章维藩函札所见人物交游

The Interpersonal Relationships of Zhang Weifan Seen in His Manuscript

章维藩,祖籍浙江吴兴,安徽近代民族工业的先驱。新近发现的两本章维藩函札,《手泽珍藏》中收录了章维藩1897—1915年与亲友的函札草稿,涉及人物有刘坤一、德寿、周馥、陈兆庆、李普润等晚清官员,主要内容为益新面粉厂的筹资等问题;《章邴如致亲友书》则收录了章维藩1920—1921年给三十余位亲友的百余封书信,涉及人物有梁士诒、周学熙、倪嗣冲等诸多北洋政要,主要内容为宝兴公司与开滦煤矿在秦皇岛筹组设厂、中山矿权案交涉等问题。章维藩是近代湘淮军集团中下层军功官员向近代企业家转型的典型例证。章氏家族的历史也是中国近代史的缩影,并对章开沅先生的史学研究产生了重要影响。

A native of Wuxing,Zhejiang Province,Zhang Weifan was worth studying in that he used to serve in military before he established himself as a pioneer of modern national industry in Anhui.Using the materials of Zhang Weifan’s two newly discovered letter collections entitled The Treasure of the Manuscript and Zhang Bingru’s Letters to Relatives and Friends,this essay discusses Zhang Weifan’s exchanges with both the Qing government officials and the powerful figures of the Beiyang government.He exchanged with the Qing officials on the matters of financing Yixin Flour Mill,and he discussed with the Beiyang officials on the establishment of mining factories in Qinhuangdao and negotiated mineral rights on behalf of Zhongshan.Transforming himself from a lower-ranking military officer to a successful businessman,Zhang Weifan and the story of his family provide us a rare and refreshing perspective to look into modern Chinese history,and had important influence on Mr Zhang Kaiyuan’s history study.