唐律“过失杀”研究

The Research on "Manslaughter" in the Tang Dynasty Law

"过失杀"是唐律杀人罪中主观恶性程度最轻的一种,其含义是行为人无杀人之意思而致他人死亡,行为人的主观状态包括两方面的内容:非故意与未预见。具体地说,唐律中的"过失杀"包含了两类行为:意外致他人死亡与轻微过失致他人死亡。"过失杀"的科刑原则为"以金赎刑而不科真刑",此种"赎铜"兼有刑事法上之刑罚与民事法上之损害赔偿两种属性。但尊长犯卑幼"不用赎",法律免除刑事责任,律中所言"勿论"、"无罪"、"不坐"皆是;卑幼犯尊长"不准赎",律中视具体情节科以徒、流、死之真刑。通过"过失杀"科刑的原则与例外,体现出的乃是唐律对以尊长为中心的家族名分制的认同与维护。

＂Manslaughter＂ is the lightest degree of subjective malignancy in homicides of Tang Code,which implicates that the actor does not intent to kill others to death,and the actor＇s subjective state includes two aspects namely uintentional and unforeseen.Specifically,＂Manslaughter＂ in Tang Code includes the two types of behavior： causing others＇ death accidently or by slight negligence.The sentence principle of ＂manslaughter＂ is redeeming penalty with gold and without implementing the crime punishment＂,this kind of legal form-＂shutong＂ has the two properties both of penalty in criminal and damage compensate in civil law.The elders and superiors should not be punished if they commit crimes to the younger or inferior,the law exempt them from legal responsibilities,the words such as ＂let pass＂ ＂no guilty＂ and ＂stay out of jail＂ all mean that;while if instead,the perpetrator would be imprisoned,exiled or sentenced depending on the specific circumstances.Through the punishment principle and the exception of ＂manslaughter＂,we can see that Tang Code still put the recognition and maintenance of the family birthright system with the elders as its center.