The Great Ming Code : Da Ming lu / translated and introduced by Jiang Yonglin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jiang, Yonglin.

Contributor:

The Geiss Hsu Foundation, Funder.

Series:

Asian law series ; no. 17.

Asian law series ; no. 17

Standardized Title:

Ming lèu.

明律. English.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Law--China--Sources.

Law.

China.

Physical Description:

civ, 319 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Seattle : University of Washington Press, c2005.

University of Washington Press, [2012]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Imperial China’s dynastic legal codes provide a wealth of information for historians, social scientists, and scholars of comparative law and of literary, cultural, and legal history. Until now, only the Tang (618–907 C.E.) and Qing (1644–1911 C.E.) codes have been available in English translation. The present book is the first English translation of The Great Ming Code (Da Ming lu), which reached its final form in 1397. The translation is preceded by an introductory essay that places the Code in historical context, explores its codification process, and examines its structure and contents. A glossary of Chinese terms is also provided.One of the most important law codes in Chinese history, The Great Ming Code represents a break with the past, following the alien-ruled Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, and the flourishing of culture under the Ming, the last great Han-ruled dynasty. It was also a model for the Qing code, which followed it, and is a fundamental source for understanding Chinese society and culture. The Code regulated all the perceived major aspects of social affairs, aiming at the harmony of political, economic, military, familial, ritual, international, and legal relations in the empire and cosmic relations in the universe. The all-encompassing nature of the Code makes it an encyclopedic document, providing rich materials on Ming history. Because of the pervasiveness of legal proceedings in the culture generally, the Code has relevance far beyond the specialized realm of Chinese legal studies. The basic value system and social norms that the Code imposed became so thoroughly ingrained in Chinese society that the Manchus, who conquered China and established the Qing dynasty, chose to continue the Code in force with only minor changes.The Code made a considerable impact on the legal cultures of other East Asian countries: Yi dynasty Korea, Le dynasty Vietnam, and late Tokugawa and early Meiji Japan. Examining why and how some rules in the Code were adopted and others rejected in these countries will certainly enhance our understanding of the shared culture and indigenous identities in East Asia.The open access publication of this book was made possible by a grant from the James P. Geiss and Margaret Y. Hsu Foundation.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Acknowledgments

Note on the Translation

Ming Units of Measure and Money

Introduction: The Making of The Great Ming Code

The Great Ming Code

Chapter 1 - Laws on Punishments and General Principles

Chapter 2 - Laws on Personnel

Section 1 - Administrative Institutions

Section 2 - Official Documents

Chapter 3 - Laws on Revenu

Section 1 - Households and Corvée Services

Section 2 - Fields and Houses

Section 3 - Marriages

Section 4 - Granaries and Treasuries

Section 5 - Taxes

Section 6 - Monetary Obligations

Section 7 - Markets

Chapter 4 - Laws on Rituals

Section 1 - Sacrifices

Section 2 - Ceremonial Regulations

Chapter 5 - Laws on Military Affairs

Section 1 - Guarding Palaces

Section 2 - Military Administration

Section 3 - Guard Posts and Fords

Section 4 - Stables and Herds

Section 5 - Postal Relay Stations

Chapter 6 - Laws on Penal Affairs

Section 1 - Violence and Robbery

Section 2 - Homicide

Section 3 - Affrays and Batteries

Section 4 - Cursing

Section 5 - Accusations and Suits

Section 6 - Accepting Illicit Goods

Section 7 - Deceiving and Counterfeiting

Section 8 - Committing Fornication

Section 9 - Miscellaneous Offenses

Section 10 - Arrests and Escapes

Section 11 - Judgment and Imprisonment

Chapter 7 - Laws on Public Works

Section 1 - Constructions and Manufactures

Section 2 - Dikes

Glossary

Bibliography

General Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 293-299) and index.

This eBook is made available Open Access under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

Contains:

Ming lü. English

ISBN:

0-295-80400-9

OCLC:

811563035