父老:中国古代乡村的“长老”及其权力

Fathers and Seniors:The“Elders”and their Power in Traditional Chinese Rural Society

在中国古代乡村社会中,与官府相配合发挥统治作用的“长老”,包括秦汉时期的县乡三老、里父老,唐代的乡耆老、老人、父老,宋代的父老、耆老,明清时期的里耆宿、里老人、乡约等,多由官府选择年高而有道德、且具备一定经济条件的父老充任。历代由官府选任的三老、父老、耆老、老人等,均以教化为其基本职责,受命传布王朝国家的礼教,亦参与调解民间纠纷、编排户口、征发赋役。古代乡村社会的权力格局,主要由乡吏里胥、长老、富豪乡绅等三方构成:乡吏里胥代表官府,行使以户口编排、赋役征发和治安为中心的行政权力;长老受官府委托,掌握教化权力;富豪乡绅占有财富和资源,和官府相配合,行使经济权力和社会权力。王朝国家统治下乡村社会中的长老权力,主要来自王朝国家的授予或委托,是王朝国家统治权力的组成部分。

In traditional Chinese rural society,the"elders"who cooperated with the government to play the role of domination were mostly selected by the government among the well-off people of seniority and morality.The elders chosen by the government of various dynasties were entrusted with the indoctrination as their basic duty,and authorized to preach the rituals of their dynastic state.And they also participated in mediating disputes among the folks,arranging household registrations,collecting taxes and assigning corvée,helping to repair water conservancy and roads,and assisting the government in implementing certain policies and decrees.The power pattern of traditional Chinese rural society was mainly composed of three parties:village officials and functionaries(乡吏里胥);elders;and wealthy people and village gentries(乡绅).On behalf of the local government,village officials and functionaries exercised administrative power centered on arranging household registrations,collecting taxes,assigning corvée and maintaining public order.The elders were entrusted by the government to hold the power of indoctrination.As wealthy people and village gentries possessed wealth and resources,they cooperated with the government to exercise financial power and social power.The power of elders in the rural society under the domination of a dynastic state,was mainly granted or entrusted by the dynastic state,which was an integral part of the ruling power of the dynastic state.