中国近代的商会与传统的公所、会馆等行会性组织,究竟有无区别?有何区别?这是涉及商会性质的一个重要问题,也是国内外学者意见分歧之所在。日本学者大都视商会为全市性的商业行会,即旧式行会的联合体,二者并不存在本质区别。如根岸佶认为:“商会的外观同外国商业会议所无异,而其实质,征之于它的内容和进行的活动,显然是行会性的。”仓桥正直也指出:晚清中国的商会,“是具有强烈行会性质的商业会议所”。国内多数学者则认为,商会有别于传统的公所和会馆等行帮团体,是带有新时代特征的资产阶级社团组织。但迄至目前,商会作为一个新的研究课题,国内学术界对其加以探讨只是在最近几年才刚刚开始起步。就上述有争议的问题虽然已发表了一些富有启迪性的见解,但尚无专文作全 Is there any difference? What is the difference? This is an important issue involving the nature of chamber of commerce. It is also the place where scholars at home and abroad disagree. Most Japanese scholars consider the chamber of commerce as the city’s commercial guild, the old guild association, and there is no essential difference between the two. According to Genkan, “the appearance of a chamber of commerce is no different from the appearance of a foreign business conference, and its essence, its content and the activities carried out are apparently guildable.” Makoto Makura also pointed out: In the late Qing China Chamber of Commerce , “A commercial conference hall with a strong guild character.” Most domestic scholars believe that the Chamber of Commerce is different from the traditional public offices and halls and other groups to help run the line with the characteristics of a new era of bourgeois social organizations. However, up to now, as a new research topic, the chamber of commerce in China has just begun its discussion in recent years. Although there have been some very enlightening opinions on the controversial issues mentioned above,