“买办”概念变异考析

An Analysis of the Variation of the Concept of " Comprador "

在中国古代,"买办"一词专指宫廷和官府采买物品的商人。明朝中期,由葡萄牙语转化而来的"买办"一词的出现,其被赋予新的内涵。鸦片战争之后,公行制度被废除,由葡文转化而来的"买办"一词,其词义又发生新的变化,由简单向多重复杂的转化。这是对近代中国在中西交流与碰撞中社会发生转变的反映。考察"买办"词义演变的历史过程,分析其转变得以完成的时代因缘和文化意蕴,可以了解在近代中西交流与碰撞中,一系列事物被赋予新的内涵,及其发展演变的历史轨迹,丰富对历史的认识,予人启发。

In ancient China, the term "comprador" referred exclusively to official merchants who bought goods for the imperial court and local governments. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, the word "comprador", which was transformed from Portuguese, emerged and was endowed with new connotation. After the Opium War, the Co Hong(official merchants) system was abolished. The word "comprador" which was transformed from Portuguese changed its meaning from simplicity to complexity. This was a reflection of the transformation of modern China in the exchanges and collisions between China and the West. This paper examines the historical process of the evolution of the meaning of the word "comprador" and analyzes its historical causes and cultural implications, with an aim to understand how, in the modern Sino-West exchanges and collisions, a series of things have been given new connotations. This can enrich our understanding of history.