淮军“洋教头”毕乃尔生平探析——基于新发现的史料

The Exploration of Pinel's Life as a Huai Army Foreign Coach——Based on Newly Found Historical Materials

作为淮军早期的重要洋员,以及晚近以来首位自列强脱籍归华的外国人,毕乃尔的重要地位和传奇身世历来为安徽方志研究者和淮军史研究者所重视。但由于史料的匮乏,毕乃尔的生卒年等基本生平信息至今不详,其或战死或归隐的结局始终扑朔迷离。最近从哈佛大学图书馆发现的一份1906年发表的宗教学论文,记载了有关毕乃尔的生平和其在中国的完整家系,通过与国内史家、史料说法相印证,毕乃尔的生卒年可确定为1840-1885年,官至从一品提督,善终。此外,奉毕乃尔为祖先的国人家族应有两支存续。

As a vital foreign staff member in early Huai Army,as well as the first Western world＇s foreigner in late-modern history who expatriated to China,Pinel＇s important position and legendary personal life have long been of interest to historians researching on Anhui local records and the Huai Army.However,his basic life information,such as birth-death dates and final being casualty or seclusion,remains unknown,due to missing historical records.Through recent review of Harvard Library＇s collected archives,we have discovered a religious article,dated to 1906,that details Pinel＇s pedigree and life in China.By crossreferencing with existing domestic research,Pinel is confirmed to have lived in the years 1840 – 1885,passing away as a provincial military commander,ranked 1b.Additionally,two Chinese family lines can claim Pinel as their ancestor which may continue ever since.