岭南“长生会”的实践及变迁研究

Research on the Practice and Changes of Lingnan’s Longevity Clubs

作为盛行于晚清民国岭南地区的民间社团组织,长生会举办的主要目的是发放帛金以助丧,同时兼顾乡里其他公益事业。长生会是宗族社会的产物,通过举办长生社,家族增强了凝聚力;长生会也是农耕社会的产物,必然受到农业生产的限制与影响,一些筹款能力较弱的长生会,亦会陷入经营困境。长生会与传统合会、现代寿险有共同点,但无论是运作还是实现的途径,均存在差异。随着经济基础改变带来的上层建筑变动,长生会最终不可避免地湮没在历史长河中。

As non-governmental organizations that prevailed in the Lingnan area in the Republic of China and the late Qing Dynasty,the main purpose of Longevity Clubs were to distribute money to aid funerals,while taking care of other public welfare undertakings in the village.Longevity Clubs were the products of the clan society.By organizing them,the family strengthened its cohesion.They were also products of the farming society and were bound to be restricted and affected by agricultural production.Some Longevity Clubs with weak fund-raising capabilities would also fall into business difficulties.Longevity Clubs had something in common with traditional cooperatives and modern life insurance,but there were differences in both operation and realization.With the changes in the superstructure brought about by the changes in the economic foundation,Longevity Clubs would eventually be lost in the long river of history.