不伦之伦:越继与降继——从族谱资料看明清徽州宗族承继的变体

宗祧承继是宗族研究的一个重要内容,学界对明清宗族继承问题研究已久,也取得了丰硕的成果,对于越继和降继,则甚少涉及。先贤们对徽州宗族社会有诸多理想性的描述,然而这些描述在很大程度上只是一种表象,现实的徽州社会要复杂得多,越继和降继就是其表现之一。探讨这两种承继方式,对于更好地解读宗祧承继和剖析明清时期徽州宗族社会的发展脉络,都有一定的积极意义。     

清代寡妇立嗣问题探析

In the Qing Dynasty, widows who did not remarry could become the right subject of adopting an heir. There were two main types, adoption by order and adoption by affection. Sometimes an heir with a different surname could also be adopted. Some relatively economic compensation actions were taken in the adoption. The widows’ right of adoption was restricted by such factors as patriarchy, clan, feudal ethical codes and conventions. However, the widows could appropriately use law to protect their rights and interests. Meanwhile, when the magistrates judged cases about adoption, they were usually apt to support the widows’ requests so as to protect the rights and interests of social vulnerable group with fully applying the right of discretion. Translated by Chen Cheng from Shixue Yuekan 史学月刊 (Journal of Historical Science), 2007, (6): 34–42     

清代寡妇立嗣问题探析

清代,寡妇在守志的情况下,可以成为立嗣权利的主体。其立嗣方式主要有应继和爱继两种,有时也有异姓继承情况发生。寡妇在立嗣时多伴有相关的经济补偿行为。清代的寡妇立嗣权常受到父家长权及宗族制度和传统礼法习惯的制约,是不完整的。但清代寡妇已能运用法律手段来适当地保护自己的权利,地方官在审理此类案件时,也多倾向于支持寡妇的主张,充分运用自由裁量权以保护弱势者的权益。     

继嗣与继产:明清以来徽州宗族的族内过继

族内过继是明清以来徽州社会延续宗族世系的主流做法,虽然也存在异姓继承方式,但仅是少数家庭的选择。徽州宗族在遵循国家法的前提下,从继子的人选到如何上谱书写都作了比较详尽的规定,并载入族规家法以为定例,从而在一定程度上规范了族内过继行为。现存徽州过继文书具有丰富的内容,再现了族内过继的具体实态,而过继文书的订立,意味着过继得到了宗族的承认,继子获得了合法地位,宗族也试图通过文书把继子应享有的权利及应履行的义务规定下来,以避免当事人日后产生纠纷,我们从中能够看到徽州宗族对乡村社会控制权的不断强化。