西汉帝陵

　　许多观众在参观鉴赏这批巨石雕刻时，都提出一个重要问题：为什么汉武帝独在霍去病墓地设置这群石雕呢?其历史背景和具体原因是什么?许多专家学者研究并回答了这个问题。
　　汉代雕塑，堪称两汉400余年间造型艺术主题和风格的集中体现。历尽人间沧桑巨变，潮起潮落，当年的石雕依然巍然屹立，成为今天能见到的最早的地面雕塑的遗存。它一方面呈现出与当年大汉帝国一样蔚然称盛的历史面貌；另一方面，当人们在青天之下、黄土之上看到它们伟岸的身姿时，会不会想到它们就是这片广博而悠久的土地的魂魄呖?
　　秦兵马俑以整体规模的恢宏气势被称为世界第八大奇迹，而它的艺术精神早已成为大汉之魂的一个渊源。陶制兵马俑是西汉早期雕塑的主要内容之一。从出土的汉陶俑来看，注重整体布局之势，但更具有雄浑厚重的冲涌力量。融入了楚文化艺术中的原始的活力、狂放的意绪、浪漫的精神，从而使汉代单体雕塑和石刻群雕，更有气势，更有速度，更有力量。正是这石雕、石刻，成为大汉之魂的艺术表现与精神的凝聚。
　　以上是从“华夏艺术历程”汉武之前这个广阔背景之下，来看待茂陵·霍去病墓巨型石雕群创作渊源的。这群巨石雕刻为何会唯独落成在霍去病墓地呢?缘起何在?
　　具体来看主要有两点：
　　第一，汉武帝偏爱霍去病。汉武帝与霍去病情同父子，远远超出了一般意义上的“君臣关系”。这位雄才大略的皇帝在位54年，尊重人才，重用人才，成为永垂青史的美谈。在汉武王朝时期留在中国历史上的名臣名将名士名吏达百人之多，但有谁能与霍去病相比?绝无仅有。这里应该指出的是，汉武帝偏爱霍将军，并非出于私情，而完全是出于“公心”，论功授奖。
　　霍去病18岁随卫青大将军出征。初露锋芒。随后第二年就亲率部队征伐匈奴，屡战屡胜。特别是在河西走廊、祁连山一带，纵横驰骋，决胜千里，将匈奴主力横扫无遗，从而彻底打开通往西域的丝绸之路。漠北大决战以后，匈奴在相当长的一段时间里，再无力组织对中原的大规模入侵。至此，汉朝建国以来危害西部、北部边疆安全的匈奴问题得以基本解决。霍去病对国家、对民族、对汉武大帝的贡献和功劳，永垂史册。
　　《史记》对汉武帝给予霍去病的偏爱写得具体而又生动，现将有关段落(译成白话)引录如下：
　　大将军卫青姐姐的儿子霍去病18岁，受到宠爱，当了皇帝的侍中。霍去病善于骑马、射箭。两次跟随大将军出征，让他当骠姚校尉。他和八百名轻捷勇猛的骑兵，径直抛开大部队几百里。斩杀和捕获的敌人甚众。于是天子说，骠姚校尉霍去病斩杀敌人2000多人，其中有相国、当户官员，杀死了单于祖父籍若侯产，活捉了单于叔父罗姑比，他的功劳两次在全军中获第一，拿一千六百户的封邑，封霍去病为冠军侯。
　　冠军侯霍去病被封为侯三年，在元狩二年春天，皇上任命冠军侯霍去病为骠骑将军。
　　当卫青和霍去病两支军队出塞时，边塞上的官吏查检到当时官府和私人马匹共计14万匹，可他们再入边塞时，剩下的马匹却不足3万匹。于是朝廷添设大司马官位，卫青大将军和骠骑将军霍去病由天子任命同为大司马。定下法令，让骠骑将军的官阶和俸禄与卫青大将军相同。
　　骠骑将军为人寡言少语，不露声色，有气魄，敢于任事。天子曾经想教给他孙子和吴起的兵法，他回答说：“战争只要看策略就行了，不必学古人的兵法。”天子为他修造府第，让他去看看，他回答说：“匈奴还没有消灭，不用考虑家中的事情。”天子对他甚加赞赏，更爱他了。
　　霍去病从元狩四年率军出征获大胜，三年后，即元狩六年就病故了。天子对他的死很悲伤，调派边境五郡铁甲军，从长安到茂陵排成阵送葬，修造的墓冢象祁连山一样。给他命名谥号，合并“武”和“广地”的意思称为景桓侯。
　　霍去病英年早逝，汉武帝十分悲痛，为他厚葬。并指示要把墓冢修造成象祁连山一样，以彰其功。这就是汉武帝对霍去病的偏爱之处。当时，在茂陵的整个修造工程中，霍墓应该是离茂陵最近、落葬最早的一座墓地。
　　第二，“为冢象祁连山”。汉武帝的一道圣旨“为冢象祁连山”，就忙坏了茂陵工地上的指挥官、设计师、工艺师、雕刻家以及各类工匠和劳役。于是在一个月之内就造起了这座坟墓山冢，在一两年之内，就创作了巨石群雕，这样从静态到生态就都像祁连山了。
　　对于山的认识，两千多年前的人们与今人有极大差异。现在人们平时看到的山，人工开发的面貌多于原始的景象，欣赏的意境多于恐怖的气氛。而那时的山则大多保持原始野性，因此在人们的观念中，山字的含义是和奇禽怪兽出没无常景象联系起来的，野兽和传说中的怪兽、野人等等同岩石草木一样，都是山不可缺少的组成部分。汉代艺术家们自然会把这种认识反映到作品中来。现存的许多汉代遗物中常见这样的山景：在叠峰重峦中，除了人物、草木、流水、岩石之外，还是一个动物世界。如四川出土的汉画像砖盐矿生活图，近山表现盐工采盐生活，远山中却栖息着众多的禽兽，卧者、行者、逸者，姿态各异，猎人正挽弓追击，这种构图形式在汉代工艺品中很常见。博山炉和许多器物的盖与壁的装饰浮雕图案都有在峰峦之中分布着造型极生动的禽兽纹，这种特色在后代则日渐稀少了。当受这种观念支配的汉代艺术家接受汉武帝修筑霍去病“祁连山墓冢”的诏令时，不仅要对祁连山的具体形象素材取其势而成型，用土和石块造成了这座象征性的山，而且要在山上安置许多野兽，以展现这样一种景象：山形起伏，耸立着远道运来的天然巨石，在荒草乱石间，猛虎欲扑，野猪潜伏，凶残的怪兽正吞噬小羊，神奇的巨人在与熊罴搏斗……渲染的效果使“山”获得生气而与人们的生活感受相吻合，同时亦构成一种意境。唐人说：“山不在高，有仙则名；水不在深，有龙则灵。”当时的艺术家则是用野物为山点睛、生神。试想，人来到这座“祁连山”中，恍若亲临深山，虎伏熊潜，森然可怖；草间石后，随时可能有怪异出没，风吹草动，使人毛骨悚然。这景况恰似《史记》描述西汉大将李广射虎的故事：“广出猎，见草中石，以为虎而射之，中石没镞，视之石也。因复更射之，终不能复入矣。”霍去病墓所构成的意境不正是力图反映当时人民在耕战生活中亲身体验到的身临其境的意味吗?
　　综观墓的总体设计：前边耸立着纪念碑式的雕刻——马踏匈奴，它以“祁连山”为陪衬，既显示了墓主的辉煌战功，又烘托出古战场的壮烈气氛。布局的节奏好似威武壮烈的主旋律配以雄浑的和声，构成浑然一体的大型造型艺术杰作。整座墓就是一座丰碑，象征着经历严酷的战争胜利后对英雄的默哀，经历了无数朝代的变迁，直至两千多年后的今天仍不减那感人的力量。
　　可是石刻的迁动、后人在墓顶修筑的小庙，都极大地破坏了它原来的面貌，歪曲了设计的本意，也使研究者难于跳出孤立地、一件一件地看待石刻的思路，或仅仅把它误解为一座平凡的古墓冢，从而完全委屈了它更宏大的艺术成就。
　　综观上述，我国古代就把艺术当做传情达意的手段，特别重视立意，霍去病墓前的石雕就是典型的例证。那些石雕并不是要表现人或兽的本身，而是要造就祁连山这个环境。它的真正核心意图，是要表现霍去病的性格和功劳。为了进一步研究这批雕塑，我们也可以从有关的记载来看。霍去病选兵特苛刻，宁少毋滥，他只要勇战的士兵，而且他还特别喜欢打突击战，善用迂回战术，因此作战的时候，神奇莫测。了解了霍去病的特性特征以后，再看眼前的雕刻，就会感到别有风味。因为这些巨石所雕刻的人或动物，大部分都是神采毕聚的备战状态。它的情节仿佛是出击之前，犹如箭在弦上一样，力量含蓄，在将发与未发之际。细看那石虎，如注目寻物，表现出饿虎猎食前之呼吸屏息一刹那。野猪极目前视，卧牛则怒气正盛，战马有“初动”和“跃起”的两个姿势，过去通称“卧马”的那匹石马，其实并没有一点睡意，而正是表现了卧马起立时初动的状态。因为这匹马的头部略偏左，右前腿稍往后缩，比左前腿后20厘米左右，这个动态并不是表现它的卧倒，而是打滚之后即要起立的前奏。再看那马腿的神采，更可以说明它没有倦容，而是有战意，似乎是表现战马起立的一个过程，动作非常显著。至于鱼、蛙等等，都是注目前方的。小象虽然显出它的顽皮性格，但是也没有一点睡意，和其他的雕刻一样，关注着前面。每个动物都是精神抖擞。看了这些石雕，似乎就能了解在这位将军的周围，没有一个懦夫，就连那些动物都很英勇和果敢。这些动物的本身性格，在这里并没有被特别强调。有意思的是雕刻家特别强调了它们服从于将军的意志，和佛本生故事里的狮子一样，似乎很愿意听从他的指挥。看来这些石兽显然被人格化了，而且被赋予战斗、勇敢、目标明确的形象。
　　表现霍去病的性格有各个方面，上面讲的那一部分雕刻是间接地反映了他的勇猛。这是正面的表现。但是在表现他勇敢和智慧的同时，也有一些雕刻利用反衬的手法，强调了客观的艰苦环境，丛草乱生，人不像人，兽不像兽。雕刻造就了荒芜的境界，看了畸形的人，抱熊的野人，就会使我们想到他处在多么原始的山野里。通过这些表现手法，就会促使观众更加认识到将军在很艰苦的环境中克服困难、战胜犯边者的深刻意义了。
　　作为石刻艺术群体，这批石刻的主题是围绕着“为冢象祁连山”的目的而设的。当初修筑霍去病的墓冢，是为了纪念霍去病生前的功绩。即“去病破浑邪王于此山，故今为冢象之，以旌功也”，起冢仿照祁连山，用以表彰功业。冢上竖石，冢前立石马、石人，自然也是为了旌功表勋。既然石刻群是作为这座墓冢的组成部分而设置的，它的作用，也在于突出“象祁连山”这个总的要求。转战祁连山、河西走廊大捷、破浑邪王及祁连山的风貌和在此激战的情景，应该是这批石刻所要表现的主题。
　　用大型雕刻表彰战功，在历史上这是首创。如果说，仅仅是为了纪念霍去病这样一位英雄人物而使用石刻，那可以只用一尊雕像来表现，或者列置礼制性的仪卫形象。这类例子，当时虽未见诸石雕，但从在“秦俑坑”以及咸阳的“杨家湾一号汉墓”所发现的骑俑群来看，当时已经有类似的纪念形式。然而霍去病墓这批石刻并未采用那种分组的排列方式，而是分别散置，并且雕刻的形象，也是多种多样。所以我们认为，石刻群所表现的主题思想，是反映祁连山战役胜利后的情景。美丽富饶、广阔千里的祁连山，牲畜蕃息，林木茂盛，野生动物种类繁多，既宜牧养，也宜狩猎，到处生机勃勃。通过对自然环境美的赞颂，让人们去领会霍去病生前的辉煌战果，从而达到纪念战争胜利的目的。
　　C Background and Imagination behind Huge Stone Sculptures
　　Huge stone sculptures in the Han Dynasty(206 B.C.-220 A.D.),having withstood stress of weathers and experienced upheavals in human society,have become the earliest sculptural remains on ground.They represent the historical features of the thriving dynasty on one hand.On the other,they remind us of the spirit in them on the vast expense of land with a long history.
　　The terra-cotta warriors and horses of the Qin Dynasty(221-206 B.C.)enjoy the reputation for the magnitude and grandiose momentum as the 8th wonder of the world.Moreover,their art spirit already became a constitution in the soul of the Han Dynasty.Pottery warriors and horses were one of the major representations in the early sculptures of the Western Han Dynasty(206 B.C.-25 A.D.).Judging from the unearthed pottery figures,they possess heavier momentum at speed and in strength,based on primitive vitality,unrestrained imagination and romantic spirit from the Qin culture.It is the very sculptures on which the art and spirit of the Han were focused.
　　What is the reason why the huge stone sculptures were erected only at the graveyard of Huo Qubing? What are the historical background and substantial causes?
　　Firstly,Emperor Wudi of the Han loved Huo Qubing fervently.His relationship with Huo Qubing was like that of father with son rather than that between monarch and minister.The emperor of great talent and bold vision was on the throne for as long as 54 years.His humble respect for the talented and his wise appointment of the capable will go down in the annals of history.
　　Huo Qubing,when aged 18,went to the battlefield with his uncle.He began to demonstrate his military talent on his 1 st expedition out.In the year that followed,he personally commanded troops to fight against the Hun invaders and achieved brilliant military exploits.Particularly,he and his army swept the main force of the Hun aggressors on the northern and western borders,thoroughly opening up a silk road to the central Asia,greatly weakening their strength and basically relieving the Han Dynasty of military menace from them.
　　The Book of History described Huo Qubing as follows:
　　Huo Qubing(140-117 B.C.),son of Wei Qing's elder sister won favor from the emperor,who spoke highly of him and appointed him to the post of Close Servant,ever ready to accompany the emperor.He was good at horse riding and arrow shooting.He went for the battle twice as Cavalry Commander.He led 800 valiant cavalrymen to fight valiantly and killed 2000 invaders.As a result,their main force was annihilated and their chieftains were captured alive.
　　Huo Qubing was conferred the titles of Cavalry Commander & Great Minister of War in 2nd year(121 B.C.)under the reign title of Yuanshou(122-116 B.C.),three years later after he was conferred the title of Champion Marquis.
　　Huo Qubing unfortunately died of illness at the age of 24 in 6th year(117 B.C.)under the reign title of Yuanshou.Emperor Wudi felt very grieved over his death and issued a decree that a tomb be built by the side of the Maoling Mausoleum.In order to commemorate the military exploits General Huo had performed on the northern and western borders in Gansu against the Huns,his grave mound built of natural stones was shaped into Mt.Qilian where he had swept the enemies.An extremely solemn ceremony of burial was held,armies in mighty contingents lining up from Chang'an,the capital,to the Maoling Mausoleum.During the construction period of the Maoling Mausoleum,the graveyard of Huo Qubing was completed first and closet to the Maoling Mausoleum.
　　Secondly,as was required by Emperor Wudi,the grave mound of Huo Qubing must be built to resemble the shape of Mt.Qilian.The requirement kept busy all project participants including designers,artists,sculptors,craftsmen and conscribed labor force.The grave mound was completed in one month and the stone sculptures in two years.The mound looked all the more like a Mt.Qilian both from the angle of statistic view and from the angle of ecological view.
　　People living 2000 years ago held different views on mountains from we do now.Today,what we see of mountains bears man-made features for appreciation rather than primitive sceneries of horror.Therefore,mountains in the past time were naturally where wild birds and beasts came up and went by.They were indispensable parts to constitute a mountain.As a matter of course,artists of the Han Dynasty presented their understanding of mountains in their sculptures.When the artists took up the job to construct a symbolic Mt.Qilian for Huo Qubing,they not only constructed the tomb of such shape with stones and earth,but also placed many sculptural beasts on the mountain so as to display such scene: undulating mountains of natural huge stones brought from afar,tigers amidst weeds and behind rocks to leap forward,boars lying in ambush,monster preying on lamb,man struggling against bear,etc.
　　In ancient times of China,art was taken as a means to convey emotions and imaginations,particularly the latter.The stone sculptures at the Tomb of Huo Qubing are typical examples.The sculpture Hun Invader Hoofed by Warhorse,placed against the background of the symbolic Mt.Qilian,not only displays the military merits performed by the occupant of the tomb,but also set off the harsh atmosphere at the battlefield.Other such sculptures placed at the graveyard do not mean to express the engraved figures or beasts themselves,but to establish an environment in which Huo Qubing demonstrated his characters and achieved exploits.Huo Qubing stuck to quality above quantity to single out valiant soldiers and liked to unleash surprising attacks by shock tactics.The stone sculptures,when linked with Huo Qubing's characters,give different impressions,because they mostly take postures of readiness for actions.For example,Tiger Squatting for Action expresses the instant a hungry tiger holding breath for prey,Boar depicts an image of looking ahead into the distance,Ox Squatting at Leisure expresses agony of fury,and Horse Squatting for Action draws its right fore hoof 20cra back behind its left fore hoof,which is a preclusive sign to rise from squatting posture.Obviously,the stone sculptural beasts are personified to possess images of militancy,bravery and object clarity.

茂陵文物鉴赏图志/王志杰著．—西安：三秦出版社，2012