海外华人宗族文化及其历史使命

Overseas Chinese clan culture and its historical mission

本文依据近半个世纪以来海外华人宗族的变化和发展，探讨了海外华人宗族文化的实质与特征。认为海外华人宗族文化是华夏宗族文化的外延和演变，具有悠久的历史渊源，深厚的社会基础和丰富的思想文化内涵，以及开放、兼容、更新的自我发展能力，因而它具有强大的生命力。并据此对海外华人宗族文化在２１世纪的发展前景与历史使命作了展望和简要论述。

Changes in and developments of overseas Chinese clans over half a centuryhave urged the author of this paper to investigate into the very essence and characteristic features of overseas Chinese clan culture. It is pointed out that overseas Chinese clan culture isan extension and evolution of the clan culture in China proper with time-honoured historicalorigin, deep-rooted foundation and rich ideologicocultural implications, as well as having theability of self-development originating from its openness, compatibility and self-updating.Herein lies its strong vitality. Accordingly, the author looks forward to the hopeful prosectfor overseas Chinese clan culture in the coming 21st century and deals briefly with its historical mission.