基督教改革者——黃乃裳與清季改革運動

Christian Reformer — Huang Naichang and the Reform Movement in Late Qing

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

基督教（新教）來華宣教與中國現代化具有密切關係。其中傳教士除宣教建堂，贈醫施藥，設辦學校，注意慈惠工作，更進而出版書刊，譯介西學新知，鼓吹變法，影響清季改革運動。就此而論，不少出身於基督教之華人信徒，由於與教士之過從關係，得以知悉西學新知，從而成為清季之改革家，美國史家Paul Cohen並將此批背景之改革家標貼為「基督教改革者」(Christian Reformer)，本文所研究之黃乃裳(1840-1924)即為個中之顯例。黃氏原為美以美會(Methodist Episcopal Church)之傳道，早年服務教會，參與宣教與文字工作；中年中舉，成為福州士紳，繼而倡導改革，投身戊戌維新運動。故本文即從基督教入華宣教，促進中國現代化之線索下，探討黃氏與清季改革運動之關係，全文共分三部份，包括福州美以美會教士之宣教事業，黃乃裳之社會及政治改革言論與活動。

This paper aims at finding out the relationship between Christainity and the modernization of China. Focus is placed on the introduction of western learning in China by missionaries which led to the emergence of “Christian reformers” and the reform movement in late 19th Century China. This historical phenomenon has aroused the interest of historians such as Paul Cohen and Wang Shuhuai and much research has been carried out on “Christian reformers”, mainly from the provinces of Jiangsu and Guangdong. My case study of Huang Naichang, a convert and reformer from Fujian, gives further testimony to the influence of Christianty on the formation of reform ideas in Late Qing.

Converted to Christianity in 1866 when he was seventeen, Huang became an active member and preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Fuzhou. Together with missionaries such as Stehpen L. Baldwin, Nathan Sites, Franklin Ohlinger and Myron C. Wilcox, Huang became involved, not only in preaching the gospel, but also in literary work including the translation of works on religion and western learning as well as editing of missionary journals. His exposure to western ideas led him to the road of reform.

This paper is divided into three parts:
1. Missionary enterprise of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Fuzhou;
2. Huang Naichang’s ideas and activities on social reforms; and
3. Huang’s ideas and activities on political reforms.