Law in Imperial China in the research of Father Professor Antoni Kość SVD

Abstract

The article concerns Chinese law in the imperial period as presented in the research of Father Professor Antoni Kość SVD. The philosophical foundations of Chinese law are analysed mainly from the point of view of Confucianism and Legalism. In order to show the particular character of Chinese law, an outline of the assumptions of other philosophical and religious schools is also presented. The subject of the article is the preserved legal codes, the system of state authorities and taxes, the structure of the social hierarchy, and individual branches of law. The aim of the article is to show the changing nature of the Chinese legal system over the course of successive Chinese dynasties. The article attempts to answer the question as to which of the foundations of Chinese philosophy have influenced Chinese law to the greatest extent. The main research methods used are historical and legal analysis.