明清徽州的绅商——兼谈明清绅商和近代绅商之不同

Gentry Merchants in Huizhou during Ming and Qing Dynasties

徽州绅商早在明清时期已经形成,这是商、绅合流的产物。徽商通过捐纳或捐输等途径转变为"绅商",并由此在地方获得权威和民众认可,而近代的绅商,往往借助商会等组织提升自己的权威。徽州绅商推动了明清徽州士绅社会的建构,特殊的"绅商"身份也有助于商业经营活动的顺利开展,但是,这一特殊的身份又强化了徽商的封建性,从而阻碍了徽商向近代的转型。

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties,gentle merchants formed and they are a combination of businessmen and gentry.Huizhou merchants became gentry merchants through donation of tax and transportation.Therefore,they won the authority and acceptance in the local areas.But the gentry merchants in the moden society usually enhanced their authority through organazations such as chamber of commerce.Gentry merchants in Huizhou promoted the construction of the gentry society during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and their special status facilitated the commercial business.However,their particular status intensified their feudal characteristics,thus impeding the transformation of the Huizhou merchants to the modern times.