1908년 徽州府 水災와 新安屯溪公濟局의 義賑활동 (The Flood Disaster of Huizhou Prefecture and the Charitable Relief Activities of the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau, in 1908)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 중국근현대사학회
· 수록지 정보 : 중국근현대사연구 / 100호 / 1 ~ 34페이지
· 저자명 : 김두현

초록

Tunxi Town, located in Xiuning County, Huizhou Prefecture, Anhui Province, has experienced rapid growth and is referred to as “Little Shanghai(小上海)” and “Tea City(茶務都會),” highlighting its role as a hub for tea trade. After the establishment of the “Five Port Trading System” and particularly following the Taiping Rebellion, the tea trade route underwent a shift from the traditional Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, to Shanghai. As a result, Tunxi Town emerged as a central area for tea trade. Located at a crucial intersection of land and water transportation, Tunxi Town was not only a gathering place for merchants and scoundrels but also faced environmental and hygiene issues, particularly during the pre-Qingming Festival period when tea was harvested and processed. During this time, not only tourists but also a large influx of laborers and the impoverished contributed to challenges in the local environment and sanitation. Particularly, the annual outbreak of infectious diseases between the lunar months of 5 to 8, which coincided with the period of manufacturing tea for export during the summer to fall, led to a significant number of illnesses and deaths. This notably caused concerns in the local community, especially due to issues related to the disposal of infectious waste. In response to these challenges, in the 15th year of Guangxu's reign (1889), a charitable organization called the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau was established in Tunxi Town. It was spearheaded by tea merchants involved in the tea trade. The bureau undertook philanthropic initiatives such as providing free medicine for the sick and managing the disposal of deceased bodies, addressing the health-related issues in the community. Subsequently, the scope of the public welfare initiatives expanded to include livestock breeding projects and sanatoriums for the sick, with participation not only from tea merchants but also from other sectors such as timber merchants.
However, on May 25, 1908, in the 34th year of the Guangxu era, a catastrophic event known as the “Jiaoshui explosion(蛟水)” occurred, bringing about unprecedented and strange disasters(奇災) in Huizhou that had not been witnessed in a century. In response, local authorities established emergency relief agencies and called for the unity of government officials, gentrys, and merchants within the region to jointly carry out disaster relief efforts. Simultaneously, they sought assistance from philanthropists, including Sheng Xuanhuai in Shanghai, to provide Charitable relief for the affected areas. Simultaneously, local officials in Anhui Province, on an individual basis, actively engaged in personal appeals, contact, and fundraising activities to contribute to hometown relief efforts. In the early years of the Guangxu reign, during the relief efforts for the severe drought disaster (‘Dingwu Qihuang丁戊奇荒’) in the North China region, one can discern the intentions of the Anhui authorities, local elites, and merchants, as they actively utilized the Charitable fundraising networks centered around Shanghai. In this process, Huizhou merchants engaged in commercial activities in Shanghai also established their own Charitable fundraising networks to contribute to hometown relief efforts. Through coordination with the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau in their hometown, they expanded philanthropic activities.
Meanwhile, during the Ming and Qing periods, the network of salt merchants in Huizhou was originally centered around Yangzhou, a key hub for the Liang-Huai salt industry. However, with the reform of salt production methods during the Daoguang era and the upheavals of the Taiping Rebellion, the decline of the salt industry and the collapse of salt merchants led to a shift in the hub of the Hui merchant network from Yangzhou to Shanghai. Therefore, Shanghai, the primary stage for Huizhou merchants, became the focal point for Charitable relief activities aimed at aiding disaster-stricken areas in Huizhou. In the 34th year of Guangxu's reign (1908), eight prominent Shanghai Huizhou merchants, including Wang Jiatang, Hong Weichen, and Xie Junting, jointly established the “WanNanHuiZhouQuanZhenGongSuo皖南徽州勸賑公所” (駐滬徽州水災勸賑公所). They collaborated with the Anhui merchants' relief organization, the Tunxi Town Charitable Relief General Bureau, founded by local figures such as Hong Tingjun and Cheng Enjun, who were instrumental in the establishment of the Tunxi Town Relief Headquarters. Together, they conducted hometown relief activities. Shanghai not only served as a hub for collecting relief funds from Huizhou merchants nationwide but also played a crucial role in coordinating philanthropic efforts. Within Huizhou Prefecture, the General Administration of Charity Relief in Tunxi Town (義賑總局) in Tunxi Town acted as the central organization for philanthropy. Under this administration, Charity Relief Branches were established, including one in Wuyuan County, to facilitate relief activities. In essence, disaster relief efforts in the Huizhou region were not only undertaken by local authorities but also relied on a hometown relief network connecting Huizhou merchants nationwide, Shanghai, and Tunxi Town. The specific approach adopted can be characterized by the philanthropic methods formed around Shanghai, known as the Charitable Relief system.
Research on philanthropic activities of Huizhou merchants has already yielded significant results; however, there is a notable tendency to focus primarily on activities conducted in trading locations. There is a relative scarcity of research on Guilds (行會) and philanthropic activities within the native Huizhou region. In 1908, the Public Welfare Bureau not only functioned as a Guild for tea merchants centered around Tunxi Town but also played a role as a Charitable Society leading various philanthropic activities in the local community. Its significance lies in its dual role, not only as a Guild for the tea industry but also as an organization actively involved in disaster relief efforts, particularly during large-scale natural disasters. Against the backdrop of the traditional commercial networks of Huizhou merchants during the Ming and Qing dynasties, this study examines how these networks operated for hometown relief. It explores the roles played by Huizhou merchants, delving into their contributions to philanthropy. Furthermore, it investigates the impact of Charitable Relief activities that emerged post the Taiping Rebellion on the somewhat exclusive philanthropic initiatives of Huizhou merchants. The study sheds light on the dynamics between these private relief efforts and the established charitable activities of Hui merchants, particularly in the post-Taiping era. The primary sources for this study include official documents of key bureaucrats, regional records, major newspapers and magazines, as well as underutilized materials such as “XinAnTunXiGongJiJuZhengXinLu(新安屯溪公濟局徵信錄)” and “HuiShuYizhen ZhengXinLu (徽屬義賑徵信錄).” Utilizing these sources, the analysis focuses on the nature and characteristics of disaster relief activities in the native Huizhou region under the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau.

영어초록

Tunxi Town, located in Xiuning County, Huizhou Prefecture, Anhui Province, has experienced rapid growth and is referred to as “Little Shanghai(小上海)” and “Tea City(茶務都會),” highlighting its role as a hub for tea trade. After the establishment of the “Five Port Trading System” and particularly following the Taiping Rebellion, the tea trade route underwent a shift from the traditional Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, to Shanghai. As a result, Tunxi Town emerged as a central area for tea trade. Located at a crucial intersection of land and water transportation, Tunxi Town was not only a gathering place for merchants and scoundrels but also faced environmental and hygiene issues, particularly during the pre-Qingming Festival period when tea was harvested and processed. During this time, not only tourists but also a large influx of laborers and the impoverished contributed to challenges in the local environment and sanitation. Particularly, the annual outbreak of infectious diseases between the lunar months of 5 to 8, which coincided with the period of manufacturing tea for export during the summer to fall, led to a significant number of illnesses and deaths. This notably caused concerns in the local community, especially due to issues related to the disposal of infectious waste. In response to these challenges, in the 15th year of Guangxu's reign (1889), a charitable organization called the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau was established in Tunxi Town. It was spearheaded by tea merchants involved in the tea trade. The bureau undertook philanthropic initiatives such as providing free medicine for the sick and managing the disposal of deceased bodies, addressing the health-related issues in the community. Subsequently, the scope of the public welfare initiatives expanded to include livestock breeding projects and sanatoriums for the sick, with participation not only from tea merchants but also from other sectors such as timber merchants.
However, on May 25, 1908, in the 34th year of the Guangxu era, a catastrophic event known as the “Jiaoshui explosion(蛟水)” occurred, bringing about unprecedented and strange disasters(奇災) in Huizhou that had not been witnessed in a century. In response, local authorities established emergency relief agencies and called for the unity of government officials, gentrys, and merchants within the region to jointly carry out disaster relief efforts. Simultaneously, they sought assistance from philanthropists, including Sheng Xuanhuai in Shanghai, to provide Charitable relief for the affected areas. Simultaneously, local officials in Anhui Province, on an individual basis, actively engaged in personal appeals, contact, and fundraising activities to contribute to hometown relief efforts. In the early years of the Guangxu reign, during the relief efforts for the severe drought disaster (‘Dingwu Qihuang丁戊奇荒’) in the North China region, one can discern the intentions of the Anhui authorities, local elites, and merchants, as they actively utilized the Charitable fundraising networks centered around Shanghai. In this process, Huizhou merchants engaged in commercial activities in Shanghai also established their own Charitable fundraising networks to contribute to hometown relief efforts. Through coordination with the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau in their hometown, they expanded philanthropic activities.
Meanwhile, during the Ming and Qing periods, the network of salt merchants in Huizhou was originally centered around Yangzhou, a key hub for the Liang-Huai salt industry. However, with the reform of salt production methods during the Daoguang era and the upheavals of the Taiping Rebellion, the decline of the salt industry and the collapse of salt merchants led to a shift in the hub of the Hui merchant network from Yangzhou to Shanghai. Therefore, Shanghai, the primary stage for Huizhou merchants, became the focal point for Charitable relief activities aimed at aiding disaster-stricken areas in Huizhou. In the 34th year of Guangxu's reign (1908), eight prominent Shanghai Huizhou merchants, including Wang Jiatang, Hong Weichen, and Xie Junting, jointly established the “WanNanHuiZhouQuanZhenGongSuo皖南徽州勸賑公所” (駐滬徽州水災勸賑公所). They collaborated with the Anhui merchants' relief organization, the Tunxi Town Charitable Relief General Bureau, founded by local figures such as Hong Tingjun and Cheng Enjun, who were instrumental in the establishment of the Tunxi Town Relief Headquarters. Together, they conducted hometown relief activities. Shanghai not only served as a hub for collecting relief funds from Huizhou merchants nationwide but also played a crucial role in coordinating philanthropic efforts. Within Huizhou Prefecture, the General Administration of Charity Relief in Tunxi Town (義賑總局) in Tunxi Town acted as the central organization for philanthropy. Under this administration, Charity Relief Branches were established, including one in Wuyuan County, to facilitate relief activities. In essence, disaster relief efforts in the Huizhou region were not only undertaken by local authorities but also relied on a hometown relief network connecting Huizhou merchants nationwide, Shanghai, and Tunxi Town. The specific approach adopted can be characterized by the philanthropic methods formed around Shanghai, known as the Charitable Relief system.
Research on philanthropic activities of Huizhou merchants has already yielded significant results; however, there is a notable tendency to focus primarily on activities conducted in trading locations. There is a relative scarcity of research on Guilds (行會) and philanthropic activities within the native Huizhou region. In 1908, the Public Welfare Bureau not only functioned as a Guild for tea merchants centered around Tunxi Town but also played a role as a Charitable Society leading various philanthropic activities in the local community. Its significance lies in its dual role, not only as a Guild for the tea industry but also as an organization actively involved in disaster relief efforts, particularly during large-scale natural disasters. Against the backdrop of the traditional commercial networks of Huizhou merchants during the Ming and Qing dynasties, this study examines how these networks operated for hometown relief. It explores the roles played by Huizhou merchants, delving into their contributions to philanthropy. Furthermore, it investigates the impact of Charitable Relief activities that emerged post the Taiping Rebellion on the somewhat exclusive philanthropic initiatives of Huizhou merchants. The study sheds light on the dynamics between these private relief efforts and the established charitable activities of Hui merchants, particularly in the post-Taiping era. The primary sources for this study include official documents of key bureaucrats, regional records, major newspapers and magazines, as well as underutilized materials such as “XinAnTunXiGongJiJuZhengXinLu(新安屯溪公濟局徵信錄)” and “HuiShuYizhen ZhengXinLu (徽屬義賑徵信錄).” Utilizing these sources, the analysis focuses on the nature and characteristics of disaster relief activities in the native Huizhou region under the Xin'an Tunxi Public Welfare Bureau.

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