本文是一项计时技术的社会史研究，以晚期中华帝国的更夫打更为研究对象。通过在特定的地方性知识情境中对更夫打更进行较为深入且全面的描述，本文考察了计时技术在明清社会的实践，进而揭示出“时间在中国传统社会的意义”。以“互构论”为理论依托，本文集中地对中国传统社会的夜晚计时、明清社会的更夫职业、明清社会的打更工作三个方面进行了论述，还在讨论明清时期更夫打更的变革时对中国社会的“现代性”做出了反思。本文认为，更夫打更所呈现的是计时技术与中国传统社会的互动，其实质是在对政治权力进行表达。时间在中国传统社会具有高度的政治性，能够强化既有的权力架构。在中国古代，计时是一项国家事务，由专门的技术官僚机构来处理。这些机构中的技术官僚通过研究“天学”，除了要制定历法之外，也要计算日常时间以帮助民众建立起符合“时序”的生活惯习。在这套相当完备的技术官僚体系中，负责夜间报时的更夫作为一个职业群体代表国家掌管着整个社会的夜晚时间，是社会生活中必不可少的公共“计时器”。与现代社会不同，中国传统社会的计时是以一个特殊的地方性知识语境为前提的，对更夫打更的考察需要被嵌入这个特定的语境之中。更夫打更以计时技术与社会交融的方式表征着中国传统社会的政治治理模式，同时体现出中国传统计时技术的地方性特色。晚明以前，大部分中国人都通过更夫报更才能确定夜晚的具体时间。然而，随着西方钟表进入中国，传统的计时技术逐渐淡出了人们的视野，中国人的时间观念也被悄悄地瓦解和改造。晚清之后，西方钟表在中国大规模地普及，时间也逐渐由一项国家事务转变为一项私人事务，不必受制于公共的报时系统。原先由传统计时技术所支撑的更夫不再是夜晚时间的管理者，每个人都成为了自己的时间掌控者。从一定程度上，这也预示着中国社会正开启着现代转型。本文的研究主要依据的是明清时期的历史文献，包括正史记载、宫廷档案、地方通志和一些选入官方资料库（如《四库全书》）的个人文集，以及众多的小说、戏曲、诗词。这些历史文献既能够从制度的层面反映明清时期的计时技术体系，又能够在日常生活的层面还原这个体系的运行机制以及更夫的工作状态。此外，本文也是对历史社会学研究路径的部分实践，试图对历史加以社会学框架的解读从而把我们对于现代社会的理解容纳于对于历史的理解之中去。
It is a social history of timekeeping technology, which takes gengfu of late imperial China as the leading role, that is being written in this dissertation. Gengfu, who are responsible to report time at night, is a special professional in the time management system of Chinese traditional society that has provided a specific ‘local knowledge’ context to define the professional. Illustrating gengfu and their work deeply in the particular ‘local knowledge’ context, this dissertation is exploring the practices of timekeeping technology in late imperial China which always refers to Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Furtherly, the meaning of time in Chinese traditional society would be unfolded. The dissertation is actually a case study applying the theory of ‘co-production’ or ‘mutual shaping’ in STS (Science, Technology and Society). There are three topics related to gengfu and their work that are basically discussed in the dissertation: firstly, the timekeeping at night in Chinese traditional society; secondly, gengfu as a social group in Ming-Qing society; thirdly, gengfu’s work in Ming-Qing society. What’s more, the dissertation also has a reflection on ‘modernity’ of Chinese society, while studying the changes of gengfu’s work in Ming and Qing dynasties.What this desertion tries to indicate is as follows: gengfu’s technological work is essentially a form to express political power in Chinese traditional society. Time has highly political meaning in Chinese traditional society. To manage time via gengfu and their work helps to reinforce the existing structure of power effectively in Chinese traditional society. In this dissertation, the intertwined relationship between technology (and science) and society which is emphasized in the theory of ‘co-production’ or ‘mutual shaping’ would be shown. Gengfu’s technological work represents the interactions between timekeeping technology and the politics of Chinese traditional society very well.In ancient China, timekeeping was a national program managed by professional organizations. Officials in these organizations studied the ‘heavenly science’ (Chinese traditional astronomy) for the national calendar. They calculated daily time as well to help people arrange their daily life systematically with the so-called ‘time order’. Within this social-technological system that is quite sophisticated, gengfu act as a public timer or clock at night to put the ‘time order’ into effect. As a result, timekeeping that is considered as a technological process generally is transformed into a method of social control.Before late Ming dynasty, listening to the sound caused by gengfu was the only way that the majority of Chinese knew the exact time at night. However, after western timekeeping technology came to China, Chinese traditional timekeeping technology gradually lost its importance in Chinese society. The time consciousness of Chinese began to be reformed quietly. Resulting from the popularization of western clocks and watches in China after mid-Qing dynasty, many Chinese gained the right and the ability to deal with time by themselves. Timekeeping was no longer only a national program. As the representative of political authority, gengfu could not control the time of night any more, because the private space of life was rediscovered by Chinese. They found everyone could be the owner of time. To a large degree, it means Chinese society run towards the modern time closer and closer.Timekeeping in Chinese traditional society which is dependent on a particular ‘local knowledge’ context is very different from timekeeping in modern society, so gengfu and their work should be situated into the context to be studied. To study gengfu and their work which theoretically represents the coproduction or mutual shaping of technology and society, we would understand the locality of Chinese traditional timekeeping technology. It is also possible for us to think about the political governance model of Chinese traditional society.The dissertation would make contributions to social studies of technology and history of technology. Especially, methodologically, it develops the traditional history of Chinese ancient timekeeping technology. In addition, it partially practices the approach of historical sociology.The dissertation will mainly use historical materials including both official records (for example, official history) and unofficial records (for example, novels) in Ming and Qing dynasties. The official records provide detailed information about the institutional framework of the time management system in late imperial China. From the perspective of everyday life, the unofficial records provide detailed information about the practical mechanism of timekeeping technology in Ming-Qing society. Then, gengfu’s image is reconstructed historically.
