“锦灰堆”:明清江南坍涨地之变迁与地方社会

“Ash Heap”:The Change of the Collapsed Land and the Local Society in Ming and Qing Dynasties

明清时期太湖地区水域资源的变化及利用,引起官方与民间的广泛关注。当中因环境变化和人力作用引起的各类坍涨,影响到地方与政府的一些基本利益。在水域资源的利用方面,王朝统治者采取了很多制度上的应对方式和策略,暂时与社会各方利益之间达致一种平衡状态,但因受到环境与社会两方面的持续性影响,也时常被打破。江南民众、地方势豪与州县官府在其间形成的利益争夺形态及其紧张关系,因而得以清晰呈现,特别是被地方官吏视为"锦灰堆"的水土坍涨形态,占夺情况比较严重,也严重影响到地区水利事业。当然,与水争田、与民争利是明清时期太湖水乡生活的常态,也是环境变化、生存压力下的表现,并具有普遍性。

The change and utilization of water resources in Taihu area in Ming and Qing dynasties caused extensive concern of the officials and the public. The various types of collapse caused by environmental changes and human activities affected the basic interests of the local government. In the use of water resources, the rulers of the dynasty proposed a great number of measures and strategies to deal with the system. The interests of all parties had reached a balance between the states temporarily, however, due to the persistent effects of the environment and society, the balance was often broken. The competition of interests and tension among the people in the south of the Yangtze River, local despots and state officials had been clearly presented. In particular, the problem of water and soil subsidence became serious which was regarded as “ ash heap” by the local government officials？ and it also affected the regional water conservancy. In Ming and Qing dynasties, it was normal that people competed with water for the fields and government competed with the public for profit, and it was also the due performance under the environmental changes and survival pressure, which is of universal significance.