中国传统契约中的“契约自由”与“主体平等”——以清水江文书为视角

中国法律传统虽以"公法"为主要特征,强调以身份关系为纽带的"公权力",但在"私法"领域,却并非不重视以自由和平等为基础的"私权利"。在中国传统契约与清水江文书中,均普遍存有关于"契约自由"与"主体平等"这样一种"契约型社会"的私法观念。在契约自由方面,主要通过"二主和同"、"两和立契"等契约语言来体现契约是双方协商一致,达成合意的结果;在主体平等方面,则通过"两共平章"、"平中立约"等用语来表明立约双方具有平等的人格与主体地位。而这样一种注重合意、平等立约的私法观念,以及尊重契约、敬畏契约,通过契约保护自身合法权利的精神,是当今我国法治化建设过程中重要的本土资源与宝贵财富。在提倡尊重契约精神、保护私权利等法治观念的今天,亦能够为我国法治的现代化进程提供历史的和本土的基因。

"Freedom of Contract" and "Equality of Subject" in Chinese Traditional Contracts--From the Perspective of Qingshui River Instruments

The legal traditionin ancient China was characterized by " public law",it emphasized the " public power" linked by identity relationship,but in the field of " private law",we do not neglect the " private rights" based on freedom and equality.In Chinese traditional contracts and Qingshui River Instruments,there is a common concept of private law about " freedom of contract " and " equality of subject ". In the aspect of freedom of contract,the contract is the result of the agreement reached by both parties through the contract language such as " Er Zhu He Tong" and " Liang He Li Qi ";In the aspect of subject equality,the two parties have equal personality and subject status through the terms of " Liang Gong Ping Zhang" and " Ping Zhong Li Yue".Such a private law concept,which pays attention to consensus and equality,the spirit of respecting,respecting contracts and protecting their own legal rights through contracts,is an important local resource and precious wealth in the process of the construction of the rule of law in our country.Today,we advocate the concept of respecting the spirit of contract and protecting private rights,which can also provide historical and local genes for the modernization of the rule of law in China.