中国慈善文化类型分析与历史“转型”回应--《华人慈善:历史与文化》述评

The Analysis of Chinese Philanthropic Culture Patterns and the Response to Historical Transformation:A Review of Chinese Philanthropy:History and Culture

《华人慈善:历史与文化》作为国内首本介绍中华慈善文化的教材读物,从中华慈善文化现象中提取了六种基本模型,分别为:宗族慈善、宗教慈善、地方慈善、民族慈善、海外华人华侨慈善和公民慈善。本文回顾既往中国慈善史研究,结合书中慈善类型的具体存在时间和实践,试图勾勒出中国近世慈善的演变轨迹:明末以降,地方社会的“善举”主体日益多元,除了当地士、商及其背后的宗族力量,行商、买办、华侨等群体也不断加入。随着实践主体的扩展,慈善实践的形式也发生变化。时至清末,明末以降的观念和实践积累被重新解读,成为“公民公益”的部分思想资源。与此同时,宗族善举的种种机制也日渐溢出宗族边界,与地方事务乃至指向国家利益的“公益”互相嵌合,共同融入近现代国家转型的最初探索与积极践履之中,恰可对中国慈善史的历史“转型”问题作出回应。

Chinese Philanthropy:History and Culture,Chinese Philanthropy:History and Culture,as the first textbook to introduce Chinese philanthropy in China,extracts six basic patterns from the phenomenon of Chinese philanthropy.They are:clan philanthropy,religious philanthropy,local philanthropy,national philanthropy,overseas Chinese philanthropy,and civic philanthropy.This paper reviews the previous historical studies on Chinese philanthropy,and tries to outline the trajectory of the evolution of early modern Chinese philanthropy by integrating the specific time and practice of philanthropic patterns discussed in the book.Since the end of Ming Dynasty,the subjects of“almsdeed”in local society have become increasingly diversified.Besides local scholars,businessmen,and the clan power behind them,some other communities such as merchants,comprador,and overseas Chinese also joined.With the expansion of this subject,the forms of the philanthropic practice also changed.By the end of the Qing Dynasty,the accumulation of ideas and practices since the end of the Ming Dynasty was reinterpreted and interpreted,thus becoming part of the ideological resources of“citizens'public welfare”.Meanwhile,various mechanisms of clan charity gradually expanded clan boundaries,increasingly embedded with local affairs and even the“public welfare”related to national interests.They are integrated into the initial exploration and active practice of modern national transformation,and respond to the issues of historical“transformation”of Chinese philanthropic history.