鼎革与变迁：明清之际江南士人行为方式的转向

Dynastic Transition and Social Transformation: Behavioral Changes of Jiangnan Literati During the Ming Qing Period

奔竞请托、行为张扬、隐漏钱粮、好持公论、包揽词讼是明后期江南士子的基本社会形象。绅士更结社成帮,党同伐异;干预行政,把持乡里;侵夺小民产业,横行不法;肆意奴役乡民;接受投献,蓄奴成风;奢侈淫佚,醉生梦死。然而经过清朝初年哭庙案、奏销案和亏空钱粮清查案等大案要案的打击,江南士人的行为方式发生了很大变化:纷纷放弃土田经营,深切明白以早完国课为第一要义,平时以足不入公门、不与外事为自处准则,士风软熟化过程加紧发展,不少士子人生进取目标也发生转向。时世不同,士风也随之不同,清代江南士人为官没有明人张扬,其声势没有明代江南仕宦显赫,对于地方官府和地方事务的影响力,较之明代江南乡宦也要小得多,士人的气节和社会责任感比之明人更相去远甚。

In the late Ming, Jiangnan literati were known for their publicized behaviors. They asked favor from influential people, evaded taxations, controlled public opinions, and engaged in pettifoggery. Among the local gentry groups, some of them formed cliques and defamed each other; some interfered with a dministration and controlled local affairs; some seized estates from commoners and disregarded laws; some enslaved local residents; some received privately sur rendered lands and kept large numbers of domestic servants; and the others led luxurious and licentious lives. However, after the impact of the early Qing perse cutions, such as the Confucius temple weeping case, the tax evasion case, and the case of taxation deficit examining, the behavioral patterns of Jiangnan lite rati significantly changed. They were less interested in land accumulation and a cknowledged the duty to pay taxes in time. In daily life, they considered it as a general principle instead of involving into governmental and public affairs. The common practice of literati had increasingly conformed to state ideologies, and their personal ambitions also changed accordingly. Comparing with Ming counte rparts, Jiangnan literati in the Qing dynasty were less publicized in official posts, their social position less celebrated, their influence to local administra tion and affairs decreased, and their moral character and the sense of social responsibility also degenerated greatly.