タイの詩聖スントーンプー
タイの詩聖スントーンプー
タイではきわめて有名な詩聖スントンプーのことは
日本ではあまりよく知られていない｡
この詩聖の生い立ちを調べているうちに
英文の資料をみつけました。
文章が私にとって難解であり、理解するまでに何度も
読み直しました。
スントーンプーは私のお気に入りのラヨーンの出身で
今から２００年以上前にラヨーンのクレーンという街
で生まれています。
すぐに詩人としての才能を開花させましたが、
生来の酒好きが災いして、その人生は必ずしも
幸せなものではなかったように思います。
この難解な英文はプリンスプレムプラチャトラにより
執筆されたものですが、この素晴らしい文章のおかげで
詩聖スントンプーの生涯のアウトラインが見えたような
気がします。
感謝しています。
ラヨーンの市街より車で１０分くらいのところに、
私の愛するビーチリゾートがあります。
このビーチの名前はメーラムプンビーチ、
大変静かなビーチで喧騒のパタヤとは好対照をなしています。
ここから海岸沿いの道路を東に進むとバンペーの町に到着します。
バンペーを抜けると有名なスワンソンビーチ。
スワンソンビーチを抜け更に車で３０分くらい走ると
メーピン岬に到着します。
メーピン岬より北に向かう道を登れば有名なタイの詩聖
スントーンプーの碑に着きます。
スワンソンビーチを抜けメーピン岬までの道路沿いには
多くの美しいビーチが点在しています。
隠れた穴場ですが、ここに行くには車が必要です。
レンタカーなどを利用すべき場所です。
kiyoshi matsui from Khonkaen, Thailand
下の英文は私がタイプアップしました。
このときにはブラインドタッチで随分素早く打ち込めました。
脳梗塞で右手が少し不自由になり、以前のように素早く打ち込むことができなくなりました。
（文章の改行は原文の通りとしました）
Sunthorn Phu
by Prince Prem Purachatra.
Over 200 years ago, on 26 June 1786, the wife of a humble Rayong divine then living in
Bangkok gave birth to a baby boy. In due course, the little boy was given the name of Phu.
When he grew up, his genius as a poet was quickly recognized and he won the esteem of
kings and commoners alike. Finally, after many vicissitudes in the course of a colorful career, he
attained the distinction of Poet Laureate and was created Phra Sunthorn Voharn. Today, 130
years after his death, Sunthorn Phu is accepted as one of the greatest poets Thailand ever
produced, and he holds his place among the leading poets of the world.
Sunthorn Phu was born in the fifth year of the reign of King Rama 1. His father was a native of
Muang Klaeng, a township in the Province of Rayong, but his married life was spent in Bangkok.
Soon after young Phu was born, his parents divorced. His father went back to Muang Klaeng
and took holy orders there. His mother married again and later became the wet-nurse
of a princess in the royal palace. Young Phu stayed with his mother and thus spent his
early years in the palace.
Like the youths of his time, the future poet received standard education in a
monastery now known as War Sri Sudaram, situated at Klong Bangkok Noi. Leaving
school, he obtained the post of a clerk in the government service. But the only work
that was congenial to him was the writing of verse. In this he was adept even as a
mere boy. Before he came of age, he wrote a long poem based on the story of
Khobutra which, however, was left unfinished. Nevertheless, the work showed
promise of a genius that was later to attain full development.
It was about this time that the youthful poet fell in love with one of the ladies of the
palace whose name was Chan, a woman who had a considerable influence on his
work. But in those days it was a heinous offence to love one of the palace ladies,
and as a consequence of his romantic folly, both he and his mistress were put in
palace prison. On their release in 1806, Sunthorn Phu left the Capital, accompanied
by two disciples, to pay a visit to his father whom he had not seen since he
was a little boy. On his way, he wrote his first great poem Nirat Muang Klaeng, in
which he described the journey and addressed many tender lines to his lady-love.
Sunthorn Phu's original intention was to join his father and enter the monkhood
for a term. But soon after he arrived at Muang Klaeng, he fell seriously ill with fever,
and had to return to Bangkok as soon as he recovered. He was with his father for
only two months, and had been away from the Capital for three. His return saw a happy
ending to his love affair. He married his Chan, and a son was duly born to them.
The course of true love, however, did not run smooth. The young poet became too fond of
the bottle, and this caused frequent quarrels between him and his wife. It ended with her
finally leaving him for another man, but not before he had immortalized her name in many of
his works.
Sunthorn Phu soon made his name as a court poet of exceptional merit. At the age of
twenty-one, he accompanied one of the young princes to the shrine of Phra Buddha
Bat, and wrote a beautiful poem called Nirat Phra Bat, in which he described his
experiences and referred to the differences that had arisen between him and his
wife.
In 1809, King Rama 1 died and King Rama 2 succeeded to the throne. King Rama
2 was himself a poet of genius, and he saw in Sunthorn Phu a kindred spirit. Soon
after his accession, therefore, His Majesty gave the young poet a position at court.
Sunthorn Phu quickly proved his worth. When the King was writing his Ramaken, he
often consulted the poet on different points connected with versification and always
found him with a ready answer. His Majesty was therefore very
pleased with him and crated him Khun Sunthorn Voharn and
kept him near his person whenever he was writing.
Unfortunately, however, Sunthorn Phu could not leave off
drinking, and this soon got him into trouble. One day, when he
was drunk, he had a quarrel with his mother. One of his uncles
tried to intervene, and the poet turned on him and severely
injured him. This came to the ears of the King. His Majesty was
strongly displeased and ordered the unruly young man to be
put in prison.
This term of imprisonment actually proved to be a blessing in
disguise, for it was while he was in prison that he conceived the
idea of writing a long imaginative romance, with two princely
brothers as heroes living lives of adventure in a world full of
magic charms and enchantments and strange beings. This was
the beginning of the famous Phra Abhai Mani, one of the
greatest imaginative works ever written. It was not completed
until the poet was middle-aged, but he was able to sell many
cantos of it in manuscript form to a delighted reading public
while he was in prison, and thus earned a handsome income for
himself.
As might have been expected, he did not remain in prison
long. He was far too useful to the King. One day, His Majesty had
urgent need of his services and so granted him a full pardon.
Once again, Sunthorn Phu became the royal favorite, the
instructor of royal sons and a general literary adviser. He was
one of the famous literary circle, headed by King Rama 2, that
composed one of the finest works in the language, The Story of
Khun Changand Khun Phan. He is accredited with having
written the chapter about the birth of Phlai Ngarm, son of Khun
Phan and the heroine Wan Thong.
It was in his capacity as literary adviser that he incurred the
wrath of the King's eldest son, Prince Jesdabodindra, also a
poet. Sunthorn Phu ventured to make public criticism of some
lines written by the Prince, sometimes going to the extent of
improving the lines by rewriting them extempore, a kind of work
at which he was particularly adept. The
Prince took this as a personal slight, and unfortunately for the
poet, never forgot it and never forgave him for it.
In 1824, Sunthorn Phu's great patron, King Rama 2, passed
away, and Sunthorn Phu's enemy, Prince Jesdabodindra,
ascended the throne as King Rama 3. The poet was at once
deprived of his title and position, and he had to take to the
kindly shelter of the yellow robe. He remained in the monk hood
for 18 years. During this period, he wrote several poems, the
most notable being Nirat Suphan and Nirat War Chao Fa, all
written on his various journeys to different places.
Around 1832, Prince Lakhananukhun, a young son of King
Rama 3, took a liking to the wandering poet, and took him
under his patronage. Sunthorn Phu then left the monk hood
and lived as a retainer of this prince for whom he wrote several
more cantos of Phra Abhai Mani and some other poems. But
adversity dogged the poet, for in 1835, his princely patron died
and he was again thrown out upon the world. During this
unhappy period, he led a sorry existence, wandering from place
to place in a boat, which was his only home and selling his
poems wherever he could.
A great poet like Sunthorn Phu could not remain long in
obscurity, however. Not very long afterwards, Prince
Isaresrangsan, another son of King Rama 2, received him into
his service. This prince was the favorite younger brother of
Prince Mongkut, and when the latter became King Rama 4, he
was raised to the rank of His Majesty Phra Pin Klao and invested
with regal powers. The prince thereupon bestowed on his Poet
Laureate the dignity of Phara Sunthorn Voharn, a position which
the latter retained to the end of his days. During this last period,
when he was under the patronage of His Majesty Phra Pin
Klao, he wrote Nirat Phra Prathom and many other poems
including lullabies for the royal children. He lived and wrote to a
ripe old age. He died, a man of rank, position and fame, at the
age of seventy, in 1855.
The greatness of Sunthorn Phu lies not so much in correct
and ornate style, which is the aim of most Thai poets, as in the
very simplicity and sincerity of his expression. Unlike so many
other poets, he wrote from his heart and not from his head. Not
being a learned man, he confined himself to simple
forms of verse and simple language. But in his
own field, in what we call Gion poetry, he was
past master and his works are unsurpassed and
probably can never be surpassed, although no
other Thai poet has had so many imitators. But
Sunthorn Phu
reigns supreme,
because in all his poetry, in Phra
Abhai Mani, in his Nirats with their
mixture of romance, pathos and humour,
he touched the heartstrings of the
common people. That is why he is so
deservedly called the People's Poet.
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