Witchcraft and Witch-hunting in the Later Years of Emperor Wu's Reign: A Reappraisal

漢武帝晚年的巫蠱與獵巫－重新評估巫蠱之禍

張瀚墨(ZHANG Hanmo)

《饒宗頤國學院院刊》 8期 (2021/09) Pp. 139-216

摘要

The wugu zhi huo 巫蠱之禍, or Witchcraft Incident, which took place during the latter reign of Emperor Wu's (Wudi 武帝, r. 141-87 BCE), has long been interpreted as a series of political intrigues, and the fallout from these intrigues has been directly linked to the change in Wudi's governing policies afterwards. Contrary to previous scholarship, this article reexamines this event by focusing on early Western Han witchcraft thinking and practice, and argues that, compared with the political conspiracy, which is mostly based on hardto- corroborate evidence, witchcraft was not merely the background to this incident but actually triggered and shaped the development of this notorious event. Wudi's forbidding of witchcraft practice does not mean that he no longer believed in the power or efficacy of witchcraft. He did so for the sake of his own health and personal welfare. What made the Witchcraft Incident a special event that had led to the tragic end of so many people lies in the irony of Wudi's violent attempt to stop others from practicing the very witchcraft that he trusted immensely and employed throughout his life.

關鍵字

Witchcraft Incident ； witchcraft ； Emperor Wu of Han ； Crown Prince Li (128-91 BCE) ； Jiang Chong (d. 91 BCE)

並列摘要

發生在漢武帝晚年的巫蠱之禍，很長時間以來一直被解釋成是一系列政治陰謀的結果，而這一事件的後果，也與武帝晚年以及武帝之後的漢代政壇、政策以及政治權力結構的一系列變化有直接的聯繫。與以往的研究不同，本文從西漢巫術思維和巫術實踐的角度，對巫蠱之禍這一歷史事件重新進行了考察，並認為，與大多數屬於無法證實的政治陰謀的說法相比，巫術不但為巫蠱之禍的發生提供了宗教背景，而且是導致該事件發生和發展的主要原因。本文進而認為，漢武帝對巫術行為的嚴厲禁止並非意味著他不再相信巫術的力量和效用，武帝這樣做完全是出於他個人身體健康和益處的考慮。在一個巫術成風的社會中，造成巫蠱之禍這一不同尋常的悲劇發生的最直接的原因在於這樣一個悖論，即漢武帝自己雖然終生相信巫術的力量，依靠巫術的能力行事，然而晚年卻不惜一切代價試圖阻止他人施行巫術，認為他人行巫蠱之術是導致他本人健康狀況惡化的根本原因。

並列關鍵字

巫蠱之禍 ； 巫蠱 ； 漢武帝 ； 戾太子 ； 江充