公益物品的供給：清至民國鄱陽湖區的水上救生事業──以左蠡《救生同仁堂局志》為中心

鄱陽湖水域不僅浩渺無涯，而且水文環境複雜，尤其西鄱陽湖的左蠡一帶，歷來被視為最險要之區，風浪無常，沉船事故常有發生。至遲在明未清初，地方官就已在此設立救生船專門負責「拯溺」。乾隆初年，在中央政府的大力支持下，各地官府開始大規模設置救生船，經費則主要由國家正項支給。清後期，清政府內外交困，官辦救生船難以維持，民間救生組織逐漸興起。光緒末年，左蠡救生同仁堂始由地方士紳募捐創立。其初始創辦經費主要來自社會募捐和政府撥款，日常收入則主要依靠田產與房產的租金，董事的推選受到地方家族力量的影響。民國時期，在旱澇災害的打擊下，同仁堂面臨經費困難的局面，日寇入侵後救生船等設備被炸毀無存。抗戰勝利後，同仁堂得以重建，繼續從事水上救生活動，但隨着機動船的普及，救生需求下降，同仁堂逐漸走向衰落。從水上救生的地方實踐來看，近代中國民間組織在提供救生服務的效率上並不遜色於政府，但這類公益組織在維持上仍然存在極大的不確定性和脆弱性，且面臨經濟和社會層面的雙重困境。

關鍵字

鄱陽湖區；左蠡；救生同仁堂；水上救生；公益物品

並列摘要

The Poyang Lake water area is not only vast but also has a complex hydrological environment, especially the Zuoli area of West Poyang Lake. Because unpredictable winds and waves frequently caused shipwreck accidents, people always considered Zuoli the most dangerous region. At the latest in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the local officials set up lifeboats there to "save the drowning". In the early Qianlong period, with the strong support of the central government, the local governments in that region began to set up lifeboats on a large scale, and the money came mainly from regular state funding. From the mid-Qing period, because the Qing government was experiencing internal and external difficulties, the official lifeboats were also struggling to maintain, and civil lifesaving organizations emerged increasingly. In the late Guangxu period, the local gentry in Zuoli raised money and established the organization JiushengTongrentang. The initial funding primarily came from social donations and government grants, while its daily income relied on the rent of its fields and house properties. During the Republican period, Tongrentang faced financial difficulties due to droughts and floods. Moreover, the Japanese invasions destroyed all the lifeboats and other equipment. After the Second World War, Tongrentang was rebuilt and continued to engage in water lifesaving. However, with the widespread use of motorized boats, the demand for water rescue declined, and Tongrentang faded away gradually. The local practice of water rescue in modem China was no less efficient than the government in providing lifesaving services. However, they were still vulnerable and faced great uncertainty in their survival, with double dilemmas at the economic and social levels.