From the Human World to the Netherworld: Law, Society, and the State in the Tang Dynasty

Author: Chen Dengwu
Publisher: Wu Nan
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: Introduction This book extends the legal and criminal issues of the "Human World" to the "Netherworld" judicial trials, discussing various aspects of Tang Dynasty's legal system, including: examining the actual operation of Tang Dynasty's litigation system through the lens of commoner crimes; the social security situation and state's response highlighted by individual cases of commoner crimes; and how the state utilized religious or belief forces beyond the law in establishing legal order to reduce crime rates and achieve effective social control. From a macro perspective, this book focuses on the long-neglected issue of commoner crimes, touching upon legal, social, and national topics, and even extending to state governance techniques, surpassing traditional legal history approaches. By placing the issue at the interaction between commoners and the state, specifically the relationship between the state and grassroots society, coupled with the interpretation of new historical materials and the introduction of cultural historical perspectives, it aims to contribute to the integration of historical studies and legal theory.