论明末乡绅地方公议的程序——以《祁彪佳日记》为中心的考察

On the Procedure of the Gentry's Local Public Meeting in the Late Ming Dynasty:An Investigation Centering on Qi Biaojia's Diary

《祁彪佳日记》中有多处对祁彪佳本人参与地方公议的详细记载。这些记载显示,明末江浙地区乡绅参与的地方公议存在召集、议事、决议三个主要环节。召集环节中,乡绅地方公议的召集人、召集手段有一定规律可循,但时间、地点并不固定,表现出因事召集、议无定所等特点。议事环节又可细分为聚集等候时的预议与正式议事,正式议事表现为以主议官员为中心的"向心式"议事。决议环节则可细分为官员主持的口头定议与乡绅签订公议单的书面订议,且其中体现出"全体一致"的决议原则。

There are many detailed records of Qi Biaojia’s participation in the local public meetings in Qi Biaojia’s Diary.These records show that there were three main parts in the gentry’s local public meeting in Nanzhili and Zhejiang provinces in the late Ming dynasty-summoning,discussing and deciding.In the part of summoning,the convener and convening means of local public meeting had certain rules to follow,but the time and place were not fixed,which means the meetings were summoned when there were issues to discuss,and there was no dedicated conference house.The part of discussing can be further subdivided into pre-meeting during the gathering or waiting time and the formal session of discussion.The formal session of discussion was presented as a "centripetal" session centered on the presiding official.The part of deciding can be subdivided into oral decisions by presiding officials and written decisions signed by the gentry,which reflects the principle of "unanimity".