古今之间的清律盗毁神物——神明崇拜、伦常秩序与宗教自由

Stealing or Damaging Sacred Objects in Da Qing Lv Li Between Ancientand Modern Times:Worship of Gods,Lunchang Order and Freedom of Religion

如同古今中外法律及实践的惯例,《大清律例》对"神物"有超乎对普通物品的特殊保护,并主要体现在"盗大祀神御物"、"毁大祀丘坛"等律例之中。但是,这些规则因受周孔以降人文精神的影响,对神明由盲目崇拜转向实则对伦常秩序的关注,"敬神而不佞神",严格限定律例中神物的种类、范围以及侵害的方式。宗教在我国传统时代通常能享有一种"消极的"自由,而欧西因历史上宗教颇为不自由,故作为回应,近代以后逐渐形成一种相对"积极的"的宗教自由制度。我国有关神物的规则在近代转型的过程中,继受了欧西的这类体现"积极的"的宗教自由的规则,而放弃了传统的模式。这类规则对我国而言可能并非较好的选择。

As most of the usual legal doctrines and practices in China and foreign countries in ancient and modern times, sacred objects were protected much better than other common articles in Da Qing Lv Li,especially in the rules of Stealing Da Si Sacred Objects and Damaging Da Si Temple. Because of the influence of humanistic mind from Zhou Dynasty, these rules turned from blind worship of Gods to concern of Lunchang Order, which limited strictly the kinds, range and invasion mode of the sacred object. There was passive freedom of religion in ancient China,while there was no freedom of religion in ancient Europe,where positive freedom took place in modern times. The rules of sacred objects in modern China were transplanted from these European positive rules rather than keep the traditional mode,which may not be a good choice.