保我族魂:清末民初槟城广福宫与平章公馆的神道设教(上)

Sustaining the Chinese Spirit: The Teachings of the Heavenly Sacred Way in the History of Kong Hock Keong and Penang Chinese Town Hall during Late Qing Dynasty and Early Republic of China

槟榔屿广福宫至今被邻近各埠华人共同尊称"观音亭",历史上延伸出平章公馆处理华人公共事务,可以追溯到明代民间设"亭"立约对话官方的传统。根据张之洞赠给公馆的题字,以及李鸿章奏请光绪赐匾定位公馆公祀的关帝,又可知清廷与南洋华人对"平章"的认知,与英殖总督最初赠地的期望互有落差。公馆一再以埠众会议,扩大广福宫以神道设教凝聚族群开拓主权的影响,主要就表现在崇文社文化运动与推动孔庙,以及馆址长期支持义塾、中小学到师范班,还有屡次发动全境数日观音庆典检阅华民实力。他们在殖民地固然须要慎重表述,毕竟不忘初心。

While the Penang Kong Hock Keong(广福宫,Goddess of Mercy Temple in Penang)is well known as"Guanyin Ting(亭Open Hall)"by the Chinese nearby,and Penang Chinese Town Hallwas found later as an extension from Kong Hock Keong for the handling of Chinese public affairs,it is possible to trace back the concept of"Ting"(亭),a type of institution appearing during Ming Dynasty.The"Ting"was normally the assembly hallfor the alliances of villages/towns for the local people and served as a dialogue partner of the government bodies.However,if we refer to the inscription of Zhang Zhidong(张之洞)for the founding of Penang Chinese Town Hall,and also review the later official declaration of its status by the Guangxu Emperor(光绪皇帝)who referred to the report of Li Hong Zhang(李鸿章),the Chinese people who named Penang Chinese Town Hall as"Public Mansion for Ping Zhang"(平章,fair and harmonious settlements for the pursuit of collective justice)may have a different understanding with the original intention of the Governor of Strait Settlementswho granted them a piece of land for the"local community town hall".After the establishment of Chinese Town Hall,the frequent organization of Chinese mass gathering for the endorsement of various Chinese projects had expanded the traditional efforts of Kong Hock Keong which was struggling for the development of the sense of identity and sovereignty of Chinese locality.Such activities are mainly manifested in the Initiative of Chongwenshe(Society for Literacy Promotion)and the promotion of Confucian Temple as well as various Guanyin Processions(观音巡游),demonstrating the social power of religious solidarity among different Chinese communities.The activities of Kong Hock Keong and Penang Chinese Town Hall during late Qing Dynasty and Early Republic of China has reflected the situation of the Penang Chinese in the particular colonial era.Although it was difficult for them to fight against the colonial government,the mainstream of Chinese business gentry of the period had showed their loyalty to their ancestral culture and they had tried their best for a better Chinese society,even if normally restricted to struggle in a moderate way.