请用英语介绍一下中国的法律历史和国际影响presentationaboutchineselegalhistoryandinternationalinfluence
请用英语介绍一下中国的法律历史和国际影响
presentationaboutchineselegalhistoryandinternationalinfluence
THELEGALSYSTEM
TheImperialEra
ContemporarysocialcontrolisrootedintheConfucianpast.TheteachingsofConfuciushavehadanenduringeffectonChineselifeandhaveprovidedthebasisforthesocialorderthroughmuchofthecountry'shistory.Confuciansbelievedinthefundamentalgoodnessofmanandadvocatedrulebymoralpersuasioninaccordancewiththeconceptofli(propriety),asetofgenerallyacceptedsocialvaluesornormsofbehavior.Liwasenforcedbysocietyratherthanbycourts.Educationwasconsideredthekeyingredientformaintainingorder,andcodesoflawwereintendedonlytosupplementli,nottoreplaceit(seeTheHundredSchoolsofThought,ch.1;TraditionalSocietyandCulture,ch.3).
Confuciansheldthatcodifiedlawwasinadequatetoprovidemeaningfulguidancefortheentirepanoramaofhumanactivity,buttheywerenotagainstusinglawstocontrolthemostunrulyelementsinthesociety.Thefirstcriminalcodewaspromulgatedsometimebetween455and395B.C.Therewerealsocivilstatutes,mostlyconcernedwithlandtransactions.
Legalism,acompetingschoolofthoughtduringtheWarringStatesperiod(475-221B.C.),maintainedthatmanwasbynatureevilandhadtobecontrolledbystrictrulesoflawanduniformjustice.Legalistphilosophyhaditsgreatestimpactduringthefirstimperialdynasty,theQin(221-207B.C.;seeTheImperialEra,ch.1).
TheHandynasty(206B.C.-A.D.220)retainedthebasiclegalsystemestablishedundertheQinbutmodifiedsomeoftheharsheraspectsinlinewiththeConfucianphilosophyofsocialcontrolbasedonethicalandmoralpersuasion.Mostlegalprofessionalswerenotlawyersbutgeneraliststrainedinphilosophyandliterature.Thelocal,classicallytrained,Confuciangentryplayedacrucialroleasarbitersandhandledallbutthemostseriouslocaldisputes.
Thisbasiclegalphilosophyremainedineffectformostoftheimperialera.Thecriminalcodewasnotcomprehensiveandoftennotwrittendown,whichleftmagistratesgreatflexibilityduringtrials.Theaccusedhadnorightsandreliedonthemercyofthecourt;defendantsweretorturedtoobtainconfessionsandoftenservedlongjailtermswhileawaitingtrial.Acourtappearance,atminimum,resultedinlossofface,andthepeoplewerereluctantandafraidtousethecourts.Rulersdidlittletomakethecourtsmoreappealing,foriftheystressedrulebylaw,theyweakenedtheirownmoralinfluence.
InthefinalyearsoftheQingdynasty(1644-1911),reformadvocatesinthegovernmentimplementedcertainaspectsofthemodernizedJapaneselegalsystem,itselforiginallybasedonGermanjudicialprecedents(seeTheHundredDays'ReformandtheAftermath,ch.1).Theseeffortswereshort-livedandlargelyineffective.