摘要
大审是明代重要的制度建设,既是对中国历史时期录囚制度的创新,也为清代秋谳制度的形成提供了准备。明代大审以所有在监囚犯为审录对象,其中徒流以下罪犯减等处置,具有宽恤的特点;而死罪囚犯的审录则以情真罪当为目标,审断强调事实、证据与律例应用之合理。从有明一代留存的恤疏来看,大审死罪的审录,体现了充分的执法性。无论是在可矜、可疑、可辩这些类别的应用,还是在将死罪案件纳入以上类别的论证上,与一般司法程序中的死罪审录具有同质性。明臣称大审官员“主宽恩”“主原情”,以与巡按御史的“主执法”相对,有失偏颇。明代大审作为恤刑,展示皇恩浩荡,其中有“宽恩”的层面,但是皇恩的核心则是执法公正、罪无冤滥。可矜、可疑、可辩案件的论证中,大审官员对死囚多哀悯之情的表达,似在“原情”;但是哀悯本身并不构成审断的依据,只有与律例呼应的、进入律例框架的哀悯之情,才是其定案的理由。因此,充分的“原情”实则为有效的“执法”所服务。明代大审制度及其实践为理解中国古代的恤刑、死刑审录以及司法中情与法的关系,提供了独特的视角和丰富的材料。
The Grand Assizes was an important institutional development during the Ming dynasty.It represented an innovation in the system of prisoner review in Chinese history and also laid the groundwork for the formation of the Autumn Assizes system in the Qing dynasty.The Ming dynasty’s Grand Assizes focused on all prisoners in custody,with a more lenient approach toward those convicted of lesser crimes,such as exile or penal servitude,embodying a characteristic of clemency.For those sentenced to death,the Grand Assizes aimed at ensuring that the punishment fit the crime,with a focus on the truthfulness of the circumstances,the correctness of the crime,and the reasonable application of laws,emphasizing facts,evidence,and legal procedures.The extant memorials on Grand Assizes indicate that the review of capital punishment cases reflected a high degree of law enforcement.Whether in the application of the categories of“merciful,doubtful,and debatable”or in the inclusion of death penalty cases within these categories,the review was consistent with the general judicial procedures for capital punishment.Ming officials claimed that the Grand Assizes officials focused on“clemency”and“empathy”which contrasted with the inspecting censors'emphasis on“strict law enforcement”.This seemed problematic.It was true that as an exercise in judicial leniency,the Grand Assizes in the Ming dynasty demonstrated the vast imperial grace,which carried an element of leniency.But at its core,imperial grace was about fair law enforcement,ensuring no wrongful convictions.In the arguments over cases classified as“merciful,doubtful,or debatable”,the Grand Assizes officials often expressed a sense of compassion towards those on death row,which seemed to reflect“leniency”.However,compassion alone did not serve as the basis for their decisions;only when compassion aligned with legal principles and fit within the legal framework did it become a reason for the verdict.Therefore,strong“consideration of leniency”actually served the purpose of effective“law enforcement”.The Grand Assizes system of the Ming dynasty and its implementation provide a unique perspective and valuable materials for understanding the practice of judicial leniency,the review of capital punishment,and the relationship between sentiment and law in the judicial processes of ancient China.
作者
姜永琳
吴艳红
JIANG Yonglin;WU Yanhong(Bryn Mawr College)
出处
《宁波大学学报（人文科学版）》
2024年第5期1-22,共22页
Journal of Ningbo University：Liberal Arts Edition
关键词
大审
恤刑
恤疏
“宽恩”
“执法”
Grand Assizes
lenient punishment
memorials on the Grand Assizes
granting leniency
enforcing laws
