清代王命旗牌制度

The Imperial Banner System in Qing Dynasty

王命旗牌是一种权力的凭证,持有者有一定的便宜行事权。清代王命旗牌有固定的型制,由工部制作,钤盖印信,不但有严格的发放与管理制度,而且有相关的使用与核查制度。清初多授予带兵将领,以此为凭,可以在战区便宜处置,处死逃兵或叛将。随着普遍授予督抚王命旗牌,这种凭证被广泛地应用于地方政务,特别是在司法方面增加相关的条例,恭请王命正法成为特殊司法程序。在死刑审判中可以不通过中央层级的审核,先行将人犯正法,有请旨即行正法、一面请旨一面正法、请王命正法、先行正法、立毙于杖、就地正法之分。鸦片战争以后,在内忧外患的情况下,清王朝出台《就地正法章程》,王命旗牌应用更加广泛。由于死刑审判权的下放,不仅督抚掌握了生杀大权,就连地方官及团练、土豪劣绅都可以操人生死。

The royal commanding flag and plate is a certificate of royal authority.Holders of these type of flag or plate had certain power to make immediate decisions.Making,issuing,administration and verification of this type of flags and plates were strictly regulated in the Qing dynasty.In the early Qing period,generals in the war zones might be given this type of flags and plates so that they could act with enlarged power.Later,when the royal commanding flags and plates were broadly granted to the governor generals and generals,they were widely used in regional and local affairs,especially in judicial aspects,including in making in spot execution sentences.After the Opium War,the Qing court promulgated the In Spot Execution Act and the royal commending flags and plates were further widely used.Since the authority of death penalty was given to lower level officials,the local regiment officials,military strong men,and even the local tyrants and evil gentries might exercise death sentence in the late Qing period.