御侮谁不忆?桃渚

戚小宗

在浙江东南一隅的临海去大海方向再向东约60公里，在经济发达地区的钢筋水泥楼群城镇和四通八达的柏油马路中，奇迹般地孤悬着一座规模不大的明代古城。它，名叫桃渚。

公元1562年，抗倭名将戚继光以桃渚为根据地，在台州九战九捷之后，奉命调任福建。后世的史学家都认为，这一年，是明代抗倭历史由守转攻，最终获得胜利的转折点。

光阴变换，斗转星移，到今天，恰好是450周年。而我，作为戚继光将军的第23代嫡孙，来到了这座东邻沧海的古城，重走祖先的赫赫战功之路，也从这座古城，重读了戚继光生命最后的三个十年。

1562，青年才俊的光耀之地

曾有人告诉我，桃渚城是整个南中国最适合遐想的地方。

“遐想”一词，有着十分复杂的内涵，既代表了丰沛的历史内蕴，也代表了铅华散尽的落寞。

和想象的有些不一样，抗倭古城比影视作品里看到的那些城防要塞要小，到了桃渚镇，车子一拐弯，城门和石墙展现眼前的时候，甚至有点失望。

冷静下来，努力使自己以冷兵器时代的眼光来看，这的的确确是一座坚不可摧的四方城堡。明正统八年(1443)为抗击倭寇而建设的这个千户所所城，周长1366米。北面是山，东、西、南三座古城门城墙现在都基本保存完好。

走进桃渚石头城，感觉街道不是很规则，和当地人一聊，原来街道不笔直而建、是为呈现“龙”型。主街两边的巷道，都不对称呼应直通，而是插齿交叉，为的是防敌长驱直入，便于城内军民隐蔽、出击。

漫步桃渚城内，可以说街巷至今仍保持着明清风貌。在街上乱转，一家屋檐的木雕就让人叹为观止：不仅仅是花鸟鱼虫，还有郭子仪祝寿、赵公明送财这些有头有尾的历史形象。

据说，城中的居民有的就是戚家军的后裔。这我没有考证，不过，我愿意相信这是真的。一户人家听说我姓戚，很热情地迎我进去小坐，端茶泡水，亲近溢于言表。他们说，只要我亮出自己的姓氏，每一个桃渚人都会拿出最好的香茶和最美味的饭菜款待我。

古城四周的城墙，如今已经变成孩子们的玩闹场所。戚继光曾经的挥斥方遒，只有发挥想象去遐想。

嘉靖三十四年（1555），年方28岁的戚继光，因为蒙古族俺答汗率部进犯时展露的军事才华被中央军官赏识而派驻浙江。当时，倭寇猖獗到令后人难以想象的地步：大举入侵时，常常集结30至50艘可以装载百人的大船，人数多达几千；盛时，可以有2万人据守占领区内的军事要地；劫掠的物品不限于金银珠宝，还把当地人作为奴隶运往日本，甚至大批搜集蚕茧并勒令妇女们抽丝。

在戚继光到任之前，对于倭寇的蹂躏，百姓的悲观和惶惑遍布于滨海各省。翻看当年的历史，有些事情简直令人不可思议。历史学家黄仁宇先生的《万历十五年》记载，一股50至70人的海寇竟创造了一个“奇迹”：他们登陆后到处杀人越货，如入无人之境，竟越过杭州北新关，经淳安入安徽朗县，迫近芜湖，围绕南京兜了一个大圈子，然后趋秣陵关至宜兴，退至武进。以后虽然被歼，但是被他们杀伤的百姓据称竟有4000之多。

戚继光到任之后，情况大为改观。他以3000名士兵从桃渚开始，屡次攻坚、解围、迎战、追击，而从未在战斗中被倭寇击溃。1562年离开浙江前，戚家军壮大为1万人。之后，继任者的胜利纪录无出其右。

而且，戚继光还在临海建造了煌煌壮观的城墙，首创了空心敌台的建筑形制。很多人认为，戚继光在台州府的创意，最早就来自于他曾经作为根据地的桃渚城。

1572，兴修长城的师范蓝本

从浙江调任后，戚继光又在福建、广东转战数年。荡平沿海倭寇之后，40岁那年，戚继光奉命回京，加强北方防卫，抵御当时对明王朝威胁最大的北方鞑靼。

随后几年，戚继光做了一件在中国历史上再次书写浓墨重彩之笔的事情—修建明长城。今天北方的明长城北京八达岭、慕田峪、司马台、古北口，天津黄崖关，河北山海关附近的老龙头、角山等很多地段，都是按照他的规划设计加以改进增筑过的。

1572年，蓟门一带长城的全部工程完成。史料记载，全部经费仅是估计造价的一半。在1017座御敌台上，戚继光配置了固定的台军。他又著《哨守条约》，令各台官兵传习，时刻提防边警。他还把各种敌情信号编成通俗顺口的《传烽歌》，让守军背诵记熟。也是在这年，戚继光完成了军事著作《练兵实纪》。

如今，东起山海关、西至山西黄河边的长城依然完整地保存着，像条巨龙起伏于崇山峻岭之间，蜿蜒曲折，连绵不断，烽堠敌台，气势磅礴，蔚为壮观。

我没有去过八达岭，但曾经登临过河北山海关长城、也远眺过山西雁门关长城。那高下相间、突兀参差的形貌，和临海古城墙以及桃渚古城，确有不少相似之处。无怪乎今年刚刚过世的建筑学家罗哲文先生曾说，临海古城是明长城的师范和蓝本。

在临海期间，精于历史的临海市委宣传部部长卢如平拿出他的专著《戚继光与“南北长城”》赠给我，并娓娓谈起了戚继光的话题。他说，在任蓟镇总兵时，戚继光把临海修筑城防的经验，运用到北方长城的增扩加强上。他特抽调了曾经参加修建桃渚要塞、改建临海城墙的“三千江东子弟兵”充任领工、监理和技术指导。所以，今天当地人也把临海古城叫做“江南长城”。

今天，当我再次站立在桃渚古城上时，又怎能不忆起这座城墙对祖先一生的境遇产生多么大的影响。

1582，集结诗文的梦里故乡

“霜角一声草木哀，云头对起石门开。朔风虏酒不成醉，落叶归鸦无数来。但使玄戈销杀气，未妨白发老边才。勒名峰上吾谁与，故李将军舞剑台。”

这是今天还珍藏在临海图书馆里的《戚继光诗文全集》中一首戚继光晚年—1582年所作的七律。诗中，除了一身胆气的慷慨陈词、对早年在临海桃渚抗倭那些光辉岁月“玄戈销杀气”的追忆之外，还能让人隐隐约约感觉到，一员失势老将的落寞之情。

万历十年(1582)，注定是不平常的一年。

这年六月，被誉为股肱忠臣、对戚继光欣赏有加的内阁首辅张居正在北京去世。随即而来的政治压力直接影响了戚继光在军队中的影响力——他最引以为左膀右臂的弟弟戚继美远调贵州。

也许是感到自己政治军事生命的即将完结，当年九月，戚继光把历年所写诗文集成五卷，即《横槊稿》三卷、《愚愚稿》二卷，合称《止止堂集》。此集在戚继光生前即已刊行，此后又有多种刻本，流传至今。除了总结平生的境遇之外，还有不少作品是年轻时抗倭过程中所作。

比如《望阙台》：“十年驱驰海色寒，孤臣于此望宸銮。繁霜尽是心头血，洒向千峰秋叶丹。”字里行间，尽是一位年轻军官的恢弘大志。

我想，彼时总结自己一生作品的戚继光，一定想起了他在桃渚抗倭及扬名的岁月，以及对远在江南的那片梦里故乡的追忆之情。

可惜，一直到去世，他都没有再踏上过这片曾经浴血奋战过的土地。

三年后的1585年，58岁的戚继光上疏请求引退回乡。又三年后，他在山东蓬莱老家完成了修立家庙、延师教子等一系列福荫子孙的事情之后寿终正寝。

不知这位纵横捭阖一生的大帅弥留之际，是否想到了临海，想到了影响他一生的桃渚古城？

也许桃渚戚继光纪念馆门口那幅“怀古何须游赤壁，御侮谁不忆桃渚”的门联，已经给出了答案。□

（本文摄影：吴勇韬）

Ancient Fortress Commemorates Hero

By Qi Xiaozong

Taozhu may look anachronistic among the scene of urban sprawl and highways in Linhai, a well-developed city in southeast of Zhejiang, a coastal province in eastern China. Located about 60 kilometers from Linhai, it is a defense fortress built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The fortress is all about Qi Jiguang (1528-1588) and the history of defeating Japanese pirates which had been harassing China for centuries.

I paid a visit to Taozhu recently for two reasons: the year 2012 marks the 450th anniversary when General Qi Jiguang was transferred to Fujian, a province in the south, to continue fighting the Japanese pirates after he had wiped out Japanese pirates in Zhejiang; I am a 23rd-generation descendant of General Qi. I came to the small city to review the last three decades of the national hero.

The Year 1562

The year marked the turning point in Chinas century-long campaign against Japanese pirates. Based in Taizhou, Zhejiang, General Qi launched nine campaigns against Japanese pirates and all the campaigns were victorious. Historians agree that from that year on, China turned to offense in fighting Japanese pirates.

It is said that Taozhu is the most suitable place in the south of China to let ones imagination go wild. I agree. Historical imagination here means a long story of vicissitudes to recall and feel after all the dust settled a long time ago.

To my disappointment, Taozhu Town looks quite small in sharp contrast -to all the great ancient fortresses I had seen in movies and televisions. On second thought, I realized that it was indeed an impregnable defense structure in the era of cold weapons. Built in 1443, the fortress measures 1,366 meters around with mountains on the north side. The three gates in the east, west and south still stand. Walking around inside the walled town, I soon became aware of the irregular lengths of the streets. Local people explained that all the streets come together to take the form of the Chinese character 龙 (dragon). The streets are crisscrossed and staggered so that enemy soldiers, once inside the fortress, would not be able to drive through easily and defenders would have a good chance to fight a house-to-house battle.

The streets and lanes keep the ancient shape and style. It is said that there are some descendants of General Qi still living in the fortress town. I did not investigate but tended to believe it was true. I was warmly invited into a house and given a cup of tea after someone learned that I was surnamed Qi. The host explained that the surname would open all the doors in Taozhu.

The ancient wall has become a playground for local children. It would be hard to imagine how Japanese pirates had been a scourge to coastal provinces in China. The pirates invaded. Sometimes a troupe might be 20,000 soldiers. They looted and killed; they grabbed local people and sold them as slaves to Japan. The 28-year-old Qi Jiguang arrived in Taozhu in 1555. He headed a force of 3,000 soldiers. He scored one victory after another. Before he left Zhejiang in 1562, the army was expanded to 10,000.

The Year 1572

After successful military campaigns in Zhejiang, Qi drove the pirates into the sea in Fujian and Guangdong. In 1568, the 40-year-old general was summoned back to Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, to strengthen the defense against Tartar invaders in the north. In the following years, he rebuilt the Great Wall, now generally known as the Great Wall of the Ming.

The sections of the Great Wall of the Ming around Beijing can still be seen today. It is said that they were built on the blueprint prepared by Qi Jiguang. Actually, Qi Jiguang had built a miniature great wall in Linhai, which still stands today. He supervised the Great Wall project in the north. He appointed 3,000 soldiers who had taken part in building the great wall in Linhai to be supervisors and technicians in the project in the north.

In 1572, a big part of the Great Wall near Beijing was completed at half of the estimated cost. Qi Jiguang deployed soldiers at 1,017 watchtowers along the extending defense work. Qi Jiguang wrote a full list of code signals for relaying military information accurately and fast in case of emergency and all the defense soldiers learned the code signals by heart. Also in 1572, he finished writing Records of Troop Training, a book on military strategies and tactics.

The Year 1582

It was an eventful year. Zhang Juzheng (1525-1582), the prime minister of Emperor Wanli, passed away. The death produced serious political consequences. Qi Jiguang was one of the people Zhang had trusted and supported for years. After the prime ministers death, Qi Jiguangs younger brother Qi Jimei, who had been with him all these years, was exiled to a government post as far as Guizhou in southwestern China. Qi Jiguang himself was demoted to a military position in Guangdong in southern China. In September 1582, he went through all of his manuscripts written over years and edited them into five volumes. Before he passed away, the collected works had been published. The collection was reprinted many times in the past. His works can still be read today. The collection includes essays about his life and career and many were written in military campaigns against Japanese pirates.

In 1585, the 58-year-old Qi Jiguang submitted a plea for retirement. In his last years, he had the family temple erected and appointed a teacher for his children. He died in poverty in Penglai, Shandong Province.

He never came back to Taozhu, but Taozhu remembers him and his victories. The city now has a Qi Jiguang Memorial.□