On The Qin And Han Penalty Amnesty Relief

Remission and mitigation Policies are two significant overlapping components of ancient Chinese punitive remission systems. The two reached maturity in Qin and Han Dynasties.On one hand, due to reflection on Qin's subversion and the adoption of the principle of "running the country with Confucian classics", Remission Policy was prevalently applied and formed such features as autocracy, arbitrariness etc. It contributed a lot to moderating social conflicts, regulating judicature and protecting talents, exerting profound influence upon politics, judicature and folkway of Han Dynasty.On the other hand, on account of the accumulation of past experience and the popularity of "Valuing virtues; undervaluing penalty", law makers and executors were then capable of laying down effective regulations in connection With specific groups, specific procedures and specific situations. This marked the maturity of the Remission Policy and thereby arose such judicative customs as remission coming of suicide and substitution etc. All these embody the class nature of legislation and Judicature as well as a certain degree of reasonableness and progressiveness.