论武则天时代的大赦与刑狱

Study on the Amnesty and Prison during Wu Zetian Period

武则天时代的一个重要特点是刑法酷滥与大赦频繁并存。此时期大赦虽然频繁,但并非滥赦,而是由不同时期的政治需要和社会环境所决定,呈现出阶段性的特点。刑狱虽然众多,但并非"淫刑",而是以统治需要为根本,不同阶段治狱宽严不一,大赦和刑狱的频率和程度均呈现出"荣损与俱"的特点,二者相互制衡,从而使社会的司法状况达到微妙的平衡。频繁大赦不可避免地对国家司法造成破坏,但重刑制狱又在一定程度上中和了这种破坏性。

One of the important features during Wu Zetian period is the co-existence of the abuse of criminal law and the frequent amnesty.Although there are continual general pardons,they are not unchecked and are determined by the political needs and social environment in different periods,presenting characteristics of different stages.Prisons are numerous,but they are not“overuse punishments”,with its needs as fundamental rules in different stages.Accordingly,there are different standards of prison administration.At all stages,the frequency and extent of amnesty and punishment are all characterized by“honor and loss”,and the two checks and balances each other,so that the social justice situation will achieve a delicate balance.Frequent amnesty will inevitably cause damage to national justice,but to a certain extent,the prison sentence has neutralized this destructive nature.