灾害、气候与政治:光绪初年吐鲁番及其周边地区的蝗灾与应对

Plague, climate and politics: Locust plague and the government response in Turpan and its surrounding areas in 1877-1880

利用新近刊布的档案史料,本文从环境史的角度考察了光绪三年至光绪六年(1877-1880),新疆东部的吐鲁番、北疆的昌吉、呼图壁、玛纳斯一带、南疆的焉耆、库车等地因干旱而引发的蝗灾,在细致地考察了本次蝗灾发生过程及受灾程度的基础上,一方面探究政府的报灾、勘灾、赈济的具体运作过程及蝗灾防治的措施,另一方面力图探究救治程序和措施所体现出来的新疆管理体系调整的具体过程。本研究表明,光绪初年吐鲁番及其周边地区的蝗灾不但与河西地区同时发生,而且与华北地区发生的旱蝗灾害也有时间上的一致性,通过树木年轮的集成分析判断,当时西北地区湿度偏低的气候背景导致了蝗灾的发生。蝗灾恰逢政治变局,左宗棠收复新疆着手进行的社会重建与蝗灾救治同时进行,蝗灾的救治程序和措施反映出光绪十年(1884)新疆建省之前地方行政管理制度"先名后实"实际调整过程。

From 1877 to 1880,just after Zuo Zongtang reconquered Xinjiang,drought and Locust plague swept through Turpan and its surrounding areas,including Changji,Hutubi,Manas,Yanqi and Kuche.The locust plague resulted in crops failure.In 1878,Turpan peasant could only finish half amount of two main kinds of land tax.The reorganized government took a rapid and effective response to relieve victims and to control and prevent locust plague.This historical event was worthy to be paid attention.On the one hand,a more severe drought and locust plague also struck north China at the same time.It can be called the same drought event in climate history.On the other hand,some adjustments of Xinxiang’s ruling policies in the late Qing Dynasty could saw through the government response in this locust plague.Different from the 18th century and the first half of 19th century,management system and ruling policy in Xinjiang were becoming more and more same as the proper of China from 1877.Xinjiang was on the way to establish a province.