德寿宫的一天

陈华胜

转眼间，杭州望江路北侧杭州方志馆旁的德寿宫遗址在围墙封闭施工中已经掩不住地露出了飞檐翘角的一些端倪。自2020年12月28日开工以来，德寿宫恢复工程进展顺利。根据规划，德寿宫遗址保护展示工程暨南宋博物院（一期）将在2022年建成，并对公众开放。

德寿宫是宋高宗退位后居住的宫殿，也是南宋临安城仅次于皇城的重要宫苑。这座沉睡了数百年的德寿宫，即将揭开“皇城”的神秘面纱。那么，800多年前皇帝的“退休生活”是怎样的？

晨曦微露，朝天门（鼓楼）城楼的四更鼓声刚刚敲过，在候潮门外，就有无数经纪行贩，挑着担儿，等着城门打开。有唱曲儿的，也有说闲话的，也有做小买卖的。城外大路上，也出现了稀稀拉拉的人影，挑柴的、卖米的、售花的、贩菜的……向高耸在残月下黑黝黝的城楼移动。

这样挨了一阵子，一片清脆而有节奏的铁牌和木鱼声即从四面八方骤然响起，撕破拂晓前的寂静，揭开了南宋京城一天的序幕。

五更时分（凌晨3—5点）城门打开，街市便闹忙起来。火星迸溅处，有人在打石升炊，城内大大小小的吃食店和茶坊開始升起飘散着诱人香味的白色气团。那塞满城内河道的船队也蠕动起来，一早要出城的船只，忙着挤出行列。卖洗面汤的铺子也开张营业了。卖洗面汤是宋代市井街头的一个特色，就是提供洗脸水和漱口水。一些市井的小民早晨起床后就直接出了家门，来到这些摊位前洗脸、漱口，整个城市就好像一个集体宿舍。吃食铺的点心、粥饭也已经出锅出笼，连酒店也点着灯烛来沽卖早点，热热乎乎地吃上一碗，每份不过二十文，一天的日子就这么开始，市井的喧闹声也随着天光甚嚣尘上了。

67岁的太上皇赵构从睡梦中自然醒来，舒适地伸了一个懒腰，远远地隐约听到了头陀报晓的声音，似乎还听到“今日四参”那么一句。

原本住在皇宫大内中是听不到行者头陀报晓声的，宫中自有内侍报道更漏。这种人有个专门的名称叫“鸡人”，鸡人报时自然要优雅、斯文得多，但现在搬出来住到了天街旁边望仙桥东的德寿宫，市井的声音便不时地飘进耳朵里来了。说实话，赵构还是蛮享受这种市井气息的。

德寿宫原本是高宗钦赐给宰相秦桧的大宅，想当年君臣相得，为了表彰秦桧主持和议之功，高宗还书赐了“一德格天之阁”的匾额。可不久，君臣之间的蜜月期就过去了，秦桧的权焰熏天也让官家（皇帝）颇为忌惮，到后来，官家上朝的时候甚至要在靴子里暗藏一把匕首以备不测了。好在这位让赵构又爱又恨的权相终于先他而去，到了当今官家（宋孝宗）即位，更是将秦桧的谥号改为“谬丑”，来了个全盘否定。作为罪臣，秦府的宅第当然也收归国有了。为了表示孝敬，官家特地对秦府旧宅进行了大规模的扩建改造，并定名为德寿宫，作为太上皇颐养天年的地方。

赵构没有亲生儿子，当今官家是宋太祖一脉的子孙，被赵构领养来作的儿子。因为不是亲生儿子，就越发要表现得孝顺，平常时节，只要不是上朝，官家都会早早地来德寿宫给太上皇请安，这十几年来都是如此。但赵构此刻分明听到头陀口中“今日四参”的吆喝声。

宋代上朝并不是每天都需要进行的，否则皇帝与大臣都吃不消，所以，皇帝一般定下规矩，每月四天或两天接见群臣。逢到这种日子，报晓的行者、头陀就要加上一句：“今日四参！”或者“今日两参！”以唤醒朝臣官员的沉沉酣梦，提醒他们不要错过上朝时间。今天是朝会的日子，官家自然不会来德寿宫请安了，赵构倒也觉得自在。辞了皇位当太上皇，不就是图个自在么！

内侍、宫女们伺候完洗漱，简简单单地吃了一碗丁香馄饨——这是太上皇最喜欢的早点。赵构在饮食用度上一向是节俭的，民间的野菜马兰头还有湖里的螺蛳也经常是他御厨里的菜肴——赵构就去伺候他的那群鸽子去了。

要说赵构有什么业余爱好，养鸽子就是他最大的爱好。等到他退位当了太上皇，更是以养鸽为退休生活的主要内容，那些名贵的鸽子都是由他亲自养，早晚收放鸽群也都亲力亲为，想想也是蛮辛苦的。

一阵鸽哨响起，大群的鸽子足系金铃，带着万点金光和一片铿锵之声，从德寿宫中的聚远楼飞出，掠空而去，白云蔽日。聚远楼是德寿宫后苑内最为宏伟、高敞的建筑，借取苏东坡的诗“赖有高楼能聚远，一时收拾与闲人”而命名。赵构站在高楼上，望着这群心爱的宠物，心旷神怡。

说高宗皇帝有这份闲心，却偏偏忘了被金国囚禁在白水黑土的父母妻兄，跟“山外青山楼外楼，西湖歌舞几时休。暖风熏得游人醉，直把杭州作汴州”是一个道理。后来，真的有个人写了首鸽子诗，颇有些讽刺意思，赵构倒还是蛮有度量的，看了这首诗后并没有吹胡子瞪眼生气，更没有利用职权打击报复，而是将那个写诗的人收编到“麾下”，赏了他一个官做，把他也当鸽子养起来了。

办法不错吧？不肯为五斗米折腰的毕竟是少数。

当了三十六年皇帝，就这么点爱好还要被人闲话，想想也真是累！现在好了，归政后当太上皇，朝政大事可以撂一边去了，放鸽子的心情都不一样了。

放飞鸽子后，赵构就站在高楼上眺望，皇宫前的嘉会门内，广场上树立的一根五丈高的大旗杆上，升着一面硕大无朋的绣黄龙旗。今天果然是朝会的日子，赵构可以想象此刻在他的脚下那条天街上文武百官坐轿骑马赶进皇宫去上朝的闹忙景象，但这一切已经跟他无关了。既然官家今天不会来德寿宫了，那么，他倒也要安排一下自己的生活。

赵构突然想到了去游西湖。

算来，宋高宗应该是西湖的第一位皇帝游客。禅位之后，更是西湖的常客。

其实，德寿宫里有一个小西湖。德寿宫的后苑都人称为“北大内”，因高宗雅好湖山之胜，故建后苑以为四时游览之所。后苑内“引水注之，以象西湖冷泉;垒石为山，作飞来峰”——连飞来峰、冷泉这样的景观都微缩了移植在德寿宫里，赵构完全可以足不出户遍赏风月。但在宫里待得时间长了，毕竟有些气闷，所以，赵构还是决定出去散散心。

太上皇的旨意一下，德寿宫的内侍、宫娥们自然欢心，殿前司的禁军及应奉诸司也早排好銮驾，沿途护卫一直到湖上。

天气晴好，太上皇的龙舟在波光粼粼的西湖上闲荡。

那时候的禁卫还不像后来那么森严，帝王游湖，小民也同样可以泛舟湖上，大家两不相犯，君民同乐。说来也巧，当日就有一个叫宋五嫂的女厨子也驾了一叶扁舟来湖上，向游客兜售她烹制的鱼羹。

这位宋五嫂本是东京汴梁的民间女厨，曾在汴梁城里经营菜馆，以擅长制作鱼羹而闻名汴京，因为嫁给宋家一位排行老五的人，所以人称宋五嫂。金兵南侵，宋五嫂也算颇有民族气节，不愿在异族铁蹄下生活，跟着南迁队伍来到了行在临安。为了维持生计，她在西湖苏堤旁驾一叶小舟穿梭湖上叫卖鱼羹。

太上皇在游湖时，猛然想起过些日子就是放生节了，于是便命人用彩旗招来湖上那些捕钓鱼鳖的船，内侍大珰用上皇的内帑向船家尽买龟鱼，在湖中放生。

西湖放生，从宋朝开始就是杭城的民俗。据苏东坡记载，国朝天僖年间，故宰相王钦若出知杭州，曾把西湖作为放生池，禁捕鱼鸟，为大宋皇帝祈福祝寿。自此以后，每年的四月八日成了一个固定的放生节日，总有数万杭州人聚集在西湖边，放生的鱼虾虫鸟数以百万计。大家一边放生，一边遥望西北汴京方向，仰祝皇帝千万岁寿。现而今，汴京已经沦为膻腥之地，皇帝倒移驾来了西子湖边，放生也要自己掏钱来做了，赵构这么想着，心里多少有些沧桑的感觉。

来至钱塘门外，船泊苏堤下，已经时近中午。太上皇身边服侍多年的老内侍听见有人以汴京口音在叫卖鱼羹，不免多瞧了几眼，认出此人竟是当年在东京汴梁经营鱼羹菜馆的宋五嫂。也算是他乡遇故知，老内侍不禁悲从中来，偷偷拭泪。不想太上皇也正怆然，看到此景，便问老内侍何事落泪。老内侍具情相告，赵构倒也想起了当年在汴京时曾经品尝过名噪一时的鱼羹，于是便命侍从用小彩旗招引，去买鱼羹来吃。

宋五嫂也不认得皇家的龙舟，只看到豪华舟艇上下来的人来买鱼羹，估计是皇亲国戚之类要人，于是就用心烹制了鱼羹，亲自送到龙舟上。快人快语的宋五嫂并不认得太上皇，见了赵构毫不畏惧，还充满自豪地说 ：“奴家本是东京汴梁人氏，是随着圣驾来到这里的。”

太上皇闻听此言，与那位老内侍一样，心中也油然升起他乡遇故知的情怀，不胜唏嘘。他一面享用鱼羹，一面与宋五嫂聊起家乡风物人情，两人居然相谈甚欢。老年赵构品尝了这道颇具北宋东京风味的鱼羹后，所有的前尘往事都涌上心头，感慨万千，同时也对这位銀丝苍老的宋五嫂产生了爱屋及乌的同情，特别赏赐纹银百两给宋五嫂，资助她重新开店经营。

宋五嫂就地取材，以西湖鳜鱼代替黄河鲤鱼入羹的变通之法，以及南料北烹的特点，再加上宋高宗的名人效应，使得这道宋嫂鱼羹一举成为杭州名菜，流传了800多年。这当然是后话了。

吃了宋嫂鱼羹，尝了几块内侍们准备的定胜糕，算是在湖上用了中餐。笙歌管弦中又游了一回湖，申时（相当于今15—17时）捎泊花光亭，自有宰相、枢密使、参知政事及临安府的一班从驾官在显应观西斋堂侍班，各赐酒食、翠花扇子，宴罢回到德寿宫的时候已经是掌灯时分。

寿圣太上皇后吴氏早在慈福殿等候。高宗的原配皇后邢氏在靖康年被北掳最终死于五国城，吴皇后是继任的皇后。高宗的夫妻生活倒也恩爱，两个人都雅好书法，高宗自称五十年来，只要没什么大事，没有一天不写字。这会儿，他们两夫妻正联手做一桩事：用工笔楷书抄写“四书五经”，颁布太学作为石刻样板。

宋朝的皇帝多以书法见长。当年太宗皇帝令王著精选摹刻《淳化阁帖》，此帖集历代名家法书之大成，堪称法书丛帖之祖。唯一有个小秘密，那就是其中不收颜真卿的字。据说，赵氏的先祖是安史之乱时史思明手下的大将，赵、颜两家为世仇，所以赵宋皇帝不习颜体字。赵构的书法既有徽宗“瘦金体”的家传，又临摹过钟繇、王義之等人的书帖，还特别喜欢苏东坡的书体，其笔下变化万象，堪称神品。为了投官家所好，后宫的妃子们也都练起了书法，其中以吴皇后悟性最好，她模仿官家的字体，几能乱真。当年，韩世忠曾购得《兰亭帖》的摹本，发现笔意清逸颇有官家的风格，就献了上来。赵构细辨后确认是吴皇后的手迹，就让他的小舅子吴益刊于石。

这会儿，赵构在灯下已经抄了好大一段《孝经》，颇有些写得累了，就让吴皇后代写一段。（由高宗夫妇撰写的临安太学石经现今仍保存在杭州碑林。）赵构则在一旁，端一杯宫女送来的“德寿宫私酿”新酒，抿一口，笑眯眯地看着……

One Day at the Deshou Palace

By  Chen Huasheng

Before you know it， you can already see some clues from the roof corner of the Deshou Palace， being reconstructed at its former ruins， through the gaps of the enclosing walls at the construction site. Since the project began on December 28， 2020， the restoration has progressed smoothly. According to plan， the Preservation and Exhibition Project of the Deshou Palace Ruins and the Southern Song Dynasty Museum （Phase I） will be completed in 2022 and open to the public.

The Deshou Palace was the place where Emperor Gaozong of Song （1107-1187） lived after his abdication. It was also the most important palace for the Southern Song dynasty （1127-1279）. The palace， which was almost totally destroyed hundreds of years ago， is about to unveil the mystery of the “imperial city”. So what was the emperor’s “retirement life” like 800 years ago？ Before you visit the palace， why not read the following text first to have an in-depth experience？

Dawn yet breaking， the Chaotian Gate （Drum Tower） just sounded the fourth watch of the drum. Outside the Houchao Gate， there are already numerous litter-carrying people， sitting underneath waiting for the gate to open. Some are street singers， some are simply gossiping， and some are sellers. On the road outside the city， people also begin to appear， those shouldering woods， selling rice， flowers and vegetables ... moving towards the dark city tower rising against the waning moon.

After a while， a series of clear and rhythmic sounds of iron placards and wooden fishes suddenly ring out from all directions， breaking the silence before dawn and opening the prelude to a day in the capital of the Southern Song dynasty.

It is the Buddhist monks who are beating the iron placards and wood fishes while chanting sutras. They are reporting the hour of the day and the weather conditions to the neighborhood， practicing their chanting voice at the same time. But these are not resident monks， who need to attend morning lessons. Rather they are the itinerant monks， who are also able to get some alms by taking on the task.

By the fifth watch （three to five o’clock in the morning）， the city gates have opened， and the streets start to come alive. Small restaurants and tea houses are issuing white clouds of alluring scent. The fleet of boats， which have filled the city’s waterways are busy pushing their way in and out of the city. Stalls selling face-washing and mouth-rinsing water， a special feature of the Southern Song “main streets”. Folks would get up in the morning and go straight to the stalls， washing their faces and rinsing their mouths， making the whole city look like a collective dormitory. Dim sum and porridge are ready. The day thus kickstarts with the rising noise of the streets.

The 67-year-old Zhao Gou， Emperor Gaozong of Song and now the Taishang Huang （“Retired Emperor”）， wakes up naturally and takes a satisfying stretch， hearing the fainting voices of itinerant monks announcing the hours.

Of course， Zhao couldn’t hear the monks when he lived in the imperial palace near the Phoenix Mountain， where the eunuchs would take care of the business. Here in the Deshou Palace， which sits close to the commoners， it is a bit different， and he seems to enjoy it.

The palace was once the former residence of Qin Hui （1090-1155）， chancellor of the dynasty and one of the most infamous traitors in the Chinese history. While the two enjoyed a period of “honeymoon”， their relationship soon turned tense， as Qin accumulated too much power and Gaozong felt threatened — the latter was even said to have hidden a knife in his boot when he had audience with Qin. With Qin’s fall from grace， his residence was confiscated by the authorities as well， and after renovation， it became the Deshou Palace.

The current emperor， Emperor Xiaozong of Song （1127-1194）， is Gaozong’s adopted son， who has shown more filial piety by visiting Gaozong early in the morning every day if he doesn’t need to attend the imperial court.

Today， Xiaozong won’t be coming， as it is a day for official business. In fact， the Song emperors and their ministers and officials don’t have to attend the court every single day， which would be impractical — two or four days a month will do.

After washing up， attended by eunuchs and maids， Zhao simply eats a bowl of small wonton， his favorite breakfast. Zhao is always frugal in his diet. It is not uncommon to see Ma Lan Tou， a wild vegetable enjoyed by the populace， and freshwater snails on his table. Having finished his food， Zhao then goes to attend his flock of pigeons.

If Zhao Gou has any hobbies， raising pigeons undoubtedly ranks on the top. Now that he has retired， pigeons are a big part of his life. Indeed， these pigeons are all precious species and bred personally by him. He has also taken care of releasing them every morning and their homecoming every evening. A flock of white birds flying over the city sky in those years has been something to behold.

One scholar， disappointed with Zhao’s seemingly forgetting his family members who are still held by rival Jurchen forces in the north， once wrote a poem to satirize his hobby. Instead of punishing him， Zhao made him an official of the government， just like one of his pigeons.

After releasing his pigeons， Zhao Gou stands on a high building in the Deshou Palace， taking a survey of the view around him. A huge flag embroidered with a yellow dragon is hoisted tall on the square in front of the imperial palace， which means today is indeed the day for the court meeting. Zhao Gou could imagine the busy scene when civil and military officials in sedans or on horses hurry into the palace along the imperial street at his feet， but all has nothing to do with him now. Apparently， the emperor would not come to the Deshou Palace， he needs to find something to do.

To the West Lake， it suddenly dawns on Zhao. And off he and his retinue.

To some extent， Emperor Gaozong of Song should be the first emperor-visitor to the lake， and after his abdication， it becomes even more so. In fact， there is a smaller version of the West Lake in the Deshou Palace， with many major landscapes of the lake implanted inside the palace. Zhao can totally enjoy everything at home. However， West Lake being West Lake， Zhao decides to visit it， away for a stroll.

The eunuchs and maids are very happy to have the chance for an outing， and the imperial guards have already lined up all the way to the West Lake. It so happens that a female hawker is also there， riding on a boat and selling her special snacks.

Unlike in later dynasties， in the Song dynasty （960-1279）， the public didn’t have to be cleared off when the emperors were visiting a certain place like the West Lake. The female hawker goes by the name of Song Wusao （Fifth Sister-Law Song） and her fish soup has long enjoyed wide acclaim. Originally a well-known chef in Bianjing （present-day Kaifeng city， Henan province）， the capital of the now nonexistent Northern Song dynasty （960-1127）， she is now settled in Hangzhou， choosing to move to the south after the Jurchen invasion and still peddling her fish soup. Her current popularity is precisely down to the fact that the taste of the soup easily reminds those “northern refugees” of their home.

While they are anchored at the Su Causeway during noon， an elderly eunuch by the side of Zhao Gou suddenly hears a Bianjing accent hawking fish soup. He immediately recognizes Song Wusao and can’t help but shed a few tears as he thinks of the glorious Northern Song. All has been noticed by Zhao. Upon learning the reasons， he orders the soup fish and gives it “five stars” for both its sentimental and culinary value. Zhao even awards her a large sum of funding to expand her business.

Words travel fast. Sister Song’s fish soup soon becomes a national sensation.

Now， finishing the soup as well as a few cakes — his lunch， Zhao continues to travel around the lake and only returns to the Deshou Palace at dusk （five o’clock in the afternoon）. With dinner served and done， Zhao turns to another of his habits： writing calligraphy. Like his predecessors， Zhao is an accomplished calligrapher， too. In the past five decades， according to Zhao， he never misses writing if there’s no urgent matters to attend to.

He has copied much of the Classic of Filial Piety. Feeling tired， he asks Queen Mother Wu （1115-1197） to continue. The couple often do so together when they practice calligraphy. Zhao tastes some newly brewed wine brought by the maids， looks at his wife’s writing and smiles …