1876年,江南一带发生了非常具有中国社会政治文化特色的“妖术”事件。作为新 式媒体的《申报》利用中国社会熟悉的怪志小说的写法,融合有选择性的“真实”标 准,加上“体制外言路”的谏言模式,完成了此次规模浩大的社会事件的报道与评论。 这种模式一方面迎合了当时中国的“鬼神”文化心理,另一方面也为平息谣言提供了较 为正确的态度和言论,成为近代新式媒体融入中国社会的一种路径。值得一提的是, 《申报》已经被当时的读者接受,成为社会意见交流的平台。

In 1876, the “Sorcery Case” with Chinese political and cultural characteristics happened in Jiangnan area (a region of south side of Yangzi River). By using the narrative method of Chinese mythical stories (a type of classical novel which featured ghost stories and was popoluar in Qing Dynasty), ShunPao published articles and critiques about this influential case with the selective criteria of truth and expostulation outside the normal way. This model of reporting which became the path that new media merged with Chinese society not only catered to the Chinese cultural psychology about“ghosts and gods”, but also played an important role in squelching rumors in a way of positive attitudes and comments. Most importantly, this paper found that ShunPao had been accepted by the readers and succefully acted as the platform for the communication of social events.