“宋案”重翻:戊戌党祸之余波

Reexamining the Song Bo-lu Case:The Aftermath of the Coup in 1898

戊戌政变后,相当一批维新官绅遭到诛戮、打压。作为政变当日最先遭褫职的"康党",宋伯鲁虽然侥幸逃脱"戊戌六君子"的血腥命运,但政治上的清算并未终止。庚子事变后不久,重返故里的宋伯鲁再度卷入一场政治劫难。陕西按察使樊增祥先是矫诏捕宋,继又设计陷害,最终通过怂恿巡抚升允密奏,蛊惑朝廷旧案重翻,判宋"永远监禁"。这是两宫回銮后,因戊戌党案而遭二次追责的首例案件。作为戊戌党祸的余波,"宋伯鲁案"生动反映了清末新政初期乍暖还寒的政治氛围,以及受党禁影响,政治投机风的恣意蔓延。而宋的自救与他救,特别是中外各界对宋的普遍同情和广泛声援,既折射出庚子事变后的政情与舆情,也刺激清政府不得不对戊戌党禁作重新考量。

Following the Coup in 1898,a group of officials and gentlemen endorsing the reform were executed or persecuted by the Qing court.Song Bo-lu(宋伯鲁)was the first member in the Kang You-wei’Clique(康有为党)who was deprived of position.Song was not executed,but he had to face the political liquidation before long.Soon after the Boxer Movement of 1900,Song was involved in a political disaster in his hometown.Fan Zeng-xiang(樊增祥),the Provincial Judge of Shanxi,arrested Song with a false imperial edict with the aim of framing Song.Fan also abetted Sheng Yun(升允)to present a secret memorial to the emperor.Song was sent to prison forever.This is the first case which was judged once again after the ban on Wuxu(戊戌)Reformists.As a consequence of the Coup in 1898,Song Bo-lu Case vividly reflected the political atmosphere in the initial period of the New Policies Reforms between 1901 and 1911.It also was a sign of the spreading political speculation affected by the ban on Wuxu Reformists.Song’s self-effort to get freedom and being rescued by others,especially the universal pity and widely support from various circles at home and abroad,reflected the politics and public opinions after the Boxer Movement of 1900,while it made the Qing government reconsider the ban on Wuxu Reformists.