近松の浄瑠璃における台湾への関心 ー『唐船噺今国性爺』を中心にー

Abstract

Chikamatsu Monzaemon was a famous Japanese dramatist of the Jōruri style, which involved a dramatic narrative chanted to the accompaniment of a shamisen. The shamisen is traditional three stringed instrument. The Jōruri style was most prevalent among the common people in the Edo period (1603–1867). Chikamatsu wrote numerous plays based on Japanese historical tales. In his later years, he wrote several plays based on historical tales from various Asian countries, including Korea, Taiwan, China, and India. Although many scholars have extensively analyzed the plays that Chikamatsu wrote based on Japanese and Korean tales, few scholars have explored his plays on Taiwan. The crucial question remains of why Chikamatsu wrote plays about Taiwanese affairs. In this paper, I analyze Tosen Banashi Ima Kokusenya, or the Hero Story of Chinese military leader and the Chinese Vessels (hereafter, Hero Story), one of a few plays by Chikamatsu on the topic of Taiwanese affairs. Hero Story portrays the development of the Zhu Yigui Rebellion in 1721 in Taiwan. Herein, by analyzing this story, I focus on the following three aspects: First, how did the common people during the Edo period acquire information concerning Taiwan and what kind of information on Taiwan was conveyed to them? Second, how did Chikamatsu use the information that he was able to gather about Taiwan in composing Hero Story? Third, why did Chikamatsu choose the rebellion as a motif for Hero Story?By addressing these questions, I will illuminate fresh aspects of the dramatic works of Chikamatsu written during the final years of his life. Also, these insights will help readers to gain a significantly stronger understanding of the works of Chikamatsu.