清末民法现代化的历史追溯——兼论《大清民律草案》的法源缺陷

Reflections on the Modernization of Civil Law in the Late Qing Dynasty——A Discussion on Defects in Civil Law Draft in the Late Qing Dynasty

1840年鸦片战争揭开了传统中国向近代转型的序幕,同时也催生出清末法制领域的一场重大变革。这一时期,西方法律思想与近代法典大量传入中国,中国民法由此开启了迈向现代化的历史进程。中国民法现代化发端于《大清民律草案》的编订,商品经济的发展、废除领事裁判权的客观需要、西学的传入及"礼法之争"的影响都为清末民法现代化提供了深厚的土壤。从法源的视角观察,清末的民法现代化存在民法典至上、理论研究不够深入、忽视民间习惯等固有缺陷。但作为中国民法现代化的开端,《大清民律草案》第一次在中国确立了民法法典化的编纂形式,继受了近代大陆法系民法的基本理念、原则和制度,为后来民国时期民法典的制定提供了有益的参考。当前中国民法典编纂工作已经启动,反思清末民法现代化的法源缺陷并分析其原因,对于中国民法典的编纂极具启示意义。

The Opium War in 1840 started the transition of traditional China to a modernized country,and initiated a revolution of the legal system of the Qing government. The modernization of China＇s civil law was originated by the revision of Civil Law Draft of Qing Dynasty,the development of commercial economy,the reality requirement of abolishing consular jurisdiction,and the introduction of western thoughts and the influence of＂the conflict between tradition and law＂. Seen from the perspective of the source of law,the modernization of civil law has its defects,but it was the first time for civil code to be accepted in the written form,which inherited the basic thought,principle and system of modern continental civil law and laid a foundation for the compilation of civil code of Republic of China. Reflections on the modernization of civil law and its defect in the late Qing＇s are of significance in the revision of China＇s civil code.