新发现的《许乃济丙申日记》稿本考述

Elaboration of the Newly Discovered Manuscript of Xu Naiji Bingshen Diary

19世纪30年代,走私鸦片的大量输入,官民士绅吸食者意志萎靡,身心遭致戕害的同时,亦使得中国的白银大量外流,严重地影响到清政府的财政收入,并由此引起朝臣在禁烟问题上的激辩。时任太常寺少卿许乃济上奏道光皇帝,因其"弛禁"的主张,甚或被推至中国近代历史进程取向的风口浪尖。最新发现的《许乃济丙申日记》手稿本,记录了当事者在该特定时期的日常生活情状,这对学界研究京官的政治生态等问题,无疑具有新史料的价值。

In the 1830s, with a great deal of opium smuggling into China, those government officials, civilians and gentry who smoked opium suffered a lot from sagging spirits. In addition, the great losses of silver severely harmed the government revenue of Qing Dynasty. All of these phenomena cause a heated debate among courtiers on the issue of whether or not to ban opium trade. At that time, Xu, Naiji, assistant official at court of imperial sacrifices, reported to emperor Daoguang and suggested rescinding the opium prohibition. Because of this proposal, Xu was pushed to the forefront of the progress of Chinese modern history. The newly discovered manuscript of Xu Naiji Bingshen Diary recorded his daily life at the very time. Un- doubtedly, it has great value as new historical data for academic circles to study the political ecosystem of court officials.