廣東進士賭商劉學詢（1855-1935）

Rediscovering the Life of Liu Xuexun (1855-1935), a Cantonese Franchised Gambling Operator with Jinshi Degree

劉學詢是清末民初的神秘人物，多采多姿，但極具爭議性。茲先從其重要性談起。劉學詢之所以重要，在於他有一獨特經歷，足以反映清末民初社會價值的改變。他是科舉制度的產物，可是中進士不久，便承包闈姓，成為廣東、甚或全國最有名及最具影響力的賭商。後又擔任清政府特使，到日本去瓦解維新派勢力。以一個傳統的讀書人，竟然敢冒大不韙公開「下海」經商，而經營的又是賭業，更從事近乎「特務」的活動，實在令人難以想像。事實上，據馮自由所述，劉學詢是光緒廿六年庚子事變中，為粵督李鴻章出謀劃策，尋求廣東獨立的主角。在清末維新派梁啟超等人眼中，劉學詢是戊戌變法失敗後，活動於華南的敵人。梁啟超一度認真想過要把劉刺殺。不過，有關劉氏生平的資料依然缺乏、含糊和零散不全。這一情況因愈來愈多的新史料問世而得以改善，至少在描畫其社會背景及變化多端的經歷方面，正處於較前有利的地位。作者以性質上可視為劉學詢個人回憶錄，但幾不為相關論著注意的《總理史實訪問記》這一手稿為基礎，鉤勒劉學詢生平傳略，把他的活動放在歷史脈絡（人和事、個人及環境）中討論，冀能理解當日劉氏和其他政治力量的互動關係。

Liu Xuexun (1855-1935) was a mysterious but colorful and controversial figure. His importance lies on his almost unique career which reflects changes of social value during the late Qing and early Republican period. He earned his jinshi (3rd degree graduate) degree in the metropolitan examination in 1886. Nevertheless, he did not enter a career of promise in officialdom at his examination success. Instead, he carved out a career as an influential and powerful Weixing franchised gambling operator in Guangdong. It should be borne in mind that gambling was regarded as taboo for a Confucian scholar. Moreover, he was dispatched to Japan entrusted with sabotaging the efforts of the anti-government reformers Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. In essence, to a certain extent his mission was that of a secret agent. It is almost unimaginable that as a product of the civil service examination Liu was not circumscribed by the norms of orthodox Confucianism. According to Feng Ziyou's account, he was the master-mind behind Li Hongzhang's abortive scheme of an independent Guangdong during the Boxer uprising crisis in 1900. In the eyes of Liang Qichao Liu was a formidable obstacle in the way of the reformers in south China after the failure of the Hundred Days Reform. For a time Liang even seriously considered assassinating him. However, information on Liu's life is scanty, vague and fragmentary. The situation has somewhat been improved as new historical sources have become available. Although full information of Liu's life is as yet lacking, now we are in a better position to delineate his social and political background as well as his varied career. In this article, based on a copy of Liu's personal reminiscences, entitled Zongli shishi fangwenji (Record of the Inquiry of the Premier's Historical Facts), recorded by Chen Zhaoqi in 1931, I attempt to sketch Liu's biography, examining it in its historical context and contemporary developments, in order to provide a better understanding of his relations with other political forces of this period.