傳奇養馬島

文／肖寒

養馬島一直有“東方夏威夷”的美譽。圖／王洪濤Yangma Island has been reputed as “Oriental Hawaii”.

“莒島”是在清代更名為“養馬島”的。清代同治《重修寧海州志》告訴后人：“莒島，在州北十里，今呼養馬島。”

相傳，養馬島的得名和秦始皇東巡有關。公元前219年秋天，始皇東巡，登芝罘，射大魚。跋涉途中，他看到了蒼茫大海中的海島祥云縈繞，流光溢彩，叢林中萬馬奔騰，時隱時現。他揮鞭一指遠處：“好一個養馬島。”皇上開了金口，臣下遵旨照辦，就開始在這里蓄養戰馬。逐漸地，人們就稱這里為“養馬島”了。

曾有一個時期，養馬島還被叫作“象島”。起因是島東北方的海里漂曳著一座小島，形似大象浴水，取名“象島”。“象島”一度喧賓奪主，取代了養馬島的名號。

養馬島是否真的因為秦始皇東巡得名，眾說紛紜。牟平文史專家考證后認為是牽強附會。后來又有人提出“戚繼光養馬說”，但也缺乏史料佐證。不過，早先養馬島上還真養過馬，且有遺址可尋。島東有一袖珍小村叫“馬埠崖”，村南峭壁下有一片沼澤地，相傳此地專為擒馬之用。

“馬”是養馬島的標志。在島中，遠遠便可看到那尊凌空騰飛、巍聳于50多米高鐵塔之上的巨大白馬雕塑，周圍是占地7.2萬平方米的白馬廣場。廣場四周松柏翠綠、花團錦簇，巨大的秦皇雕塑，讓人依稀可見當年始皇帝的雄風。

養馬島海蝕地貌如天然群雕。圖／視覺中國The sea erosion landform of Yangma Island looks like a group of natural sculptures.

從白馬廣場向東行約1公里，就是占地19萬平方米的養馬島賽馬場。從1985年開始至今，這里先后承接了全國馬術賽、國際馬聯障礙賽、六運會馬術賽等國內外重大體育比賽，不但是一處重要的體育場所，還成為獨具特色的旅游景點。這里，常年舉行賽馬活動，還開展騎馬、古式馬拉車、射箭、射擊等活動，馳馬奔將，槍挑劍擊，常令觀眾看得如癡如醉。

有人說，養馬島的點睛之美在一個“馬”字，是“馬”讓小島活了起來。其實不然，養馬島的美也在融于秀美大自然的山海風光。古人曰：山不在高，有仙則名；水不在深，有龍則靈。身處山水間的養馬島，古時候就有道人前來求經問道，尋找長生不老之藥；千萬年來，蒼茫的大海更是孕育了海島的深邃遼遠，千般靈秀。

大自然的鬼斧神工，雕琢出這片仙山瓊島的清靈與俊秀：島前海面寬闊，風平浪靜；島后群礁嶙峋，驚濤拍岸；東端碧水金沙，是優良浴場；西端水深浪小，成天然良港。登上島頂，透過觀瀾亭明麗的窗口，向四周眺望，可見海天一色，渾然天成，蒼茫的水面上漁帆點點，千舟競發；嶙峋的礁石上，垂釣者揮竿揚線，好不暢快。

大多數游客上島，要么直奔“前后海”，要么直奔“木棧道”，總之主題都是“大海”。但也有一部分游客對島上傳統民居產生了濃厚的興趣，總會選擇多走幾步進村體驗這里的人文風景。

養馬島現有8個村，其中孫家疃、馬埠崖、黃家莊3個村的傳統民居保留較多，曾引起以建筑專業聞名的同濟大學的關注。據同濟大學相關調研，養馬島當時之所以對建筑文化特別重視，是因為有富裕的家底作為支撐。

正所謂“倉廩實而知禮節”。海島以捕魚為業，這是人們頭腦中的傳統印象。但清代中后期隨著海運逐漸興起，養馬島上很多村莊都以經商跑船為業，打魚反而成為副業。志稱：“養馬島富甲全縣。”因此這一時期養馬島上也大興土木，草房難見，磚瓦大房比比皆是，許多建筑恢弘大氣，保存至今。

古代皇家養馬場，今天游人養馬島，風光流轉兩千年。當余暉為這座小島的山山水水抹上一層緋紅，夕陽中的島嶼悠然而恬靜：裊裊炊煙在遠遠近近的傳統村舍上空繚繞，落帆的船兒正緩緩駛進港灣，養馬島又回歸了寧靜。

夕陽余暉灑向小島，每一個角落都是一幅畫。圖／劉衛芳As the setting sun throws light onto the island，every corner is a painting.

Yangma (Horse Raising) Island is located in the Yellow Sea，about 30 km northeast of Yantai.Higher in the west，lower in the east，it is surrounded by the sea on four sides，with an area of about 10 km.

In the autumn of 219 BC，Qin Shihuang (First Emperor of Qin) shot a big fish in Zhifu during his Eastern Tour.On the way，he saw an island enveloped in auspicious clouds on the vast sea，with flowing light and galloping horses in the forest.Waving his horsewhip，he pointed at the distance and said，“What a wonderful Horse Raising Island!” Gradually，the island began to be known as“Yangma (Horse Raising) Island”.

However，there were indeed horses on the island.We can still find related ruins.In the east of the island，there is a tiny village named“Mabuya”，in the south of which，there is a wetland under a cliff.It is said that this place was used for capturing horses.

The beauty of the island lies in the mountain and sea scenery beautifully integrated by nature.There is an ancient saying that goes，“A mount needs not be high;it becomes noted when on it fairies dwell.A body of water needs not be deep;it would become spiritual，if a dragon makes it its resting place.” On the island amid mountains and waters，there were Daoists coming to appreciate the basic laws of nature and life and seeking an elixir of immortality in ancient times.For millennia，the vast sea has nurtured the profoundness，remoteness and delicacy of the island.

Under the uncanny workmanship of nature，the pureness and beauty of this immortal island has been formed.In front of the island，there is a broad and calm sea;behind the island，there are jagged reefs and waves beating the shore;in the east，there are clear waters and golden sand，which constitute a fine bath;in the west，there are deep waters and small waves，which form a natural harbor.On the top of the island，looking around through the bright window of the Guanlan Pavilion，you could see the sea and the sky naturally merging into one;fishing boats vying on the vast sea;anglers waving their fishing poles or spinning the reels，enjoying the moment on jagged rocks.