难泯的老挝香通寺印记

　　橄榄

　　琅勃拉邦（Luang Prabang）是老挝最值得深度游的地方。作为世界文化遗产，澜沧王朝的旧都，湄公河的明珠，可能是东南亚保存最完好的历史古城了。它以优美和谐的自然环境和与世无争的民风民俗，一直以来维护着老挝民族文化和历史遗产中心的美誉。

　　琅勃拉邦古城像一位慈祥的长者，从容淡定。岁月勾勒出的是古城的凝练与厚重。那一抹动情的夕阳，轻轻地抚摩着琅勃拉邦一地金黄。登上372米高的普西山，山顶那座金塔在霞光中熠熠生辉。探寻传说中佛祖留下脚印，愿神灵带给心灵些许慰藉。耳畔回荡着100多年前法国人加内的精彩登顶感言，举目俯瞰，古城依山傍水，风景秀丽，湄公河与南康河偎依古城，温情拥抱。无尽的椰子树、棕榈树、榕树将星星点点的低矮房舍点染于万绿丛中。不知是绿荫覆盖了古城，还是古城选择了绿阴。

　　古城很有名，伸手可以触摸历史，上千年的岁月沉淀了古城的厚重。

　　佛教兴盛成就了今天琅勃拉邦众多的古寺、佛塔，到寺院去感受南传佛教浓郁氛围是一项不可少的体验。有的寺院古榕蔽天，有的寺院花木繁茂，有的寺院大佛塔耸立。寺庙装饰的主色有的以红为主，华贵雍容；有的以金色为主，灿烂辉煌。湄公河畔的香通寺，是不可不看的精美寺院。

　　香通寺是琅勃拉邦也是全老挝最美丽的寺院之一。它浓缩了琅勃拉邦古老的寺庙建筑风格。寺庙是由塞塔提拉王兴建于1560年，一直受王室保护，直到1975年。1887年遭到破坏，1928年在西萨旺冯王的干预下，得到了修复。寺院内8根粗大的支柱上用黄金刻着图案，把人们的目光引向后面金光闪闪的佛像和光轮覆盖的屋顶。寺院外面的后墙上镶嵌着栩栩如生的树的图案，背景是紧邻这里的是一个小型建筑，一个红色教堂，里面置有一个很独特的佛像。佛身上体现着老挝的特点，如卷至脚踝的长袍，手支撑着头，姿势优美。这尊佛是塞塔提拉王于1569年下令铸造的。香通寺也是老挝新年最重要的庆祝地点之一。

　　香通寺建成后，以精美的佛教壁画和三层重叠屋顶而著名。这里保存着老挝最后一代国王西萨旺·冯的遗骨，还有历代国王所使用的金碧辉煌的灵车。从前，香通寺就是举行最高仪式的地方。它离普西山王宫不足１公里。寺庙、王宫，唇齿相依，国王的婚礼葬礼在寺庙里举行，高僧的法事到王宫里去办。可见16世纪以后，佛教与老挝`的王国统治已经难分难解了，所以在人民心里，树是佛、是神、是国王，自己只能顶礼膜拜。

　　进到凉爽的大殿里，找一个清凉无人的角落，周围是金光灿灿的豪华装饰，还有无数双菩萨慈祥的眼睛在关注着你，祝福着你，保佑着你。不用在乎时光如梭，人生苦短，这里的一切都在用自己的沧桑善劝你忘掉身外烦恼，享受并珍惜与身边所有不经意瞬间。这短暂而深刻的感觉，才是惟一不会随时光逝去的。

　　人们在寺里久久流连的原因除了被它的万千色彩所吸引，最重要的一个原因是为了好好看看那棵树。树不是真的树，而是画在香通寺大殿后墙上的一幅巨型壁雕，主要描写的是释迦佛祖的往生故事。故事在佛教建筑中很常见，雕刻的手法也不算独特，树的枝叶上却镶嵌着玛瑙、琉璃，还有一些叫不上名字的宝石，一到晚上就会熠熠生辉，足见这棵树在老挝人心目的位置了。老挝境内有60多个部族（49个确认的和十多个未确认的），统称为老龙族、老听族、老松族3大族系。不管哪一个族系，对这棵树的精神依恋都非常强。他们会慷慨地把微薄的收入全部捐献出来，只为了在这棵树上再增添一颗宝石。

　　香通寺主建筑侧面看几乎只有陡峭的屋顶，占了总面积4/5，然而转到窄幅的正面，就会被精致的浮雕壁画所吸引，靠墙立着数尊佛像，相貌狰狞，神态灵动，栩栩如生。有庙自然离不开塔，寺庙供和尚修行居住，佛塔则供奉逝去高僧的舍利或象征。琅勃拉邦很小，几步路间，总是可以见到湄公河的风韵。一出香通寺的门，湄公河的妩媚就在那绿树缝隙间肆意荡漾。这条发源于中国澜沧江的河水，流到这里已不见她原本清澈容貌，澜沧江放荡不羁的野性来到这里也变得温文尔雅，但是这么一条通航良好的河流怎么就不见船来船往的热闹呢？或许他们根本不需要外面世界繁杂侵扰它原本的生活，看看这河边林立的露天餐馆，这里的人们正在享用大自然所赐予他们的一切。

　　Images of Wat Xiengthong in Laos

　　Luang Prabang is a tourist attraction in Laos well worth a visit. As a world cultural heritage site, the former capital of the Lan Xang (1300-1428), and a pearl inlaid by the Mekong River, Luang Prabang is perhaps the best ancient city still in existence in Southeast Asia. The enchanting and harmonious natural environment and the peaceful folk customs here have always added glamour to Laos’ high reputation for national culture and historic heritage.

　　The ancient city of Luang Prabang is like an amiable old gentleman. The passage of many years has drawn a calm character for the city. The setting sunshine gently touches the golden vista of the city. Climbing up the 372-meter high Phou Si Mountain, one can see the golden tower glitter in the sun light. On the mountain, tourists like to explore the footprints left behind by the Buddha so as to seek spiritual solace. Looking into the distance, one can see the Mekong River and the Nam Khan River flowing by the city. Among the coconut, palm and fig trees are the low houses.

　　The flourishing of Buddhism justifies the existence of many ancient temples and Buddha pagodas in present-day Luang Prabang. So for every tourist it is a must to visit the temples to experience the Buddhist atmosphere. In different temples, there are figs, trees, flowers and towering Buddhist pagodas. Some of the temples are decorated with red and look very elegant. Some are decorated in gold and look very splendid. Among them, Wat Xiengthong by the Mekong River is the most elegant temple and worthy of a visit.

　　Wat Xiengthong is one of the most beautiful temples in both Luang Prabang and Laos. This temple was build by King Setthathirath in 1560 and had always been under the protection of the royal family until 1975. In 1887, Wat Xiengthong was destroyed. In 1928, thanks to the intervention of King Sisavangvong, the temple was renovated. On the eighty big columns in the temple, are inscribed golden patterns which direct people’s eyesight past them to the glittering Buddha statutes behind and the roof covered with golden wheels. Vivid pictures are also inlaid in the back wall out of the temple. The background of these pictures is a red shrine nearby the temple, in which there is a small Buddha statute. The Buddha statute displays the characteristics of Laos -- for instance, the robe reaching the toes and the head supported by the hands. This Buddha statue was cast in 1569 on the orders of King Setthathirath. Wat Xiengthong is also one of the important sites where the Laos people hold their new year celebrations.

　　出自: 《走向世界 》 2009年4期