明清徽州溺婴陋习探析

A Study on the Drowning of Infants in Huizhou during the Ming and Qing Dynasties

基于地方志与大量族谱资料的记载,宋以降,徽州地区溺婴陋习相当盛行,尤其是溺女婴,已经成为严重的社会问题。这一现象的产生主要与徽州地区地少人多、人们的经济负担重、根深蒂固的重男轻女传统观念以及徽州婚姻论财之风盛行等多种历史原因有关。溺婴之风的盛行给徽州社会造成的严重危害也引起了社会各界的重视,对此人们积极采取措施,以期遏制溺婴恶俗。

Based on the records of local chronicles and a large number of genealogy data, the cor?rupt custom of drowning infants has been prevalent in Huizhou since Song Dynasty, especially the drown?ing of female infants, which had become a serious social problem. This phenomenon was mainly related to many historical reasons such as less land and more people in Huizhou, the heavy economic burden of people, the deep-rooted traditional concept of valuing males and belittling females, and the prevalent lo?cal convention of dowry in marriage in Huizhou. The prevalence of infant drowning had caused serious harm to the Huizhou society and attracted the attention of all people. Therefore, they actively took mea?sures to curb the corrupt custom of drowning infants.