely developed. According to the "Yuefu Miscellaneous Records" of the Tang Dynasty, there are five lions in the play, more than ten feet tall, each wearing a square color. Each lion has twelve people, wearing red foreheads, wearing striped clothes, and holding red lions. It is called "Lie". Lion Man?, dancing to peaceful music. ?It can be seen that lion art has become a must-have program during Chinese New Year, festivals and incense walking parties at that time. Foshan Folktales: The origin of the name "Fenjiang"

The Fenjiang River in Foshan is located in the north of Foshan. It is a tributary after the confluence of the Xijiang River and the Beijiang River. It is navigable to Guangzhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing. Until 1976, Foshan still had passenger ships traveling between Guangzhou, Jiangmen, Xinhui and Zhaoqing. In the Qing Dynasty, there was a place named "Jieguanting" by the Fenjiang River. One of the eight old scenic spots in Foshan, "Fenliu Ancient Ferry", is also a scene of the Fenjiang River. At that time, there were many boats on the Fenjiang River. Just look at this poem about bamboo branches written by Foshan native Chen Changping: The boats on the Fenjiang River are full of passengers and in a hurry. If one comes from the west or one comes from the east, how can there be room for a fisherman? There is a solitary tent under Shiyun Mountain. . ?

The dialect pronunciation of "fen" is "fen", not "fen" of "Shanxi Fenjiu". The original meaning of ?fen? is ?fen?, which refers to the confluence of two rivers in the northwest to Wangjiigang and two waterways: from Shiwan and Lanshi to the sea in the east; from Huangding and Jiebian to Foshan in the west. The Fenjiang River flows to the foot of Guanting, which is today's Minzheng Bridge, and then turns north. The river here is deep and wide, with rocks at the bottom and even whirlpools. For the safety of boating, Foshan people built a large-scale floating Guandi Temple on the shore. Why worship Emperor Guan? What is the relationship between Emperor Guan and water? It may be the story in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" about Gong flooded seven armies and captured Pang De alive. Therefore, people think that Guan Gong's bravery is powerful in all directions and can calm the river and provide peace to the people. Foshan people are blessed. The Guandi Temple on the Water was demolished around the 1970s and converted into a fruit and vegetable company. In recent years, a park-like place has been built.

Why use "fenshui" instead of "fenshui" to name it? Because the common sense of the world is to like "unity" and hate "division". They like to be reunited and don't like to be divided, so in order to avoid taboos , adding water to the word "fen" was called "fen", so it was called "fenshui", and it is now called Fenjiang River. If you know this history, you will also understand the origin of a street on Shengping Road called "Fenshui West Street".

Some smaller tributaries of the Fenjiang River flow into Foshan. These tributaries are called "yong". Fenjiang water first flows into the nearest community, Guluo Society in Zumiaopu, and is called Luoshuiyong. Since the Luo River flows around Guluoshe in Foshan Town and reaches Tongji Bridge, the township annals refer to Fen and Luo as the Foshan water system, with Fen as the outer river and Luo as the inner river. Knowing this, you can understand why the archway of the Confucius Temple in the Foshan Ancestral Temple is named "Guluozhilan". Foshan Folktale: The Origin of Butang Village

Between Chengmentou and Shiwan in Chancheng District, Foshan City, there is a village called Butang Village. Most of the clans in the village have the surname Pang. Most of the land in Butang Village has been requisitioned for the construction of factory buildings.

It turns out that there are rice fields, fish ponds, mountains, forests, melon and vegetable fields, a pastoral scene. So, what is the origin of Butang Village?

According to legend, in the ninth year of Xianchun (1273) of Du Zong in the Southern Song Dynasty, a man named Rensou, the ancestor of the Pang family, moved south from Zhuji Lane in Nanxiong. They lived together as a clan, and later, the descendants of the Pang family scattered throughout Nanhai County. Therefore, the people with the surname Pang in Nanhai all had Renso Gong as their first ancestor. During the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty (1506-1521), the eighth direct descendant of Rensou Gong was named Pang Song, whose courtesy name was Zhenxing and his nickname was Bi Tang. He was deeply influenced by his teacher Zhan Ganquan (also known as Ruoshui) since he was a child. Zhan Ruoshui was A master of Neo-Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty, he was knowledgeable and taught well. Pang Bitang was cultivated into a talented person, and he became the prefect of Qujing, Yunnan Province, and he was relatively successful as an official. The emperor once rewarded him with two precious night-light pearls, which reminds people of the scenic spots and historic sites in the village. One of the Eight Ancient Scenic Spots in Zhangcha, "Butang Lights at Night", probably commemorates the two night-light pearls that Pang Butang was rewarded with. Legend has it that in ancient times, an ancient luminous lamp was tied to the urn altar in the north of the village. When night falls, the ancient lamp naturally lights up and can be seen far and near. Later generations will also engrave the inscriptions given by the emperor on stone as plaques and build them on the left and right gate towers to commemorate them forever. At that time, all officials who passed the gatehouse would dismount their horses, get off the sedan, and bow down on the spot to show their respect for the emperor and Pang Bitang. Later generations built an ancestral hall for Pang Bitang, named Xiaomu Temple, which still existed during the Republic of China. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in order to educate the children in the village, the ancestral hall was changed to Bitang Primary School. The couplet at the entrance of the temple is said to have been written by Mr. Chen Baisha of Xinhui. Chen Baisha was Zhan Ruoshui's teacher, that is, Pang Bitang's master. The master said: "Ze Shao Zeng Cheng Zhan, kindness left Qu Jingchun", indicating that Pang Bitang's achievements came from his mentor. The cultivation of Zhan Ruoshui was honored by the emperor's grace when he was appointed to Qujing in Yunnan. From then on, the villagers named it "Bitang Village" after their ancestor "Bitang", replacing the original name of the new village. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, people once added the word "Tu" to the word "Tang", and it became "Butang Village". However, due to the suggestions of descendants who knew the history of the township, the name of Butang Village was restored to Butang Village. Another thing is that Pang Bitang's proficiency in calligraphy has also influenced the people of Bitang Village in later generations. Many calligraphers have emerged in the past dynasties. For example, the 85-year-old calligrapher Pang Xingwen. The handwritten ink and gemstone inscriptions left by Pang Bitang still exist on the cliff of Feiliu Qianchi Baiyun Cave in Xiqiao Mountain, South China Sea. From the name of the village and Pang Bitang's influence on future generations, we can know how high Pang Bitang's status is in the hearts of Bitang villagers. Foshan Folktales: Foshan Paper-cutting

Dear friends, in 2006, Foshan had 6 projects selected into the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists, one of which was paper-cutting. Foshan paper-cutting has a long history, originating from the Song Dynasty and flourishing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Since the Ming Dynasty, Foshan paper-cutting has been mass-produced by specialized industries, and its products are sold within the province, central and southwestern provinces, and exported to Southeast Asian countries. Some people may think that Foshan paper-cutting is just a craft for women during their leisure time. In fact, after the development, the designers of Foshan paper-cutting were almost all men.

In ancient times, paper-cutting was mainly used for decoration of holiday gifts, sacrificial decoration, embroidery, engraving patterns, product trademarks, etc. For example, those used as decoration for gifts are called "fireworks", those affixed to windows are called "window grilles", or used for decoration of lanterns and tea cups. With the development of society, Foshan paper-cutting, on the basis of tradition, has the characteristics of rigorous composition, strong decoration, translucency and elegance, and splendid golden walls. It is mostly characterized by reflecting the life themes of the times, creating a path of innovation in traditional art. It is relatively representative in the art of paper-cutting in my country. The biggest difference between Foshan paper-cutting and northern paper-cutting is the tool, which is not scissors, but a chisel. Therefore, it is called "engraved paper", which is both delicate and elegant, and has a vigorous and vigorous expression technique. The delicate parts are like hair, and it is so ingenious that it is breathtaking. Foshan paper-cutting selects materials and techniques according to the needs of use. Mid-Autumn Festival and Lantern Festival lanterns made of four paper-cuts are the most popular among Foshan children. Paper-cutting technology was used by craftsman Huo Guanxiang in the 1980s to innovate traditional furniture. He added paper-cut pattern stickers to cabinet doors, opening up the international market for new furniture.

In the 1990s, Foshan arts and crafts artist Ma Bingrong tried to use the paper-cut style to create a series of holiday custom paintings, which have the characteristics of pattern paintings and woodcut paintings. Foshan Folk Art Research Society is the creation and production base of Foshan paper-cutting. Paper-cut artists create large-scale water town paper-cuts that reflect the characteristics of Lingnan water town, and are very popular in other provinces. Since the reform and opening up, a giant paper-cut of the Twelve Hairpins of Jinling from "A Dream of Red Mansions" has been hung in the lobby of the Guangzhou Garden Hotel. Countless foreign guests have been amazed by its Chinese style. The medium and small paper-cut works of the Twelve Hairpins from Jinling are often given as high-end gifts by the Foshan Municipal Government to important visiting groups. Paper-cutting is also the earliest artistic creation to enter the extracurricular activity groups of primary and secondary school students. Schools such as the Ninth Primary School, the No. 25 Primary School, and the No. 8 Middle School in the urban area have all set up extracurricular activity groups for making Foshan paper-cuts, and invited masters from the Foshan Folk Art Society to teach their skills in the schools. In the 1960s, Comrade Guo Moruo inspected the Foshan Folk Art Society and spoke highly of Foshan paper-cutting. He left behind a famous poem: "With thousands of pieces of paper, we can seize the spring of everything in the universe."

Okay, "Foshan Story" ends here today. If you want to know the thousand-year history of Foshan, listen to the next chapter and explain it.