Abstract
This article begins with the status quo of China. Although there isn't a single code called civil law in China, there are the contract law, the torts and the property law. The first part of this article concerns on the development of modern China civil law. Modern legislators pay attention to the technics of the draft formation, which split into two major different viewpoints: the first is the abstract way which requires the legislator to extract the general principle from the ordinary rules. The other one is to use plain language so that the law could be comprehended by even laymen. After discussing the general ways to systemize a civil code, the author moves his argument into specific domains of the civil code, such as: the family law, the commercial law and the IP law. The second part of this article focuses on the evolution of the society of China. After 1990, the society has transformed its face from “nation-state” into civil society. Under such context, it is much more important to discuss certain issues, for example, how to channel the public policy consideration into the allocation of civil law? Finally, the author considers the future of civil law in China under the present circumstances around East Asia and the world.
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Notes
- 1.
See Huixing Liang, The Draft Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China (Prepared by the Legislative Research Group of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), English translation by Fu/Schnider/Jiao/Wei/Shao/Li/Zhang/Liu, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers (Leiden) 2010.
- 2.
As to the work to draft a civil law, it has been called for a nationalization, scientification and massilization. “Massilization” (Da zhong hua,
) here means that the law is easy for people to understand and master. See Xijin Tao, Tao xi jin wen ji [Collected Papers of Xijin Tao], Law Press China 2008, p. 155. - 3.
See Huixing Liang, Min fa zong lun [General Introduction to Civil Law], 4th ed., Law Press China 2011, pp. 162–170.
- 4.
See Huaishi Xie, Xie huai shi fa xue wen xuan [Collected Legal Papers of Huaishi Xie], China Legal Publishing House 2002, pp. 95–96.
- 5.
See Huixing Liang, Min fa xue shuo pan li yu li fa yan jiu [Studies on Civil Law Theories, Cases and Legislations], China’s University of Political Science and Law Press 1993, pp. 56–58.
- 6.
For example professor Liming Wang advocates this position. See Weiguo Wang ed., Zhongguo min fa dian lun tan [Chinese Civil Code Forum (2002–2005)], China’s University of Political Science and Law Press 2006, p. 15.
- 7.
See Keping Yu, Ma ke si de shi min she hui li lun ji qi li shi di wei [Karl Marx’s Theory of Civil Society and its Historical Role], Social Sciences in China, 1993 (4), 59–74. Zengke He, Shi min she hui gai nian de li shi yan bian [Historical Evolution of the Concept of Civil Society], Social Sciences in China, 1994(5) 67–81. Guodong Xu, Shi min she hui yu shi min fa [Civil Society and Civil Law], CASS Journal of Law, 1994(4) 3–9.
- 8.
See Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Path of the Law, in: The Collected Legal Papers, Dover Publications, Inc. 2007, pp. 167–202.
- 9.
In June 1982 Commission of Legislative Affair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, P. R. China made a decision to follow a step-by-step method to prepare a civil code. See Xijin Tao, Tao xi jin wen ji [Collected Papers of Xijin Tao], Law Press China 2008, p. 312.
- 10.
See He li hong su Zhongguo ren shou bao xian gu fen you xian gong si Foshan shi Shunde zhi gong si, Zhongguo ren shou gu fen you xian gong si Foshan fen gong si bao xian he tong jiu fen an [Case of Dispute over Insurance Contract: He Lihong v. China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Shunde Subbranch of Foshan and China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Foshan Branch] 2008 Supreme People’s Court Gazette. 142 (Foshan Medium People’s Court, 2006) (P.R.C.).
- 11.
See Anhui sheng fu li cai piao f axing zhong xin yu Beijing de fa li ke ji fa zhan you xian ze ren gong si ying xiao xie yi jiu fen an [Case of Marketing Agreement Dispute: Anhui Province Welfare Lottery Distribution Center v. Beijing De Fa Li Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd.] 2009 Supreme People’s Court Gazette. 155 (Supreme People’s Court, 2009) (P.R.C.).
- 12.
See Zui gao ren min fa yuan guan yu gu gong he tong ying dang yang e zhi xing lao dong bao hu fa gui wen ti de pi fu [Supreme People’s Court’s Reply on Carrying out Strictly Regulations Protecting Labors] (No.1 of Min Ta Zi (88), the 14th Oct. 1988); Zhang lian qi, zhang guo li su zhang xue zhen sun hai pei chang jiu fen an [Case of Compensation: Lianqi Zhang, Guoli Zhang v. Xueli Zhang] 1989 Supreme People’s Court Gazette (No.1).
- 13.
See Shiyuan Han, He tong fa zong lun [The Law of Contract], 3rd ed., Law Press China 2011, pp. 178–179.
- 14.
Article 39 Where standard terms are adopted in concluding a contract, the party supplying the standard terms shall define the rights and obligations between the parties abiding by the principle of fairness, and shall inform the other party to note the exclusion or restriction of its liabilities in a reasonable way, and shall explain the standard terms upon request by the other party.
Standard terms are clauses that are prepared in advance for general and repeated use by one party, and which are not negotiated with the other party when the contract is concluded.
- 15.
Article 40 When standard terms are under the circumstances stipulated in Articles 52 and 53 of this Law, or the party which supplies the standard terms exempts itself from its liabilities, increases the liabilities of the other party, and deprives the material rights of the other party, the terms shall be invalid.
- 16.
Article 41 If a dispute over the understanding of the standard terms occurs, it shall be interpreted in accordance with common understanding. Where there are two or more kinds of interpretation, an interpretation unfavorable to the party supplying the standard terms shall prevail. Where the standard terms are inconsistent with non-standard terms, the latter shall prevail.
- 17.
Article 53 The following exception clauses in a contract shall be null and void:
(1) those that cause personal injury to the other party;
(2) those that cause property damages to the other party as result of deliberate intent or gross negligence.
- 18.
R.H. Coase, Qi ye shi chang yu fa lü [The Firm, the Market and the Law], translated by Hong Sheng and Yu Chen, Ge-zhi Publishing House 2009; Richard Posner, Fa lu de jing ji fen xi [Economic Analysis of Law], translated by Zhaokang Jiang, Encyclopaedia of China Publishing House 1997.
- 19.
Schaefer and Ott, Min fa de jing ji fen xi [Oekonomischen Analyse des Zivilrechts], translated by Qingyun Jiang and Tao Du, Law Press China 2009.
- 20.
Cheng Wang, Qin quan sun hai pei chang de jing ji fen xi [Economic Analysis of Tortious Damages], China Renmin University Press 2002.
- 21.
See Shiyuan Han, in: Franco Ferrari ed., The CISG and its Impact on National Legal Systems, sellier. European Law Publishers 2008.
- 22.
For more information about the PACL, see Shiyuan Han, Principles of Asians Contract Law: An Endeavor of Regional Harmonization of Contract Law in East Asia, 58(4) Villanova Law Review, pp. 589–599.
) here means that the law is easy for people to understand and master. See Xijin Tao, Tao xi jin wen ji [Collected Papers of Xijin Tao], Law Press China 2008, p. 155.References
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Coase, R.H. (2009) Qi ye shi chang yu fa lü [The Firm, the Market and the Law]. translated by Hong Sheng and Yu Chen, Ge-zhi Publishing House
Han, Shiyuan (2008) The CISG and its Impact on National Legal Systems, sellier. In: Franco Ferrari ed. European Law Publishers
Han, Shiyuan (2011) He tong fa zong lun [The Law of Contract]. 3rd ed., Law Press China
Han, Shiyuan (2013) PACL: an Endeavour of Regional Harmonization of Contract Law in East Asia. In Materials for Norman J. Shachoy Symposium 2013 (Assessing the CISG and Other International Endeavors to Unify International Contract Law: Has the Time Come for a New Global Initiative to Harmonize and Unify International Trade?). Villanova University School of Law
He li hong su Zhongguo ren shou bao xian gu fen you xian gong si Foshan shi Shunde zhi gong si, Zhongguo ren shou gu fen you xian gong si Foshan fen gong si bao xian he tong jiu fen an [Case of Dispute over Insurance Contract: He Lihong v. China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Shunde Subbranch of Foshan and China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. Foshan Branch] 2008 Supreme People’s Court Gazette. 142 (Foshan Medium People’s Court, 2006) (P.R.C.).
He, Zengke, Shi min she hui gai nian de li shi yan bian [Historical Evolution of the Concept of Civil Society]. Social Sciences in China, 1994(5):67–81.
Holmes, Oliver Wendell (2007) The Path of the Law. In: The Collected Legal Papers, Dover Publications, Inc.
Liang, Huixing (1993) Min fa xue shuo pan li yu li fa yan jiu [Studies on Civil Law Theories, Cases and Legislations]. China’s University of Political Science and Law Press
Liang, Huixing (2010) The Draft Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China (Prepared by the Legislative Research Group of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences). English translation by Fu/Schnider/Jiao/Wei/Shao/Li/Zhang/Liu. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers (Leiden)
Liang, Huixing (2011) Min fa zong lun [General Introduction to Civil Law], 4th ed. Law Press China
Posner, Richard (1997) Fa lu de jing ji fen xi [Economic Analysis of Law], translated by Zhaokang Jiang, Encyclopaedia of China Publishing House
Schaefer and Ott (2009) Min fa de jing ji fen xi [OekonomischenAnalyse des Zivilrechts]. translated by Qingyun Jiang and Tao Du. Law Press China
Tao, Xijin Tao (2008) Tao xi jin wen ji [Collected Papers of Xijin Tao]. Law Press China
Wang, Cheng (2002) Qin quan sun hai pei chang de jing ji fen xi [Economic Analysis of 326 Tortious Damages]. China Renmin University Press
Wang, Weiguo(ed) (2006) Zhongguo min fa dian lun tan [Chinese Civil Code Forum (2002–2005)]. China’s University of Political Science and Law Press
Xie, Huaishi (2002) Xie huai shi fa xue wen xuan [Collected Legal Papers of Huaishi Xie]. 330 China Legal Publishing House
Xu, Guodong, Shi min she hui yu shi min fa [Civil Society and Civil Law]. CASS Journal of Law, 1994(4):3–9.
Yu, Keping, Ma ke si de shi min she hui li lun ji qi li shi di wei [Karl Marx’s Theory of Civil Society and its Historical Role]. Social Sciences in China, 1993(4):59–74.
Zui gao ren min fa yuan guan yu gu gong he tong ying dang yang e zhi xing lao dong bao hu fa gui wen ti de pi fu [Supreme People’s Court’s Reply on Carrying out Strictly Regulations Protecting Labors] (No.1 of Min Ta Zi (88), the 14th Oct. 1988); Zhang lian qi, zhang guo li su zhang xue zhen sun hai pei chang jiu fen an [Case of Compensation: Lianqi Zhang, Guoli Zhang v. Xueli Zhang] 1989 Supreme People’s Court Gazette (No.1).
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Han, S. (2014). Civil Law Codification in China: Its Characteristics, Social Functions and Future. In: Wang, WY. (eds) Codification in East Asia. Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03446-1_17
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