比利時、法國的巨人和巨龍游行

Pageants processions can be seen in many countries and regions all round the world， such as Halloween， Carnival and so on. They belong to common cultural phenomenon and are mostly related with religious legends. Festival of Giants popular in some parts of Belgium and France is one of such festivals. Today it provides a sense of identity to certain Belgian towns （Ath， Brussels， Dendermonde， Mechelen and Mons）， French towns （Cassel， Douai， Pézenas and Tarascon） and Vanlo in Holland where they remain living traditions.

These cultural expressions first appeared in the urban religious processions of sixteenth century western Europe. These giants and dragons are large-scale models measuring up to nine metres in height and weighing up to 350 kilos. They represent mythical heroes or animals， trades or contemporary local figures， historical， biblical or legendary characters. St George fighting the dragon is staged in Mons， Bayard the horse from the Charlemagne legend parades in Reuze Papa and Reuze Maman， popular family characters parade at Cassel. The wide range of performances， often mixing secular procession and religious ceremony， varies from town to town. However， there is one constant： each expression follows a precise ritual and the giant is often related to the history， legend or life of the town.

盛裝節日游行在世界上很多國家和地區都有，如“萬圣節”、“狂歡節”等，是普遍存在的一種文化現象，多數和宗教傳說有關。法國和比利時流行的“巨人節”也是這樣的一種節日，直至今天，仍然保持這種傳統節慶活動的城鎮主要有比利時的艾斯、布魯塞爾、丹得蒙德、門克蘭和芒斯；法國的卡塞爾、都外伊、皮森納斯和塔拉斯貢；荷蘭的文羅。

這些文化表現形式首先出現在16世紀的西歐城鎮的宗教游行中，至今依然興盛。巨人和龍的模型巨大，近9米高，近350公斤重，表現各種形象：神話中的英雄或動物、商人或當代的本地人、歷史人物、圣經或傳奇故事中的人物。芒斯的游行上演圣喬治大戰巨龍；文羅的街道上有查理曼大帝傳奇中的神馬，而深受歡迎的家庭故事人物——路澤爸爸和路澤媽媽漫步在卡塞爾。大范圍的演出將世俗活動與宗教儀式相融合，形式多樣，村村不同。然而有一點是一致的，那就是：活動都遵循嚴格的儀式程序，巨人通常與歷史、傳奇或本城鎮的生活有關。

Giants and dragons also animate other popular festivals where they are the main actors at least once a year， as each giant has its specific feast day. These gigantic effigies are carried by one or two people， who are hidden inside. They act out historical scenes and dance in the streets to the accompaniment of fanfares and costumed people. The crowd follows the procession， and many help in the preparations at different stages of the festival. The construction of a giant， and its ongoing maintenance， requires weeks of work and know-how in many techniques given the range of materials used.

\"Dragon\" in the dragon festival in western countries is different with the \"dragon\" in China， and the former is more like a carnival dinosaur， and the emblem of horror and evil， and is derived from the biblical fable： \"at the beginning of the Christian era， there lived a beast called as 'dragon' by local people in the cavern. It had long wrecked havoc in the area and devoured many sailor and villagers. Later a saintess miraculously subdued it.\" Hence， the original intention of Dragon festival is to celebrate the conquering of the dragon.

每個傳說中的巨人都有特定的紀念日，因此，每個巨人和巨龍一年至少有一次會在某個節日中扮演主角。一到二人藏在巨大的塑像中推動它，和其它裝扮好的演員一起，在吹奏樂器的伴奏下，表演歷史情境，或者在街上舞蹈。人群簇擁著表演隊伍前進，許多人幫助準備表演的場地。完成這些巨大塑像并維護好它，需要花費好幾個星期，各種材料的運用也需要很高的技藝。

西方國家“龍”的概念與中國人“龍”的概念不同，形象類似于肉食性恐龍，是一種恐怖和兇惡的化身，它來自于基督教中的傳說：“公元初，塔拉斯康城附近的巖洞中，生長著一種怪獸，人們稱之為‘龍’。它長期在這個地區肆虐，吞噬海員和村民，后來，一位圣女奇跡般地制服了它。”因此，龍節的本意是降龍節。

In Belgium， dragon is also regarded as a devil slaughtered by the patron saint. Dragon-fighting festival at Mons near French is quite famous. The festival which celebrated the achievements of getting rid of the cruel and pacifying the good people is held in every June. During the festival， the procession wearing in all sorts of folk costumes parades in fervent mood. Particularly， the battle show between warriors and \"dragon\" in the municipal square arouses the enthusiasm of the entire audience.

Belgium has issued the stamps of \"Festival of Giants\" in 1971 and 1999. French also issued the stamps of \"Festival of Giants\" in 1980. Since 2005 Processional giants and dragons declared by Belgium and France are part of the UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

在比利時，龍照例被視作被保護神殺掉的惡魔。靠近法國邊界的蒙斯城的斗龍節最為著名。這個旨在慶祝除暴安良的傳統節日，也在每年6月舉行。節日期間，身穿各式民族服飾的游行隊伍，氣氛熱烈。特別是在市政廣場上表演的勇士與“龍”搏斗的場景，使得全場沸騰。

比利時曾于1971年和1999年兩次發行巨人節郵票。法國在1980年也發行過巨人節郵票。2005年比利時和法國聯合申報的巨人和龍的游行項目，被聯合國教科文組織宣布為“人類口頭與非物質文化遺產代表作”。