银信收费与珠三角侨乡社会观念变迁

Remittance Charges and the Change of Social Attitudes in the PRD Region

近代以来,珠三角地区逐渐成为"美洲华侨之乡",华侨向侨乡源源不断输入巨额银信(侨汇与华侨家书)。海内外各种团体为争取银信递送中的利益,或以家族亲情纽带和地域意识、或以现代权利义务观念为理据进行激烈竞争。这种竞争引发的侨乡社会观念转变,是乡土社会开始向工商社会转型的表征。

In modern times, the Pearl River Delta region became a 'homeland of Chinese in Americas' and huge amounts of overseas remittances flowed to it via remittance letters. Various groups at home and abroad vied for the delivering remittance letters. They tried to attract business by citing kinship ties and geographical awareness or the modern concept of rights and obligations as justifications. This competition-induced change in social attitudes in the homeland of overseas Chinese was a sign of social transformation from the rural society to an industrial and commercial society.