清季笞杖改罚金的刑制改革及其困境

Substitution of Fine for Caning:A Reform of Criminal Penalty in Late Qing

笞杖为清律“五刑”制度中最轻的刑罚,律例虽有规定,实施却颇为随意,实际成为问案官员灵活处置细故案件的工具,同时亦难免任意高下之弊。义和团事变以后新政推行,朝野多认为笞杖损毁身体,不合西法潮流,废之有助收回治外法权。1905年修律大臣首先奏请笞杖改罚金,其他身体刑亦陆续废止。清廷明快允准之后,引起罚金较难实施、分配大起纷争等系列难题。特别在上海租界,清廷本欲借此向外人展示修律成效,但中外谈判结果,公堂只能处置监禁五年以下之案件,笞杖改罚金又使刑罚威慑力大减,引发租界治安恶化,公堂、工部局、领事团和华人舆论群起质疑。种种困境彰显新章旨在与西法接规,注重外交,却未能就实施条件通盘考虑,新旧法制的过渡陷于进退失据的境地。

The present paper points out that, due to the malpractice of caning and the need to abrogate extraterritoriality grabbed by foreign powers, Qing started to substitute fine for caning in 1905. But in practice, the reform was hardly implemented. Especially in the leased territory of Shanghai, the reform actually resulted in a worsening public security and incurred wide criticism. The reason might be that this reform laid stress on diplomacy rather than on law itself.