轧神仙的由来


苏州的福济观,建于南宋淳熙年间,原址在阊门下塘街,但因年代久远,早已不复存在。文革后,破除四旧,寺、庙、祠、观、庵等建筑被混淆统称为宗教建筑,很多百姓也就再也分得清观和庙的区别了,因观中供奉八仙之一的吕纯阳(吕洞宾),吕纯阳又被中医奉为祖师,观中道士也假借吕洞宾名义为百姓祈福祛病,故常有贫困的百姓前去求治,这福济观在苏州百姓之中也就有多了吕祖庙、神仙庙的叫法。传说农历四月十四是吕洞宾生日,好道者也会相约去福济观进香祈福。
  看到去福济观的人多了,小贩和江湖郎中们也想借机做些生意。因见观里供着神仙,就想靠着神仙也发个小财,于是就将平日里普普通通的东西,说成了神仙糕、神仙水、神仙帽、神仙服、神仙鞋......

  福济观本在小巷深处路窄处很是清静,一下来得人多了,倒也显得拥挤热闹,于是不小心就有了人挤到人了。苏州人天性温和,也不乏幽默,加上都是乡里乡亲的,即使被挤了,也不过笑一笑,再说恰逢神仙生日,也就打趣说“就算被神仙轧到了”讨个口彩。因为苏州方言里拥挤称为“轧”,因此形容这种拥挤的现象,也就有了“轧神仙”的说法了。

  近年来政府为了营造商业氛围,提升文化形象,重建了南浩街,并在南浩街北段、阊门吊桥西堍南侧护城河畔建了庙宇,这造庙初衷出于吸引人气,营造商业氛围,加上神仙庙叫上口,于是就命名为神仙庙了。

  虽说这吕神仙本是道家,应该住在观里,这庙他是去不得的,但福济观早已不在,那吕神仙也就只能将就着在庙里长期寄住了。好在造庙的人也想得周到,怕吕神仙孤单,还把另外七仙也请进了庙里,虽说本由吕神仙独享的香火,被众神仙分了,但毕竟也少了许多寂寞,加上神仙庙里,吕神仙还多了一身,也算挣回了点面子。

  现在政府还在每年的农历四月十四吕神仙生日前后,以民俗文化节为主题,举办神仙庙会,征集小商小贩,设立各色小吃、工艺品、花鸟虫鱼等临时摊点,努力打造“轧神仙”这个具有苏州地方特色的文化消费的旅游品牌,吸引了不少市民参与,自然神仙庙里香火也旺盛了许多,怎么说对吕神仙也是个安慰,但这与道家的清静无为也有些不符,不知这位吕神仙又会有哪些想法就不得而知了。


Roll the immortal's origin

Good fortune of Suzhou help view, build in the period of being pure and bright, former address door downs the pool street in Chang on the Southern Song Dynasty, but because is old, have passed out of existence. After the Culture Revolution, abolish four old, buildings such as the temple, temple, shrine, temple, Buddhist nunnery,etc. are obscured and referred to as the religious architecture, a lot of common people can just distinguished the difference between view and temple again, because enshrine and worship Lu ChunYang (Lv Tung-pin) one of the Eight Immortals in the view, Lu ChunYang is regarded as the founder by Chinese medicine, a Taoist priest prays for blessings and gets rid of illness for common people in the name of Lv Tung-pin false too in watching, have poor common people go forward, ask, manage often, good fortune this help view among Suzhou common people for Lu grandfather temple, immortal‘s call of the temple more. Legend birthday such as Lv Tung-pin in 14 the fourth lunar month, fine dish person can make an appointment with, go good fortune help view enter fragrant to pray for blessings too. See good fortune of going people to help view many, the pedlar and doctors of towns and villages all over the country want to take this opportunity to do some business too. See view offer immortal, want, take place a little wealth by immortal, then on the ordinary thing on ordinary days, have talked about immortal‘s cake, immortal‘s water, immortal‘s cap, immortal‘s clothes, immortal‘s shoes ...... Good fortune help view narrow place very quiet in lane depths way originally, more person who come on people, seem crowded and lively, then someone crowds people because of carelessness. The people in Suzhou have gentle natural instincts, do not lack the humour either, in addition, all villagers of home town, pinch off, smile only, say just right and then birthday such as immortal, tease, say just " roll, arrive immortal " demand pieces of mouthfuls of color. Because call " rolls " in the dialect of Suzhou crowdedly, describe such crowded phenomenon, just have a statement of " rolled immortals ". The government is in order to build the commercial atmosphere in recent years, promote the culture image, rebuild the great street of the south, and has protected the city riverside and built the temple on the north segment of the great street, west southern side of the ramp of a bridge of suspension bridge of Chang door of the south, this builds original intention of the temple out of the popularity of attracting, build the commercial atmosphere, in addition, immortal‘s temple shouts suitable for readingly, then named as immortal‘s temple. Although immortal Lu this Taoist school originally, should live into view, temple this he be gone, but good fortune help view out, immortal Lu that can only send to, live in for a long time in temple just. Build people of temple afford to think too fortunately, by burning incense that immortal enjoys alone Lu, divide by all immortals, has lacked a lot of loneliness too after all originally, add immortal on the temple, immortal Lu still large first suit, regard as and earn some face too. Now still around annual a will it be 14 birthday such as immortal such as Lu the fourth lunar month government, regard cultural festival of folk custom as the theme, hold immortal‘s temple fair, collect pedlars, set up temporary stands such as a variety of snack, handicraft, birds and flowers‘ worm‘s fish,etc., make the travel brand of this cultural consumption with characteristic of local Suzhou of " roll immortals " hard, having attracted many citizens to participate in, the burning incenses are much more vigorous too in the natural immortal‘s temple, how say until immortal Lu whether piece comfort too, but this do nothing some are not accorded with even with quietness of Taoist school, I wonder the immortal Lu what right away getting unable to find out idea does it have.