明朝法律与皇权政治关系的现代性分析

Contemporary Interpretation of the Relation between Law and Imperial Power Politics in Ming Dynasty

朱元璋颁布《大诰》,建立起以《大明律》为中心的明朝法律体系,以法律修辞取代传统的政治修辞,法律在社会统治中的作用大大加强。通过确认回避制度、御史对于皇权政治的批评权以及确认以考试来选拔官吏,官僚集团和皇权政治力量之间对话的权力场扩大成为社会与皇权政治进行对话的权力场,制约了皇权政治的权力和力量。皇帝拥有最高司法权,司法权隶属于行政权,以及皇权政治力量的不断膨胀,打破了皇权政治和法律之间的平衡,破坏了法律制度的安排。当制度正义根本缺乏的时候,＂礼＂＂刑＂并用改变不了封建君主专制的本质,这是我们今天检讨明朝皇权政治和法律之间关系应该具有的清醒认识,也是今天我们建设法治社会借鉴传统之时应该注意的问题。

Zhu Yuanzhang,the first emperor of Ming Dynasty,issued the Great Law,and established a legislative system,which was centered on the Principles of Great Ming,and shitted the foundation of power from traditional politics to law,thus law exerted greater influence on the social government.The imperial power was lessened and contained in ways like avoidance,criticisms,officers drafting by tests,dialogues etc.However,this balance between monarch and law was eventually broken when the former gradually gained the upper position owing to the fact that he possessed the supreme legislative power,which surpassed the executive power.Lessons shall be learned from this history in today's construction of legislation-based society that the feudal monarchy could not fundamentally altered even if there existed morals and laws,whenever there lacked of systematic justice.