基于简牍材料的秦代文书退回制度考察

Research on the Rejection System of Documents in the Qin Dynasty Based on Bamboo Slips

岳麓秦简“家弗能入而环者”之“环”,不当释为“还债”,与债务追偿相关的文书或律令所见“环”和“环书”,应是指退还文书、校券及相关欠债凭证,引申含义则是拒绝履行来文申请。与文书退回相关的词汇有“环”和“却”,两者含义相近但绝不相同,各有其特定的使用场景和语汇内涵。通过对“环书”“却书”的分析,发现文书从发出到退回再复请是个动态生成的过程,文书的性质、构成和形态随着文书运作不断发生变化。秦代还通过律令对文书退回的原因、用语、退回文书的处理机制等方面进行规范,以此提高文书处理的效率,推动地方政务有序运转。

The term“huan(环)”in the Chinese sentence“Jiafunengruerhuanzhe(家弗能入而环者)”in No.261/J57 of the YueluAcademyCollection should not be interpreted as“repaying debts”.Instead,the term“huan(环)”and“huanshu(环书)”found in documents or statutes related to debt collection should refer to the return of documents,proofreading tokens and relevant debt vouchers,and by extension,the refusal to fulfill statutes.The terms related to document return are“huan(环)”and“que(却)”,both of which have similar meanings but are not identical,each with its specific usage situationsand lexical connotations.Through the analysis of“huanshu(环书)”and“queshu(却书)”,it is found that the process of document issuance,return,and reapplication is a dynamic processof generation.In addition,the nature,composition,and form of documentsare constantly changingin the process of document operation.In order to improve the efficiency of document processing and promote the orderly operation of local government affairs,the Qin Dynasty also standardized the reasons for document return,the language used,and the statutes of returned documents through regulations.