救赎与教化:明清天主教儿童慈善活动探析

Salvation and Education: On catholic Charity Work for Children in China during Ming and Qing dynasties

明清时期,随着传教士在中国的传教及其他活动,天主教有关儿童教育的思想与儒家蒙学之间展开了对话与交流。传教士针对弃婴群体设立育婴堂等慈善机构,成为明清社会中慈善事业的一支重要力量。传教士向儿童的传教改变了明清社会儒家士大夫对儿童教育的主导权,引发了明清社会反教人士的怀疑与攻击,从而导致各种谣言的出现。但明清天主教的儿童慈善活动,应该被视为明清慈善历史的一部分。传教士对儿童精神与伦理教育方面的重视,也为我们当下社会儿童慈善救济及教育提供借鉴。

When missionaries preached in China during Ming and Qing dynasties,Catholic education of children and Confucian initiation education began to exchange and dialogue with each other.Missionaries set up some kinds of charity organizations such as foundling asylums for the abandoned children,which were one significant part of charity works in Ming and Qing society. Missionaries' preaching to children changed the dominances of Confucian literati in the education of children,which aroused anti-Catholics' suspect and attack,and also led to the emergence of a variety of rumors. However,Catholic charity for children during Ming and Qing dynasties should be considered as part of the history of charity of Ming and Qing.Missionaries' paying attention on children's spirit and ethics education also provides useful references for us on children's charity and education nowadays.