柳:扬州城市文化意象考释

An Investigation of Willow as Cultural Image of Yangzhou

城市文化意象是一座城市在历史文化积淀的基础上,集合了地域特点、人文风俗、历史传统、当今风貌等多种特征之后的具体物质形态。"柳"因其自然特性与人的主观情感的碰撞与交融,"柳丝"、"柳絮"等发音与与"留"、"思"、"绪"谐音等而富于表现力,同时扬州这座城市地理环境也适于柳树生长,因此造成扬州浓郁的"柳"民俗。将"柳"作为扬州的城市文化意象具有历史与现实的多种理由。在改革与发展的新时期,把"柳"作为扬州城市文化意象,给予扬州城市的主要有创新、坚韧与优美三个文化内涵。

The cultural image of a city is a substantial state based on historical and cultural sediment and characteristic of regional features, local folklore, historical tradition and present style. The willow tree, because of its natural features and interaction with human emotions in addition to its homophonous sound in pronouncing wickers and catkins with Chinese characters like ＂留＂ （linger）, ＂思＂ （miss）, ＂绪＂ （ sentiment）, is rich in its expressing power. The geographical conditions of Yangzhou is very suitable for the growth of the willow tree, hence folklore of willow prospers. To use the willow tree as the cultural image of the city has manifold reasons. During this epoch of economic reform and growth, this image carries these aspects of cultural implications： innovation, fortitude and grace.