Investigating Critically: Utilizing Authentic Archival Materials
In 1715, Japanese author Chikamatsu Monzaemon penned the play "The Battles of Coxinga," a dramatic and fictionalized portrayal of the 17th-century Ming Dynasty general, Zheng Chenggong. This play, published by Taylor's Foreign Press in London in 1951 as "The Battles of Coxinga: Chikamatsu's Puppet Play, Its Background and Importance," departs from historical accuracy but serves as a significant cultural bridge, portraying Chinese and Japanese themes for Japanese audiences.
Zheng Chenggong, also known as Coxinga, was a Ming loyalist who resisted the Qing dynasty and expelled the Dutch from Taiwan. However, his life and the Ming-Qing conflict are complex political and military endeavors, the exact details of which are somewhat unclear due to the lack of contemporary sources and the unreliability of the existing ones. Chikamatsu's play, however, elevates Zheng to a heroic, almost mythic status, turning his story into a grand theatrical epic.
In the play, Zheng is portrayed as a Japanese man who frequently extols his Japanese heritage at the expense of his Chinese heritage. This portrayal reflects a Japanese interpretation rather than an authentic Chinese perspective. The play, which was instrumental in popularizing Zheng Chenggong in Japan, is a cultural and artistic creation rather than a precise historical record.
Despite its liberties, "The Battles of Coxinga" expanded Zheng's fame in Japan and contributed to cross-cultural awareness between China and Japan. It should be noted that the play does not focus on the historical accuracy of the play's portrayal of Zheng Chenggong or the Ming-Qing conflict. Moreover, it does not discuss the contemporary sources or the unreliability of the existing sources of Zheng Chenggong's life.
The play does provide a detailed background and importance of the play "The Battles of Coxinga," but it does not mention the popularity of the play in Japan or its role in popularizing Zheng Chenggong in an otherwise isolationist country. It also does not discuss the potential for different historical narratives to emerge or the establishment of shrines in Zheng Chenggong's honor throughout Taiwan and Mainland China.
In summary, "The Battles of Coxinga" is a valuable piece of cultural literature and a symbol of heroic resistance, rather than a documentary account of Zheng Chenggong’s life or a fully authentic portrayal of Chinese culture. Approaching historical sources with a healthy dose of skepticism is important when examining the play and understanding its impact on the depiction of Zheng Chenggong and the Ming-Qing conflict.
The junior paper on "The Battles of Coxinga" could delve into the play's role as an education-and-self-development tool, exploring how it fostered cross-cultural awareness between China and Japan. Additionally, the paper could investigate the play's portrayal of Zheng Chenggong as a Japanese man extolling his heritage, shedding light on the Japanese interpretation of Zheng's story and its impact on the popularization of his legend in Japan.
