晚清“公法中源”说初探

"公法中源"说滥觞于19世纪60年代,绵延至20世纪初,相继得到了洋务思想家、美国传教士丁韪良和维新思想家的推磨和倡扬,经历了从萌芽到鼎盛再到衰退的演变历程。它包括相互联系的两个层面:第一,早在千余年前中国就已经产生国际法。洋务思想家和丁韪良分别探讨了中国古代国际法的实体基础和历史实践。第二,中国古代国际法具有普世价值。维新思想家进一步把孔子及《春秋》说成是近代国际法的直接渊源,把"公法中源"说推向极致。"公法中源"说在晚清的出现与发展深受历史、现实、理论三重因素的共同制约与作用。作为近代一种会通中西公法文化的理论学说,"公法中源"说有其独到的理论价值和现实意义,同时也存在由于方法错误和理论缺陷而导致的若干消极影响。

A Study on "Chinese Source of Public Law" in Late Qing Dynasty

The doctrine of "Chinese source of public law" began at 1860s, and went along to the beginning of the 20th century, and was supported by thinkers of Westernization Movement, the US missioner William Alexander Parsons Martin, and the Reformers. It includes two dimensions: firstly, China has international law thousands of years ago; secondly, the ancient international law in China is universally valuable. This doctrine is deeply influenced by factors of history, reality and theory. As a theory connecting China and Western legal culture in public international law, the doctrine of "China source of public law" has unique theoretical value and realistic significance, and there are passive influences with wrong methodology and defective theory.