论国际法在中国的传播及发展——从“公法”译词展开

A Study of the Dissemination and Development of International Law in China:From the Translation of“Public Law”

丁韪良翻译《万国公法》是西方国际法正式传入中国的开端,他找到了中外两个不同世界秩序和知识系统的共同用语——"公法",从自然法角度把国际法描绘成超然存在的公理及各国普遍遵守的公正法律,并从中国古世公法中找到近代国际法的源头,为国际法在中国的接受和传播扫清障碍。此后虽历经时代变迁,"公法"概念及义理一直影响中国国际法的定名和发展,今天的中国仍然偏重国际法公理性和道义性价值。国际法产生伊始,其本质是国内契约法体系在国际社会的扩展,并非类似国内法意义上的"公法"。随着国际法的发展,特别是国际组织造法的涌现,国际法的公法特征不断增强。中国可以利用自身深厚的公法文化传统,为"公法性"国际法的发展提供方案和智慧。

The beginning of the formal introduction of western international law into China was the Elements of International Law which translated by William Martin,who found the common term between two different world orders and knowledge systems of China and the West——“public law”.On the one hand,from the perspective of natural law,he described“public law”(international law)as a transcendent axioms and a just law universally observed by all countries.On the other hand,he claimed that the international law originated from ancient China Public law,this theory had played an important role in the acceptance and dissemination of international law in China.Although time changed,the concept of“public law”and its doctrines have always influenced the naming and the development of international law in China.Today,China still emphasizes the fairness or moral values of international law in practice and theory.To analyze its nature from the start of the history,international law in essence is the international expansion of domestic contract laws,which are private laws,not pubic laws in the domestic law system.However,after years of development,the number of“public laws”in international law has increased,especially the laws continuously made by international organizations,which enhanced the“public”feature of international law.China can take advantage of its profound public law tradition in culture,to provide Chinese solutions and wisdoms and contribute to the“public law”development in international law.