英国在华传教政治的地方实践：福州乌石山案再研究

British Missionary Politics in China:A Re-explanation of Wushishan Case in 1878

过往研究多从中英交涉的角度研究乌石山案,遮蔽了其中的一个重要维度:英国传教士和外交官的博弈,而要理解双方抗争的逻辑,必须跳出乌石山案,从英国在华独特的传教政治入手。英国政府重通商轻传教,担心传教冲突影响政治商业利益,于1869年转向限教政策,特别是1870年和1872年威妥玛通知的出台标志着该政策的成型。而英国政策的福州实践与传教士的福建传教形成巨大的张力,贯穿乌石山案前后的传教士和外交官的搬离之争正是这种传教政治的一种反映。所以传教士的抗争并非仅在乌石山案中的得失,更多是想借此案向英国外交官长期秉持的限教政策发起冲击,促使英国政府改变对华传教政策;而外交官则欲将传教纳入既定的限教政策轨道,为维护声誉和权威也不得不起而应对传教士的挑战,致使传教士和外交官冲突激化。双方的矛盾既是乌石山案的起因,也影响交涉的走向,同时也是英国在华传教政治的一个缩影。

The studies on Wushishan Case in the an important dimension, i.e., the gaming of British past are mostly in direction of diplomacy, but concealing missionaries and diplomats. Before the case happened, the missionaries refused the diplomats＇ suggestion of moving from Wushishan, resulting in the beginning of conflicts, and after the happening of the case, the conflict between the missionaries and Chas H. Sinclair, the British consulate in Fuzhou, is worsen, because of the way of handling the case. And finally, the missionaries refused Thomas Wade, the British Envoy, of his suggestion to remove to other places other than Wushishan, they insisted to resort to jurisdiction, and broke their relationship. Anyhow, the purpose of missionaries is only to attack on the restricted policy held by the diplomats, and to urge the British government to support the missionary in China. The diplomats laid emphasis on trade rather than missionary, so they intended to keep an established policy. The contradiction between two sides directly influenced the result of Wushishan case and, at the same time, it can be seen as an epitome o~ British missionary politics in China.