济贫恤穷活动与宋朝民间社会的兴起

The Activities of Relieving-Sympathizing the Poor and the Rise of Civilian Association In the Period of Song Dynasty

中国古代一直有民间自我救济的传统。两宋时期,民间济贫恤穷活动趋于活跃,具体方式包括提供衣食与医疗救济、婚丧资助与蠲免债务等。尽管这些努力的客观效果不一定尽如人意,但在一定程度上解决了部分贫困者的生存危机,缓和了社会矛盾,调节了社会财富再分配,确实起到了重要的社会作用。从民间济贫恤穷活动的主体来源看,多为地方精英分子,从中也反映出民间社会暨地方社会兴起的事实。可以说,地方精英分子暨地方社会的发育,主要是借着民间济贫恤穷活动的举行而出现的。就中国古代国家与社会的关系而言,国家对民间组织从来是持警惕态度的,惟独对地方上的自我赈济则持支持态度,这也就是为什么总是由地方慈善组织导致民间自我组织的原因。

In ancient China there existed the self-relieving tradition among the people. In the period of Song Dynasty, the activities of relivingsympathizing the poor among the people got in full swing. The exact mode included providing clothing, food, medical treatment relief, financially helping wedding and mourning affairs and freeing of debt. Although the objective effect of the above wasnt satisfaetory for all people, yet in certain degree relieved the existing crisis of part of the poor, relaxed social contradictions, regulated the reallocation of social properties, which thus really played important social part. As far as the main body source of such activities was concerned, most of it was the locale talented people. From such activities the rise of the civilian associations and social associations was reflected. It might be said that the development of the local talent members and the local associations mainly depended on the implement of such activities. As far as the relation between the ancient states and the social associations is concerned, the state always took vigilant attitude to the civilian organizations except to the self- relieving ones. This was the reason why the local charities led to the rise of the self- organizations among the people.