望族的形成:明清时期余姚泗门谢氏的宗族建设

Rising to Prominence: The Xie Family's Endeavor in Yuyao in Ming and Qing

明代中叶,余姚泗门谢氏因族内多人获得高级功名,开始向仕宦家族转变。为塑造自身的望族形象,谢氏进行了长期的努力。一方面,他们不断整合宗支,推衍世系,构建出适合仕宦身份的祖源传说。另一方面,他们又多次扩建宗祠,以因应合族联宗、世家构建及田土控制等不同的时代议题。明末以后,由于核心房支式微,谢氏宗族内部房派势力消长不定。清代中叶以来,在不同房派的竞争与合作中,宗族整合程度增强,有关望族的语言和叙事也随之扩散至各个房支。泗门谢氏的宗族历史提示我们,对"望族"的考察应该跳出宗族"实体论"和"成功学"的窠臼,关注宗族内部不同支系和人群间的复杂关系,剖析特定家族为塑造自身形象而做出的种种策略、抉择,以及这些行动背后时人的认知与其赋予的意义。

In the mid-Ming,quite a few members of Xie Family of Simen of Yuyao performed very well in the Imperial Examination. This family was thus reputable in the political circles. It made persistent efforts to maintain its highly applaudable image. On the one hand,this family reinvented the legend regarding its origin;on the other hand,it constantly renovated the ancestral hall to meet the needs of the times. Since the midQing,the integration of the Xie clan was furthered in the competition and cooperation among differing branches. In this course the discourses involving Xie's prominence were created and disseminated widely.A historical investigation of Xie's acquirement of prominence is conducive to freeing researchers from the ossified methodologies such as substantialism and the success theory. The present author suggests researchers pay greater attention instead to the complicated relationship between branches,the effort to shape family image and people's perception of these endeavors.