Sobu - Sobu

A famous minister of the Western Han Dynasty in China. His courtesy name was Ziqing. He became a Lang when his father Jian, who had distinguished himself in the expedition against the Xiongnu, was appointed as a bao-in (a son or younger brother is appointed to an official position by his father). In 100 BC during the reign of Emperor Wu, he went to the Xiongnu as General of the Middle Lang to return a Xiongnu envoy who had been detained by the Han. The Xiongnu tried to make him surrender, but he refused. As a result, he was imprisoned in a cellar and denied food and drink, surviving on snow and senmo (wool wool), and then moved to the North Sea to graze rams, where he was forced to live on field mice and grass seeds, enduring many hardships. Later, Li Ling, who had descended upon the Xiongnu, tried to persuade him to surrender, but he would not listen. He was finally able to return home during the reign of Emperor Zhao (reigned 87 BC-74 BC) as a result of the peace treaty between the two countries. He spent 19 years there. After returning to Japan, he was appointed a vassal state and given the title of Marquis of Kannai. After his death, his statue was painted in the Kirin Pavilion, and his actions, which showed his integrity, were seen as a model for posterity.

[Hideyuki Iio]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、前漢の名臣。字(あざな)は子卿(しけい)。匈奴(きょうど)遠征に功をたてた父健の保任（父の官職により子、弟が官につくこと）により郎となる。武帝のときの紀元前100年、中郎将として、漢に拘留された匈奴の使者の返還のため匈奴に赴いた。匈奴は彼を屈服させようとしたが、これを拒否。そのため穴倉に幽閉され飲食も断たれ、雪と旃毛(せんもう)（毛織物の毛）で飢えをしのぎ、さらに北海の地に雄羊放牧のために移されると、野ネズミ、草の実を食べる生活を強いられ辛苦を重ねた。のち、匈奴に降(くだ)った李陵(りりょう)が降伏を説得したが聞き入れず、昭帝（在位前87～前74）のとき、両国和親によりやっと帰国が実現した。その間、19年。帰国後、典属国を拝命、関内侯を賜った。死後、麒麟(きりん)閣にその像が描かれ、彼の節を貫き通した行動が後世の模範とされた。

［飯尾秀幸］

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