漢の高祖の大風歌について

Abstract

Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien's Shihchi records the "Song of the Great wind" composed by the First Emperor of the Han, Liu Pang, in the year of his death, when he returned to his native town with the dignity of Emperor and enjoyed a banquet with his companions of former days. There have been various theories among the T'ang commentators as to how to read the first line of the song "A great wind has risen, clouds have flown up", some of which are preserved in Japan alone, and all of which seem to the author somewhat unsatisfactory. Is it impossible to read "A great wind has risen" as a metaphor for the sudden confusion of the world which came about after the destruction of the Ch'in Empire? And is it too unreasonable to read "clouds have flown up" as a metaphor for the success of Liu Pang himself who flew up by means of, and in spite of, such confusion? If such a reading is possible, the author would like to suggest that Liu Pang, the successful hero, was a believer in the caprice of Heaven, in the same way as his rival, Hsiang Yü, who lamented his defeat as the act of a capricious Heaven. The last line of this song, "How shall I get brave men to guard the four territories", also sounds like the reflection of an uneasiness which he felt even at the moment of his greatest triumph.