论中原晚清“丁戊奇荒”赈济的多元化

Diversity of Relief Methods in Zhongyuan Area in Late Qing Dynasty

"丁戊奇荒"被认为是晚清最惨烈的饥荒。它直接波及北方山西、河南、陕西、山东、直隶五省,连苏、皖、川、陇四省也受其影响。其中河南是名副其实的重灾区,"歉收者50余州县,全荒者28州县"。在如此严峻的状况下,清廷开始了吃力的官方救济。鉴于当时国力颓废、财政吃紧、仓储不足,虽然这种救济显得有些"心有余而力不足",但民间社会力量的发达和资讯流通的自由弥补了这一缺陷。这表现在江南士绅的"义赈"和国际力量的"洋赈"所发挥的作用上,没有这些力量的参与,饥荒势必会更加恶化。这种多元化的赈济形式对现代的灾后救济仍有一定的借鉴意义。

The catastrophic drought in Northern China had caused series of horrible consequences which included starvation, death and refugees in Emperor Guangxu period, Qing dynasty, and the official begun to rescue with its limited power. In view of the weak-ness and inefficiency of the national power, other methods which were made up of Jiangnan gentry and foreign missionaries had emerged o serve as the main forces and they were proved to be exceedingly successful in dealing with relevant works. The diversity in the relief of this disaster could illuminate us with several instructive inspirations of how to make an efficient and transparent relief, and it seems that they still have a positive value for nowadays.