明清徽州民间契约关系的维系

On Preserving Folk Contract Relation in Huizhou in the Ming and Qing Dynasties

明清时期,契约关系广泛而深入地渗透于徽州民间社会。而维系契约关系的因素是多方面的,国家法律和官方强制是支撑契约关系的根本,宗族规法以及藉之维系的伦理秩序是规范契约实施的重要方面,中证参与和证信是契约关系成立的必要前提,罚银、罚戏、神咒以及公众舆论等民间习俗性手段亦有效地制约了违约行为的发生。

In the Ming-Qing dynasties contract relations had existed extensively and deeply in Huizhou local societies.However,there are several factors to maintain the traditional contract relations.State laws and official enforcement are the foundation;clan rules and moral principles are important to stipulate them;the middleman is the necessary preconditions.Many customs,such as fine,curse,etc,effectively restricted violation of contract relations.