Chiêu Quân (chữ Hán: 昭君, phiên âm: Zhào Jun) là một trong Tứ đại mỹ nhân Trung Hoa. Với sắc đẹp được ví là “lạc nhạn” (làm cho chim quân sải cánh bay mà sa xuống đất), câu chuyện về nàng trở thành một đề tài sáng tác phổ biển của thi ca, nhạc họa. Chiêu Quân đi vào lịch sử Trung Hoa như một người đẹp hòa bình. Sự quên mình của nàng góp phần mang lại hòa bình trong 60 năm giữa nhà Hán và Hung Nô. Chiêu Quân tên thật là Vương Tường (王牆), nên cũng được gọi là Vương Chiêu Quân (王昭君). Nàng là con gái của một gia đình thường dân ở Tỉ Quy (秭归), Nam Quận (南郡), nay là huyện Hưng Sơn, tỉnh Hồ Bắc. Được tuyển vào nội cung vào khoảng sau năm 40 TCN, đời vua Hán Nguyên Đế (49 TCN – 33 TCN). Trong thời gian ở hậu cung, Chiêu Quân chưa bao giờ được gặp mặt vua và vẫn chỉ là một cung nữ (宮女). Năm 33 TCN, thiền vu Hung Nô là Hô Hàn Tà (呼韓邪) đến kinh đô Trường An để tỏ lòng thần phục nhà Hán, một phần trong hệ thống triều cống giữa nhà Hán và Hung Nô. Ông này nắm lấy cơ hội để đề nghị được trở thành con rể của vua Nguyên Đế. Thay vì gả cưới một công chúa cho thiền vu thì Hô Hàn Tà đã được ban cho 5 cung nữ từ hậu cung, một trong số này là Vương Chiêu Quân. Tiếp tục đọc
Published/Created: ca. 1946-1956 Notes: Song Phụng Kỳ Duyên" or "Chiêu Quân Cống Hồ" is a Nôm poem written based on a true well known historical Chinese figure named Wang Qiang or Wang Zhaojun. She was known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Born in Baoping Village, Zigui County (now belonging to Hubei Province), around 40 BC, she was recruited as a concubine of Emperor Yuan of Han (75 BC-33 BC). During the time staying in the palace, she never had a chance to meet the Emperor. In 33 BC, a Xiongnu Emperor named Huhanye Chanyu visited Chang'an as part of the tributary system that existed between the Han and Xiongnu governments. He took the opportunity to request to become the Han Emperor’s son-in-law. Instead of giving away his daughter, the Han Emperor ordered to select five average plain concubines to grant to Huhanye Chanyu. Wang Zhaojun, due to being abandoned by the Emperor, volunteered to go. When she was summoned, Emperor Yuan was astonished by her beauty and wanted to change his mind but it was too late. Wang Zhaojun became a beloved wife of the Xiongnu Emperor. She gave birth to two sons and a daughter to Huhanye Chanyu. In 32 BC, Huhanye Chanyu passed away, and Wang Zhaojun wanted to move back to her country. Emperor Cheng of Han (51BC-7BC) disapproved and ordered her to honor the Xiongnu custom to marry its next Emperor, who was her stepson born by her husband's first wife. In her new marriage, she had two daughters. After she passed away, she was buried in Xiongnu territory (now belongs to Mongolia). There are no historical documents about her children. According to some historian, Wang Zhaojun contributed greatly to the 60 years of peace between Han and Xiongnu. Since the 3rd century, Wang Zhaojun has become an inspiration for many poets and writers. There are about 700 poems and songs and 40 kinds of stories and folktales about Wang Zhaojun written by many famous writers, both ancient (Shi Chong, Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Li Shangyin, Zhang Zhongsu, Cai Yong, Wang Anshi, Yelü Chucai) and modern (Guo Moruo, Cao Yu, Tian Han, Jian Bozan, Fei Xiaotong, Lao She, Chen Zhisui). The Nôm poem in the Maurice Durand collection is probably the translation of one of those poems. It is unclear who wrote the Nôm poem and the work it was based on. The poem includes historical figures and events, but they have been fictionalized with unverified and fairy details that conflict with the history. In the story, Wang Zhaojun was recruited as a concubine of the Han Emperor. Due to the overwhelming number of concubines, the Emperor was first presented with their portraits to pick out the best ones before meeting them. Artists were hired, and most of concubines bribed the artists to make their portraits look perfect except Wang Zhaojun. Confident with her beauty and talent, Zhaojun refused to bribe her artist, named Mao Yanshou. She painted herself and gave the painting to Mao Yanshou. As a reprisal, Mao Yanshou, before presenting the painting to the Emperor, painted a mole of widowed tears on Wang's portrait. As a result, Wang Zhaojun was never visited by the Emperor. Until one day, the Empress, while wandering around the palace, happened to hear Zhaojun’s playing of an instrument and was so impressed with her talent and beauty that she took Zhaojun to go to see the Emperor. The Emperor was amazed by her beauty and promoted her to be his wife. Mao Yanshou was punished. In revenge, Mao Yanshou brought the painting to show to the Xiongnu Emperor who immediately felt in love with the lady in the painting. Mao Yanshou even tricked the Xiongnu Emperor to declare war with the Han Emperor unless the Han Emperor agreed to surrender Wang Zhaojun. To avoid the war, the Han Emperor had no choice but to accept the request. He was heartbroken to say good bye to his wife, and so was Zhaojun. On the way to Xiongnu, Zhaojun was given by an angel a gown that if someone touched her, that person would bleed. She even met Su Wu who was herding goats (Note: Su Wu is a real historical figure. He was a Chinese diplomat and statesman of Emperor Wu of Han (156 BC-87 BC) in Xiongnu. He is known in Chinese history for making the best of his mission in foreign territory. Due to a mistake that upset the Xiongnu Emperor, he was detained and exiled for nineteen years, herding goats. Enduring major hardship, he yet remained loyal to his mission and his homeland. Later, through a goose bearing a letter to the Han Emperor, the Emperor learned about his situation and sought to intervene. He was released and went back to Han, leaving a Xiongnu wife and his children. In reality, Su Wu lived way before Wang Zhaojun did.) When Zhaojun got to the Xiongu Emperor’s palace, she bargained with the Emperor that she would become his wife if Maoshou was executed and Su Wu was released. Xiongnu Emperor was so eager to have her that he satisfied her two requests. However, whenever the Xiongnu Emperor touched her, his hands were bleeding. One day, while taking a boat on a river, she jumped off the boat to commit suicide, prayed that her body would float back to her homeland. Her prayer was heard. The Han royal soldiers found her body and brought to the Han Emperor who then ordered a ceremony to bury her. In the ceremony, the Emperor saw Zhaojun’s younger sister who was as beautiful as her older sister. He married her and named her the Empress after the first Empress passed away. Zhaojun’s sister was not only beautiful but also had such great power that she finally defeated the Xiongnu Emperor and his army, and brought peace to Han forever. In the story, Su Wu’s wife who was a Chimpanzee even came with her children to look for her husband in Han. In conclusion, the story is a mixed between realities and mysteries. It is a legend rather than a historical document. The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement. Source Title: Maurice Durand Papers: Series II: Han Nom texts with Vietnamese Call Number: MS 1728 Box: 12 Folder: 121 Yale Collection: Manuscripts and Archives Digital Collection: Maurice Durand Han Nom oid pointer: 10922944 OID: 10923284 PID: digcoll:32698Number of Pages: 180
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