摘要
正確解讀史料是所有歷史研究不可缺少的基礎工作。本文將借用劉欣寧女士在本期刊第16輯對拙著所提出的一些疑問，討論幾則對研究秦漢刑罰體系極其關鍵的法律史料。第一則為提到「黥顏頯為隸妾」的《法律答問》簡174。這一則答問係「刑」與「隸臣」併科之特例，正確理解此特例對解開秦律複合刑的疑團頗有幫助。第二則為《法律答問》簡185，內容涉及「贖刑」與「贖耐」之間所存在的一大斷層，這為正確理解秦律贖罪制度提供可貴的線索。第三則討論「殊死」概念的含義，著重探討「殊死」概念在西漢時代的詞義變化以及在「殊死」之下累疊「以下」、「諸不當得赦者」等概念的歷史意義。筆者認為相關材料的解讀是理解諸如「贖死」、「宮刑」、「減死」、「徙邊」等制度的關鍵所在，可以從一個新的角度映照出西漢刑罰體系的歷史演變。
Exact reading of text sources is premise to any historical account. This paper takes some doubts expressed by Ms Liu Xinning against the author’s recent book as a chance to discuss the reading of some legal text sources which are essential to the research of the penal system of the Qin and the Han. The first section focuses on the meaning of “tattooing the cheeks and degrading to Liqie (黥顏頯為隸妾)” in strip 174 of “Legal Questions and Answers (法律答問)”. In this source we find the exceptional combination of the two punishments of “tattooing” and “Liqie”. Comprehension of this combination is a key in analyzing the structure of the compound punishments which, for long time, had been an obstacle to the correct reconstruction of the penal scale. The second section discusses the deep gap between “redemption of head shaving (贖耐)” and “redemption of mutilating punishment (贖刑)” which divides the group of redemptory fines into monetary fines and fixed-term labor. The discussion is mainly based on a new decoding of strip 185 of “Legal Questions and Answers (法律答問)”. The third section picks up the concept of “definite death penalty (殊死)”. A deep look into the changes of meaning of this concept during time sheds new light on the transformation of the penal system during the Western Han including the interchanging institutions of “redemption of death penalty (贖死)”, “castration (宮刑)”, “reduction of death penalty (減死)” and “deportation to frontier (徙邊)”.
關鍵詞
刑罰體系、複合刑、黥顏頯、贖死、贖刑、贖耐、殊死、減死、徙邊
penal system、compound punishments、cheek tattooing、redemption of death penalty、redemption of mutilating punish
