对“汉文帝废除肉刑”的历史文化分析——兼论其之于中国当代废除死刑的启示意义

Historical and Cultural Analysis of "Emperor Wen's of Han Dynasty Abolished Corporal Punishment"——Also on the Enlightenment of the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Contemporary China

肉刑是中国古代早期一种残酷的刑罚,延续千年,而在汉文帝时得以废除,有其历史必然性。汉文帝废除肉刑这一事件本身也反映出汉初特有的思想文化、政治文化和经济文化,汉初统治者的慎刑思想、"无为而治"的治世理念以及封建社会经济发展的要求都是废除肉刑改革的催生剂和内动力。同时,汉文帝废除肉刑的成功历史经验也给当代中国废除死刑的实践提供了有益的启示,尤其对于死刑改革中政治决策者作用的定位及刑罚改革的立法技术问题,具有借鉴意义。

Corporal punishment is a cruel punishment in early ancient China,lasting for thousand years and abolished in the times of Emperor Wen of Han dynasty.There is a historical inevitability for the abolition of the corporal punishment.The event that Emperor Wen of Han dynasty abolished corporal punishment reflects the ideological,political and economic culture as well as the thoughts of cautious punishment and inaction rulers in the early Han dynasty.The requirements of the feudal social and economic development are all driving forces promoting the abolition of the corporal punishment.Meanwhile,the historical experience of Emperor Wen＇s abolition of the corporal punishment also gives useful enlightenment for the abolition of death penalty in contemporary China,especially for the positioning of the role of political decision-makers and the legislative technique of penalty reform in the death penalty reform.