灯影里的旧时光

◇ 文|本刊记者 陈科龙 图| 刘汪洋

灯影里的旧时光

◇ 文|本刊记者 陈科龙 图| 刘汪洋

本刊在7月特别推出《亚细亚，火油，重庆……你能想象这些词汇如何关联》一文，讲述了位于唐家沱的亚细亚火油厂的前世今生，勾勒出中国近代外资石油在重庆的发展脉络。对于大多数人来说，“火油”是一个颇为陌生的词语，但年岁稍长的人一定记得那个用油灯照明的年代，一定记得黑夜里的那盏孤灯和灯影里的嬉笑怒骂……

Of the last issue,there is an article giving an account of the development of Asiatic Petroleum Plant located in Tangjiatuo,Chongqing.It also outlined the development of foreign petroleum companies in Chongqing in China’s modern times.The word “huoyou”(simplified Chinese: 火 油 ,meaning kerosene) is alien to most young people,while the middle-aged and elders must keep in memory the years when kerosene lamps were used,the solitary lamp that illuminated the dark night,and the happy life in its shadow.

父辈口中的“洋油”

Parents Talked about “Yangyou”

火油，或许没几个人听说过这个词。我们的父辈和祖辈管它叫“洋油”，也就是我们现在所说的煤油。顾名思义，“洋油”属于舶来品，就如“洋火”“洋钉”“洋布”“洋车”一般。

十九世纪末二十世纪初，随着重庆成为开埠城市，火油进入重庆。当时，在重庆销售火油的洋商主要有美孚、亚细亚和德士古，他们既销售煤油，也销售汽油、柴油、机油等。美孚是最早进入重庆的火油洋商，而亚细亚在重庆的火油销售则在万州一户钟姓富商手中，他与汉口亚细亚分公司签订了代理四川买办协议。随后，亚细亚火油公司派出买办左德范到重庆做销售代理，继而直接派洋员到重庆设立分公司，建立经销点。

亚细亚重庆分公司在重庆的铺排，左德范可谓极尽周到之能事。左德范在重庆设立了亚细亚火油公司总销处，一面积极推销，一面招揽经销商建立销售网，并多方打探“敌营”美孚的经济情报，供亚细亚“大班”参考，逐渐打开了火油在重庆乃至四川的销路。同时，左德范也博得了亚细亚公司的信任，并从钟姓富商手中攘夺了买办权利，独任亚细亚重庆买办十余年。

当时，亚细亚火油公司在重庆市内发展了5处经销商，并在万州、奉节、成都、宜宾、泸州等地发展了30多家经销商。经销商再分区向周围场镇发展分销店或代理处。这样一来，亚细亚的销售网络遍布了重庆乃至四川的各个角落。

在销售火油初期，亚细亚在广告宣传上也不遗余力，花费了很大的代价做广告，凡市内各重镇或要道处都悬挂有形形色色的广告，如“点亚细亚火油”“明亮、无烟、价格低廉、火力强，点灯烧饭均方便”等大字广告。无形中，这些广告宣传让习惯使用植物油作为灯油的老百姓，渐渐接受了煤油。

Maybe few people have ever heard the word “huoy-ou”,which is also called “yangyou”by our parents and grand-parents.It means imported oil or kerosene.According to its name,“yangyou”is an imported product,similar to “yanghuo”(imported matches),“yangding”(imported nails),“yangbu”(imported cotton cloths),and“yangche”(imported cars).

At the end of 19th century and the beginning of 20th century,Chongqing opened its ports for foreign trade,thus bringing kerosene into the city.At that time,foreign businesses,mainly as Mobil,Asiatic Petroleum Company and Texaco,were selling kerosene and gasoline,diesel,engine oil in Chongqing.Mobil was the first kerosene company to enter Chongqing.A rich businessman called Zhong in Wanzhou entered into a contract with Hankou branch of Asiatic Petroleum Company as a comprador.Later,the company sent comprador Zuo Defan as a sales representative to Chongqing,and soon afterwards sent their local employees to set up branch of fice and distribution points in the city.

Zuo Defan was extremely considerate as of arranging Chongqing branch of Asiatic Petroleum Company.After setting up a central sales department in Chongqing,he worked hard on promoting and marketing,and tried to collect business information of its competitor,Mobil,thus expanding the market share of the products in Chongqing and even in Sichuan Province.Meanwhile,as Zuo Defan gained the trust of the company,he kicked off the comprador and ran the business on his own for more than ten years.

Back then,Asiatic Petroleum Company owned five distributors in Chongqing,and over thirty in such places as Wanzhou,Fengjie,Chengdu,Yibin,and Luzhou.These distributors opened retail shops or agencies in surrounding towns,and thereby covering all corners in Chongqing and even in Sichuan.

Early when Asiatic Petroleum Company sold kerosene,it spent a lot on advertisement that could be seen in major towns and leading thoroughfares,including eye-catching slogans such as “Light Asiatic Kerosene”“bright,smoke-free,giveaway price,well-lit and convenient for lighting lamp and cooking”.People who were used to vegetable oil lamp virtually accepted kerosene.

时尚洋气的美孚灯

Stylish Mobil Lamp

在火油尚未用于照明前，重庆和中国其他城市及广大农村一样，夜里照明用的是灯盏，灯盏里燃的大都是桐油、菜油、豆油等植物油或动物油。

大约在上世纪60年代，煤油进入中国沿海地区。巨大的商机使煤油成为洋商最初在中国打开市场的主要商品之一。当时销售煤油的美孚公司和德士古公司是美商，亚细亚公司是英商，他们之间明争暗斗，竞争十分激烈。

为了抢占市场，美孚公司捷足先登，设计出一款新的油灯——美孚灯。这种油灯由灯体、“机关灯头”和玻璃罩三部分组成。灯体在下面，大多是一个圆形的玻璃瓶体，用于储油。瓶口的灯芯带连接至一个铜制的“机关灯头”，灯头外有一个旋钮，可以调节灯芯带的长短，灯芯带伸出越长，灯光就越亮，反之则越暗。玻璃灯罩一般是葫芦形状，一头插在灯芯带调节装置上，一头为排烟口。与传统的油灯相比，美孚灯因为有挡风的灯罩，不会像其他油灯那样闪烁晃眼，而且还可以控制灯光的亮度，因而受到人们的追捧，成为盛行一时的油灯。

只要卖出一盏灯，也就推销了一户用油量，美孚公司深谙倾销煤油的诀窍。美孚初到重庆，首先向经销商赠送或低价发售美孚灯，让他们以六七分钱的价格随煤油一起销售，或者零星送给用户。随后，美孚公司在重庆开设了专门的灯具商店，聘请当时重庆规模较大的恒孚百货商店的经理史幼云为“特别经理”。史幼云便利用恒孚百货的店堂和橱窗作为宣传场地，大肆推销美孚灯。同时，他还吩咐人手将美孚灯发往各地，上门推销，美孚灯于是在重庆逐渐推广。

亚细亚火油公司也设计生产了手灯、风雨灯等火油灯，但由于产品的样式、质量等原因，远远不及美孚灯的销售数量。

Before kerosene was applied to illumination,the oil lamp was largely used in Chongqing like other cities and the vast countryside in China.Normally,vegetable oil such as tung oil,rapeseed oil and bean oil,and animal oil were included.

Approximately in 1960s,kerosene was introducedin the coastal area of China.It was one of the major products for foreign businessmen to open up China’s market as there was a huge business opportunity.Furious competition emerged among corporations which sold kerosene,including Mobil and Texaco from America,and Asiatic Petroleum Company from Britain.

To seize the market,Mobil took the initiative to work out a new type of lamp,Mobil lamp.This lamp consisted of a body,a mechanical holder and a glass dome.The body was usually a round-shaped glass bottle at the bottom of the lamp and was used for storing oil.A wick at the bottleneck was connected to a copper mechanical holder.A knob,outside of the holder,was used for regulating the length of the wick.The longer the wick extended,the brighter the lamp illuminated and vice versa.The glass dome,usually with an hourglass shape,was set on the regulating device of the wick while the other end of the dome was smoke outlet.Comparing to traditional oil lamp,Mobil lamp was less flickering and glaring thanks to the dome shielding off the wind,besides,the luminance of the lamp could be adjusted.As a result,Mobil won popularity and prevailed for a time.

It was a dumping trick that once a lamp was sold,the oil consumption of a family would be increased.Upon its first arrival in Chongqing,Mobil sold Mobil lamps to franchisers in low price or for free,then told them to sell the lamps at 6 or 7 cents and bundled with kerosene,or gave some customers lamps for free.Later on,Mobil opened special stores of lamps and hired Shi Youyun,manager of the large-scale Heng Fu Department Store in Chongqing,as their special manager.Shi took advantage of the hall and show window in Heng Fu Store as publicity site and trumpeted Mobil lamps.

Meanwhile,he asked his men to send Mobil lamps to every place and adopted the approach of door-to-door selling.Thus,Mobil lamps gradually became popular in Chongqing.

Asiatic Petroleum Company designed some other kerosene lamps such as lanterns,storm-proof lamps,etc,.However,the sales volume of these lamps was far less than that of Mobil lamps because of their pattern and quality.

记忆里的那盏煤油灯

Kerosene Lamp in My Memory

美孚灯虽然美观实用，毕竟费油，许多寻常老百姓家不大用得起，他们常常用自制的简易煤油灯。

至今，我依然记得外公家的那盏煤油灯。那是一个用旧墨水瓶制成的煤油灯，瓶口上箍有一个铁皮盖，盖上钻有一个小窟窿，用薄铁皮卷成的铁管插在窟窿正中，一条细长的用棉线捻成的灯芯，一头深入到装满煤油的旧墨水瓶中，一头从铁管中穿出。为避免煤油脏手，细心的外公还在墨水瓶外箍上了一道铁皮，并且扎了个把手，方便提携。

那是一种极为简易却又给人无比温暖的灯，在漫长漆黑的夜晚，这如豆的光亮带给我儿时生活许多的欢欣和无限的乐趣。每当夜幕降临，那盏随风闪烁的煤油灯就是一家人的中心，全家老幼围坐在煤油灯的周围笑逐颜开，外婆不时拿起剪刀除去烧焦的灯芯碳壳。

小小的油灯虽然简陋，用起来却还有一些窍门。如果灯芯拔得太大太长，不仅费油还会冒黑烟；灯芯燃烧的时间长了，就会结出一层薄薄的碳壳，需要用剪刀剪去碳壳，或者拿针挑去碳壳，这便是“剪灯”与“挑灯”。

在那些艰苦的岁月里，一斤煤油抵得上半斤猪肉，一般家庭用油都是非常节俭的。为了节省灯油，有的人家尽量少点灯，或者缩短用灯的时间，有的人家则把灯芯掐得很低很低，还有的穷苦人家甚至长年累月不点灯，一家老小在晚上摸黑生活。

煤油灯是电灯出现前的主要照明工具，是我们父辈、祖辈生活中的必需品。时代的变迁有时需要经历很漫长的岁月，有时只是一转眼。如今，煤油灯已经在人们视线里渐渐远去，一种朴素而古老的生活方式在煤油灯退出时代之后，也日渐离我们远去了。

Mobil lamps were nice-looking and useful but not economical on fuel,many ordinary people couldn’t afford it.Instead,they chose to use home-made simple kerosene lamps.

So far,I still remember the kerosene lamp used by my grandfather.That kerosene lamp was made of a used ink bottle.An iron sheet lid with a small hole was hooped around the mouth of the bottle and an iron sheet was rolled into a pipe,which was plugged in the hole.A long piece of cotton thread was twisted into a lamp wick,whose one side went deep into the ink bottle filled with kerosene and another side went out from the pipe.Besides,my grandfather hooped a piece of iron sheet around the ink bottle for preventing hands from getting greasy and bundled an easy-to-grab handle on it.

It was a very simple lamp that gave people much warmth.The little light filled my childhood with much happiness and endless joy in every long and dark night.When night fell,all of my families sat around the fl ickering light talking and laughing.Grandmother would cut off the scorched part of the lamp wick from time to time.

There are some knacks for using the small and crude kerosene lamp.People should pull out certain length of the wick for avoid excessive fuel consumption and black smoke.A thin piece of carbon shell would appear after long time usage and it should be removed by a scissor or a needle,which was called “Jian Deng”or“Tiao Deng”.

In those hard days,one catty of kerosene was almost equal to half catty of lard,so every family was frugal on kerosene.To save kerosene,some families wouldn’t light the lamp unless it was necessary,some would keep the lamp wick very low and some even didn’t light the lamp all the year round.

The kerosene lamp was the main lighting tool before the electric lamp and it was one necessity of our parents and grandparents.The changes of times could be a very long time or just a moment.Nowadays,the simple and immemorial lifestyle has gone with the disappearance of the kerosene lamp.

The Good Old Days in the Lamp Shadow

Article/ Chen Kelong Pictures/ Liu Wangyang