清代集镇名实初探

The Name and Nature of Towns in the Qing Dynasty

《清国史·地理志》、《清史稿·地理志》每县下均有某某镇的记录。经考察,认为这种记录并没有严格的学术标准,有一定的任意性。实际上,清代的镇,并非县以下一级管理地方或征收商税的机构。凡是有一定集中的人口,商业比较繁荣的聚落(集市),往往被人们称为镇。其中有的置有县以下管理地方治安的机构,如巡检司,有的什么设置也没有,仍被称镇;也有既设了巡检司等管理或纳税机构,然仍不称镇。可见清代文献中镇的记录并无严格标准。至于文献上记载镇的四至范围,实际上指的是所设机构管理(如巡检司)的地域范围,与镇并无关系。

There are Town entries under every county record in Qingguoshi dilizhi and Qingshigao dilizhi. These entries do not follow strict standards. Actually, Town in the Qing Dynasty was not an institutional part of local management or an imposition for tax purposes. Settlements with concentrated population and flourishing trade were usually named towns. Some towns had institutional local security below counties, such as Xunjiansi （Patrol Office）, but Xunjiansi did not always located in places named towns. So, entries of town in the Qing Document should not be understood as a level of administration, and the so called boundary of towns was the area patrolled by the Xunjiansi seated there.