立册存案,载入志乘:清代义田盗侵与宗族、官府应对

Kept on File,and Written into Local Records:Embezzlement of Charity Farmland and Countermeasures from Clans and the Government in Qing Dynasty

中国古代义田肇始于宋代,至清代鼎盛。伴随清代义田发展,盗侵现象亦呈多发之势。清代宗族、官府等踊跃捐输,支持义田发展,同时对义田盗侵现象进行深刻反思。宗族主动申请将义田立案,经过官府层层审批,载入志书中备存。官府为义田创立者颁发执帖,并通过勒石建坊、颁给御书匾额、赏予顶戴等方式予以褒奖宣扬。对盗侵义田者,则订立法律规条,分类治罪处罚。乾隆年间发生两起义田侵没案件,反映了律法规条在义田保护方面缺乏应有的执行力,透射出官府保护义田之有心与乏力。

Charity farmland in ancient China occurred in Song Dynasty(960-1279),and donation activities peaked in Qing Dynasty(1636-1912).In Qing Dynasty,along with the popularity of charity farmland donations,embezzlement became increasingly frequent.Clans and governments were both active in donating farmland and supportive of the development of such charities.They also carefully examined cases of embezzlement.Clans requested to have charitable farmland officially registered and approved by all levels of government,ensuring that such farmland was written into local records and kept on file.The government issued certificates to the donators and rewarded and promoted their charity deeds by such means as carving stone tablets and building honorific arches in praise of them,conferring on them horizontal boards with the emperor's inscriptions,and awarding them official caps.As for those who embezzled charity farmland,governments and clans made laws and regulations to convict and punish them.However,two embezzlement cases during the reign of Qianlong(1711-1799,reigned 1736-1796)demonstrated the lack of due enforcement capability of these laws and regulations,reflecting the government's willingness yet lack of strength in protecting charity farmland.