The Creative Transformation and Innovative Development of China’s Excellent Traditional Legal Culture

China’s excellent traditional legal culture possesses universality and commonality, progressiveness and civility, practicality and people-centeredness, and conforms to the universal laws, common values, and scientific rationality of the development of human rule-of-law civilization. To promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, we should attach great importance to and vigorously strengthen comparative research on the experiences of relevant countries and regions in transforming and integrating the Chinese legal system [1]1 The Chinese legal system (中华法系) refers to the traditional legal system of imperial China, which influenced East Asia and is considered one of the major legal families in comparative law. and extraterritorial legal cultures, thereby forging a path for constructing an independent Chinese knowledge system of jurisprudence that combines “drawing on foreign experience” with “creative transformation and innovative development” [2]2 “Creative transformation and innovative development” (双创) is a shorthand for the policy of creatively transforming and innovatively developing traditional Chinese culture, as promoted by the CPC.; we should persist in combining the basic tenets of Marxist rule of law with China’s rule-of-law practice and with China’s excellent traditional legal culture, advancing the organic integration of “Chinese medical jurisprudence” and “Western medical jurisprudence” [3]3 “Chinese medical jurisprudence” and “Western medical jurisprudence” are metaphors: the former refers to traditional Chinese legal thought, the latter to Western legal theory and practice., and opening up a new realm of rule-of-law civilization under Chinese-path modernization.

中华优秀传统法律文化具有普遍性和共同性、先进性和文明性、实践性和人民性，符合人类法治文明发展的普遍规律、共同价值和科学理性。推动中华优秀传统法律文化的创造性转化和创新性发展，应当高度重视并大力加强对有关国家和地区对中华法系以及域外法律文化转化融合经验的比较研究，走出一条“借鉴”与“双创”相结合的中国自主法学知识体系构建之路；应当坚持把马克思主义法治基本原理同中国法治实践相结合、同中华优秀传统法律文化相结合，推进“中医法学”与“西医法学”有机融合，开创中国式现代化法治文明新境界。

I. What Is China’s Excellent Traditional Legal Culture?

一、何谓中华优秀传统法律文化？

(1) The Basic Meaning of China’s Traditional Legal Culture

（一）中华传统法律文化的基本意涵

Because concepts such as “culture,” “legal culture,” “rule-of-law civilization,” and “China’s traditional legal culture” lack a unified definition, scholarly understanding of these concepts is diverse and interpretations vary. For example, the American cultural anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn, in his article “The Concept of Culture: A Critical Review,” summarized and categorized 161 definitions of culture, concluding that “culture consists of patterned ways of thinking, feeling and reacting, acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e., historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values.” [4]4 This is a paraphrase of Kluckhohn’s definition; the original English text is adapted from his 1951 work. In fact, within China’s mainstream discourse system, the concept of “culture” is characterized by polysemy, relativity, and variability. In a pyramidal structural diagram, the broader the extension of the concept of culture (civilization), the higher its level; the narrower the extension, the lower its level. Upon closer examination, the study, understanding, and interpretation of concepts such as “legal culture,” “rule-of-law civilization,” and “China’s traditional legal culture” are largely similar. Therefore, before discussing “what is China’s excellent traditional legal culture,” it is necessary to provide a definition of the above concepts that possesses a certain degree of general or consensual understanding, even though such a definition will still be subject to controversy and divergence.

由于“文化”“法律文化”“法治文明”“中华传统法律文化”等概念并没有统一的定义，学界对这些概念的理解多种多样、阐释见仁见智。例如，美国文化人类学家克莱德·克鲁克洪（Clyde Kluckhohn）在《文化概念：一个重要概念的回顾》一文中，对161种文化的定义进行了归纳和总结，认为“文化是历史上所创造的生存式样的系统，既包括显型式样也包含隐型式样；它具有为整个群体共享的倾向，或是在一定时期中为群体的特定部分所共享”。事实上，在我国主流话语体系中，“文化”概念具有多义性、相对性和可变性等特征。在金字塔结构图形中，文化（文明）概念的外延越大、层级就越高，外延越小、层级就越低。细究起来，对“法律文化”“法治文明”“中华传统法律文化”等概念的研究、理解和阐释也大致如此。因此，在讨论“何谓中华优秀传统法律文化”之前，有必要对上述概念作出具有一定通识性或共识性的界定，尽管这种界定仍会存在争议和分歧。

The *Modern Chinese Dictionary* (7th edition) defines culture as: “the sum total of material wealth and spiritual wealth created by humanity in the course of social and historical development, with special reference to spiritual wealth, such as literature, art, education, science, etc.” Clearly, the concept of “culture” defined here actually adopts a combination of a broad definition of culture — “the sum total of material wealth and spiritual wealth” — and a narrow definition — “with special reference to spiritual wealth.” From the perspective of disciplines such as law and political science, this definitional approach takes multiple factors into account and enjoys a relatively high degree of consensus. However, for social phenomena such as “institutions,” “political institutions,” and “political civilization,” which possess both the attributes of material wealth and, even more so, the characteristics of spiritual wealth, this approach appears somewhat inadequate in demonstrating their necessity and importance as independent existences within the definition of “culture.” Before the 16th National Congress of the CPC [5]5 The 16th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2002., concepts such as “institutions,” “political institutions,” and “political civilization” were generally subsumed under the category of spiritual civilization. However, the report of the 16th National Congress of the CPC placed “political civilization” alongside spiritual civilization and material civilization for exposition, thereby providing “institutions,” “political institutions,” “political civilization,” and even “rule-of-law civilization” with an independent basis in political theory and legal theory. In 2004, the National People’s Congress adopted the fourth amendment to the current Constitution, adding to the Preamble the content of “promoting the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, and spiritual civilization,” thereby granting “political civilization” an independent existence confirmed by the will of the state. This effectively expanded the traditional connotation of the concept of “culture” into three categories — material civilization, political civilization, and spiritual civilization — forming a pattern of “three sectors.”

《现代汉语词典》（第7版）对文化的定义是：“人类在社会历史发展过程中所创造的物质财富和精神财富的总和，特指精神财富，如文学、艺术、教育、科学等。”显然，这里定义的“文化”概念，实际上采用了广义文化——“物质财富和精神财富的总和”和狭义文化——“特指精神财富”相结合的界定方式。从法学、政治学等学科角度来看，这种界定方式兼顾了多方面因素，具有较高的共识性，但对于“制度”“政治制度”“政治文明”这类既具有物质财富属性、更具有精神财富特征的社会现象，如何在“文化”定义上展现其独立存在的必要性和重要性，却显得有所不足。在党的十六大之前，通常把“制度”“政治制度”“政治文明”等概念归属于精神文明范畴，而党的十六大报告则把“政治文明”与精神文明、物质文明并列起来加以表述，从而使“制度”“政治制度”“政治文明”甚至“法治文明”有了单独存在的政理和法理依据。2004年，全国人民代表大会通过了现行宪法第四次宪法修正案，在宪法序言中增加了“推动物质文明、政治文明和精神文明协调发展”的内容，从而使“政治文明”获得了国家意志确认的独立存在，这实际上也就把“文化”概念的传统内涵拓展为物质文明、政治文明、精神文明三个范畴，形成“三个板块”的格局。

In 2018, the National People’s Congress adopted the fifth amendment to the current Constitution, further revising the Preamble’s phrase “promote the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, and spiritual civilization, and build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, and culturally advanced socialist country” to read: “promote the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, spiritual civilization, social civilization, and ecological civilization, and build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful modern socialist country, and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” This constitutional amendment not only expanded the “three civilizations” framework into a pattern of “five civilizations,” but also re-emphasized the goal orientation of “civilization” within the national development objectives: the economic construction goal is “prosperity and strength,” the political construction goal is “democracy,” the cultural construction goal is “cultural advancement,” the social construction goal is “harmony,” and the ecological civilization construction goal is “beauty.” This made “civilization” a unique concept in the sense of the five major goals of national construction.

2018年，全国人民代表大会通过现行宪法第五次宪法修正案，将宪法序言中“推动物质文明、政治文明和精神文明协调发展，把我国建设成为富强、民主、文明的社会主义国家”，进一步修改为“推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，把我国建设成为富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国，实现中华民族伟大复兴”。这次宪法修改，不仅将“三个文明”板块扩容为“五个文明”格局，而且在国家奋斗目标中再次强调了“文明”的目标定位，即经济建设目标是“富强”，政治建设目标是“民主”，文化建设目标是“文明”，社会建设目标是“和谐”，生态文明建设目标是“美丽”，从而使“文明”在国家建设五大目标的意义上成为一个特有的概念。

Broadly speaking, legal culture refers to the sum total of achievements created by humanity concerning law and legal phenomena, especially legal ideology, legal system norms, and legal material practices, and is an important component of human culture. From a legal perspective, legal culture is a form of social legal order that takes “culture” as its main carrier and basic characteristic, and is a cultural expression of law, legal thought, legal systems, legal facilities, legal activities, and legal order in human history and society. From a cultural perspective, legal culture is a unique and indispensable component of the human cultural system, a form of social culture formed by taking “law” as the basic norm and common standard of social behavior. Legal culture can be distinguished into: legal culture as a product of spiritual civilization, such as legal ideology and the spirit and principles of the rule of law; legal culture as a product of political civilization, such as the legal system, legislative system, and judicial system; and legal culture as a product of material civilization, such as libraries, museums, and memorial halls related to law and the rule of law, as well as totems, gavels, judicial robes, ritual implements, courtrooms, and legal document archives.

广义地讲，法律文化是指人类创造的有关法律、法律现象尤其是法律思想意识、法律制度规范、法律物质实践等各方面成果的总和，是人类文化的重要组成部分。从法律角度看，法律文化是以“文化”为主要载体和基本特征的一种社会法律形态，是人类历史和社会中有关法律、法律思想、法律制度、法律设施、法律活动、法律秩序等的文化表现形式。从文化角度看，法律文化是人类文化系统中独特的不可缺少的一个组成部分，是以“法律”（Law）作为社会行为基本规范和共同准则所形成的一种社会文化形态。可以把法律文化区分为作为精神文明成果的法律文化，如法律思想观念、法治精神原则等；作为政治文明成果的法律文化，如法律体系、立法制度、司法制度等；作为物质文明成果的法律文化，如有关法律和法治的图书馆、博物馆、纪念馆以及图腾、法槌、法袍、法器、法庭、法律文书档案等。

The civilization of the rule of law is the sum total of humanity’s spiritual achievements, institutional achievements, and practical achievements in using law to govern itself and transform the world; it is an important marker of the progress of human civilization. Strictly speaking, in Chinese history there existed only “legal system” and “legal-system civilization,” referred to as “Chinese legal-system civilization,” but no “rule of law,” “rule-of-law civilization,” or “Chinese rule-of-law civilization.” As Xi Jinping has said: “The Chinese legal system was formed under China’s specific historical conditions, demonstrating the great creativity of the Chinese nation and the profound foundations of Chinese legal-system civilization.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee” (October 13, 2014), in *Xi Jinping on the Rule of Law* (Central Party Literature Press, 2021), p. 107. In modern times, the historical logic of China’s evolution from legal system to rule of law, from traditional legal-system civilization to modern rule-of-law civilization, shows that the birth and development of “Chinese rule-of-law civilization” is a historical and practical process. “Since the Hundred Days’ Reform and the late-Qing legal revision, the Chinese people had been calling for a legal system, but under the historical conditions and political conditions of that time, a legal system alone could not change the social nature of old China or the tragic fate of the Chinese people.” [7]7 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Work Related to the Rule of Law” (October 18, 2014), in *Xi Jinping on the Rule of Law*, p. 113. Only under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, by smashing the old state apparatus, overthrowing the old state power, thoroughly destroying the old legal system, and abolishing the old legal tradition, could a new state in which the people are the masters be established, and a new people’s democratic rule of law be created and implemented. Only by implementing a new rule of law could “Chinese rule-of-law civilization” be built. In practice, from the day of its founding, our Party has attached great importance to the construction of the rule of law. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, our Party formulated the “Constitutional Outline of the Chinese Soviet Republic” and a large number of laws and decrees, created the “Ma Xiwu trial method,” [8]8 The Ma Xiwu trial method was a judicial practice developed during the Yan’an period (1930s–1940s), named after the judge Ma Xiwu, emphasizing on-site investigation, mass participation, and mediation rather than formal legal procedures. and accumulated practical experience for establishing a new type of legal system. “In the early days after the founding of New China, while abolishing the old legal tradition, our Party actively used the successful experience of legal-system construction in the base areas during the New Democratic Revolution, vigorously built a socialist rule of law, and initially laid the foundation for a socialist rule of law.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Work Related to the Rule of Law” (October 18, 2014), in *Xi Jinping on the Rule of Law*, p. 113. Over more than 70 years of governance by the Communist Party of China, “although it has gone through many twists and turns, it has remained steadfast in its commitment to the rule of law, from the ‘1954 Constitution’ to the recently revised Constitution; from ‘socialist legal system’ to ‘socialist rule of law’; from ‘there must be laws to follow, laws must be followed, enforcement must be strict, and violations must be prosecuted’ to ‘scientific legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial justice, and universal compliance with the law,’ our Party has come to understand ever more deeply that governance and administration cannot do without the rule of law for even a moment.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Central Conference on Work Related to the Rule of Law” (October 18, 2014), in *Xi Jinping on the Rule of Law*, p. 113. Facts have proven that only after completing the historic transformation from “legal system” to “rule of law” under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and only after a socialist “new rule of law” has been established, can the construction of “Chinese rule-of-law civilization” usher in broad prospects.

法治文明是人类运用法律驾驭自我、改造世界的精神成果、制度成果和实践成果的总和，是人类文明进步的重要标志。严格地讲，中国历史上只有“法制”和“法制文明”，称之为“中华法制文明”，而无“法治”“法治文明”和“中华法治文明”。正如习近平所说：“中华法系是在我国特定历史条件下形成的，显示了中华民族的伟大创造力和中华法制文明的深厚底蕴。”近代以来我国从法制到法治、从传统法制文明到现代法治文明发展演变的历史逻辑显示，“中华法治文明”的诞生和发展是一个历史和实践的过程。“自戊戌变法和清末修律起，中国人一直在呼吁法制，但在当时的历史条件和政治条件下，仅仅靠法制是不能改变旧中国社会性质和中国人民悲惨命运的。”只有在中国共产党领导下，砸烂旧的国家机器、推翻旧的国家政权，彻底摧毁旧法制、废除旧法统，才能建立人民当家作主的新国家，创立并实行人民民主的新法治。只有实行新法治，才能建设“中华法治文明”。在实践中，我们党自成立之日起就高度重视法治建设。新民主主义革命时期，我们党制定了《中华苏维埃共和国宪法大纲》和大量法律法令，创造了“马锡五审判方式”，为建立新型法律制度积累了实践经验。“新中国成立初期，我们党在废除旧法统的同时，积极运用新民主主义革命时期根据地法制建设的成功经验，抓紧建设社会主义法治，初步奠定了社会主义法治的基础。”中国共产党执政70多年来，“虽历经坎坷但对法治矢志不渝，从‘五四宪法’到前不久新修订的宪法；从‘社会主义法制’到‘社会主义法治’；从‘有法可依、有法必依、执法必严、违法必究’到‘科学立法、严格执法、公正司法、全民守法’，我们党越来越深刻认识到，治国理政须臾离不开法治”。事实证明，只有在中国共产党领导下完成从“法制”到“法治”的历史性转变，有了社会主义“新法治”以后，“中华法治文明”建设才能迎来广阔前景。

The difficulty in understanding the concept of “Chinese traditional legal culture” lies in grasping “legal culture” within the context of Chinese history and reality, and even more so in defining the semantics of “traditional” and “Chinese.” If “Chinese” (中华) is simply equated with “China” (中国), then defining the “space and subject” of “Chinese traditional legal culture” is not overly complicated. However, “Chinese” sometimes carries a broader meaning; for example, the “Chinese” in “Chinese legal system” refers in space and subject not only to “China” but also to certain East and South Asian countries. Therefore, defining the “space and subject” of “Chinese traditional legal culture” must be done with great rigor. Moreover, even if “Chinese” refers to “China” and the two are identical concepts, the territorial scope of “China” has undergone enormous changes over thousands of years of historical evolution. Should we select according to the largest territory, the smallest territory, or some other standard? Should we determine it according to the local conditions of the time in history, or according to today’s standards, or handle it vaguely? Given the sensitivity and complexity of this issue, for now we will follow conventional understanding in using the concept of “Chinese.”

理解“中华传统法律文化”概念的难度，在于在中国历史和现实语境下对“法律文化”的把握，更在于对“传统”和“中华”语义的界定。如果把“中华”简单地等同于“中国”，那么定义“中华传统法律文化”的“空间和主体”并不太复杂。但是，“中华”有时包含更宽泛的涵义，如“中华法系”的“中华”，在空间和主体上不仅指“中国”，同时也包含某些东亚和南亚国家，因此，定义“中华传统法律文化”的“空间和主体”，必须非常严谨。此外，即使“中华”就是指“中国”，两者是同一概念，那么，经过数千年的历史发展演变，“中国”的国土空间范围曾发生巨大变化，是按照最大空间，还是最小疆域，或是其他标准来选取；是依照历史上当时当地的情况，还是按照今天的标准来确定，或是予以模糊处理，等等。鉴于这个问题的敏感性和复杂性，我们目前姑且遵循约定俗成的认知来使用“中华”这个概念。

The original meaning of the word “tradition” (传统) is “to transmit through successive generations”; today it is defined as “social factors passed down through generations with distinctive characteristics, such as culture, morality, thought, institutions, etc.,” and it exists widely in many areas of social life. In terms of temporal comparison, “tradition” is often contrasted with “modernity,” referring to social factors that existed in the past or in history.

“传统”一词的本义是指“统诸世代相续”，如今被定义为“世代相传、具有特点的社会因素，如文化、道德、思想、制度等”，广泛存在于社会生活的诸多领域。在时间对比上，“传统”常常与“现代”相对应，意指过去或者历史上存在的社会因素。

Based on the above brief analysis, it might be possible to say that so-called Chinese traditional legal culture refers to the sum total of cultural achievements concerning legal spirit, legal institutions, legal material objects, etc., created by the Chinese nation, passed down and developed through generations by the Chinese nation, bearing the distinctive features of Chinese civilization, with a long history, vast scope, distant origins, extensive development, and profound breadth. We can further understand and grasp the basic connotations of Chinese traditional legal culture from the following three main dimensions.

根据上述简约梳理，或许可以认为，所谓中华传统法律文化，是指由中华民族创造，为中华民族世代传承发展，具有鲜明中华文明特征，历史悠久、幅员广阔、源远流长、博大精深的有关法律精神、法律制度、法律物质等文化成果的总和。我们可从以下三个主要维度进一步深入理解和把握中华传统法律文化的基本内涵。

First, in the temporal dimension, Chinese traditional legal culture mainly refers to the continuous laws and legal phenomena in Chinese civilization since recorded history. The Chinese Civilization Origins Tracing Project [11]11 The Chinese Civilization Origins Tracing Project is a major state-sponsored research initiative launched in the early 2000s to scientifically verify the origins and early development of Chinese civilization through archaeology and multidisciplinary methods. has verified China’s million-year history of humanity, ten-thousand-year history of culture, and over five-thousand-year history of civilization. As long as the history of Chinese civilization is, so long is its tradition; the temporal origin of Chinese traditional legal culture can be traced back at least five thousand years.

一是在时间维度上，中华传统法律文化主要是指中华文明有史以来绵延不断的法律和法律现象。中华文明探源工程实证了我国百万年的人类史、一万年的文化史、五千多年的文明史。中华文明的历史有多久远，其传统就有多久远，中华传统法律文化的时间源头至少可以追溯到五千多年前。

Second, in the spatial dimension, Chinese traditional legal culture mainly refers to the legal culture that existed within the territory of Huaxia or China. In specific contexts and historical conditions, it also concerns the influence or radiation of Chinese traditional legal culture on certain foreign countries, but this by no means implies the expansion of China’s territorial boundaries. When studying specific issues of Chinese traditional legal culture that involve foreign countries, one must carefully handle the relationships between history and reality, the part and the whole, the short term and the long term, objective description and theoretical analysis, etc. Historical events, historical facts, historical materials, and unearthed artifacts should be observed and analyzed on the basis of historical evidence, objectively and truthfully, and by seeking truth from facts. However, when conducting theoretical interpretation, logical inference, summarization, and drawing conclusions, one must comprehensively consider multiple complex and sensitive factors such as politics, economy, ethnicity, religion, culture, state relations, and historical context, and expound and argue rigorously, profoundly, and accurately.

二是在空间维度上，中华传统法律文化主要是指存在于华夏或者中国版图疆域的法律文化，在特定语境和历史条件下，也关涉中华传统法律文化曾经对某些域外国家的影响或辐射，但这绝不意味着中国版图疆域的扩张。在研究某些具体涉及域外国家的中华传统法律文化问题时，要谨慎处理历史与现实、局部与整体、短期与长远、客观描述与理论分析等关系，对历史事件、历史事实、历史材料、出土文物等要以史为据、客观真实、实事求是地进行观察分析，但在进行理论阐释、逻辑推论、总结归纳、得出结论时，要统筹考虑政治、经济、民族、宗教、文化、国家关系、历史经纬等多种复杂敏感因素，严谨深刻准确阐发和论证。

Third, in the dimension combining law and culture, Chinese traditional legal culture mainly refers to all legal cultural achievements created in the history of Chinese civilization related to Chinese law, Chinese legal phenomena, the Chinese legal system, and Chinese rule-of-law civilization. This includes both spiritual achievements of law expressed as legal thought, legal concepts, and legal theoretical principles, and legal-political achievements expressed as legal customs, legal institutions, legal norms, and legal procedures, as well as legal material achievements expressed as legal artifacts, legal tools, legal facilities, and legal symbols.

三是在法律与文化相结合的维度上，中华传统法律文化主要指中华文明历史上创造的与中华法律、中华法律现象、中华法系、中华法治文明等有关的一切法律文化成果，既包括表现为法律思想、法律观念、法律理论原则等的法律精神成果和表现为法律习俗、法律制度、法律规范、法律程序等的法律政治成果，也包括表现为法律器物、法律工具、法律设施、法律符号等的法律物质成果。

(II) Standards and Conditions for the “Excellence” of Chinese Traditional Legal Culture

（二）中华传统法律文化“优秀”的标准和条件

Chinese traditional culture has a long history, distant origins, rich diversity, and unique characteristics. It contains both “dross” culture and “excellent” culture. How to sort out, identify, and refine “excellent” traditional culture from the complex and all-encompassing Chinese traditional culture is a prerequisite and foundational task for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture.

中华传统文化历史悠久、源远流长、丰富多彩、独树一帜，其中既有“糟粕”文化，也有“优秀”文化。如何从纷繁复杂、包罗万象的中华传统文化中，梳理、鉴别和提炼出“优秀”传统文化，这是推动中华优秀传统法律文化创造性转化、创新性发展的一项前提性、基础性工作。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out that China’s excellent traditional culture is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. The concepts it contains, such as the world is for all, the people are the foundation of the state, governing with virtue, discarding the old and establishing the new, appointing people on their merits, harmony between humanity and nature, unceasing self-renewal, great virtue carries all things, honoring commitments and fostering good-neighborliness, and being kind to neighbors and good to those far away, are important manifestations of the worldview, view of the world, view of society, and view of morality accumulated by the Chinese people in their long-term production and life. “China’s excellent traditional culture contains many important elements, such as the social ideal of a world for all and a great commonwealth, the governance thought of the people as the foundation of the state and governing with virtue, the tradition of great unity where all regions are connected under one rule and diversity is integrated into unity, the family-country sentiment of cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the state, and pacifying the world, and being responsible for the rise and fall of the state, the spiritual pursuit of great virtue carries all things and manifesting virtue and promoting the Way, the economic ethic of enriching the people and valuing life while balancing righteousness and benefit, the ecological concept of harmony between humanity and nature and the coexistence of all things, the philosophical thought of seeking truth from facts and the unity of knowledge and action, the thinking method of grasping both extremes and using the mean to achieve harmony, and the way of interaction of honoring commitments and fostering good-neighborliness and being kind to neighbors and good to those far away. These together shape the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage” (June 2, 2023), *People’s Daily*, June 3, 2023. These “crystallizations of wisdom” and “important elements” of Chinese civilization, composed of worldviews, values, important thoughts, major concepts, spiritual pursuits, ways of thinking, etc., are all “excellent” content within Chinese traditional culture.

党的二十大报告指出，中华优秀传统文化是中华文明的智慧结晶，其中蕴含的天下为公、民为邦本、为政以德、革故鼎新、任人唯贤、天人合一、自强不息、厚德载物、讲信修睦、亲仁善邻等，是中国人民在长期生产生活中积累的宇宙观、天下观、社会观、道德观的重要体现。“中华优秀传统文化有很多重要元素，比如，天下为公、天下大同的社会理想，民为邦本、为政以德的治理思想，九州共贯、多元一体的大一统传统，修齐治平、兴亡有责的家国情怀，厚德载物、明德弘道的精神追求，富民厚生、义利兼顾的经济伦理，天人合一、万物并育的生态理念，实事求是、知行合一的哲学思想，执两用中、守中致和的思维方法，讲信修睦、亲仁善邻的交往之道等，共同塑造出中华文明的突出特性。”这些由世界观、价值观、重要思想、重大理念、精神追求、思维方式等构成的中华文明“智慧结晶”和“重要元素”，都是中华传统文化中的“优秀”内容。

The 20th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The Chinese legal system (中华法系) refers to the traditional legal system of imperial China, which influenced East Asia and is considered one of the major legal families in comparative law. called for inheriting China’s excellent traditional legal culture and adhering to the path of socialist rule-of-law with Chinese characteristics. “Only by inheriting China’s excellent traditional legal culture, exploring a rule-of-law path suited to ourselves from the practice of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, while also drawing on the beneficial achievements of foreign rule of law, can we lay a solid rule-of-law foundation for comprehensively building a modern socialist country and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” In February 2023, the Opinions on Strengthening Legal Education and Legal Theory Research in the New Era, issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, used the concept of “China’s excellent traditional legal culture” from four angles: first, in implementing the Two Integrations [2]2 “Creative transformation and innovative development” (双创) is a shorthand for the policy of creatively transforming and innovatively developing traditional Chinese culture, as promoted by the CPC. to advance the development of legal disciplines, it emphasized “adhering to combining Marxist rule-of-law theory with China’s concrete reality and with China’s excellent traditional legal culture”; second, in improving the legal teaching system, it emphasized strengthening “education in China’s excellent traditional legal culture”; third, in strengthening basic research in legal theory, it emphasized “promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture”; fourth, in enhancing the external promotion of China’s outstanding legal research achievements, it emphasized “elucidating China’s excellent traditional legal culture” and telling China’s rule-of-law story well. These formulations and requirements are both important measures for thoroughly studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and the rule-of-law spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, and important tasks for deepening research on “creative transformation and innovative development” and constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese legal studies.

党的二十大提出要传承中华优秀传统法律文化，坚持走中国特色社会主义法治道路。“只有传承中华优秀传统法律文化，从我国革命、建设、改革的实践中探索适合自己的法治道路，同时借鉴国外法治有益成果，才能为全面建设社会主义现代化国家、实现中华民族伟大复兴夯实法治基础。”2023年2月，中共中央办公厅、国务院办公厅发布的《关于加强新时代法学教育和法学理论研究的意见》，从四个角度使用了“中华优秀传统法律文化”这个概念：一是在贯彻“两个结合”推进法学学科发展方面，强调要“坚持把马克思主义法治理论同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统法律文化相结合”；二是在健全法学教学体系方面，强调要加强“中华优秀传统法律文化教育”；三是在强化法学基础理论研究方面，强调要“推动中华优秀传统法律文化创造性转化、创新性发展”；四是在加强我国优秀法学研究成果对外宣传方面，强调要“阐发中华优秀传统法律文化”，讲好中国法治故事。这些提法和要求，既是深入学习贯彻习近平法治思想和党的二十大法治精神的重要举措，也是深化“创造性转化、创新性发展”研究、构建中国法学自主知识体系的重要任务。

We should study, analyze, and judge China’s traditional legal culture with a scientific attitude and practical standards, revealing the historical laws of its evolution, discovering the true essence of its cultural life, and displaying the civilizational nature of its truth. Overall, the question of what constitutes “China’s excellent traditional legal culture” can be considered and grasped in terms of its connotation and characteristics from three angles.

我们应当用科学的态度和实践的标准来研究、分析和评判中华传统法律文化，揭示其演变的历史规律，发现其生命的文化真谛，展现其真理的文明本质。总体而言，对于何谓“中华优秀传统法律文化”这一问题，可以从三个角度来考量和把握其内涵和特征。

First, legal culture that reflects the basic laws and common features of the development of human civilization. For example, value concepts, basic principles, and normative systems such as fairness and justice, security and order, the authority of law, co-governance by rites and law, equality before punishment, and law not currying favor with the powerful. The Chinese legal system, as a landmark achievement of traditional Chinese rule-of-law civilization, embodies the spirit and wisdom of the Chinese nation and puts forward many excellent ideas and concepts, including “the governance strategy of exiting rites and entering punishment, exalting rites and emphasizing law; the people-centered concept that the people are the foundation of the state, and when the foundation is stable, the state is at peace; the value pursuit of a society without litigation and harmony as precious; the cautious punishment thought of morality as primary and punishment as supplementary, clarifying virtue and being cautious in punishment; the equality concept of adjudicating according to law and ensuring punishment fits the crime; the principle of leniency in punishment for protecting widowers, widows, orphans, the childless, the elderly, the young, women, and the disabled, and so on.” These demonstrate the excellent character and civilizational attributes of China’s traditional legal culture and highlight the wisdom of China’s rule-of-law civilization.

一是反映人类文明发展基本规律和共同特征的法律文化。例如，公平正义、安全秩序、律法权威、礼法共治、刑无等级、法不阿贵等价值理念、基本原则和规范制度等。中华法系作为传统中华法治文明的标志性成果，凝聚了中华民族的精神和智慧，提出了很多优秀的思想和理念，包括“出礼入刑、隆礼重法的治国策略，民惟邦本、本固邦宁的民本理念，天下无讼、以和为贵的价值追求，德主刑辅、明德慎罚的慎刑思想，援法断罪、罚当其罪的平等观念，保护鳏寡孤独、老幼妇残的恤刑原则，等等”，昭示了中华传统法律文化的优秀品格和文明特性，彰显了中华法制文明的智慧。

Second, legal culture that played an important role in maintaining national unity and strength or social governance at the time, but which today is not necessarily seen as excellent traditional legal culture, and may even be dross of legal culture. In fact, “any traditional culture, in the process of its formation and development, is inevitably influenced by the conditions of time and space, and constrained by the economic conditions, cognitive levels, regional characteristics, and social systems of the time; therefore, it will inevitably contain some elements that are outdated or have become dross.” The same applies to legal culture, for example, lex talionis, trial by ordeal, burning books and burying scholars alive [3]3 “Chinese medical jurisprudence” and “Western medical jurisprudence” are metaphors: the former refers to traditional Chinese legal thought, the latter to Western legal theory and practice., the Ten Abominations [4]4 This is a paraphrase of Kluckhohn’s definition; the original English text is adapted from his 1951 work., harsh laws and severe punishments, execution of the nine family groups [5]5 The 16th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2002., convicting or acquitting at will, presumption of guilt, hierarchical privileges, and so on. Although these legal concepts, legal principles, legal systems, and actual practices played an important role in maintaining political rule and social order at the time, they are incompatible with today’s civilized society. We should earnestly and truthfully treat the history of China’s legal culture, distinguish civilization from barbarism in history and essence from dross in culture with a scientific attitude and method, strive to discard the false and retain the true, discard the rough and retain the refined, and preserve the good while discarding the bad, thereby laying a good foundation for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture.

二是在当时维护国家统一强盛或者社会治理中发挥了重要作用，但今天看来不一定是优秀的传统法律文化，甚至还可能是法律文化的糟粕。事实上，“任何传统文化在其形成和发展过程中，都不可避免地会受到时空条件的影响，受到当时的经济状况、认知水平、地域特点、社会制度的制约，因而必然会存在一些陈旧过时或已成为糟粕的东西”，在法律文化方面同样如此，例如同态复仇、神明裁判、焚书坑儒、十恶不赦、严刑峻法、株连九族、出入人罪、有罪推定、等级特权，等等。这些法律理念、法律原则、法律制度和实际做法，虽然当时在维护政权统治和社会秩序中发挥了重要作用，但是与当下的文明社会格格不入。我们应当实事求是地认真对待中华法律文化的历史，以科学的态度和方法辨别历史上的文明与野蛮、区分文化中的精华与糟粕，努力做到去伪存真、去粗取精、存良弃莠，为推动中华优秀传统法律文化的创造性转化、创新性发展打下良好基础。

Third, certain traditional legal cultures that are needed and applicable in today’s governance of the country, but which were not necessarily mainstream legal concepts, legal principles, or legal systems at the time. For example, certain Legalist ideas and measures of the Qin dynasty, and certain proposals, measures, and methods from the late Qing dynasty’s reform of laws and regulations [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee” (October 13, 2014), in *Xi Jinping on the Rule of Law* (Central Party Literature Press, 2021), p. 107., and so on. In this regard, we must be faithful to history—this is the premise and foundation for promoting “creative transformation and innovative development”—and we must also view history with a developmental perspective, treating China’s traditional legal culture with the standards of present and future civilizational progress, choosing the good and following it, selecting the excellent and transforming it. This is the essential requirement and ultimate purpose of achieving “creative transformation and innovative development.”

三是今天治国理政需要并且适用的某些传统法律文化，但在当时并不一定是主流的法律理念、法律原则、法律制度等。如秦朝的某些法家理念和举措，清末变法修律的若干主张、措施和办法，等等。对此，我们要忠实于历史，这是推动“创造性转化、创新性发展”的前提和基础，更要用发展的眼光看待历史，用当下和未来文明进步的标准来对待中华传统法律文化，择善而从、择优而化，这是实现“创造性转化、创新性发展”的本质要求和归旨。

Overall, the “excellence” of China’s traditional legal culture should meet the following conditions: first, possessing universality and commonality, conforming to the universal laws, common values, and scientific rationality of human legal (cultural) development; second, possessing progressiveness and civilizational character, conforming to the essential requirements, common features, and development trends of human rule-of-law civilization; third, possessing practicality and people-centeredness, conforming to the contemporary national conditions, practical needs, long-term goals, and people’s will of contemporary China.

总体而言，中华传统法律文化的“优秀”，应当具备以下条件：一是具有普遍性和共同性，符合人类法律（文化）发展的普遍规律、共同价值和科学理性；二是具有先进性和文明性，符合人类法治文明的本质要求、共同特征和发展趋势；三是具有实践性和人民性，符合当代中国国情、现实需要、长远目标和人民意愿。

Furthermore, if we approach this from the academic or theoretical research perspective of advancing the theoretical elucidation, academic expression, and systematic construction of socialist rule-of-law theory with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, advancing the construction of the discourse system, academic system, and disciplinary system of Chinese legal studies in the New Era, and constructing an independent knowledge system for Chinese legal studies, we could propose several principles, standards, or even “requirements.” However, the most decisive, fundamental, and overarching condition (standard) remains the three aspects mentioned above.

此外，如果我们从推进新时代中国特色社会主义法治理论的学理化阐释、学术化表达、体系化构建，推进新时代中国法学话语体系、学术体系、学科体系建设，构建中国法学自主知识体系的学术或者理论研究角度，还可以提出若干原则、标准甚至“要件”，但其中具有决定性意义的最根本、总体性的条件（标准），还是上述三个方面。

(3) Adhering to the Scientific Attitude and Correct Path of “Creative Transformation and Innovative Development”

（三）坚持“创造性转化、创新性发展”的科学态度和正确路径

Chinese culture has a long history, and Chinese civilization is extensive and profound. Only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional culture, more forcefully advance the construction of a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC clearly stated that to comprehensively build a modern socialist country, we must adhere to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics, adhere to serving the people and serving socialism, adhere to the policy of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend, adhere to creative transformation and innovative development, take core socialist values as the guide, and develop advanced socialist culture. “Creative transformation and innovative development” is our Party’s scientific attitude toward China’s excellent traditional culture, and it is also the correct path for more fully demonstrating the influence, cohesion, and appeal of Chinese civilization on the new journey of the New Era. Creation, as an autonomous and dynamic act of human civilizational progress, means bringing into being or manufacturing things that did not previously exist. The “creative transformation” of excellent traditional culture means, in accordance with the characteristics, spirit, and requirements of the times, to excavate, transform, and develop the civilizational connotations and forms of expression of China’s excellent traditional culture, inherit its excellent genes, fine traditions, and cultural heritage, endow it with new contemporary connotations and modern forms of expression, and activate its vitality. Innovation has always been an important force driving a country or a nation forward. “Innovation means creating new ideas, new discourses, new mechanisms, and new forms; under the guidance of Marxism, we must truly make the past serve the present, make foreign things serve China, make dialectical choices, and weed through the old to bring forth the new, achieving an organic connection between tradition and modernity.” The “innovative development” of excellent traditional culture means, in accordance with the new progress, new development, and new goals of the times, to sort, condense, supplement, expand, and perfect China’s excellent traditional culture, reveal the cultural spirit, cultural breadth, cultural heritage, and cultural confidence of the Chinese nation contained within it, enhance its influence and appeal, and endow it with new vitality and new momentum.

中国文化源远流长，中华文明博大精深。只有全面深入了解中华文明的历史，才能更有效地推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，更有力地推进中国特色社会主义文化建设，建设中华民族现代文明。党的二十大报告明确提出，全面建设社会主义现代化国家，必须坚持中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，坚持为人民服务、为社会主义服务，坚持百花齐放、百家争鸣，坚持创造性转化、创新性发展，以社会主义核心价值观为引领，发展社会主义先进文化。“创造性转化、创新性发展”是我们党对待中华优秀传统文化的科学态度，也是新时代新征程更加充分地展示中华文明的影响力、凝聚力、感召力的正确路径。创造作为人类文明进步的自主和能动行为，就是把以前没有的事物创立或者制造出来。优秀传统文化的“创造性转化”，就是要按照时代特点、精神和要求，对中华优秀传统文化中的文明内涵及其表现形式等加以发掘、改造和发展，传承其优秀基因、优良传统和文化底蕴，赋予其新的时代内涵和现代表达形式，激活其生命力。创新始终是推动一个国家、一个民族向前发展的重要力量。“创新，创的是新思路、新话语、新机制、新形式，要在马克思主义指导下真正做到古为今用、洋为中用、辩证取舍、推陈出新，实现传统与现代的有机衔接。”优秀传统文化的“创新性发展”，就是要按照时代的新进步新发展新目标，对中华优秀传统文化加以梳理、凝练、补充、拓展、完善，揭示蕴含其中的中华民族的文化精神、文化胸怀、文化底蕴和文化自信，增强其影响力和感召力，赋予其新活力和新动能。

We must always adhere to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s excellent traditional culture. Under the guidance of the Marxist worldview and methodology and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, taking creation and innovation as the main pathway and transformation and development as the fundamental driving force, we must strive to promote the integration of the historical connotations of China’s excellent traditional legal culture with the needs of the times, the alignment of its prominent features with the actual conditions of the country, and the adaptation of its modes of expression to the development of the rule of law. Only by unremittingly advancing the process of creative transformation and innovative development can we continuously achieve the inheritance, absorption, and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, allowing the ancient Chinese legal civilization to constantly radiate new vitality and provide a powerful spiritual force for the rule of law in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

我们要始终坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，在马克思主义世界观方法论和习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的指导下，以创造与创新为主要途径，以转化与发展为根本动力，着力推进中华优秀传统法律文化的历史内涵与时代需求相融合、突出特征与现实国情相契合、表达方式与法治发展相适应。只有在坚持不懈地推进创造性转化、创新性发展的过程中，才能不断实现对中华优秀传统法律文化的继承吸收与创新发展，让古老的中华法制文明不断焕发新的生命力，为实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦提供强大法治精神力量。

II. Strengthen Comparative Research on the Experiences of Legal Transformation and Integration in Relevant Countries and Regions

二、加强对有关国家和地区法律转化融合经验的比较研究

To promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, we should adhere to the principle of “not forgetting the original, absorbing the foreign, and facing the future,”[19]19 Xi Jinping, “Explanatory Notes on the ‘Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Advancing Law-Based Governance’,” in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, vol. 2 (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017), p. 118. attach great importance to, and vigorously strengthen, comparative research on the experiences of relevant countries and regions in transforming and integrating the Chinese legal system and foreign legal cultures.

推动中华优秀传统法律文化创造性转化、创新性发展，应当坚持不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来，高度重视并大力加强对有关国家和地区对中华法系以及域外法律文化转化融合经验的比较研究。

China is an ancient country with a history of one million years of humanity, ten thousand years of culture, and more than five thousand years of civilization. The Chinese legal civilization has a long history, profound foundations, and a distant origin. The Chinese legal system is a glorious model of the achievements of China’s historical legal civilization. As early as the 21st century BCE, China had already produced early customary law. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (770 BCE – 221 BCE), China began to formulate written laws, and self-contained written codes emerged. After the Qin Dynasty (221 BCE – 207 BCE) unified China, it standardized weights and measures, promoted governing the country by law, and formed the Chinese legal system. Subsequently, after more than eight hundred years of development through the Western Han, Eastern Han, Three Kingdoms, Two Jins, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Chinese legal system gradually matured by the Sui and Tang Dynasties (581 CE – 907 CE).

中国是一个具有百万年人类史、一万年文化史、五千多年文明史的古国，中华法治文明历史悠久、底蕴深厚、源远流长。中华法系是中国历史上法治文明成就的光辉典范。早在公元前21世纪，中国就已经产生了早期习惯法；春秋战国时期（公元前770年—公元前221年），中国开始制定成文法，出现了自成体系的成文法典；秦朝（公元前221年—公元前207年）统一中国后，统一度量衡，推行以法治国，形成了中华法系；后经过西汉和东汉以及三国、两晋、

Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty regarded upholding the law as the foundation of governance. The *Zhenguan Code* [20]20 The State Council Information Office is the information office of the central government of the People’s Republic of China, responsible for press releases and public communications. brought about the “Zhenguan Era of Peace and Prosperity.” [21]21 “Dual innovation” (双创) is a standard abbreviation for “creative transformation and innovative development” (创造性转化和创新性发展), a policy concept for handling traditional culture. The *Tang Code with Commentary*, [22]22 This is a classical Chinese idiom from *The Book of Songs* (《诗经》), meaning that the advice or experience of others can be used to improve oneself. revised on the basis of the *Zhenguan Code*, not only created a representative code characterized by the unity of rites and law, the combined use of virtue and law, and the primacy of virtue supplemented by punishment, laying the legal foundation for the golden age of the Tang Dynasty, but also marked the peak and completeness of the Chinese legal system. After the legal reforms at the end of the Qing Dynasty, the influence of the Chinese legal system gradually declined.

南北朝长达八百多年的发展，到隋唐时期（公元581年—907年）中华法系逐步成熟。唐太宗以奉法为治国之重，一部《贞观律》成就了“贞观之治”；在《贞观律》基础上修订而成的《唐律疏议》，不仅创造了以礼法合一、法德并用、德主刑辅为主要特征的代表性法典，为大唐盛世奠定了法律基石，而且标志着中华法系走向鼎盛和完备。清末法律改革以后，中华法系的影响日渐衰微。

The Chinese legal system formed its own system and stood out among the world’s major legal systems. It once had a significant impact on world legal civilization (especially on the legal cultures of East Asia and South Asia). Zhang Jinfan believes: “Along with the formation and development of the Chinese legal system, Chinese legal culture also exuded strong appeal and penetration, profoundly influencing the legal construction of countries such as Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, causing the legal systems of these countries to bear the imprint of the Chinese legal system and the infiltration of Chinese legal culture.” [23]23 The “Second Integration” (第二个结合) refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s excellent traditional culture, as distinct from the first integration of Marxism with China’s concrete reality. Countries in East Asia, such as Japan and Korea, and in South and Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Singapore, were historically deeply influenced by the Chinese legal system. These countries introduced and implemented many ancient Chinese legal systems, especially those of the Tang Dynasty. For example, Japan promulgated the *Omi Code* [24]24 Xi Jinping, speech at the symposium on cultural heritage and development, June 2, 2023. based on learning from the Tang *Ling* (administrative regulations). The *Taiho Code*, [25]25 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, *The Social Contract*, Book II, Chapter 12. modeled on Tang laws, is Japan’s most famous code. Subsequently, the *Yoro Code* [26]26 Xi Jinping, speech at the third collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, February 23, 2013. was formulated, marking the completion of Japan’s nearly century-long reform of its legal system imitating the Tang Dynasty’s legal system. In addition, Vietnam’s *Penal Code*, *National Dynasty General Regulations*, *Hong Duc Code*, *Equal Field Law*; Cambodia’s *Indian Code*; Thailand’s *Three Seals Law*; the Philippines’ *Matas Code* and *Kalantiaw Code*; and Korea’s *Goryeo Code* all absorbed the Tang Code. From the Tang Dynasty onward, Chinese codes, due to their advanced and scientific nature, were respected by neighboring countries and regarded as the “mother law,” with neighboring countries all becoming part of the coverage of the Chinese legal system

中华法系在世界主要法系中自成一体、独树一帜，曾经对世界法治文明（尤其是对东亚和南亚法律文化）产生重要影响。张晋藩认为：“伴随着中华法系的形成和发展,中华法文化也散发出强劲的感染力和渗透力,深刻影响着朝鲜、越南、日本等国家的法制建设,使得这些国家的法律制度都带有中华法系的烙印和中华法文化的浸润。”东亚的日本、朝鲜，南亚、东南亚的越南、缅甸、柬埔寨、新加坡等国家，历史上都曾深受中华法系影响，这些国家都引进并推行了很多中国古代尤其是唐朝的法律制度。例如，日本在学习唐令的基础上颁布了《近江令》；仿唐律令制定的《大宝律令》是日本最著名的法典；后又制定《养老律令》，标志着日本近一个世纪以来，模仿唐朝法制进行的律令制改革的完成。此外，越南的《刑书》《国朝通制》《洪德法典》《均田法》，柬埔寨的《天竺法》，泰国的《三印法典》，菲律宾的《马塔斯法典》和《卡兰莱雅奥法典》，朝鲜的《高丽律》等都吸纳了唐律。从唐朝起，中国法典因先进性和科学性受到相邻国家的尊重，并被奉为母法，相邻各国均成为中华法系所覆盖的国家。习近平强调指出：“与大陆法系、英美法系、伊斯兰法系等不同，中华法系是在我国特定历史条件下形成的，显示了中华民族的伟大创造力和中华法制文明的深厚底蕴。”中华法系凝聚了中华民族的精神和智慧，有很多优秀思想和理念值得我们传承和发扬。

The Chinese legal system profoundly influenced Asian countries, and there are many typical cases worthy of our comparative study. For example, Japan successively integrated the Chinese legal culture represented by the Chinese legal system and the Western legal culture represented by the civil law system into its legal construction, forming a legal culture with its own characteristics. The statue of the god of justice currently placed in the Supreme Court of Japan vividly shows that its modern judicial civilization contains a legal cultural concept that connects the ancient and the modern, integrates East and West, and embraces diverse elements. The legal cultural concept expressed by the Japanese statue of the god of justice has the following notable features: first, it takes the person rather than the state as the subject and standard; second, it is rooted in Japan’s national conditions and based on Japan’s historical and traditional culture; third, it is nurtured by East Asia’s advanced culture and underpinned by Eastern civilization (Buddhist culture); fourth, it uses the judicial civilization represented by the Western goddess of justice as its function; fifth, from the perspective of the integration of Eastern (Japanese) and Western civilizations, it comprehensively integrates the foundations, underpinnings, subjects, values, concepts and other elements of its rule of law, forming a legal culture, judicial system and rule-of-law model with Japanese characteristics. However, deeply influenced by the world pattern after the Second World War, the legal culture and rule-of-law model with Japanese characteristics today are, on the whole, markedly Westernized in character.

中华法系深刻影响了亚洲诸国，有很多典型事例值得我们进行比较研究。例如，日本先后把以中华法系为代表的中华法律文化和以大陆法系为代表的西方法律文化融入其法制建构中，形成了具有自己特色的法律文化。现在日本最高裁判所摆放的一座正义之神雕塑，生动形象地显示，其现代司法文明蕴含着一种古今通达、东西融合、兼收并蓄的法律文化理念。日本正义之神雕塑表现的法律文化理念具有以下显著特征：一是以人而不是以国家为主体和本位；二是立足于日本国情，以日本历史传统文化为根基；三是涵养于东亚先进文化，以东方文明（佛教文化）为底蕴；四是以西方正义女神所代表的司法文明为用；五是在东方（日本）与西方两大文明相融合的视角下，全面整合其法治的根基、底蕴、主体、价值、理念等要素，形成一种具有日本特色的法律文化、司法制度和法治模式。但受到第二次世界大战后世界格局的深刻影响，当今日本特色的法律文化和法治模式，总体而言具有鲜明的西方化特征。

To promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, attention should be paid to the manner and degree of influence that the Chinese legal system once had and still has on Asian countries such as South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and to the channels of dissemination, integrated development, forms of expression, and trends of change of the Chinese legal system in these countries, so as to conduct in-depth comparative studies and draw on them for reference.

推动中华优秀传统法律文化的创造性转化、创新性发展，应当关注中华法系曾经以及现在对韩国、越南、新加坡、柬埔寨、泰国、马来西亚、缅甸等亚洲国家的影响方式、影响程度，以及中华法系在这些国家的传播途径、融合发展、表现形式、变化趋势等情况，以进行深入的比较研究并作为参考借鉴。

In addition, attention should also be paid to the relevant experiences and practices of China’s Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, conducting in-depth research on how the Taiwan region has handled the relationship between traditional Chinese legal culture and extraterritorial rule-of-law experience and legal knowledge in its rule-of-law development as well as legal education and legal research; conducting in-depth research on how Hong Kong handled the relationship between the Anglo-American legal system and the laws and customs of China’s Qing dynasty during the nearly one hundred years before its return; and conducting in-depth research on similar issues in Macao.

此外，还要关注我国台湾、香港、澳门的有关经验和做法，深入研究台湾地区在法治发展以及法学教育、法学研究中如何处理中华传统法律文化与域外法治经验、法学知识的关系，深入研究香港回归前近百年时间中如何处理英美法系与中国清朝法律和习惯的关系，深入研究澳门的类似问题。

“The rule of law is one of the important achievements of human civilization. The essence and core tenets of the rule of law have universal significance for the governance of states and societies. We must learn from and draw on the world’s outstanding achievements in rule-of-law civilization.” [19]19 Xi Jinping, “Explanatory Notes on the ‘Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Advancing Law-Based Governance’,” in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, vol. 2 (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2017), p. 118. Inheriting China’s excellent traditional legal culture and learning from the beneficial achievements of human rule-of-law civilization is an important experience in advancing the construction of Chinese-path rule-of-law modernization and promoting the innovative development of China’s legal theory.

“法治是人类文明的重要成果之一，法治的精髓和要旨对于各国国家治理和社会治理具有普遍意义，我们要学习借鉴世界上优秀的法治文明成果。”传承中华优秀传统法律文化，学习借鉴人类法治文明有益成果，是推进中国式法治现代化建设和推动中国法学理论创新发展的一条重要经验。

In February 2008, the State Council Information Office released the white paper *The Rule of Law in China*. This was the first white paper on rule-of-law construction ever issued by the Chinese government. It summarized the basic experience of rule-of-law construction over the nearly 60 years since the founding of New China, especially the 30 years of reform and opening up. This experience included the principle that “China adheres to carrying out rule-of-law practice based on its national conditions, while also paying attention to drawing on and absorbing the beneficial experience of foreign legal system construction and the achievements of rule-of-law civilization jointly created by humanity, so as to enrich and perfect the rule-of-law civilization of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” [20]20 The State Council Information Office is the information office of the central government of the People’s Republic of China, responsible for press releases and public communications. In the legislative field in particular, China paid attention to referencing and learning from foreign legislative experience. In the field of civil and commercial law, the General Principles of Civil Law, the Property Law, the Contract Law, and other laws adopted many basic institutions from both common-law and civil-law countries, absorbed the private-law spirit and legislative principles prevalent internationally, affirmed freedom of contract, autonomy of will, and equality of subjects, and safeguarded public property and citizens’ lawful private property. In the field of administrative law, it absorbed principles prevalent in modern administrative rule of law, such as the principle of proportionality and the principle of protection of legitimate expectations. In the field of criminal law, the Criminal Law and the Criminal Procedure Law drew on and absorbed the basic principles and spirit of modern criminal rule of law from abroad, such as the principle of legality and open trial. In recent years, in response to new circumstances emerging in criminal offenses, and by reference to foreign criminal legislative experience, new charges have been stipulated in criminal law, such as the crime of financing terrorist activities, the crime of money laundering, the crime of insider trading, the crime of manipulating securities and futures trading prices, and the crime of obstructing credit-card management. In the legislation on intellectual property protection and environmental protection, China has also absorbed considerable foreign legislative experience.

2008年2月，国务院新闻办公室发布《中国的法治建设》白皮书。这是中国政府首次发表的法治建设白皮书，总结了新中国成立近60年来，特别是改革开放30年来法治建设的基本经验，其中就包括“中国坚持从国情出发开展法治实践，同时也注意借鉴和吸收国外法制建设的有益经验和人类共同创造的法治文明成果，丰富和完善中国特色社会主义法治文明”。尤其是在立法领域，中国注意参考和借鉴国外的立法经验。在民商法领域，民法通则、物权法、合同法等法律，兼采普通法系和大陆法系国家的诸多基本制度，吸收了国际通行的私法精神与立法原则，确认契约自由、意思自治与主体平等，保障公共财产和公民私人合法财产。在行政法领域，吸收了现代行政法治中通行的比例原则、信赖保护等原则。在刑事法领域，刑法和刑事诉讼法借鉴和吸收了国外罪刑法定和公开审判等现代刑事法治的基本原则和精神。近年来，针对刑事犯罪中出现的新情况，参照国外刑事立法经验，在刑事法律中规定了资助恐怖活动罪、洗钱罪、内幕交易罪、操纵证券期货交易价格罪、妨害信用卡管理罪等新罪名。中国在知识产权保护和环境保护的立法方面，也吸收了不少国外的立法经验。

In October 2011, the white paper *The Socialist System of Laws with Chinese Characteristics* issued by the State Council Information Office further emphasized that the formation of the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics has always been grounded in China’s national conditions, insisting on organically combining the inheritance of historical traditions, the drawing on the achievements of human civilization, and institutional innovation. On the one hand, it has focused on inheriting the excellent elements of China’s traditional legal culture, adapting to the needs of reform and opening up and socialist modernization to carry out institutional innovation, thereby realizing the fusion of traditional culture and modern civilization. On the other hand, it has paid attention to studying and drawing on beneficial experience from foreign legislation and absorbing advanced achievements of foreign rule-of-law civilization, yet without simply copying or imitating, so that the legal system both conforms to China’s national conditions and reality and keeps pace with the contemporary trend of world rule-of-law civilization. This legal system possesses a strong inclusiveness and openness, fully reflecting its distinctive cultural characteristics. In May 2020, the Third Session of the 13th National People’s Congress passed the *Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China*. This is the first law in the history of New China to be named a “code,” and it is a major achievement of China’s socialist rule-of-law construction in the New Era. Xi Jinping pointed out that this law “systematically integrates the civil legal norms formed over more than 70 years of long-term practice since the founding of New China, draws on the more than 5,000 years of excellent legal culture of the Chinese nation, and borrows from the beneficial achievements of the construction of human rule-of-law civilization; it is a civil code that reflects the socialist nature of our country, conforms to the interests and aspirations of the people, and meets the requirements of the development of the times.” We must, from the combination of theory and practice, comprehensively summarize the valuable experience accumulated in China’s rule-of-law practice of drawing on the beneficial achievements of human rule-of-law civilization and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, and blaze a path for constructing an independent Chinese knowledge system of legal science that combines “drawing on” with “dual innovation.” [21]21 “Dual innovation” (双创) is a standard abbreviation for “creative transformation and innovative development” (创造性转化和创新性发展), a policy concept for handling traditional culture.

2011年10月，国务院新闻办公室发布的《中国特色社会主义法律体系》白皮书进一步强调，中国特色社会主义法律体系的形成，始终立足于中国国情，坚持将传承历史传统、借鉴人类文明成果和进行制度创新有机结合起来。一方面，注重继承中国传统法制文化优秀成分，适应改革开放和社会主义现代化建设需要进行制度创新，实现了传统文化与现代文明的融合；另一方面，注意研究借鉴国外立法有益经验，吸收国外法制文明先进成果，但又不简单照搬照抄，使法律制度既符合中国国情和实际，又顺应当代世界法制文明时代潮流。这个法律体系具有很强的包容性和开放性，充分体现了它的独特文化特征。2020年5月，第十三届全国人民代表大会第三次会议通过了《中华人民共和国民法典》。这是新中国成立以来第一部以“法典”命名的法律，是新时代我国社会主义法治建设的重大成果。习近平指出，这部法律“系统整合了新中国成立七十多年来长期实践形成的民事法律规范，汲取了中华民族五千多年优秀法律文化，借鉴了人类法治文明建设有益成果，是一部体现我国社会主义性质、符合人民利益和愿望、顺应时代发展要求的民法典”。我们要从理论与实践的结合上，全面总结我国法治实践中积累的借鉴人类法治文明有益成果，推动中华优秀传统法律文化创造性转化、创新性发展的宝贵经验，走出一条“借鉴”与“双创”相结合的中国自主法学知识体系构建之路。

“Stones from other hills may serve to polish the jade of this one.” [22]22 This is a classical Chinese idiom from *The Book of Songs* (《诗经》), meaning that the advice or experience of others can be used to improve oneself. We should, with the broad mind and grand vision of human rule-of-law civilization, uphold the major concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, promote the common values of all humanity—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom—and adhere to equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations. We should transcend rule-of-law civilization estrangement through rule-of-law civilization exchange, transcend rule-of-law civilization conflict through rule-of-law civilization mutual learning, and transcend rule-of-law civilization superiority through rule-of-law civilization inclusiveness. We should strengthen comparative research on the legal traditions, legal cultures, legal systems, rule-of-law paths, rule-of-law experience, legal methods, and legal education of the world’s major legal families and various types of rule-of-law civilization. In the process of seeking common ground while reserving differences, we should learn from and draw on the beneficial achievements of human rule-of-law civilization, thereby ensuring that Chinese rule-of-law civilization always maintains a powerful vitality of continuous advancement with the times, innovation, and development.

它山之石可以攻玉。我们应当以人类法治文明的宽广胸怀和宏大视野，秉持构建人类命运共同体的重大理念，弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，坚持文明平等、互鉴、对话、包容，以法治文明交流超越法治文明隔阂、以法治文明互鉴超越法治文明冲突、以法治文明包容超越法治文明优越，加强对世界各大法系、各类法治文明中法律传统、法律文化、法律制度、法治道路、法治经验、法律方法、法学教育等的比较研究，在求同存异的比较中学习借鉴人类法治文明的有益成果，推动中华法治文明始终保持不断与时俱进、创新发展的强大生命力。

III. Upholding the “Two Integrations” and Promoting the Organic Fusion of “Chinese-Medicine Legal Science” and “Western-Medicine Legal Science”

三、坚持“两个结合”，推进“中医法学”与“西医法学”有机融合

Upholding the combination of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality and with the excellent traditional Chinese culture is the scientific method and fundamental pathway for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It is also the overall requirement and fundamental guideline for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture and constructing an independent Chinese knowledge system of legal science. Within this basic premise, we should pay greater attention to studying and advancing the major issues of the theory, method, technology, and pathway for the organic fusion of “Chinese-medicine legal science” and “Western-medicine legal science.”

坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，是推进马克思主义中国化时代化的科学方法和根本途径，也是推动中华优秀传统法律文化创造性转化和创新性发展、构建中国自主法学知识体系的总体要求和根本遵循。在这个基本前提下，我们应当更加重视研究和推进“中医法学”与“西医法学”有机融合的理论、方法、技术和路径等重大问题。

Generally speaking, law and medicine, legal science and medical science, courts and hospitals, judges (lawyers) and medical officers (doctors), legal principles and medical principles, rule of law and medical treatment—these concepts are highly similar in many respects, such as essence, subject, mission, function, goal, and mechanism. For example, “law” pursues fairness, justice, and the punishment of evil and promotion of good, while “medicine” pursues healing the world and saving lives. Both legal science and medical science take “human beings” as the subject of the discipline; in essence, they are the two most fundamental and important fields and disciplines through which humanity understands itself, conquers itself, perfects itself, and develops itself. Both take human “phenomena” (behavior, relationships, interests, problems, ailments, conditions, needs, etc.) as their objects of study; both serve people primarily through the means of “preventing and treating diseases”; both are carried out in specific places such as “courts” or “hospitals,” where professional judges (lawyers) or medical officers (doctors) implement “prevention and treatment” activities for “patients.” Legal science focuses on studying and solving people’s “social diseases,” that is, problems of people’s social relations, social behavior, social interests, and illegal crimes; medical science focuses on studying and solving people’s “physical diseases,” that is, problems of the body’s functions, health, illness, and hygiene. Both aim to achieve the “supreme good” of better survival and development for humanity—life, safety, order, health, and happiness. Their affairs differ but their principles are the same; their causes differ but their effects are the same.

一般来说，法与医、法学与医学、法院与医院、法官（律师）与医官（医生）、法理与医理、法治与医疗……这些概念在本质、主体、使命、功能、目标、机理等诸多方面十分相似。例如，“法”追求公平正义、惩恶扬善，“医”追求悬壶济世、治病救人。法学和医学都是以“人”作为学科主体，本质上是人类认识自我、征服自我、完善自我和发展自我最基本、最重要的两个领域、两大学科。两者都以人的“现象”（行为、关系、利益、问题、毛病、状态、需要等）作为研究对象，都是以“预防和医治疾病”为主要手段来为人服务，都是在“法院”或者“医院”这类特定场所，由专业法官（律师）或者医官（医生）等针对“病人”实施“预防和医治”活动。法学侧重于研究和解决人的“社会病”，即人的社会关系、社会行为、社会利益和违法犯罪等问题，医学侧重于研究和解决人的“身体病”，即人自身的机能、健康、疾病、卫生等问题，它们都是为了实现人类生命、安全、秩序、健康、幸福等更好生存和发展的“至善”目的，两者事不同理同、因不同果同。

In modern and contemporary times, Chinese medicine and Western medicine have waxed and waned in Chinese society, and the integration of Chinese and Western medicine has risen and fallen. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in the long-term practice of implementing the policy of integrating Chinese and Western medicine, people have come to realize ever more deeply that traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the unity of heaven and humanity, attaches importance to the overall operational state of the human body, and advocates medical principles and methods such as treating both the symptoms and root causes and applying treatment based on syndrome differentiation. Compared with Western medicine, it possesses unique scientific theoretical connotations and significant advantages in clinical experience. This change in the circumstances of Chinese and Western medicine is highly instructive and of reference significance; therefore, medical concepts are borrowed here to explain legal phenomena. The “Chinese-medicine legal science” referred to in this article denotes the legal culture and legal science achievements that have emerged, formed, evolved, and continuously developed since the beginning of Chinese civilization. It mainly includes China’s (excellent) traditional legal culture, the Chinese legal system, Chinese rule-of-law civilization, and the rule-of-law experience and rule-of-law theory explored and created by the Party leading the people. “Chinese-medicine legal science” not only possesses inherent attributes such as a long-standing Chinese gene, Chinese bloodline, Chinese tradition, and Chinese civilization, but also has unmistakable characteristics such as being indigenous, original, autonomous, contemporary, and Sinicized. It is an indispensable root vein for constructing an independent knowledge system of Chinese legal science. “Western-medicine legal science,” on the other hand, mainly refers to those parts of our country’s legal science that come from extraterritorial legal theories, legal knowledge genealogies, legal discourse systems, legal disciplinary systems, legal textbook systems, and legal method techniques—such as those from the socialist legal system represented by the Soviet Union, as well as the civil-law system, the common-law system, and the international law system.

近现代以来，中医和西医在中国社会此消彼长、中西医结合此起彼伏。中华人民共和国成立后，在贯彻中西医结合方针的长期实践中，人们愈来愈深刻体悟到，传统中华医学强调天人合一，重视人体的整体运行状态，主张标本兼治、辨证施治等医理和方法，与西医相比具有独特的科学理论内涵和显著的临床经验优势。中西医的这种境遇变迁很有启发性和借鉴意义，故此借用医学概念来阐释法学现象。本文所说的“中医法学”，是指中华文明有史以来产生、形成、演变和不断发展的法律文化和法学成果，主要包括中华（优秀）传统法律文化、中华法系、中华法治文明、党领导人民探索和创造的法治经验和法治理论等。“中医法学”不仅具有源远流长的华夏基因、中华血脉、中国传统、中华文明等固有属性，而且具有毋庸置疑的本土性、原创性、自主性、时代性、中国化等显著特征，是构建中国法学自主知识体系不可或缺的根脉。“西医法学”则主要指我国法学中来自以苏联为代表的社会主义法系以及大陆法系、英美法系、国际法学体系等域外法学理论、法学知识谱系、法学话语体系、法学学科体系、法学教材体系以及法律方法技术等内容。

In the treasure house of human法治文明 [rule-of-law civilization], “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” has a long history, deep roots, broad scope, and profound substance. Within it there is much that is uniquely endowed, far-reaching in influence, and distinctive in its advantages and essence as a rule-of-law civilization. To construct an independent Chinese legal knowledge system, we must first strengthen confidence in “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” pay greater attention to research on “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” and actively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence.” To realize the creative transformation and innovative development of the essential meaning of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” three basic issues need to be studied and resolved.

在人类法治文明宝库中，“中医法学”历史悠久、源远流长、博大精深、底蕴深厚，其中有许多东西是得天独厚、影响深远、独具优势和特色的法治文明精华。构建中国自主法学知识体系，首先要坚定“中医法学”自信，更加重视“中医法学”研究，积极推动“中医法学”的创造性转化、创新性发展。而要实现“中医法学”精髓要义的创造性转化、创新性发展，需要研究和解决三个面向的基本问题。

The first is oriented toward the “Second Integration” [23]23 The “Second Integration” (第二个结合) refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s excellent traditional culture, as distinct from the first integration of Marxism with China’s concrete reality. in the process of adapting the Marxist theory of rule of law to the Chinese context and the needs of the times: how can “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” actively and consciously integrate itself into the Marxist theory of rule of law, truly becoming the historical foundation and cultural底色 [underlying tone] of China’s excellent traditional legal culture? Xi Jinping has stated that we must “take Marxism as the guide to conduct a comprehensive excavation of the treasure house of China’s 5,000-year civilization, use Marxism to activate the vital and excellent factors in China’s excellent traditional culture and endow them with new contemporary connotations, inject the great spirit and rich wisdom of the Chinese nation into Marxism at a deeper level, effectively link the essence of Marxist thought with the essence of China’s excellent traditional culture, coalesce them into new theoretical advantages, and continuously scale new ideological heights.” [24]24 Xi Jinping, speech at the symposium on cultural heritage and development, June 2, 2023. This important thesis, from the combined perspective of worldview and methodology, provides ideological guidance and fundamental principles for us to adhere to the guidance of the Marxist theory of rule of law, activate the vital and excellent factors in China’s excellent traditional legal culture, and endow them with new contemporary connotations. Its significance is great.

一是面向马克思主义法治理论中国化时代化中的“第二个结合”，“中医法学”如何主动自觉地融入马克思主义法治理论，真正成为中华优秀传统法律文化的历史底蕴和文化底色。习近平提出，要“以马克思主义为指导对中华5000多年文明宝库进行全面挖掘，用马克思主义激活中华优秀传统文化中富有生命力的优秀因子并赋予新的时代内涵，将中华民族的伟大精神和丰富智慧更深层次地注入马克思主义，有效把马克思主义思想精髓同中华优秀传统文化精华贯通起来，聚变为新的理论优势，不断攀登新的思想高峰”。这一重要论断从世界观和方法论相结合的高度，对我们坚持以马克思主义法治理论为指导，激活中华优秀传统法律文化中富有生命力的优秀因子并赋予新的时代内涵，提供了思想指导和根本遵循，意义重大。

The second is oriented toward the great practice of comprehensively governing the country according to law in the New Era: how can “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” be wholly integrated into the entire process and all aspects of the rule-of-law construction of China, truly becoming the historical consciousness and cultural confidence of building a socialist country under the rule of law? One of the cornerstones of comprehensively governing the country according to law is rule-of-law culture. The meaning of rule of law is not merely the establishment of institutions and systems, nor merely the enactment of constitutions and laws. An important component of the rule of law is the spirit of the rule of law embodied in a country’s culture. Therefore, to understand the significance of the rule of law in a country, and to effectively bring into play the value and normative functions of the operation of the rule of law, the most important thing is culture. For law to function, the whole society needs to have faith in the law. Rousseau said that the most important of all laws is neither engraved on marble nor on bronze tablets, but inscribed in the hearts of citizens. [25]25 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, *The Social Contract*, Book II, Chapter 12. Xi Jinping has emphasized: “To comprehensively advance the rule of law, the whole society needs to participate together, and the whole society’s concept of the rule of law needs to be strengthened. We must promote the socialist spirit of the rule of law throughout society and build a socialist rule-of-law culture.” [26]26 Xi Jinping, speech at the third collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, February 23, 2013. “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” contains profound cultural substance and brilliant national wisdom. It is the historical gene, civilizational foundation, and cultural底色 of rule-of-law construction in China. It is a precious resource and theoretical support for the historical consciousness, civilizational confidence, and cultural confidence of adhering to comprehensive rule of law.

二是面向新时代全面依法治国的伟大实践，如何把“中医法学”整体融入法治中国建设的全过程各方面，真正成为社会主义法治国家建设的历史自觉和文化自信。全面依法治国的基石之一是法治文化。法治的含义不只是建立机构、制度，也不只是制定宪法、法律。法治的重要组成部分是一个国家文化中体现的法治精神。因此，要理解法治在一个国家里的意义，要有效发挥法治运作的价值和规范功能，最重要的是文化。法律要发挥作用，需要全社会信仰法律。卢梭说过，一切法律中最重要的法律，既不是刻在大理石上，也不是刻在铜表上，而是铭刻在公民的内心里。习近平强调：“全面推进依法治国需要全社会共同参与，需要全社会法治观念增强，必须在全社会弘扬社会主义法治精神，建设社会主义法治文化。”“中医法学”蕴含着深厚的文化底蕴和灿烂的民族智慧，是法治中国建设的历史基因、文明根基、文化底色，是坚持全面依法治国历史自觉、文明自信、文化自信的宝贵资源和学理支撑。

The third is oriented toward the new goals and new demands of constructing an independent Chinese legal knowledge system: how can we promote the deep embedding, complementary advantages, and organic integration of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence,” truly forming a modern Chinese rule-of-law civilizational theoretical system with outstanding inclusiveness, diverse convergence, eclectic absorption, and open exchange? Xi Jinping has pointed out that Chinese civilization possesses outstanding inclusiveness, which “fundamentally determines the historical orientation of the Chinese nation’s interaction, exchange, and integration… and determines the open-mindedness of Chinese culture in eclectically absorbing world civilizations.” [27]27 Xi Jinping, speech at the symposium on cultural heritage and development, June 2, 2023. In terms of professional attributes, “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence” diverge in their cultural mechanisms and developmental trajectories, each having its own characteristics in professional attributes and internal logic, being evenly matched in disciplinary features and modes of thinking, and each having its own merits in practical operation and functional “efficacy.” Although they belong to different historical and cultural spatiotemporal domains of East and West, they are both important achievements of human rule-of-law civilization. The basic principle of comparative law—“seeking commonality in difference, seeking difference in commonality”—tells us that in the long-term development of human rule-of-law civilization, the commonality between “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence” determines the possibility and feasibility of their organic integration, while their differences determine the necessity and inevitability of their eclectic absorption.

三是面向构建中国自主法学知识体系的新目标新需求，如何推动“中医法学”与“西医法学”深度嵌入、优势互补、有机融合，真正成为具有突出包容性的多元汇聚、兼收并蓄、开放交流的现代化中华法治文明理论体系。习近平指出，中华文明具有突出的包容性，这“从根本上决定了中华民族交往交流交融的历史取向……决定了中华文化对世界文明兼收并蓄的开放胸怀”。就专业属性特征而言，“中医法学”和“西医法学”在文化机理和发展沿革上殊途异归，在专业属性和内在逻辑上各具特色，在学科特征和思维方法上平分秋色，在实践运行和功能“疗效”上各有千秋，它们虽分属东西方不同历史文化的时空范畴，但均是人类法治文明的重要成果。“异中求同、同中求异”的比较法基本原则告诉我们，在人类法治文明长期发展的进程中，“中医法学”和“西医法学”的共同性，决定了两者有机融合的可能和可行，而两者的差异性则决定了“中医法学”与“西医法学”兼收并蓄的必要和必然。

The first orientation focuses on resolving the issue of the soul-vein of the socialist theory of rule of law with Chinese characteristics; the second orientation focuses on resolving the issue of the foundation of China’s rule-of-law practice in the New Era; the third orientation focuses on resolving the issue of the root-vein of an independent Chinese legal knowledge system. To promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional legal culture and to construct an independent Chinese legal knowledge system, we must always adhere to combining the Marxist theory of rule of law with China’s concrete reality and with China’s excellent traditional legal culture, firmly holding fast to our own soul-vein and root-vein.

第一个面向，重点要解决中国特色社会主义法治理论的魂脉问题；第二个面向，重点要解决新时代中国法治实践的底蕴问题；第三个面向，重点要解决中国自主法学知识体系的根脉问题。推动中华优秀传统法律文化的创造性转化、创新性发展，构建中国自主法学知识体系，必须始终坚持把马克思主义法治理论同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统法律文化相结合，牢牢坚守自己的魂脉和根脉。

First, adhere to the organic unity of the soul-vein, foundation, and root-vein of an independent Chinese legal knowledge system. Xi Jinping has emphasized: “The major proposition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times itself determines that we must never abandon Marxism, the soul-vein, nor must we abandon China’s excellent traditional culture, the root-vein. Holding fast to this soul and root is the foundation and prerequisite for theoretical innovation.” [28]28 Xi Jinping, speech at the 6th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, June 30, 2023. For constructing an independent Chinese legal knowledge system, the soul-vein determines the banner and direction, the foundation determines life and vitality, and the root-vein determines the gene and底色. The three are indispensable, mutually reinforcing, and organically unified, but the most fundamental issue is to resolve the problems of the soul-vein and root-vein.

一是坚持中国法学自主知识体系的魂脉、底蕴、根脉有机统一。习近平强调：“马克思主义中国化时代化这个重大命题本身就决定，我们决不能抛弃马克思主义这个魂脉，决不能抛弃中华优秀传统文化这个根脉。坚守好这个魂和根，是理论创新的基础和前提。”对于构建中国法学自主知识体系而言，魂脉决定旗帜和方向，底蕴决定生命和活力，根脉决定基因和底色，三者不可或缺、相辅相成、有机统一，但最根本的是要解决好魂脉和根脉问题。

Second, promote the “self-revolution” of legal science, including the “self-revolution” of legal scholars and legal professionals. For a long time, the legal education we have conducted has been heavily colored by “Western-medicine jurisprudence.” We have studied and drawn on the achievements of human rule-of-law civilization, studied and drawn on the rule-of-law practice of socialist countries, studied and drawn on the rule-of-law experience of modernized developed countries, and studied and drawn on all legal theories conducive to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the Chinese Dream. This has enabled the modernized leap of Chinese legal science and rule of law, providing powerful legal theoretical support and rule-of-law guarantees for creating the “two miracles” [29]29 The “two miracles” (两个奇迹) refer to China’s rapid economic development and long-term social stability. rarely seen in the world. Embarking on the new journey, to comprehensively build a modern socialist country on the track of the rule of law and to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, we must take Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law as the guide. On the basis of a profound reflection on “Western-medicine jurisprudence” and an in-depth study of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” we must promote the deep integration of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence,” blazing a new path for the construction and development of an independent Chinese legal knowledge system. To achieve this goal, we legal scholars and legal professionals need to actively and consciously carry out self-revolution. We must both break out of the rut of the superiority theory of “Western-medicine jurisprudence” and shatter the shackles of the obsolescence theory of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” enhance confidence in Chinese rule-of-law civilization and theoretical confidence in “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” complete another ideological liberation and self-transcendence of the Chinese legal subject, and use the self-revolution of the legal subject to promote new development and new leaps in Chinese legal science in the New Era.

二是推进法学“自我革命”，包括法学/法律人的“自我革命”。长期以来，我们进行的法学教育“西医法学”色彩较浓。我们学习和借鉴人类法治文明成果，学习和借鉴社会主义国家法治实践，学习和借鉴现代化发达国家法治经验，学习和借鉴一切有利于实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的法学理论，实现了中国法学和法治的现代化腾飞，为创造世所罕见的“两个奇迹”提供了强大的法学理论支撑和法治保障。迈上新征程，在法治轨道上全面建设社会主义现代化国家，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，必须以习近平法治思想为引领，在对“西医法学”进行深刻反思、对“中医法学”进行深入研究的基础上，推动“中医法学”与“西医法学”深度融合，走出一条中国法学自主知识体系建构发展的新道路。实现这个目标，就需要我们法学/法律人主动自觉地进行自我革命，既要跳出“西医法学”优越论的窠臼，又要打破“中医法学”过时论的桎梏，增强中华法治文明自信和“中医法学”理论自信，完成中国法学主体的又一次思想解放和自我超越，以法学主体的自我革命推动新时代中国法学实现新发展、新飞跃。

Third, promote the holistic, systematic, and integrated research of China’s excellent traditional legal culture. The reason Marxism has such a far-reaching influence lies in its use of profound theory to reveal the truth of the development of human society and its use of a complete system to demonstrate the scientific nature of its theory. We must systematically sort out and scientifically summarize the major civilizational achievements of China’s excellent traditional legal culture, such as its philosophical concepts, knowledge system, internal logic, scientific methods, and essential meaning. We must deeply analyze the historical background, contemporary conditions, institutional design, rule system, and practical significance of specific Chinese legal cultures, rather than treating China’s excellent traditional legal culture in a fragmented, cherry-picking, piecemeal, or literal-minded manner.

三是推进对中华优秀传统法律文化的整体化、体系化、集成化研究。马克思主义之所以影响深远，在于其以深刻的学理揭示人类社会发展的真理性，以完备的体系论证其理论的科学性。我们要系统梳理和科学总结中华优秀传统法律文化的哲学理念、知识体系、内在逻辑、科学方法和精髓要义等重大文明成果，深入分析特定中华法律文化的历史背景、时代条件、制度设计、规则体系、实践意义等，而不是支离破碎、各取所需、零敲碎打、望文生义地对待中华优秀传统法律文化。

Fourth, seek the “greatest common divisor” for the organic integration of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence,” and explore the scientific rationale, gene pedigree, “blood-type matching,” implementation paths, and effective methods for promoting and realizing the creative transformation and innovative development of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and the critical inheritance and modern revival of the Chinese legal system.

四是寻找“中医法学”与“西医法学”有机融合的“最大公约数”，探寻推动和实现“中医法学”创造性转化创新性发展、中华法系批判性继承和现代性复兴的科学理据、基因谱系、“血型匹配”、实现路径和有效方法等。

Fifth, we must promote the proactive, thorough, and comprehensive integration of “Western-medicine jurisprudence” — especially traditional departmental legal sciences such as civil law, criminal law, and procedural law — with “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence,” advancing from the bottom up and merging from the concrete to the abstract, so as to avoid phenomena such as a fever for integration in legal theory but cold action in traditional departmental legal sciences, or a perfunctory, mechanical grafting of “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence” that results in “two separate skins.” [30]30 “Two separate skins” (两张皮) is a Chinese idiom referring to two things that are nominally combined but remain disconnected in practice, like two pieces of skin that do not adhere.

五是推动“西医法学”尤其是民法学、刑法学、诉讼法学等传统部门法学，与“中医法学”主动深入细致地全面融入融合，自下而上推进、由实到虚融合，避免出现法学理论融合热而传统部门法学行动冷，或者“中医法学”与“西医法学”融合虚与委蛇、生搬硬套，出现“两张皮”等现象。

Sixth, we must pay attention to the inherent political-ideological attribute background of “Western-medicine jurisprudence,” and must never slavishly follow the old path of Western legal (rule-of-law) centrism, still less fall into the simplistic tendency of indiscriminately slapping political-ideological labels on “Western-medicine jurisprudence.” We must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground [31]31 “Uphold fundamental principles and break new ground” (守正创新) is a key concept in Xi Jinping Thought, meaning to maintain core principles while innovating in methods and practice.; re-examine and re-cognize the good and bad, the advantages and disadvantages, the gains and losses of “Western-medicine jurisprudence” with the scientific spirit, scientific attitude, and scientific method of Marxist legal theory; use the innovative achievements of New Era “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” to transform “Western-medicine jurisprudence” and develop “Western-medicine jurisprudence”; advance the Sinicization development, Easternization innovation, and globalization transformation of “Western-medicine jurisprudence”; in the great tide of the era of exchange and mutual learning between Chinese legal civilization and world legal civilization, promote the common values of all mankind [32]32 “Common values of all mankind” (全人类共同价值) is a term promoted by the CPC, referring to peace, development, fairness, rule of law, democracy, and freedom as shared by all humanity, in contrast to Western claims of universal values.; drive “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence” to learn from each other’s strengths, deeply integrate, and achieve organic unity; create a new realm of Chinese-path modernization legal civilization that integrates “Chinese-medicine jurisprudence” and “Western-medicine jurisprudence”; and provide Chinese legal theoretical support and contribute Chinese legal wisdom to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

六是要重视“西医法学”固有的政治意识形态属性背景，决不能亦步亦趋地走西方法学（法治）中心主义的老路，更要避免给“西医法学”乱贴政治意识形态标签的简单化倾向。我们要坚持守正创新，以马克思主义法治理论的科学精神、科学态度、科学方法重新审视和认知“西医法学”的好坏优劣、利弊得失，用新时代“中医法学”创新成果改造“西医法学”、发展“西医法学”，推进“西医法学”中国化发展、东方化创新、全球化蜕变，在中华法治文明与世界法治文明交流互鉴的时代大潮中，弘扬全人类共同价值，推动“中西医法学”取长补短、深度融合、有机统一，开创“中医法学”与“西医法学”相融合的中国式现代化法治文明新境界，为构建人类命运共同体提供中华法理支撑、贡献中国法治智慧。

(Author’s brief introduction: Li Lin, Member of the Academic Division of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Researcher at the Institute of Law, Distinguished Professor at the School of Law, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者简介：李林，中国社会科学院学部委员、法学研究所研究员，中国社会科学院大学法学院特聘教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心