多财善贾,长袖善舞——论晚清变局下的上海道台吴健彰

A man of resources knowing how to do business-On Shanghai Daotai Wu Jianzhang under changes of late Qing

上海道台吴健彰,在晚清变局之际由广州赴上海,从洋行买办转变为地方官吏,经历鸦片战争、太平天国运动、小刀会起义等多场重要历史事件,深刻演绎其“多财善贾,长袖善舞”的人物形象。吴健彰通过善于敛财、办事精明、能通夷人等能力,深受清廷及地方各界的赏识,他的仕宦之路也因此得到延伸,直到上海小刀会起义的爆发。小刀会起义使吴健彰离开上海道台的位置,但并没有危及他的性命,这在以往地方官员对抗叛乱事件时较为少见,亦可归因于他的个人能力使然。因此,聚焦于上海道台吴健彰的研究,将能更好地剖析晚清变局下个人人物命运的变化,尤其是此类通商口岸的买办与官员。

Shanghai Daotai Wu Jianzhang came to Shanghai from Guangzhou during the turbulent era of the late Qing and became a local official from a comprador of a foreign firm.Having experienced many important historical events such as the Opium War,the Movement of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom,and the Xiaodaohui Uprising,he deeply demonstrated the image of"being resourceful,successful,and rich through money making".Wu Jianzhang was good at accumulating money,shrewd in handling affairs and proficient in communicating with foreigners,and was highly appreciated by the Qing court and all walks of life in the local areas owing to these abilities.His official career was extended until the outbreak of the Xiaodaohui Uprising.Wu was removed from the position of Shanghai Daotai due to the uprising,but it did not endanger his life.Such was a rare case in the past when local officials were confronted with such movement,which could also be attributed to his personal abilities.Therefore,focusing on the research of Shanghai Daotai Wu Jianzhang can be a better way to analyze the changes of individual fate under the turbulent situation of the late Qing,especially the compradors and officials at the trading ports such as Shanghai.