赵凤昌与孙中山交往考述

An Investigation of the Communications between Zhao Fengchang and Sun Yat-sen

孙中山是公认的中华民国的缔造者,赵凤昌被时人称为“民国产婆”,都可谓共和建国功臣。正因为此,人们普遍认为民初大局与他们之间的频繁往来、密商大计休戚相关。根据已知的、公开的资料,他们的确有过接触,但并没有那么密切。然而,民初的新旧递嬗不是用铁和血铸成的,很大程度上是幕后调停斡旋的结果,而幕后的讨价还价和交易本为机密,知者甚少,若无记录及当事人回忆,很难获知详情。孙中山与赵凤昌原有认识的机会,但却错失了,直至辛亥时期才首次相见相识。除公开的接触外,他们有私下密商革命大计的可能,但具体情形如何,则有待新材料的发现。对于未置身他们密谈现场的相关记述,尽管言之凿凿,也不可轻信,要加以考证,谨慎采用。

Sun Yat-sen is recognized as the founder of the Republic of China,while Zhao fengchang is dubbed the“midwife of the Republic of China”.Therefore,it is generally believed that the overall situation in the early Republic of China was closely related to their frequent communications and secret strategizing.According to publicly available information,they indeed got into touch with each other,though they apparently did not maintain close contact.However,the transformation in the early years of the Republic of China was not the result of blood,sweat and tears,but the outcome of behind-the-scenes mediation.The behind-the-scenes deals were well-guarded secrets unknown to the general public.Without records and memoirs,it would be impossible to know the details.Sun Yat-sen and Zhao Fengchang did not meet each other for the first time until the Xinhai Period though there had been opportunities for them to get to know each other earlier.Apart from their public contact,they might have privately held secret talks to discuss revolution plans,but the specific circumstances would remain unknown until the discovery of new historic records.The existing accounts of their secret talks provided by people who were not present at the scene are not to be trusted in their entirely;rather,they should be examined critically and used with caution.