Abstract: In 1841，the Yellow River flooded for eight months，and Henan and Anhui provinces suffered terribly． Facing this disaster，all segments of society responded． The Daoguang Emperor paid great attention to the situation of flooding anddisaster． The emperor ordered the Governor － general of the River Conservancy and Henan Governor to seal the breach and relieve the victims by offering grain and goods，providing them with employment (instead of outright grants)，andgranting tax exemptions． Notwithstanding the emperor's orders，the restrictions of despotic rule and divisions in public administration，led to slow and inefficient official efforts that lacked initiative and vigor． Meanwhile，the court and officials were more concerned with the potential political threat from the flood victims than the flooding itself． Thus，the measures basically focused on maintaining social stability and despotic rule． Hindered by the long － term disaster，andthe lagging regional social and economic development，gentry in the flooded area lacked the capability to participate in social affairs and did not play a noticeable part in dealing with disaster．

摘要：  1841 年，黄河发生了持续 8 个月的南泛，河南、安徽受灾严重。面对这场近 200 年来罕见之灾，社会上下各有应对。道光帝自灾害发生之日起，就对水情、灾情予以关注，谕令河督、豫抚伺机堵口，并通过济民粮物、以工代赈、蠲免税赋等手段，赈恤灾民。河督、豫抚和皖抚等官员，虽从其职守出发，采取了一定的应对措施，然而受专制制度的制约和行政管理条块分割的影响，其行为缺乏主动性、积极性，且迟缓、低效; 与应对洪患本身相比，朝廷和各级官吏更为关切的是，灾民潜在的对政府统治的威胁。因此，有关应对基本着眼于安定社会秩序、维护专制制度。另外，受长期灾荒、区域社会发展滞缓的掣肘，除个别地方外，泛区内士绅阶层缺乏足够的参与社会事务能力，在应对灾害方面，没有起到引人关注的作用。