养马岛传说

葛笑蕾

养马岛古称莒岛，又名象岛，地处牟平北部黄海之中，总面积约10平方公里，岛上风光秀美，空气清新，气候宜人。养马岛传说就发生在牟平北部沿海和养马岛一带，主要是以清代以来流传秦始皇东巡牧马为蓝本的民间故事。

秦始皇统一六国后曾三次东巡。第一次东巡于公元前216年开始，此刻秦始皇正值不惑，且首夺天下、意气风发。为显示皇权显赫，令六国遗民不敢小视，所带车辆无数、战马如云，傍着系马山营寨绵延数里。

秦始皇所带战马，皆是曾随其征战天下、战功赫赫的稀世名马，其中又数红、黄、蓝、白、黑五马最受钟爱。红马唤做火焰金驹，原为韩王所有，秦军灭韩后得此马，被视为天下归顺吉兆。黄马唤做黄骠，原属齐王，全身金黄，勇武善奔，名噪天下，秦军灭齐后得之。蓝马被视为稀世珍宝，由西域大宛进献而来，大将王翦试骑一战而威震三军，之后便养在御马厩中，佩以金笼银缰，专供御用。白马唤做白龙驹，南定百越所得，原为百越王坐骑。黑马唤做草上飞，北击匈奴所得，原为匈奴大汗坐骑。

秦始皇带着五马在宁海系马山住下以后，五马突然不思饮食，好像患了重病。始皇听后大惊，立刻召来马医诊视，无法医治。后召集大臣商议，决定先找个水草丰美的安静之处，将五匹马放在那里，待其死后，再作厚葬，并勒碑刻石，视同朝官。经多方察勘，唯系马山北面大海之中有一海岛，名曰象岛，周围大海环绕，岛上土地肥厚，所生水草，皆脆嫩如韭，微风吹抚，绿浪滚滚，遍岛草香宜人，最为理想。始皇即命马倌二人，将五匹马船载放于岛上。

二次东巡，恰在次年，秦始皇旧地重游，来到系马山，想起五匹宝马，立即派官员查看。待官员上到象岛，只见无边绿茵之中，五匹宝马正昂首振鬣，奔跑嬉戏，如五龙出海，生机勃勃。原来马自从登上象岛，吃了岛上的嫩草，饮了岛上的泉水，病患立除，此后日聽大海涛声，观潮起潮落，精神振奋，常对天长嘶不止，似有欲回京都，再听差遣之意。官员大喜，立刻用船载五匹宝马，与马倌一起去见秦始皇。始皇亲自出迎，对着宝马，连呼爱卿。停留期间，秦始皇带了方士到象岛察看，认为此岛聚四海之地脉，集五岳之灵气，朝有旭日照临，夕有晚霞满身，不是仙岛，胜似仙岛，再叫象岛，似名不符实，为彰其使五匹宝马死而复生之功，遂封此地为皇家养马岛。并下旨各地送马派员，进岛驯马，专供御用。“养马岛”的称谓沿用至今。

养马岛传说是牟平人民群众口头创作、流传的民间文学，是劳动人民智慧的结晶，寄托了劳动人民的美好向往与追求。

Yangma Island， formerly known as Judao Island or Xiangdao Island， is located in the northern part of Mouping in the Yellow Sea， with a total area of about 10 square kilometers. The island boasts beautiful scenery， fresh air， and a pleasant climate. The legend of Yangma Island takes place along the northern coast of Mouping and the Yangma Island area， mainly based on the folk story of Emperor Qin Shi Huangs eastward horse patrol since the Qing Dynasty.

After unifying the six states， Emperor Qin Shi Huang conducted three eastward expeditions. The first began in 216 BC， when Emperor Qin Shi Huang was in his forties and was at the prime of his reign after he had taken over the power. To demonstrate the grandeur of imperial power and make the remnants of the six kingdoms dare not underestimate it， this expedition had countless vehicles and horses， with the camps stretching for miles along the Jima Mountain.