晚清潮汕民间善堂兴起的主要因素剖析

The Analysis on the Key Factors of the Rise of the Civil Benevolent Societies in the East Guangdong Province during the Late Qing Dynasty

晚清光绪年间,粤东潮汕地区开始涌现出大量的以地域性民间信仰为依托的民间善堂组织。学界以往对这些善堂组织兴起原因的解释主要是基于社会需求层面。然而,通过分析潮汕善堂的机构组成、运营特点以及晚清潮汕地区的社会历史背景,发现社会矛盾激化与自然灾害频发、绅商群体的广泛参与和带动以及对民间信仰的吸收与借用等是促使这些慈善组织在晚清得以大规模兴起的主要原因。目前我国正处于现代化建设的关键时期,在国家救助体系尚未完善,而养老、失学、就医等民生问题又比较突出的时代背景下,对晚清潮汕民间善堂兴盛的原因进行探讨,具有非常重要的现实意义。

A large number of regional-folk-religion based civil benevolent societies has emerged in the Chaoshan area of East Guangdong Province during the end of the Qing Dynasty. Scholars used to attribute the emergence of these above-mentioned societies to the social needs. However, by analyzing the institution, operating characteristics and the social and historical background of the Chaozhou-Shantou area during the period of late Qing Dynasty, the author found that the intensified social conflicts, frequent natural disasters, broad participation from the gentry merchants, as well as the absorption and utilization of folk religions, etc. are the main reasons for the rise of these non-governmental charitable organizations in the late Qing Dynasty. The article holds that the analysis on the reason why traditional civil benevolent societies prospered during the late Qing Dynasty and its operating pattern offers as practical significance, against the backdrop of china's modernization and its incomplete social welfare system and perplexing problems of aging population, students dropping out of schools and inadequate medical care.