文化
語言
陽(yang)山(shan)縣(xian)(xian)境內使(shi)用(yong)的(de)(de)(de)方言主(zhu)要有兩種:一(yi)種是粵語陽(yang)山(shan)白(bai)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(本地話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)),使(shi)用(yong)者占(zhan)(zhan)全(quan)縣(xian)(xian)總(zong)人(ren)(ren)口的(de)(de)(de)55%;另外一(yi)種是客家(jia)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua),使(shi)用(yong)者占(zhan)(zhan)全(quan)縣(xian)(xian)總(zong)人(ren)(ren)口的(de)(de)(de)35%。此外,零(ling)星分布著瑤(yao)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)、惠州白(bai)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)、星子(zi)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)、胡(hu)廣(guang)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)方言點,使(shi)用(yong)人(ren)(ren)口占(zhan)(zhan)全(quan)縣(xian)(xian)總(zong)人(ren)(ren)口的(de)(de)(de)10%。相(xiang)比較而言,陽(yang)山(shan)白(bai)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)在(zai)全(quan)縣(xian)(xian)的(de)(de)(de)影(ying)響最大,客家(jia)語方言區、瑤(yao)語區的(de)(de)(de)居民進城一(yi)般(ban)都操縣(xian)(xian)城白(bai)話(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua),境內普遍存(cun)在(zai)雙語雙方言兼用(yong)現象。
儒學
韓(han)(han)愈(yu)是(shi)(shi)唐(tang)代(dai)唯(wei)(wei)一(yi)(yi)一(yi)(yi)位(wei)一(yi)(yi)生曾三次(ci)入粵,兩(liang)次(ci)在粵擔任(ren)地(di)方長(chang)官的(de)(de)(de)大(da)文(wen)學(xue)家(jia)、詩(shi)人。韓(han)(han)愈(yu)十歲時,曾隨兄嫂謫(zhe)居韶州(zhou)(zhou)兩(liang)年(nian)(nian)。韓(han)(han)愈(yu)36歲時,曾因(yin)諫(jian)旱饑(ji)為(wei)民(min)請命貶(bian)(bian)陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)令(ling),第二次(ci)入粵,治陽(yang)(yang)一(yi)(yi)年(nian)(nian)兩(liang)個(ge)(ge)月(yue)。韓(han)(han)愈(yu)52歲時,因(yin)諫(jian)迎(ying)佛骨貶(bian)(bian)潮州(zhou)(zhou)刺史(shi)(shi),第三次(ci)入粵,刺潮八個(ge)(ge)月(yue)。韓(han)(han)愈(yu)在令(ling)陽(yang)(yang)和(he)刺潮過程中(zhong),施政以仁,為(wei)政以廉,輕徭薄賦,關心民(min)瘼,興修水(shui)利,辦校興學(xue),盡責盡力,為(wei)人民(min)辦好(hao)事,做實事,大(da)大(da)促(cu)進(jin)(jin)了(le)陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)、潮州(zhou)(zhou)乃至(zhi)整個(ge)(ge)嶺南的(de)(de)(de)開(kai)(kai)化、開(kai)(kai)發和(he)開(kai)(kai)放,贏(ying)得陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)人民(min)“生子名(ming)韓(han)(han)”,潮州(zhou)(zhou)“一(yi)(yi)片山(shan)(shan)水(shui)盡姓韓(han)(han)”的(de)(de)(de)美譽。從(cong)這(zhe)個(ge)(ge)意義(yi)(yi)上(shang)(shang)說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo),韓(han)(han)愈(yu)是(shi)(shi)唐(tang)代(dai)開(kai)(kai)發嶺南的(de)(de)(de)先(xian)驅,為(wei)嶺南的(de)(de)(de)社會發展和(he)進(jin)(jin)步作出(chu)了(le)重(zhong)大(da)貢獻。就陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)來說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo),韓(han)(han)愈(yu)是(shi)(shi)陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)歷史(shi)(shi)上(shang)(shang)第一(yi)(yi)位(wei)有(you)(you)名(ming)字,史(shi)(shi)跡記(ji)載的(de)(de)(de)縣(xian)(xian)令(ling)。陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)自西(xi)漢元鼎六年(nian)(nian)(公(gong)元前(qian)111年(nian)(nian))設縣(xian)(xian),至(zhi)韓(han)(han)愈(yu)803年(nian)(nian)貶(bian)(bian)陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)令(ling),之前(qian)913年(nian)(nian)的(de)(de)(de)縣(xian)(xian)令(ling)無一(yi)(yi)記(ji)載,可以說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo),陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)有(you)(you)名(ming)字記(ji)載的(de)(de)(de)縣(xian)(xian)令(ling)自韓(han)(han)愈(yu)始。韓(han)(han)愈(yu)是(shi)(shi)陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)文(wen)化史(shi)(shi)上(shang)(shang)由蒙昧(mei)走(zou)向文(wen)明的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)(yi)位(wei)里(li)程碑(bei)式(shi)的(de)(de)(de)人物(wu)。韓(han)(han)愈(yu)還(huan)是(shi)(shi)唐(tang)代(dai)第一(yi)(yi)位(wei)把陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)縣(xian)(xian)名(ming)冠(guan)入詩(shi)文(wen)的(de)(de)(de)大(da)文(wen)學(xue)家(jia)、詩(shi)人。他804年(nian)(nian)在陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)寫(xie)的(de)(de)(de)《送區冊序》,第一(yi)(yi)句是(shi)(shi)“陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan),天(tian)下(xia)之窮處也”。同樣,他在陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)寫(xie)的(de)(de)(de)《劉生》詩(shi),第一(yi)(yi)句是(shi)(shi)“陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)窮邑唯(wei)(wei)猿猴”。陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)縣(xian)(xian)名(ming)便遂他的(de)(de)(de)詩(shi)文(wen)聞(wen)名(ming)天(tian)下(xia),走(zou)向世(shi)界。后人稱,世(shi)人先(xian)知有(you)(you)韓(han)(han)愈(yu),然后知有(you)(you)陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)矣。從(cong)這(zhe)一(yi)(yi)點說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo)開(kai)(kai)去,陽(yang)(yang)山(shan)(shan)、潮州(zhou)(zhou)乃至(zhi)廣東(dong)弘揚韓(han)(han)愈(yu)文(wen)化就更具有(you)(you)獨(du)特(te)的(de)(de)(de)意義(yi)(yi)和(he)優勢。