After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the people who fled from Jingxi, Yixing, gradually returned home. Faced with a scattered population, desolate fields, and economic decline, the government, gentry, and various family leaders jointly embarked on post-war reconstruction. Among them, the family, as one of the main cohesive forces in the countryside, plays an important role in rural reconstruction. Through the excavation of genealogical materials, this article explores the role played by the family in collecting clans and rural construction after the war. Yixing Jingxi is located on the west bank of Taihu Lake in southern Jiangsu Province. Its topography is ""Gengwan Mountains in the southwest and five lakes in the northeast". As a channel connecting Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, Yixing Jingxi was captured by the Taiping Army in the 10th year of Xianfeng (1860). The population, economy, society and culture were greatly damaged by the war. At the beginning of the third year of Tongzhi (1864), after Yixing Jingxi was recaptured by the Qing army, the Communists, gentry and various family leaders jointly started post-war reconstruction. However, academic circles pay much attention to the role played by the government and gentry in postwar reconstruction, but their role is not enough to explain the fact that the vast rural areas were quickly reconstructed after the war. This article intends to use several genealogical materials in Jingxi, Yixing, to explore Yixing. The role of Jingxi families in the post-war reconstruction of the vast countryside. 1. The Duwang clan in Yixing was collected after the war. Clan members of the Ren family, Xu family, Pan family, Lu family, Zhou family, Feng family, Jiang family and other families have repeatedly won the imperial examination. For example, the Miaodu and Xu family are "famous families in Yixing" and are "" the eastern part of the city. The Xu family of Suxi "has been ranked first in the city since the Ming Dynasty." "All of them are able to lead the Wei family, become prominent, and achieve great achievements at that time." These families are the leaders of the rural atmosphere in Jingxi, Yixing, and play an irreplaceable role among the gentry. Wu Tao once studied the functions of the families in Jingxi, Yixing from the perspective of clan functionality. The role played by Yicang in relief inspired this article to focus on the role of the family in rural reconstruction after the Taiping Rebellion. As we all know, families often have several leaders, let’s call them family leaders. These family leaders are mostly the patriarch, eldest son, and clan members. Recommended people with certain prestige, talent, and culture, they lead the clan members to engage in clan affairs, such as building ancestral halls, family trees, managing ancestral property, and providing relief to the clan members. After the war, the clan members returned to their hometowns one after another. Under the circumstances, the family leader first started to collect the clan, in order to gather the strength of the family and enable the tribesmen in difficult situations to maintain their livelihood. The ancestral temple was the symbol of the family. Xu Heling, the eldest son of the Xu family, "cooperated (with) the clan to build the temple and build the shrine." The ancestral hall of the Zhang family in Juefu was "ravaged by the Xianfeng and Gengshen armies and turned into a ruin." After the war, the Zhang family ""Choose a day to start work and restore the old business." Because ""the ancestral hall has a certain place and cannot be moved", the ancestral hall is often rebuilt on the basis of the old ancestral hall, and some families will re-build it due to practical considerations. Choose a location to build an ancestral hall. For example, the Xiaoyou Hall of the 16th branch of the Zhang family was built in Pu Tuguan. It was destroyed by the war in Xianfeng Gengshen. After the victory, it was proposed to rebuild, but it was in vain due to the lack of people and resources. The west part of the pond was not far from Pu Tuqian, and in order to get people to know it, it was built in the fifth year of Tongzhi (1866), so the Xiaoyou Hall was built in the west of the pond." The funds for the construction of the ancestral hall mainly came from the donations of the tribesmen. For example, Tongzhu Zhang After the war, "" not a single tile of the Shi'en Hall of the clan's ancestral hall remained. Zhang Shihe, Zhang Fulin and other "" members gathered together and donated according to the Ding faction. In the 11th year of Tongzhi (1872), the "Three Columns" of the ancestral hall were built. Zhang Ziying "" will be the leader The money from the bonus was donated to the ancestors, and a small amount was donated to the outstanding ones. After running it for several years, they got more than a thousand yuan, and then divided the temple in the west of the pond to build the main temple of Xiaoyou Hall." If the ancestral hall wants to play the role of respecting the ancestors and collecting the clan, To carry out activities such as worshiping ancestors, renewing family trees, and providing relief to the clan members, the ancestral property requires a relatively fixed source of ancestral property, including land and cash, and the remaining money donated by clan members such as genealogy and ancestral hall construction. The Miaodu Xu family's ancestral property is ""Use the remaining money from the genealogy to accumulate the interest to buy sacrificial fields."" The property left by the clan members who have no heirs will also become the ancestral property.
For example, Zhang Fengqi's "whole family died in a disaster". Except for the heirs who owned ten acres of his land, "the remaining 41 acres were used as Qiu Hall" and became the sacrificial land for the Zhang family's ancestral hall. The Zhang family in Xuejiawei sells the desolate property of the descendants for sacrifices. The clan leader, general manager, supervisor, and manager are all responsible for the management of the temple property. Managers and professional writers are produced by "public elections of the whole clan" and are replaced every three years. For example, Zhang Yulin "is polite and elegant, and the clan thinks he can be promoted to manager." The ancestral property is not only used to distribute to the clan leader, general manager, etc. People's salary and sacrifice expenses are also used to save grain to prepare for shortages and to support poor members of the clan. Although the compilation of family trees is also one of the measures to respect the clan, but due to the huge cost and long time, the time of compiling the family tree is often in the family. It was carried out when they were relatively strong. Not many families repaired their genealogy immediately after the war, and used the ancestral temple property to provide relief to the poor. For example, after the war, Chu Xingyuan took charge of the ancestral temple property. He handed over the more than 200 gold accumulated in the temple in full, informed the head of the room, and paid it according to Ding, so that he could help support the family. Many people depended on it for their livelihood." In addition, he also Some wealthy tribesmen used their private property to help the tribe, and the family was able to gradually regain its former vitality. 2. Township construction. Family leaders not only held a leadership position within the tribe, but also held the position of director and township leader in the village where the family was located. Zhang Renbao of the Zhang family in Wudongqiao "" adheres to the plan of government, and pays attention to the planning and implementation of everything." His nephew Zhang Zixiang "" followed, "makes judgments about right and wrong, is shrewd in making decisions, and ignores mistakes." For decades, Later, Zhang Youxiang said, "The official affairs in the picture still recommend Dong Zhi." It can be seen that the local affairs of Wudongqiao were mostly presided over by the leader of the Zhang family in the picture. Zhang Chushu of the Zhang family in Jingnan worked hard, was fair and honest, and was elected " "Dong Tu's internal affairs" was later recommended as "the township covenant, which is the style of a township". Zhang Bingwen of the Zhang family in Xuejiawei was said to be capable and knowledgeable because of his ability to see the public in the township. Xian Le promoted them as "directors to manage affairs". These family leaders, who also served as directors and township leaders, tried their best to deal with public affairs in the villages where their clans lived. For example, Chu Qingyou of the Fengyi Chu family, after the war, ""All the big officials are determined to seek governance and appoint district directors. However, the people in the northwest are so popular that they recommend the public. They are the first to respond to the public. They raise funds for reclamation, clearing land, accumulate grain, build cultural temples, storehouses, and build county records. They do not comply with extravagant things." , ""Government of a township", the county magistrate ""Lu Gong Hongkui, Shi Gonghui, and especially good relationship with the public". Chu Rongxuan ""The moral prestige is higher than that of the time, and the prime minister of the time often visits the wind and invites him to pay attention, so he obeys the two people in the township. For more than ten years, he has set up charity warehouses, fire-fighting, picked up babies, built bridges, and provided medicine. The villagers still feel and weep over the good food they eat.” "In this way, the family leaders will extend the family's influence to the township and even larger areas, and some family leaders even participate in the public affairs of the county. For example, Chu Hang of the Chu family in Fengyi, "" has public affairs in the city, including academies, warehouses, infant halls, annual repairs, guest gatherings, and other major tasks such as encouraging farmers, accumulating grain, building temples, and repairing town records. I hope that everything will happen." In terms of post-war rural reconstruction, the role of family leaders is mainly reflected in the following aspects. (1) Burying the dead. The dead are the most important thing. The first step in dealing with the aftermath is to bury the dead in the war. This can maintain the dignity of the dead on the one hand, and avoid diseases and plagues caused by the decay of the corpses on the other hand. Under the leadership of their leaders, each family buries their dead members in the family cemetery, and buries the unattended dead in Yiqian. For example, Chu Tinghuai was appointed by Chang Zhendao to be responsible for burial matters. He led his tribe to place the bones in altars like pagodas. They were buried under water and buried in the water. They were separated by people's anecdotes. They were buried in monuments after being buried for a long time. , and therefore called on the supervisors to protect him, brave the cold and heat, suffer from frost and dew, read the moon for several months, and the records of the affairs are most clear, and so far, everyone can test the clouds." The government, gentry, and families also built and repaired ancestral halls to pay homage to the deceased. For example, the Wugong Temple offers sacrifices to the deceased "" Zhang Ziqing, the official historian, Zhang Guowei, the guard Zhang Guowei, Fang Jinrong, and Cheng Fangzu, the patrol officer", and the later "Yi Temple" offers sacrifices to the martyred soldiers and civilians in the city, as well as the deceased men and women who have no sacrifices.
Zhaozhong Temple "" worships Gong Zhongwu, Ba Rong, Zhang Zhongwu Gong Baguoliang, and the martyred gentry, people and common people in the two cities." Yangxiang Zhongyi Temple " " worships the tribute student Xu Mingyong and the martyred gentry and people in Xixiang", Shushan Zhongyi Temple " " "To commemorate the martyred gentry and people of Southeast Township". Jie Xiao Temple "" to commemorate the filial piety, chastity and martyrs of the past dynasties, and the martyred women during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi years." Every year on the first Wu day of February and August of the lunar calendar, officials often go to the temple to offer sacrifices. Ancestral Hall The establishment of the temple gave people who lost their loved ones in the Taiping War a place to pay homage to their dead. (2) Construction of shrines and bridges. Many people who returned to their hometowns had difficulty making a living after the war. The support of the charity hall was crucial to them at this time. "After the war was over, everything was in ruins, but the charity hall was built first, and the old ones were restored, and the new ones were added." ""Difficulty can help. "The incarceration can be safe, the sick can be supported, and the disabled can be avoided from being exposed." Some families are responsible for the construction of rural charity halls alone. For example, Zhang Yun'ao "" founded a charity event, named Zhoujitang, and those who are widowed, lonely, poor and have no complaint, are ordered to The name was entered in the register, and money and rice were given on the first day of the lunar month, clothes and tents were given in winter and summer, and coffins were given to the deceased." Zhang Renbin was the director of Wudong Bridge. Because ""Wudong Bridge is close to Zhangzhu, it is a thoroughfare between the north and the south, and refugees from other cities will never leave." "Those who are rich below will eat salty food at the Wudong Bridge." Zhang Renbin "set up a porridge factory to provide food for the people who live in it. Otherwise, they will give rice by the mouth. Every winter and month, they will never be able to bear the trouble. In the end, the prince will have no trouble or resentment." Chu Sheng runs the Yonghuaitang founded by his father. It has 100 acres of land and six city houses. It provides three out of ten provisions for giving out to the poor and five out of ten provisions for studying. , with " " reward and relief". Chu Zhiyuan " " funded the establishment of Jie Ying Tang" and " " maintained it alone. Every cream pill and pill powder can save people who are injured and sick, and all kinds of maintenance are maintained, even if it is pressed in the middle of the night (knock) "The gate will rise without fatigue." In addition, there are also cases where several family leaders unite with villages to build good halls. For example, the residence of Yushan Hall is located in "" Qingquan Township 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 The other pictures and the upper half of the tenth picture are donated to continue the construction." These charity halls either serve coffins, bury neglected corpses, provide shelter for refugees, or provide the needy materials for survival to the poor. , or take in abandoned orphans and babies, and clean up the broken situation after the war in various aspects. These charity halls either provide coffins, bury neglected corpses, provide shelter for refugees, or provide shelter to the poor. They provided the necessary materials for survival, or took in abandoned orphans and babies, and tidied up the dilapidated situation after the war in all aspects. In addition to the large number of charity halls that were built, the cities, bureaus, warehouses, Jinliang, etc. that were destroyed during the war. The temples and temples were restored one after another. Among them, the reason why the warehouses, Jinliang, and temples were restored quickly in various villages still relied on the strength of the family. Longyan Bridge and Hengtang, Jiangdu and Xindu bridges are all willing to help. In order to inconvenience pedestrians, he also donated the stone road of Longyan Bridge, and even donated his remaining energy to the Chaoyin and Daihua temples." Zhang Renbin was the first to "" create ancestral halls, assist in the revision of genealogies, and set up charity warehouses, temples, and bridges. "The money was lost as a promotion." Chu Dingsong saw that "there was a wooden bridge that was about to collapse, so he donated a huge sum of money. He contacted Dong Qi from various places to rebuild the stone beams and quarried the stone, and it was completed over the years." Zhang Yun'ao "" set up the altar. To bury the dead bones, to establish a small sect to honor the ancestors, to build a temple in the village to appease the gods, to build a charity warehouse in the map to support the poor, to rebuild the Wumu Bridge and Tangnan Bridge, and to build the Taiping Bridge and Changgong Bridge, all the money was spent. Assistance refers to those who work hard and never give up on their own duties. Chu Tinghuai still made great efforts to "restore" after the war. The two temples of Shenfan and Qingyuan and Lu Caotang were destroyed by the bandits, so he gathered his clan members to build them one after another; The posthumous manuscripts were published in the school, published, and widely circulated; the genealogy and genealogies were also ready." The construction of these family leaders in the countryside converged into a picture of rapid rural reconstruction. (3) The recovery of the economy. The rural economy is also in various stages of development. It was gradually restored through the efforts of the family. For example, the Miaodu Xu family, Xu Honggao was engaged in agricultural production. After the war, his family only had "seven acres of barren land and a ruined house with several rafters." He reclaimed the land and repaired the house.
Xu Guozhen was engaged in business. He wrote seven poems about this because he was careful in his calculations and his family fortune was slightly rich. One of them is recorded here: ""I don't seek wealth and benefit my family, but I want to talk about family harmony and happiness; in the world, it is like this "The chess piece changed in an instant, who knew that the pines and cypresses were better than the qionghua." He lamented the ever-changing world, which reflected his mood after experiencing the disaster that he did not seek wealth, but only wanted the family to enjoy a peaceful family life. At home, he would pick side dishes to make a living and save seven or eight coins." From this, he gradually accumulated money to start a business. "" On the day when he first returned, there was no standing cone on the ground and no roof tiles in the house. In his later years, the fields and houses were expanding day by day, and the house was full of children and grandchildren. , farm, study, marry, and marry in an orderly manner, just like a household in Yinfu." Some tribesmen even opened up commercial points, attracted merchants from all walks of life, and gathered them into a market. In this way, the country was prosperous and "" long-term talents" were faced with " "chaos. After the war, the family was in ruins, and "" entered the market to operate. Since there was no place to build a house, I saw that the east end of the north side of the square bridge was in the wilderness, which could be used to build a house. So I gathered materials, built a five-story building, and opened a shop. I made a lot of profits, and many people admired it. Because of this, the Xia (Xia) houses were connected and became a huge market." The situation of other families is similar. The efforts of each family in various aspects of agriculture, industry and commerce merged into one force, and jointly promoted the development of the rural economy. , so that people's lives gradually got back on track. (4) During the imperial examination and school war, the Jiangnan imperial examination was delayed. By the third year of Tongzhi (1864), the Jiangnan imperial examination was back on track, and various families devoted themselves to the imperial examination such as Fengyi. Chu Fengzao and Chu Tinghuai of the Chu family "returned to their hometown after Kou Ping returned to their hometown, and they studied harder", and together they passed the imperial examination in the twelfth year of Tongzhi (1873). Zhang Ziying of the Zhang family of Yangxian returned to his hometown after the war with his mother, " "The house was like a hanging rock, the mother worked hard at spinning and the son worked hard at farming. For several years, he had adequate food and clothing." Later, Zhang Ziying studied martial arts and entered Wuxiang in Wuchen. , and selected Qian Zong." The active participation of various families made the imperial examination increasingly prosperous after the war. The imperial examination is always closely related to the school. Most of the palaces and academies destroyed in the war were restored by the government and gentry, and the family played an important role in the school. His achievements are more reflected in teaching fellow tribesmen and villagers in voluntary schools and ancestral halls. For example, Zhang Yingfu "became a doctoral student in his prime, returned from the war, and made a living as an apprentice." After the war, Chu Hang also named his son Chu Tingfen. "Teacher", he served as a servant assistant. Chu Guanglie "returned to the village after the chaos, and was poor and helpless. He was able to overcome the hardships and support himself with the word "Teacher". In the 32nd year of Guangxu (1905), the Qing government The imperial examinations were stopped, and the Minister of Education was ordered to quickly issue various textbooks, and various families began to establish rural Mongolian primary schools in various prefectures and counties to cultivate talents. In order to be anxious, he conspired with the gentry to open junior primary schools, and he did not hesitate to raise huge sums of money to promote it. The tribesmen began to abandon the imperial examination and "fight for new learning." In this way, Xu Guozhen encouraged his second son, Xu Baoxing, to study in the new school. Zhang Yusong "" Passed the examination as a writer, mastered the administration and became successful immediately. He was fond of learning, devoted himself to classics and history, and was quite capable of learning." "" He was waiting for the opportunity to take the test. Before the meeting, he abolished the imperial examination and established a school." He then "" abandoned the old From Xin, he entered Exi Normal School, graduated with honors, and taught for the town. A year later, he taught drawing, arithmetic, and geography courses at the Xu clan primary school in Manxi. Under the advocacy of various families, new-style schools became a trend. 3 , Summary During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom war, the Yixing family suffered heavy losses. The clansmen died and fled to various places. The countryside where they lived was desolate. After the war, the clansmen who fled other places returned to their hometowns. Under the leadership of the family leaders, they built ancestral halls and genealogies. At the same time, the family leader also served as the director and township leader to lead the post-war aftermath and reconstruction work in the village where the family was located, such as burying the dead, building charity halls and bridges, and working on the economy. development, promoting the restoration and transformation of imperial examinations and schools, etc. It was the power of various families that enabled the villages in Jingxi, Yixing to quickly realize post-war reconstruction.