

“Shisiye”(The night of 14th day of the first month of lunar year) is a well-known festival in Qiantong Township, Ninghai. In China, the traditional Lantern Festival is on the fifteen day of the first month of lunar year. However,in Qiantong, people celebrate the Lantern Festival one day before. On “Shisiye”, a carnival began in streets, including lantern show, dragon dances, music performances, to celebrate the New Year. Especially, several local boys and girls between 5 to 10 years old are selected to sit on sedan chair during the carnival. It is said that those selected boys and girls are going to be charted for lots of luck in their future days. Now,“Shisiye” is listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage and enjoys high reputation in Eastern Zhejiang Province.
寧海縣前童鎮(zhèn)的“十四夜”遠近聞名。在中國,傳統(tǒng)元宵節(jié)為正月十五,但在浙江臺州,卻以十四為節(jié),俗稱“臺州府十四夜燈會”。因?qū)幒9艜r屬臺州管轄,所以,前童自古于正月十四舉辦傳統(tǒng)元宵節(jié)。前童“十四夜”的游行燈會(也稱為行會)不僅是為了慶祝、祈求豐收,還有一層意義,就是紀(jì)念明代水利功臣童濠。
當(dāng)夜燈會,可謂人山人海,有十里八村的鄉(xiāng)親,也有不遠千里趕來的游客。《前童賦》中所描述的前童“十四夜”最為貼切:“風(fēng)情古俗,歷久彌香;元宵行會,邇遐聞名。鼓亭、抬閣、秋千,如亭如塔;耍龍、舞獅、奔馬,若真若幻。鑼音鼓音簫笛音,和鳴喧天;笑聲喊聲贊嘆聲,喧騰動地。銃花繽紛遮皓月,彩燈閃爍戲繁星。皆曰:神州獨一無二,華夏舉世無雙。”
正如《前童賦》中所描述,前童“十四夜”的游行燈會最吸引人的是那些張燈結(jié)彩的鼓亭和抬閣。“如亭如塔”的鼓亭,高五到七米,有五到七層,層層繁工細(xì)雕。而抬閣,則是一個長約2米,寬約1米,下部做成船形的,雕著龍鳳獅麟的活動舞臺。每一杠鼓亭、抬閣、秋千都有一個好聽的名字:帝師亭、公忠亭、德操亭、尺木亭、書院閣……表現(xiàn)主題也各不同:“帝師亭”,是為紀(jì)念曾在當(dāng)?shù)亟踢^書的一代名儒方孝孺,“尺木亭”是勉勵子孫后代刻苦讀書,成龍成鳳……
前童話里,男孩被稱為“細(xì)佬”,女孩則被稱為“囡”。亭閣里、抬閣上,或坐或立的“細(xì)佬”和“囡”們或描娥眉、或點絳唇,蝶粉蜂黃,煞是好看。一個個身著古裝,或鳳冠霞帔,或褒衣博帶,或金戈鐵甲。每一個孩子都演繹著一個戲劇人物,每一個孩子都演繹著一段歷史故事。