关于“古代中国有无民法”问题的再思考

从 2 0世纪初至今 ,学界对中国古代有无民法的问题一直争论不休。对该问题的两种相反立论反映了近代以来对中国法律现代化进程的两种不同理解。本文首先对其争论过程略加回顾并予评述 ,同时指出讨论的合理性和真诚态度是不容置疑的。但由于分析方法、概念运用等方面存在错位 ,讨论双方越来越远离讨论的初衷。为了使讨论获得更广阔的空间 ,问题本身需要得到更精确地限定。

Review Over the Existence of the Civil Law in Ancient China

Dispute over the existence of the civil law in ancient China has never ceased in academia ever since the early twentieth century. The two opposing sides of the argument reflect two different understanding on Chinese modernizing the progress of the Chinese legal system in modern times. The present thesis is going to date back to the history of this argument first, pointing out its doubtless rationality and sincerity. It is the disparity in respect to analytical approaches, conceptual application that gradually draws the two sides away from their original intention. Therefore, to render a more open space to the discussion, the issue itself calls for a more precise redefinition.