The World of Qing Dynasty Legal Scholars (47)

Author: Cheng Liyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: Since its establishment, Southwest University of Political Science and Law has weathered 50 years of challenges. Despite the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, which led to its suspension for nearly a decade, the university has educated over 100,000 students. The spirit of Mount Gulong has nurtured integrity, while the Jialing River has fostered a humanistic ethos. These 100,000 graduates have contributed to the construction of China's legal system, forming a prominent group of legal scholars in the field. They have shaped the unique character and spirit of Southwest's legal education and its graduates. On the occasion of the university's 50th anniversary, the Beijing Alumni Association of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, in collaboration with Legal Publishing House, has launched the "Academic Works of Southwest University of Political Science and Law," a tribute to our alma mater's golden jubilee. It is also a review of the achievements of this prestigious center of legal education and research in China. We hope these 50 works will serve as stepping stones for future scholars in the fields of legal research and education, and that they will reflect the traditions and spirit of Southwest University of Political Science and Law to readers.
The character and spirit reflected in the university's educational process and the works and actions of its students is first and foremost a strong sense of vigilance. Vigilance is an enduring tradition of Chinese intellectuals. As Zeng Can said, "A scholar must be resolute and steadfast, for the burden is great and the journey long. To take benevolence as one's duty is not heavy enough? To die without rest is not distant enough?" Zeng Can's words epitomize the profound sense of vigilance and responsibility of Chinese intellectuals. However, since the introduction of Western academic and educational systems, intellectuals have specialized in different fields, creating a tension between their professional pursuits and their commitment to serving the nation. For legal professionals, a new profession in the history of this country, they are inevitably destined to face more hardships in modern China compared to those in other fields.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, legal education quickly fell under suppression. In reality, the establishment of law schools like Southwest University of Political Science and Law in the early 1950s was less a milestone in the development of legal education and more a measure to restrict it. Each law school was established by merging several departments of law from comprehensive universities, significantly reducing the overall scale of legal education in China. More significant than scale was the break from traditional legal education content and goals, as the concept of "political and legal studies" implied a radical departure. Thus, both teachers and students in these law schools were initially in a state of repression. The mainstream discourse on legal education at the time was entirely hostile to the rule of law. By the 1960s, this hostility intensified, leading to the complete halt of legal education. Teachers were sent to labor, and schools were disbanded. In such circumstances, the vigilance of legal scholars was deeply rooted and inescapable.
After the Cultural Revolution, legal education was restored, and the rule of law gradually gained prominence. However, the vast gap between legal theory in textbooks and the realities of society remained a constant source of pain for legal professionals. Despite being located in the southwest, somewhat "far from the center," this heightened sense of vigilance, exacerbated by the of their profession, did not wane even further. In legal education and legal research, this vigilance combined with rationality and openness to form a culture of intellectual curiosity, equal discussion, and academic independence among Southwest's legal scholars. They were not blind followers or believers. Especially in the early years after its revival, the campus was a hotbed of intellectual debate, with academic posters expressing bold ideas and new theories emerging one after another. Some arguments or proofs may seem naive today, but in the context of the time, they were groundbreaking. It was this kind of campus atmosphere that nurtured the valuable spirit of skepticism and critique among Southwest's legal scholars.
Skepticism and critique are not emotional expressions but rational arguments grounded in extensive and profound knowledge. Initially, the goal of establishing specialized law schools was to train technicians or craftsmen in law. Without access to a comprehensive university, the knowledge horizons of students and teachers would inevitably be limited, stifling the development of a critical spirit. However, the uniqueness of Southwest's legal scholars lies in their awareness of the limitations of this educational system and their relentless efforts to overcome it. The books never left their hands in the library, the deep thoughts on Mount Yanyin, and the fierce debates in dormitory discussions all revealed the determination of students and teachers at this somewhat specialized university to transcend the confines of law.
This pursuit is vividly reflected in our graduates. Beyond those engaged in legal education and research, who often demonstrate interdisciplinary knowledge in their works, many alumni have entered politics or excelled in fields outside law. Some have even become playwrights, travel writers, poets, or philosophers. As our alma mater continues to evolve into a comprehensive university, we believe our graduates will embody this diversity even more profoundly.
For a person, 50 is the age of "knowing one's destiny." But for a university, 50 is merely a sapling in the forest of world universities. Although our alma mater has forged a unique spirit and tradition and achieved remarkable success in talent cultivation, we still face the arduous task of building a great university. As alumni, while presenting this tribute, we also extend our heartfelt blessings to our alma mater for a bright future. May its fine traditions continue to flourish, may its campus always be filled with blooming peach and plum trees, may its alumni continue to produce outstanding talents, and may they contribute even more to the great cause of the rule of law in the nation.
A far-reaching institution, nestled in the Sichuan mountains.
Diligently promoting the way, only our students.
The Editorial Committee of the "Academic Works of Southwest University of Political Science and Law"
August 6, 2003