尚方宝剑与打王金锏——传统戏曲中两类器物的法律文化解释

Supreme Sword and Dawang Jinjian——The Interpretation of Two Props in Traditional Operas from the Perspective of Legal Culture

目前学界对中国古代民间法律思想的研究较为不足,徐忠明等学者倡导的使用传统戏曲小说等材料研究古代"百姓法律心态"是一种可能的研究范式。中国传统戏曲中存在着代表皇权延伸的尚方宝剑等器物,和代表限制皇权的打王金锏等器物。尚方宝剑是皇权至上的一种表现形式,百姓希望尚方宝剑掌握在忠臣良将手中,只能是一种美好的愿望,尚方宝剑作为不受制衡的权力的象征,只可能给百姓带来更大的伤害。而忠臣良将手持打王金锏限制昏君权力,只能是一种空想。希望忠臣良将手持尚方宝剑铲除奸佞、手持打王金锏限制昏君权力,反映了传统中国百姓的"青天情结"。

At present,it is weakness of the research on legal thought in ancient China folk.It is a possible paradigm of studying ancient "people’s legal mentality" by the using of traditional drama and fiction,as advocated by Xu Zhong-ming and other scholars.There were Supreme Sword and other objects,which were on behalf of the extension of imperial power,and Dawang Jinjian and other objects,which were on behalf of limiting imperial power,in traditional Chinese opera.Supreme Sword was an expression of imperial supremacy.Honest and upright official holding Supreme Sword was only an aspiration of the people.As a symbol of the unlimited power,Supreme Sword would only bring more harm to the people.Honest and upright official used Dawang Jinjian to limit the imperial power,which was just a fantasy.Looking forward honest and upright official punishing corrupt officials by using Supreme Sword,restrictions imperial power by using Dawang Jinjian,which was a reflect of the traditional Chinese people’s "Redeemer Complex".