制定法在中国古代司法判决中的适用

The Application of Written Law in Judgments of Imperial China

以司法判决为切入点,探讨中国古代司法中国家制定法的适用方式,描述其发展和转型的历史脉络,分析其特色和成因,具有一定现实意义。秦代和汉初严格守文的司法风格在西汉中期经历了重大转变;随着法律意识形态和制度的稳固,唐代形成了对制定法形式性尊重而工具性运用的风格,贯穿于刑事和民事的司法审判中,直至清末。这种尊重而实用的方式是唐代以后适用制定法的基本特色,直至当代依然有其影响力,足以引起诸多思考。

Based on empirical analysis of judgments in imperial China, this article discusses the feature of application of written law during adjudicative process from the Qin Dynasty to the Ming and Qing, outlines its development and transition, and explores its characteristic and reasons. It is purported that a strict reliance on written law in the Qin and early Han was transformed since the mid - term Western Han. The written law played significant roles in judgments through formalistic references, but was ap- plied with pragmatic consideration. Firmly established since the Tang together with the new legal ideology and institutions, this characteristic defines the functions of written law in China since then. Even today, it still has enormous influence which invites more questions and deliberation.