纷杂的“网络”:运河沿岸信息的传播——以清代漕运剥船水手为载体的考察

A Variety of “Networks”: the Spread of Information along the Canal——Investigation on the Carrier of the Shiplifting Sailor in the Qing Dynasty

中国古代交通较为闭塞,通过大运河进行信息的传播成为当时最直接有效的方法之一。每年数以万计的漕运剥船水手来往于运河沿岸,他们借助水陆交通要道以及市镇、码头,将各地的商货信息、物价的变动情况、政府的官方信息、民间信仰等,通过大运河进行传播,因此,剥船水手便成为这类信息传播的媒介。由于剥船设立具有较强的临时性作用,所以他们对信息的传播更加趋向于下层社会,也就是剥船水手传播信息具有小范围的性质,而且扩散更快,流传更广。

The traffic in ancient China was relatively blocked,and the dissemination of information through the Grand Canal became one of the most direct and effective methods at that time.Every year,tens of thousands of ship-lifting sailors travelled the canal.They used the water and land transportation routes,towns and docks to pass the information and goods,the changes in prices,the official information of the government,and religious beliefs etc.So the sailor became the medium of information dissemination.Since the establishment of stripping vessels has a strong temporary role,their dissemination of information tends to the lower class.Therefore,the dissemination of information by shiplifters is of a small scope,but it spreads faster and more widely.