文明演化中的中国法律与社会:瞿同祖对梅因思想的推进

Chinese Law and Society in the Evolution of Civilization:Qu Tongzu’s Advancement of Maine’s Thought

瞿同祖一生的中国法律与社会研究具有强烈的文明关怀。受到梅因思想的深刻影响,瞿同祖对传统中国法律与社会的研究形成了法律儒家化、古代社会秩序论乃至文明变迁的三重视野。首先,通过对梅因法律与社会演化思想的比较,瞿同祖留意到从汉至清的法律儒家化的法律演进趋势,它反映出以家族和阶级为基础的古代身份社会。其次,瞿同祖探讨了中国古代社会的两次重大变革,周代封建社会的历史发展以及清末变革引发的现代转型,由此修正了梅因的静止中国论。最后,瞿同祖通过中国古代法律实现对传统社会秩序的观察,展示出与梅因志趣相近的文明演化视野,由此发展出具有中国文明关怀的法律与社会研究。

Qu Tongzu’s lifelong study of Chinese law and society reflects a profound interest in civilization.Deeply influenced by Maine’s thought,Qu Tongzu’s research of traditional Chinese law and society developed a threefold vision of legal Confucianism,ancient social order theory,and civilizational change.First,Qu Tongzu observed the legal trend of Confucianization from the Han to the Qing Dynasty by comparing to Maine’s ideas on the evolution of law and society,which reflected the ancient status society based on family and class.Second,Qu Tongzu explores two significant shifts that occurred in the ancient Chinese society,the historical development of feudal society during the Zhou Dynasty and the modern transformation triggered by the changes of the late Qing Dynasty,thus revising Maine’s viewpoint of static China.Finally,Qu Tongzu’s observation of the traditional social order through the realization of ancient Chinese law demonstrates a vision of civilization evolution similar to Maine’s ambition,thus developing research on law and society with Chinese civilization concerns.