Yuanzhao English, American and British Dictionary

Author: Xue Bopan
Editor-in-Chief: Pan Handian
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-05-01
Features: In the contemporary world, the convergence of the civil law system and the common law system is becoming increasingly evident. Although China traditionally belongs to the civil law system, in the process of building a socialist rule of law state, particularly with the recent formulation of China's Civil Code on the agenda, it is imperative that we, while grounded in our national conditions, fully draw upon the advanced legal theories, legislative, and judicial experiences of both legal systems. Regarding the common law, many of its legal fields, especially in contract law and tort law, are not only integral components of its domestic legal culture but are also widely adopted by countries around the world. Due to linguistic and legal cultural differences, our understanding of the common law remains relatively limited, and we have even misinterpreted or misunderstood certain fundamental concepts and their institutional implications. The Yuanzhao Common Law Dictionary, organized by Professor Pan Handian and other scholars, fills the current gap in Chinese legal dictionaries by comprehensively introducing the basic systems and concepts of the common law. The book's features are primarily reflected in the following aspects:
First, the authority of the compilers. The book is advised by eight renowned scholars both domestically and internationally, including Ni Zhengri, Wang Mingyang, and Yang Tieliang, and is the result of extensive research by over 200 experts and scholars from prestigious law schools and research institutions such as the Law School of Renmin University of China, the Law School of Peking University, and the Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It was repeatedly revised over several years and ultimately reviewed by dozens of experts and scholars, including Xu Kaishu.
Second, the broad scope of coverage. The dictionary includes and annotates over 50,000 terms, covering general legal usage of phrases, and is accompanied by more than 30 charts and 8 historical documents. The content spans major fields of the common law, including legal theory, constitutional law, criminal law, and civil law.
Third, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of term explanations. Each term is marked with its etymology, including Latin, French, and German. The explanations of each term are highly detailed, even if certain meanings are no longer commonly used in modern law, they hold significant value for academic research. Moreover, as the compilers are familiar with China's legal system and have in-depth research on the basic systems of various legal fields, the book accurately corresponds the fundamental concepts of Chinese and common law, offering precise and insightful explanations.
Fourth, the book's strong readability. It is suitable not only for legal researchers but also for judges, lawyers, and other practitioners. The dictionary is also an invaluable reference for non-legal professionals studying the political, economic, and cultural systems of the common law world.
In the contemporary world, the convergence of the civil law system and the common law system is becoming increasingly evident. Although China traditionally belongs to the civil law system, in the process of building a socialist rule of law state, particularly with the recent formulation of China's Civil Code on the agenda, it is imperative that we, while grounded in our national conditions, fully draw upon the advanced legal theories, legislative, and judicial experiences of both legal systems. Regarding the common law, many of its legal fields, especially in contract law and tort law, are not only important components of its domestic legal culture but are also widely adopted by countries around the world. Due to linguistic and legal cultural differences, our understanding of the common law remains relatively limited, and we have even misinterpreted or misunderstood certain fundamental concepts and their institutional implications. The Yuanzhao Common Law Dictionary, organized by Professor Pan Handian and other scholars, fills the current gap in Chinese legal dictionaries by comprehensively introducing the basic systems and concepts of the common law. The book's features are primarily reflected in the following aspects:
First, the authority of the compilers. The book is advised by eight renowned scholars both domestically and internationally, including Ni Zhengri, Wang Mingyang, and Yang Tieliang, and is the result of extensive research by over 200 experts and scholars from prestigious law schools and research institutions such as the Law School of Renmin University of China, the Law School of Peking University, and the Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It was repeatedly revised over several years and ultimately reviewed by dozens of experts and scholars, including Xu Kaishu.
Second, the broad scope of coverage. The dictionary includes and annotates over 50,000 terms, covering general legal usage of phrases, and is accompanied by more than 30 charts and 8 historical documents. The content spans major fields of the common law, including legal theory, constitutional law, criminal law, and civil law.
Third, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of term explanations. Each term is marked with its etymology, including Latin, French, and German. The explanations of each term are highly detailed, even if certain meanings are no longer commonly used in modern law, they hold significant value for academic research. Moreover, as the compilers are familiar with China's legal system and have in-depth research on the basic systems of various legal fields, the book accurately corresponds the fundamental concepts of Chinese and common law, offering precise and insightful explanations.
Fourth, the book's strong readability. It is suitable not only for legal researchers but also for judges, lawyers, and other practitioners. The dictionary is also an invaluable reference for non-legal professionals studying the political, economic, and cultural systems of the common law world.