從宮廷到地方──元代拂郎進馬事件的傳播與書寫

From Court to Local Society: The Dissemination and Representation of the Farang Horse Tribute in the Yuan Dynasty

拂郎進馬事件向來被認為是蒙元帝國與羅馬教廷保持長期且積極往來的重要依據，圍繞著此事所形成的大量圖像與詩文作品，又使其成為元代晚期最具代表性的書寫事件。本文以至正二年(1342)拂郎進馬事件為核心，探討其在元代的傳播與書寫狀況。研究指出，此一事件並非單純的「下獻上」之朝貢，而是蒙古和平時期典型的禮物外交，非正統出身的順帝(r. 1333-1370)藉由將「貢馬」轉化成象徵天命的「天馬」，建立一套有利自身統治的政治論述。本文進一步揭示，圖像與詩文在這一過程中如何為王權服務，同時也展現非官方話語的多樣性，包括盛世頌歌、不遇之憾以及對往昔的追憶。

The tribute of horses from the Farang拂郎has long been regarded as an important basis for the sustained and active interactions between the Mongol Yuan Empire and the Papacy. The extensive corpus of images and poetic compositions surrounding this event further rendered it one of the most representative textual and artistic subjects in the late Yuan dynasty. Centering on the horse tribute of Zhizheng至正2 (1342), this article examines its transmission and literary representation in the Yuan dynasty. The study argues that the event should not be understood merely within the framework of a hierarchical“tribute”from subordinate to ruler, but rather as a paradigmatic instance of gift diplomacy during the Pax Mongolica. The Yuan emperor Shundi順帝(r. 1333–1370), whose legitimacy was often contested, strategically transformed the tribute horse into the Farang Heavenly Horse, symbolizing the Mandate of Heaven, thereby constructing a political discourse favorable to his rule. Furthermore, this article demonstrates how images and poems were mobilized to serve imperial authority, while also revealing the diversity of non-official responses, ranging from panegyrics to the flourishing age, to laments of frustration, and to nostalgic reflections on a lost past.