Norms and Order: The Name and Substance of Chinese Traditional Law from a Comparative Perspective

Yan Fu, the great translator and disseminator of modern Western thought in China, once compared the spirit of law in China and the West, noting:“The term 'law' in Western languages has four different translations in Chinese: 理 (li, principle), 礼 (li, ritual propriety), 法 (fa, statutory law), and 制 (zhi, edict).” Starting from this observation, the speaker explores the various dimensions of traditional Chinese law, moving from state-sanctioned norms to grassroots practices, from great traditions to little traditions. Through this journey, the richness and diversity of social norms and laws in traditional China are gradually revealed, showcasing the pluralistic nature of the Chinese legal order. Within this framework, the speaker also offers reflections on the relationship between history and the present, as well as tradition and modernity.