提 要：学界普遍认为明末清初是宋代至清代900多年历史中最重要的社会变迁期。不过本文认为，明中叶的100多年是更有意义的社会变迁时期。该时期，中国全境同时出现了诸多社会变化。经济方面，农业生产力提高、经济中心地分化、商品经济发展、中小城市发达、乡村定期市丛生、长途交易扩大、白银货币化；社会方面，里甲制秩序解体、大规模人口移动、乡村秩序发生重构，绅士和无赖成为公开或隐蔽的社会支配阶层，商人地位提高；文化、思想方面，阳明学勃兴，庶民意识高扬。这些同时出现的诸多社会变化, 在随后的二、三百年间一直持续发展｡ 与此同时，国法(国家理念)和社会“惯行”(现实)大抵平行发展，直到现代。

关键词：社会变迁 明中期 社会惯行

Title: A New Understanding of the Mid-Ming History from A Social Transformation Perspective

Author:Oh, Keum-sung, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Asian History, Seoul National University, Korea.

Abstract:It has been a common scholarly point of view that the era from the late Ming to the early Qing is the most significant transitional period in the history from the Song to Qing Dynasties. This article argues that, however, the mid-Ming period of roughly one hundred years is an even more important period of time in terms of social changes. In this period, many kinds of social transformation appeared all over China. In terms of economy, agricultural productivity was improved, core areas of economy were decentralized, commercialization developed, middle and smaller towns became more prosperous, rural periodical markets flourished, long distant trading increased, and silver became the major currency. In terms of society, the social structure of lijia (里甲) system dissolved, large-scale population moving happened, rural social order was re-constructed, gentry and ruffians became the dominating groups-- openly or not, and the social status of merchants was improved. In terms of culture and ideology, Wang Yangming School came into being and the self-consciousness of the commoners became clearer. In addition to all the above-mentioned, in the political area, the Inner Cabinet enhanced its power, the Eunuch improved their strength, the political regulations were not functioning, some princes involved in revolts, while the imperial power was reduced. In the area of foreign relations, there were the Mongolians in the North and Japanese pirates in the South followed by the Western powers came from the West. Based upon all these changes, some social practices became newer custom and practical regulation, which developed and changed parallel with the governmental rules and brought about profound influence to Chinese history.

Key words: social transformation mid-Ming social practical regulations