李待问公益慈善活动初探

A Preliminary Study of Public Welfare and Charity Activities about Li Daiwen

李待问一生关心乡梓,热心公益慈善。他捐建学宫,大修灵应祠、通济桥、省佛古道,创建文昌书院,修建赤岗塔等,为善范围不只在佛山,远及福建、江苏、北京等地,在政治、经济、文化和教育等领域都进行了广泛深入的公益慈善实践,李待问可以说是明末佛山公益慈善事业的启蒙者。李待问的公益慈善活动时间长、范围广、领域宽,受其母亲言传身教和儒家思想影响较大。同时,作为社会治理的一种有效手段,这些公益慈善活动助推佛山从明中叶的城市雏形过渡到明末比较成熟的都市社会。

Lidaiwen,born in Foshan,a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations of Wanli period in Ming dynasty,the first official position is Liancheng County magistrate.As he grew up to the Ministry of Revenue,going through Wanli,Taichang,Tianqi,and Chongzhen four dynasties.Lidaiwen cared about the hometown development and be wild about public welfare and charity.He donated schools,repaired the Tongji Bridge and ancient roads from Foshan to Guangzhou,set up Wenchang Academy,repaired the Chigang Stupas.He carried out extensive and in-depth behavior activities in many aspects such as politics,economy,culture,and education,which not only in Foshan,but also in Fujian,Jiangsu,Beijing and other places.Lidaiwen can be said the enlightenment person for public welfare and charity in Foshan in late Ming Dynasty.His public welfare and charity activities has long duration,wide range and extensive field,taught by his mother and influenced by Confucianism.Meanwhile,as an effective means of social governance,he promoted Foshan from an embryonic city in the middle Ming Dynasty to the relatively mature urban society in late Ming Dynasty.