位于佛山市(shi)高明區西(xi)面20公(gong)里的明城鎮(zhen),始建(jian)于明代,為平面八角,七層樓閣式磚塔。
在高(gao)(gao)明區西面(mian)20公(gong)里(li)的(de)(de)明城(cheng)鎮,矗立著一座巍峨(e)壯觀的(de)(de)古塔(ta)(ta),它就(jiu)是高(gao)(gao)明的(de)(de)文昌(chang)塔(ta)(ta)。位于(yu)明城(cheng)鎮文昌(chang)臺(今文昌(chang)樂園(yuan))左側,始(shi)建于(yu)明代,為平面(mian)八角,七(qi)層樓閣式磚(zhuan)塔(ta)(ta),高(gao)(gao)37米,塔(ta)(ta)勢凌空聳秀,在本地(di)有較高(gao)(gao)知名度(du),但(dan)近年(nian)周圍建設影響該塔(ta)(ta)的(de)(de)視(shi)野效果,樂園(yuan)與古塔(ta)(ta)相(xiang)處氛(fen)圍不(bu)協(xie)調。
自(zi)古(gu)以(yi)來(lai)明(ming)城(cheng)就是(shi)(shi)高明(ming)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)府(fu)所在地(di)。明(ming)朝成(cheng)(cheng)化十一(yi)(yi)年(nian)(nian)(公元(yuan)1475年(nian)(nian))設立高明(ming)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)。在這里開(kai)基建(jian)城(cheng)已(yi)有(you)整整529年(nian)(nian)歷史了(le)。如果你有(you)興趣,到(dao)(dao)明(ming)城(cheng)古(gu)城(cheng)街上走走,在那里還可以(yi)尋覓(mi)到(dao)(dao)昔(xi)日的(de)(de)學(xue)宮、縣(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)衙、石板大(da)街。不(bu)過最能(neng)代表明(ming)城(cheng)的(de)(de)就是(shi)(shi)這座已(yi)有(you)四百(bai)年(nian)(nian)歷史的(de)(de)文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)古(gu)塔(ta)了(le)。該(gai)塔(ta)比明(ming)城(cheng)小一(yi)(yi)百(bai)歲(sui)。興建(jian)于明(ming)萬歷十二年(nian)(nian)(公元(yuan)1584年(nian)(nian))。塔(ta)為平面八角,七(qi)層,磚(zhuan)木結構,高37公尺。大(da)有(you)塔(ta)勢(shi)涌出(chu)、凌(ling)云聳秀之勢(shi)。許多(duo)人都(dou)問,為何叫(jiao)文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)塔(ta)?文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang),原意屬(shu)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)官名。即常說(shuo)(shuo)的(de)(de)“文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)曲星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)”,或“文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)”,也有(you)稱(cheng)“文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)帝君(jun)”的(de)(de)。神話中,文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)君(jun)主宰(zai)掌(zhang)管著天下的(de)(de)功名、祿位(wei)大(da)權。因此,文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)是(shi)(shi)深受文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)人崇拜(bai)的(de)(de)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)。當年(nian)(nian)高明(ming)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)立文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)塔(ta),不(bu)言而(er)喻,是(shi)(shi)一(yi)(yi)種良好的(de)(de)愿望(wang),祝(zhu)愿文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)星(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)君(jun)保佑(you)高明(ming)大(da)地(di)文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)化昌(chang)盛,多(duo)出(chu)功名,多(duo)出(chu)人才。說(shuo)(shuo)來(lai)也是(shi)(shi)巧(qiao)合(he),自(zi)文(wen)(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)塔(ta)建(jian)成(cheng)(cheng)五年(nian)(nian)后(hou),該(gai)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)(xian)阮涌村區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)氏(shi)兄弟:區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)大(da)相(xiang)、區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)大(da)倫便(bian)雙雙同榜考中了(le)進(jin)士。金榜題名,好不(bu)榮(rong)耀(yao)!區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)大(da)倫被委任(ren)要職,在朝中和廣東籍宰(zai)相(xiang)海瑞結成(cheng)(cheng)好友。區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)大(da)相(xiang)奉命出(chu)京至各省察訪,他(ta)把所見到(dao)(dao)的(de)(de)民間疾苦寫成(cheng)(cheng)詩章(zhang),獨(du)領風(feng)騷,開(kai)一(yi)(yi)代詩風(feng),被譽為“嶺(ling)南詩派”的(de)(de)鼻祖。區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)大(da)倫、區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)大(da)相(xiang)和他(ta)們在朝為官的(de)(de)父(fu)親區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)益被后(hou)人合(he)稱(cheng)為“區(qu)(qu)(qu)(qu)氏(shi)三杰(jie)”,是(shi)(shi)高明(ming)歷史上極其顯赫的(de)(de)人物。
高明古屬端州府(今佛山市)管轄,縣治東門墟(今明城鎮)。據清光緒二十(shi)年《高(gao)(gao)(gao)(gao)明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)縣志》載:明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)代(dai)大開科場(chang),端州(zhou)(zhou)出了不(bu)少名人學士(shi),“高(gao)(gao)(gao)(gao)明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)郡(jun)之云邑,據萬山中,四面(mian)(mian)環拱(gong),面(mian)(mian)廓東(dong)勢稍(shao)洼,譬之屋缺(que)(que)隅,衣缺(que)(que)衽,風(feng)氣弗(fu)聚”。駐守在端州(zhou)(zhou)的(de)領(ling)面(mian)(mian)按(an)察司副使王(wang)泮,是個“好(hao)為(wei)民(min)興利”的(de)州(zhou)(zhou)官(guan),又(you)是個“風(feng)水迷”,他(ta)為(wei)補高(gao)(gao)(gao)(gao)明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)風(feng)水之缺(que)(que)漏,使高(gao)(gao)(gao)(gao)明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)能多出人才,乃與高(gao)(gao)(gao)(gao)明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)知縣張佐(zuo)治倡儀,捐資在明(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)(ming)城東(dong)側、滄江河畔的(de)文昌(chang)臺上建造文昌(chang)塔,時僅(jin)二年,塔建成(cheng),官(guan)紳(shen)平民(min),無不(bu)歡呼(hu)雀(que)躍。
文(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)建(jian)成后,果然(ran)科甲連綿,其間(jian)節義勛名著(zhu)入史冊(ce)者數(shu)(shu)以百計(ji),有“高明文(wen)(wen)(wen)風甲端(duan)郡”之稱。不料(liao)到了(le)(le)清朝嘉慶二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1797)年(nian)(nian)(nian))五月二(er)十三(san)日晚上,文(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)頂(ding)端(duan)突然(ran)火光四(si)起,直沖云(yun)霄,塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)無故傾(qing)頹,夷為(wei)平地。直到嘉慶二(er)十二(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1817年(nian)(nian)(nian))全(quan)縣(xian)紳士聚(ju)集,議論重(zhong)建(jian)文(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta),大家捐資(zi),擇(ze)良辰吉日,于(yu)是年(nian)(nian)(nian)三(san)月在原址按原貌動工重(zhong)建(jian)。重(zhong)建(jian)后的文(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)、經歷(li)了(le)(le)長期(qi)的風吹雨打雷(lei)擊(ji),多處出現損毀。解放后,縣(xian)人民政府(fu)多次拔款修葺,使古(gu)(gu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)依(yi)然(ran)屹立,風采不減(jian)當年(nian)(nian)(nian)。1985年(nian)(nian)(nian),很多旅外華僑回省親,見到古(gu)(gu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)保護完好(hao),甚為(wei)感動,慷慨捐資(zi)數(shu)(shu)萬元,將古(gu)(gu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)修飾(shi)一(yi)新。每層塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)裝上了(le)(le)彩燈,到了(le)(le)晚上,整座古(gu)(gu)塔(ta)(ta)(ta)(ta)五彩繽紛,璀燦(can)奪目。明城鎮政府(fu)還在此配套興建(jian)了(le)(le)文(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)樂園(yuan),園(yuan)外筑起了(le)(le)古(gu)(gu)色古(gu)(gu)香(xiang)的琉璃瓦圍墻,園(yuan)內建(jian)有亭臺樓閣,種上各種花草樹木。1983年(nian)(nian)(nian),列為(wei)縣(xian)級重(zhong)點保護文(wen)(wen)(wen)物:1990年(nian)(nian)(nian),定此為(wei)高明八(ba)景之一(yi)“文(wen)(wen)(wen)昌(chang)(chang)(chang)遠眺”。