善堂——中国、新加坡和马来西亚的慈善寺堂

论文分析了中国慈善组织产生和发展的历史背景;简述了潮汕地区、新加坡和马来西亚三地善堂的基本情况以及善堂的跨国往来及其对潮汕地区的影响,同时描述了地方精英、尤其是商人,为推动善堂在中国及东南亚发展所做出的贡献。认为处在不同政治环境中的善堂都能以各自独特的方式求得平稳运行。宗教性质增强了这些善堂的适应能力,而在需要强调其非迷信性质的时候,布善乐施的传统也有助于确立其世俗和慈善的形象。

Shantang --Charitable Temples in China,Singapore, and Malaysia

This article is based on ethnographic and documentary research that concerns Shantangs, Chinese charitable temples, in Southeast Asia and in the Chao-Shan region of Guangdong in China. Unlike the Shantangs as benevolent societies in late Ming and Qing China, the Shantangs described in this article not only emphasize charitable activities, they are also temples that honor Song Dafeng as a deity. I show that the religious nature of these Shantangs account for their resilience, while the tradition of charity helps to promote theirsecular and benevolent image, especially when there is a need to emphasize their existence as non- superstitious organizations. I also describe the agency of the local elite--and especially merchants--in the development of Shantangs in Southeast Asia and China.