The Nine Chapter Law (Chinese: 九章律; pinyin: Jiǔzhāng Lǜ) is the most important law in the Han Dynasty and had great influence on the laws in the Chinese history.

The authorship of the law is most commonly attributed to Xiao He. The Book of Han noted that after the Han Dynasty was established at 206 BC, emperor Liu Bang thought the wartime three treaty laws are inadequate for the crimes,[1] and the Book of Jin recorded that Chancellor Xiao He adapted law code from the Qin Dynasty code and added 3 more chapters.[2] The law got its name from the 6 chapters adopted from the Canon of Laws and 3 new chapters covering family register, conscription and livestock.

In the second year of Empress Lü Zhi's reign, the Second‐Year Law was published, and the Nine Chapter Law can no longer be used to reference the entirety of the Han Dynasty legislation.[3] The Jin Dynasty (266–420) adopted the nine chapter law and added 11 more chapters, and formed its own 20 chapter legal code.[4] In the dynasties that followed supplement laws had been announced and obsolete code removed. The nine chapter law's longevity was shown in its presence in the legal system of the Sui Dynasty (589–618 CE).[5]

References

  1. ↑ Book of Han, Treatise on Punishment and Law, Volume 23:"三章之法不足以御奸，于是相国萧何捃摭秦法，取其宜于时者，作律九章。
  2. ↑ Book of Jin Volume 30, Punishment and Law:“汉承秦制，肃何定律，除参夷连坐之罪，增部主见知之条，益事律、兴、厩三篇，合为九篇”
  3. ↑ WANG Wei;On Han Dynasty Laws[J];Historical Research;2007-03
  4. ↑ Book of Jin Volume 30,Punishment and Law:“就汉九章，增十一篇”
  5. ↑ Old Book of Tang, Volume 30, Punishment and Law::"自汉迄隋，世有损益"
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