日本近代咏史诗的三个文明世界

The Three Civilized Worlds in the History-chanting Poems in Modern Japan

日本近代咏史诗从吟咏对象看,可分为日本、中国、西洋这三个不同的文明世界。吟咏本国史者高度重视敬祖忠君的主题,突出表现在讴歌勤王英雄楠木正成的诗歌上,而将传说中建立琉球王国的舜天王、收复台湾的郑成功纳入本国史吟咏范围,高度评价侵略朝鲜的丰臣秀吉,则彰显了近代日本崇尚武力、竭力海外扩张的国家思想。吟咏中国史者儒学色彩鲜明,具有强烈的道德倾向和对人生、历史的深刻洞察力。这以角田春策的《咏史绝句》为代表,其对君臣观念、人物命运与历史境遇的思索辩证深邃,在思想境界、艺术成就上并不逊色于中国诗家。吟咏西洋史者以河口宽的《海外咏史百绝》水平最高。该诗集批判性地审视西方文化,否定了排斥异己的宗教思想、诉诸武力的国际政治理念,赞美富有创新精神的科学发明,并在评价德国首相俾斯麦之时表达了走民族道路的独立精神。日本近代咏史诗对东西方历史文化的探索蕴含了独特的情感表达和价值判断,对考察日本的国民性和东亚汉文学新气象具有重要意义。

Among the large number of history-chanting poems in modern Japan, the voluminous serial poems take up a considerable proportion and with their rich and unique connotations, are important texts for analyzing Japanese modes of action and thinking as well as their national character. In terms of the object of chanting, these modern history-chanting poems can be divided into three different civilized worlds： Japan, China and the Western world. The poems chanting Japanese history attached great importance to the theme of being loyal to the Emperor and pious to their ancestors. A significant number of serial poems of this category started by praising the great achievements of the Creator and the ancestral god, and advocated the unrivaled regime of the Emperor＇s ruling. They described his subjects as the descendants and the chosen people of gods so that the authority of the Emperor was asserted. Poets wholeheartedly eulogized Kusunoki Masashige, the dynasty-rescuing hero, so as to model the people into loyal warriors and obedient subjects who obeyed the king. This kind of eulogy exerted an unneglectable influence on Japan＇s resorting to militarism. The inclusion of Syuntenou, the fabled king who usurped the throne of the Ryukyu empire, and Zheng Chenggong, the national hero who recovered Taiwan into the category of chanting history, was a vain attempt to prove that Ryukyu and Taiwan had belonged to Japan since ancient times, and to provide a valid foundation for Japanese territorial claims. Poets at that time also praised Toyotomi Hideyoshi who had invaded Korea, highlighting the national willpower of modern Japan to worship military force and to expand its territory. The poems which chanted Chinese history had a clear Confucian tone -- strong moral inclination and a deep insight into life and history. Tsunoda Shunsaku＇s History-Chanting Poems in Quatrain Form is such an example. The author contemplated and amended the idea of monarch and subject, individual destiny and historical situation. These poems can rival Chinese masterpieces in depth of thought and artistic achievements. His evaluations of Zhao Pu, Li Si, Zhu Maichen, Li Longji, Li Guang, etc. are incisive and penetrating. Reprehending Li Guang＇s slaughter of innocent people while sympathizing with his ＂repeated misfortunes＂ at the same time, he set himself up as a shining example of democracy. Among the poems chanting the Western history, Kawaguchi Hiroshi＇s One Hundred Poems on Overseas History in Quatrain Form represented the highest level of artistic achievements, and played the role of introducing world history to modern Japanese people. The anthology gave an overview of the Genesis and other Western religious ideas, asserting that Western religion restrained the mind, that it deprived people of freedom of belief, and that ＂the rescue religion is actually a killing religion.＂ It denounced British opium smuggling which caused great suffering to the Chinese, claiming that the British grabbed huge profits from wars, and stated frankly that ＂the civilized men are actually inhuman.＂ It praised original scientific inventions, which is very different from the tradition of Chinese history-chanting poetry which seldom valued science. Moreover, it paid a high tribute to Bismarck, the German prime minister for his independent policy in politics and culture, and embodied the valuable aspiration of undertaking a road of development with national characteristics. Han poems in Japan are the derivative of Chinese literature, and is an indivisible part of Japanese literature. Its contribution to shaping the national character and to breeding modern culture cannot be overlooked. The modern history-chanting poetry of Japan is a significant part of East Asian Han literature and contains distinct emotional experiences and value judgment in its exposition of oriental and occidental cultures and histories. The study on the modem history-chanting poetry of Japan has significant implications for examining Japanese national character and East Asian han literature.