近代徽商衰落及身份界定问题再审视——兼论近代徽商研究的出路

Rethinking the Decline and the Identity Definition of Huizhou Merchants in Modern Times—Also on the Outlet of the Study of Modern Huizhou Merchants

近代以后,徽商兴起与发展的内外动因依然存在,数量仍然十分庞大,故认为近代徽商彻底衰落甚至“几乎完全退出商业舞台”的观点应予以修正。在研究近代徽商时,一是必须将寄籍他乡但仍对徽州保持较强认同感并有密切联系的徽州商人视为徽商;二是必须注意到近代徽商依然“商成帮”的历史史实;三是必须正视近代徽商总体实力及其在中国商界的地位相较于明清徽商确实有了较大幅度下降的客观事实。近代徽商研究的不足,既有学界重视不够的主观因素,也有资料缺乏的客观因素。随着近代徽商资料的不断丰富和新的研究理论与方法的不断运用,特别是新的重要问题的提出,以及学界的日益重视,可以预期近代徽商研究必将快速发展,也必将推动徽商研究再出发。

Since the modern times,the internal and external causes of the rise and development of Huizhou merchants still existed,and the number was still very large.Therefore,the opinion should be rectified that Huizhou merchants declined and even“disappeared from the historical stage”.Firstly,in the study of modern Huizhou merchants,it is necessary to regard as Huizhou merchants those living outside Huizhou who had a strong sense of identity and kept close contact with Huizhou.Secondly,pay attention to the historical fact that the modern Huizhou merchants were still“gang of merchants”.Thirdly,we must face up to the fact that the overall strength of modern Huizhou merchants and their status in the Chinese business community did have a greater decline in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.The deficiency of research on Huizhou merchants in modern times is not only caused by the subjective factor of undervaluation,but also caused by the objective factor of insufficient resources.With the unceasing excavation of resources and emergence of new issues,as well as the increasing attention of the academic circles and the continuous application of new research theories and methods,it can be expected that the study of modern Huizhou merchants will develop rapidly,which will certainly push forward the Huizhou merchant research.