Pre-transfer - Yojo

Date of birth and death unknown. An assassin from the Jin Dynasty during the Spring and Autumn Period in China. From the time of Duke Qing (reigned 525-512 BC), the ministers of the Six Ministers (Han, Zhao, Wei, Fan, Zhonghang, and Zhi) in the Jin Dynasty gained enough power to suppress the royal family. Yu Shang first served the Fan and Zhonghang families and was not treated appropriately, but was highly respected by Zhi Bo as a national hero. However, Zhi Bo was defeated by Zhao Xiangzi, who conspired with Han and Wei, and was humiliated by having his skull lacquered and used as a wine cup (453 BC). Yu Shang fled and waited for an opportunity to avenge his master. The first time, he disguised himself as a prisoner and entered Zhao Xiangzi's palace, where he was discovered, but was pardoned as a righteous samurai. The second time, he painted his body with lacquer to pretend to be sick, drank charcoal to change his voice, and waited under a bridge, but was discovered. Realizing that he would no longer be forgiven, Yu Jang slashed Zhao Xiangzi's jacket, which he had been given, with his sword, completing his revenge, and then committed suicide. He appears in "Strategies of the Warring States Period" and "Records of the Grand Historian" - Biographies of Assassins.

[Kazuyuki Tsuruma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年不詳。中国の春秋時代の晋(しん)の刺客。晋では頃公(けいこう)（在位前525～前512）のころから、六卿(りっけい)とよばれた韓(かん)、趙(ちょう)、魏(ぎ)、范(はん)、中行(ちゅうこう)、智(ち)氏の大臣たちが王族を抑えるほどの勢力をもってきた。予譲はまず范氏、中行氏に仕えて、相応に待遇されなかったが、智伯からは国士としてたいそう尊重された。しかし智伯は、韓、魏と共謀した趙襄子(ちょうじょうし)に敗れ、頭蓋(ずがい)に漆を塗って酒杯にされるという辱(はず)かしめを受けた（前453）。予譲は逃亡し、主君の仇(あだ)を討つ機会を待った。最初は受刑者に姿を変え趙襄子の宮殿に入り込み発覚してしまうが、義士として許された。二度目も身体に漆を塗り病人を装い、炭を飲んで声を変え、橋の下で待ち構えるが見破られてしまう。予譲はもはや許されないことを知り、もらい受けた趙襄子の上着を剣で斬(き)りつけて仇討を全うし、自殺した。『戦国策』『史記』刺客列伝にみえる。

［鶴間和幸］

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