“猿猱闻鼓不须呼”——论苏轼在徐州所作《浣溪沙》词中的祈雨祭祀

“Apes don t have to shout when they smell the drum”-Su Shi's prayer for rain in the lyrics of“Huan Xi Sha”written in Xuzhou

熙宁十年(1077年)苏轼由密州徙任徐州知州,到任即遇黄河决道,元丰元年(1078年)又逢春旱,苏轼按照朝廷颁布的祀龙祈雨之法,前往徐州城外的石潭求雨、谢雨,在这期间创作了著名的《浣溪沙·徐门石潭谢雨道上作》5首。这5首词不仅生动描写了北宋的农村场景,而且一定程度上真实反映了苏轼的谢雨和村民们的社祭活动,其中“猿猱闻鼓不须呼”一句中的鼓声并非来自苏轼的谢雨祭祀活动,而是来自村民们在水灾后祈求丰收而举行的社祭。关于“麋鹿”与“猿猱”的不同解释,则是后世读者阐释焦虑的结果。

In the tenth year of Xining(1077),Su Shi was relocated from Mizhou to become the governor of Xuzhou.Upon arrival,he encountered the Yellow River breaking the dams and changing the course.In the first year of Yuanfeng(1078),he also encountered a spring drought.Following the law of worshipping dragons and praying for rain issued by the imperial court,Su Shi went to Shitan outside Xuzhou to pray for rain and thank for rain.During this period,he composed five poems“Huan Xi Sha·Xu Men Xie Yu Dao Shang Zuo”.These five poems not only vividly depicted the rural scenes of the Northern Song Dynasty,but also,to a certain extent,truthfully reflected Su Shi s thanking for rain and the social sacrifice activities of the villagers.The drum sound in the sentence“Aapes smell the drum without shouting”did not come from Su Shi s sacrifice activity of thanking for rain,but from the social sacrifice held by the villagers after the flood to pray for a good harvest.The different interpretations of“elk”and“ape”were the result of later readers interpretation of anxiety.