略论晚清民信局的兴衰

在清代"官民分立"的邮递体制下,民信局承担了传递民间书信的主要任务。民信局灵活的收寄方式、低廉的寄送价格、完善的传递网络,有效地推动了民间社会信息的沟通,促进了民间商业社会的繁荣。而它独特的运营手段,亦为大清邮政的建设提供了范例与经验。但在清末日渐动荡的社会环境下,民信局体系难以保障信件、财物的安全递运,最终在清末制度转型过程中完成了历史使命,为大清新式邮政体系所兼并。

The Rise and Decline of Civil Postal Office in Late Qing Dynasty

In the postal system of Qing Dynasty where transport of officials’ correspondence was separated from that of the public,civil postal office assumed the main task of passing civil correspondence.Those organizations were flexible in service,low in cost,convenient in complete transport network,and so they promoted both communication of social information and the prosperity of private businesses.Its unique management strategy provided examples and experience for the postal system of Qing Dynasty.But in the unrest social environment of late Qing Dynasty,it was difficult for civil postal office to guarantee the security of property and letters.And during the institutional transformation,civil postal office was finally merged into the new imperial postal system.