司馬遷之心－〈報任少卿書〉析論

Ssu-ma Ch'ien's Mind: An Explication of His "Letter in Reply to Jen An"(Pao Jen Shao-ch'ing shu)

阮芝生(Chih-Sheng Juan)

《臺大歷史學報》 26期 (2000/12) Pp. 151-205

https://doi.org/10.6253/ntuhistory.2000.26.06

摘要

本文旨在結合相關資料與古今研究，解析司馬遷〈報任少卿書〉的內容與作意，以闡明「司馬遷之心」。研究過程必然涉及任安來書的時間與目的、史公〈報書〉的寫作年月與真意、司馬遷行年、漢代官制，以及漢武帝晚年的政情等基本問題的考訂，最後歸結於破解〈報書〉開頭「太史公牛馬走」六字。本文首創「司馬遷之心」一詞，以有別於「司馬昭之心」。「司馬遷之心」者，就是自乞宮刑，隱忍苟活，完成《史記》，以雪恥揚親，並對自己、對父親、對歷史文化做出交代。這個意思可從「太史公牛馬走」六字的正確解讀上看出來。

關鍵字

司馬遷 ； 報任少卿書 ； 太史公 ； 牛馬走 ； 包世臣 ； 趙翼 ； 王國維 ； 錢穆賓四

並列摘要

This article draws upon related historical materials and research, old and new, to explicate the content and purpose of Ssu-ma Ch'ien's letter in reply to Jen An in order to elucidate ”Ssu-ma Ch'ien's mind.” The research process for this inquiry necessarily involved embarking on a review of the following issues:1)the time and purpose of Jen An's original letter to Ssu-ma Ch'ien, 2)the time(month and year)and purpose of Ssu-ma Ch'ien's letter in reply, 3)Ssu-ma Ch'ieh's age, 4)the Han system of officials, and 5)the political situation during the latter part of Han emperor Wu's reign.
Finally, we are in a position to break through and interpret the six words with which Ssu-ma Ch'ien opened his letter: T'ai-shih kung niu-ma tsou(太史公牛馬走): Grand Historian master cow horse flees. This article first established the expression ”Ssu-ma Ch'ien's mind” so as to distinguish it from, say, ”Ssu-ma Chao's mind,” Consequently, ”Ssu-ma's Ch'ien's mind” lay in begging for castration and suffering patiently despite people's talk, so he could complete the Historical Records(Shih chi) for the purpose of washing away his disgrace and bringing honor to his father. Indeed, he made this exchange for his father and for history and culture. This essential meaning can be explicated from the six words: T'ai-shin kung flu-ma tsou.

並列關鍵字

Ssu-ma Ch'ien ； Pao Jen Shao-ch'ing shu ； T'ai-shih kung niu-ma tsou ； Pao Shih-chen ； Chao Yi ； Wang Kuo-wei ； Chien Mu

參考文獻

清王鳴盛。十七史商榷。

清包世臣。藝舟雙輯‧復石贛州書。

清沈欽韓。漢書疏證。

清周壽昌。漢書校注補。

清趙翼。廿二史劄記。