Abstract: In China, the governmental relief was the main kind for a long time when famine or disaster happened. However, in late Qing, with the social structure dramatic derangement, the merchants of new style organized people to self-relieve and this relief prevailed gradually, while the function of governmental relieves declined and existed in name only. The article illustrates this through the relief of the famine during the fourth and fifth years of Guangxu reign.

摘要： 在中国救荒史上，荒政一直占据主导地位。自古以来，我国的灾荒救治即是一种政府性行为，主要由政府组织实施。到晚清，政府的荒政功能减弱，社会的剧变引起社会结构的错动，新型商人开始活跃于近代历史舞台，由他们发起组织的义赈活动，逐渐发展成为晚清社会主要的灾荒救济形式，是历史进步的表现。由荒政到义赈，展示了近代灾荒救治功能发展演变的脉络。