秦汉时期的始傅、始役、终役的年龄研究

A Study of the Ages at Which People Were Required to Work, to Serve as Soldiers and to End Military Service During the Qin - Han Period

秦汉时期的始傅、始役、终役的年龄问题是研究秦汉时期赋税制度的重要问题,史家历来观点不一。本文认为:秦朝为十五岁始傅、始役,不满十五岁者,只要身高超过六尺五寸者,也在始役范围之内;有爵男子五十六免,无爵男子六十免。而汉代始傅情况可分为三个阶段:即汉初,袭秦制十五始傅;汉景帝二年,为二十始傅;汉昭帝时,变为二十三始傅。汉朝男子一般均为五十六岁老免,无爵、犯罪夺爵除外。但也有例外,因政治、经济、军事形势的需要,封建统治者会将始傅、始役的年龄提前,或将终役、老免的年龄推迟。

The Ages at which people were required to work, to serve as soldiers and to end their military service during the Qin - Han Period constitute an important question we must study in the process of studying the taxation system of that period. Historians have always held different views about it. This paper maintains the following views; during the Qin Dynasty people were required to work and to serve as soldiers at the age of 15; those under the age of 15 were also fit to be recruited for the armed forces so long as they were tall enough; those with noble titles were exempted from military service when they reached 56; those who did not hold any noble titles were exempted from military service at the age of 60. During the Han Dynasty the ages at which people were required to work and to perform military service were different at different periods. Men were generally exempted from military service when they reached 56. Of course, there were exceptions. When it was called for by the political, economic and military situations, the feudal rulers would advance the ages at which people were required to work and to serve as soldiers, or extend the ages at which people could stop military service or be exempted from it.