十八世纪以来中国家族的现代转向

The Modern Transformation of the Chinese Lineage from the 18^(th) Century

中国古老的家族在 18世纪以来的三百年中 ,发生了巨大的变化 ,即从古代的宗法性的祠堂族长制 ,向现代社会社团方向变革 ,分化出两个枝杈 ,一枝是族会、族务理事会、宗亲会 ,实行议会式、人民代表大会式的民主管理原则 ,取代宗法族长专制 ,并且坚持家族固有的血缘原则 ,惟将传统家族仅仅承认男性血统扩展为兼容男女血统 ;另一枝是联宗会、同宗会、宗亲会 ,系同姓氏成员的社团 ,不讲究共同血缘的原则 ,是家族的异化。两枝均有“宗亲会”的取名 ,表示重视亲情和现代民主管理原则。就目前家族整体状况而言 ,上述变更乃系进行中的事情 ,更新远未完成。家族的现代转向同中国社会从古代向现代转型相一致 ,是在社会变革猛烈冲击下发生的应变、自变的产物。

During the three hundred years since the 18 th century, the ancient Chinese lineage experienced a great change that was from the patriarchal organization ruled by the clan elder to the league of modern society, and two branches emerged. One branch includes conference of lineage (zu hui), council of lineage's affairs (zu wu li shihui), kinship organization(Zong qing hui), which carry out a democrotic management system in the style of parliamentarism or People's Congress to replace the despotism of patriarchal clan and adhere to the family's coherent blood relationship principle and expand this principle from only admitting male blood lineage in the traditional lineage to incorporating both male and female. While another branch includes joint cognition organization (lian zong hui), cognation organization (tong zong hui), kinship organization (zong qing hui); all of these are social organizations which consist of the same surname member and are the dissimilation stlye of the old lineage without striving for the blood tie principle paritcularly. Both the two branches have the title of kinship organization (zong qing hui), which greatly expresses the trend of paying more attention on blood tie relationship and modern democratic management principle. As to the lineage's whole circumstances, this kind of transformation is still going on, not far more finished. The modern transformation of lineage is consistent with social transformation from ancientry to modern times. It is the result from self transformation and adjustment to the radical changing society.