2019年05月14日朝刊
汚名350年
Clearing name of one of Japan's most-maligned historical figures
[中文译文]
一提起原田甲斐，那差不多是逆臣的代名词。他是在江户时代前期发生的伊达骚乱中丧命的历史上真实存在的人物，在歌舞伎和净琉璃等艺术形式中也以“仁木弹正”的名字登场，被描述为陷害仙台藩的主君，并试图屠杀太子的恶人。
在据说是原田故乡的宫城县柴田町船冈地区，他却被描述为一个完全相反的形象：“一个没有私心的重臣”，“不顾自己的生命危险拯救了藩”等等。在他原来居住的船冈城下，主事者们为悼念原城主原田，隐藏他的名字为他建了墓碑，为他献上深深的祈祷。
“对于这片地方的人们来说，崇拜和祭拜原田，就好像基督徒在遭遇迫害时偷偷崇拜上帝一样。” 地方发展企业“柴田未来”的社长晋山孝善如是说。原田如今一次都没有被作为忠义之士在世界上传播。此时浮上心头的是山本周五郎的小说《最后留下的是冷杉木》中描写的那种清廉的生活方式。
这让我想起了在还原真实原田的任务上首当其冲的讲演。感觉到了这股风潮的讲演师宝井琴梅走在船冈地区的大地上，和乡土史学家见面，并亲手提笔开始创作。从去年秋天开始，他创作的章节开始陆续在和原田有关的寺庙上演。
所谓历史，都是由胜利者书写，而失败者总是被描绘成卑鄙的坏人。即便是这样，也极少有像原田这样被丑化的。在歌舞伎中，他竟然被描绘成能够用妖法变成老鼠。
史书说，对一个人要盖棺定论。在原田的身上，前代少有的奸臣，邪恶的老鼠等这些评价被固化，在当地也还是很难忍受的事情。在原田死后三百几十年，依然努力为城主洗净污名的住民，深深触动了我的心。
[日文原文]
原田甲斐といえば逆臣の代名詞であろう。江戸前期に起きた伊達（だて）騒動で絶命した実在の人物で、歌舞伎や浄瑠璃には「仁木弾正（にっきだんじょう）」の名で登場する。仙台藩の主君に陥れ、幼君を殺そうとした悪人として描かれる。
原田の地元にあたる宮城県柴田町船岡地区では、正反対の人物像が語り継がれてきた。「私心のない重臣」「身を捨てて藩を救った」と、居城だった船岡城下の有力者たちは城主原田を悼み、名を伏せた墓を建てて祈りを捧げてきた。
「この町の人々にとって原田をあがめ供養するのは、潜伏キリシタンのような営みでした」。町おこし会社「しばたの未来」の晋山（しんやま）孝善社長は語る（６２）忠義の士として今一度世に伝える道はないかと考えた。念頭にあったのは、山本周五郎が小説『樅（もみ）ノ木は残った』（１９５８年刊）で描いた清廉な生き方だ。
原田の実像に迫る講談の政策を思い立つ。意気に感じた講談師の宝井琴梅（きんばい）さん（７７）が船岡地区を歩き、郷土史家にも会って、自ら筆を起こした。昨秋以降、書きあがった章から順に原田ゆかりの寺で演じてきた。
歴史とは勝者の書いた記録であって、敗れた側はことさら卑しく描かれる。それにしても原田ほど歪められた人物はそういまい。歌舞伎の舞台ではネズミに化ける妖術使いである。
棺を蓋いてこと定まるとは言うものの、希代の奸臣（かんしん）、悪のネズミとして評価が固まるのは、地元にはやはり耐えがたい。死して三百数十年、城主の汚名をそそぐ住民たちの思いに打たれた。
[英文译文]
The name Munesuke Harada(1619-1671), popularly known as Kai Harada, is arguably synonymous with "Traitor".
Harada, a retainer of the Date clan that ruled the Sendai Doman, was killed in the so-called Date Sode intra-domain dispute during the early Edo Period(1603-1867).
In Kabuki and "Joruri"(puppet play) productions, Harada is portrayed as Danjo Nikki, an archetypal villain who attempts to kill the young son of his lord and master to destroy the clan.
But in the Funaoka district of Shibata, Miyagi Prefecture, where Harada was born, the exact opposite of that narrative has been perpetuated down to this day. Harada is exalted as a "paragon of loyalty" who "sacrificed himself to save the domain."
Prominent members of the community around Funaoka Castle, where Harada resided, nourned his death. They erected an anonymous grave and prayed for the repose of his soul.
"The townsfolk have kept honoring and remembering Harada much the same way as 'hidden' Christians practiced their faith during the years of persecution," explained Takayoshi Shinyama, 62, president of Shibata no Mirai (Shibata's future), a community development enterprise.
Shinyama searched for a wya to re-introduce Harada to the public as a loyal retainer, along the line of "Moni no Ki wa Nokotta" (The fir trees remain). In the 1958 novel, author Shugoro Yamamoto depicted Harada as a man of extraordinary integrity.
Shinyama decided to produce a "Kodan" (Traditional Storytelling) that would bring out Harada's true persona. The project won the support of Kinbai Takarai, 77, a professional kodan storyteller. Takarai familiarized himself with the Funaoka district, met with local historians and wrote the narrative himself.
Takarai has been performing completed parts at a temple associated with Harada since last autumn.
History is written by the victors, and the losers are described as being exaggeratedly despicable.
Still, few historical figures aseem to have been more vilified and misrepresented than Harada. In Kabuki, he uses sorcery to shapeshift into a mouse.
According to an old saying, a person's worth is determined only when the coffin is sealed. But for people in Harada's hometown, it was unbearable to lethis repuration remain as being one of the worst traitors in history and an evil rodent.
I was touched by the resolve of the locals to clear the name of their feudal "lord" more than three centuries after his death.
