明末珠江三角洲的乡绅与宗族

Gentry and Clan in Zhujiang Delta in the Late Ming Dynasty

本文是利用崇祯年间刊行的《盟水斋存牍》来考察明末珠江三角洲社会的一环。明末的乡绅在包括广州城和老家的广大范围内,扩张以宗祠中心的宗族网络,参与了沙田经营,海外贸易等种种利权。聚集在乡绅周围的,不仅仅族人,受到乡绅权威和权利的吸引,奴仆、无赖之类猬集而至。乡绅的奴仆和无赖,在围绕沙田利权的纷争中也是实战部队。在明末的三角洲地带,宗族之间的竞争变得激烈。拥有乡绅的话,其宗族(宦族)就可以以宗祠为中心强化向心力,不仅仅是族人,也会吸引来奴仆、无赖等各种各样的人,多方面开展利权争夺。无法辈出乡绅,就意味着无法强固地维持宗族体制,于是在利权争夺的竞争中败北。产生宦族和弱小宗族之间差距的理由就在于此。

Based on Meng Shui Zhai Cun Du published in the reign of Emperor Chongzhen in the Late Ming Dynasty, this paper reveals the important role gentry and clan play in society in Guangzhou and their home towns in Zhujiang Delta in terms of expanding clan system centered in clan temple,having privileges in business such as running sand land and overse as trade.Gentry's power and privilege attract clan people and rascals as well as servants who form the main force in conflicts between clans over sand land and other interests.Those clans that had strong and influential gentry had advantages in competition.So gap between strong clans and weak ones made a great difference in the light of power struggle and strengthening clan system.That is one of the reasons that there were many strong clans in that region.