晚清至民国时期广东的溺婴现象

Infanticide of Guangdong from Late Qing to the Republic Era

晚清至民国时期,溺婴现象在广东一定程度上存在着。清代地方官员常将溺婴视作一种恶俗,故其应对措施侧重于劝诫、慈善而不是法律严禁。到民国时期,在“男女平等”“强国保种”等思想和话语影响下,观照溺婴的视角从地方层面上升到民族、国家层面,广东本地的禁溺实践成为国民政府应对溺婴的一系列行动中的组成部分,政府应对溺婴的措施也变得更强调“严禁”。另一方面,来华西人在观照广东溺婴现象时,多将溺婴视为中国人道德低下、文化落后的表现,向中国人传播基督教的必要性、正当性也由此而被建构出来。

During the Late Qing Period and the Republic Era,infanticide existed in Guangdong to some extent.The officers of Qing, considering infanticide as an evil custom, took measures of moral persuading and philanthropy rather than law. Infanticide was observed and explained from national perspective during the Republic Era, and legal prohibitions were much more emphasized. Overall,the westerners in China believed that infanticide was a manifestation of Chinese’s inferior morality and culture, which brought the necessity and legitimacy of preaching Christianity.