The Image Of Chinese Law In The Eyes Of French Enlightenment Thinkers In The 18th Century

As a narrative tradition,the West has always had a "Utopia" illusion in the East in the process of their own development,and Chinese law has always been their focus.Since the advent of "Marco Polo's Travels",the image of the Chinese in the West has been more than seven centuries old.However,the praise of the image of China that lasted for centuries has a questioning voice in the Age of Enlightenment.It is precisely this emergence of different voices that promotes the development of “China Heat” to its peak.The focus of this article is the eighteenth century of the climax of the Enlightenment.The praise of the image of Chinese law continues from fermentation to the emergence of doubtful voices,and finally to the entire development of the peak.The leader and pioneer of the French enlightenment thinker,Francois Marie Voltaire1694-1778,is the well-deserved standard-bearer of the Chinese.He was the European thinker who knew China most and talked about China in the 18 th century.His book " n the Spirits and Customs of Various ationalities" Essais sur les moeurs et l esprit des nations is referred to as "The Customs of the Customs" and is the first masterpiece to start with China as a world history.Voltaire identified China as a model of the enlightened monarch.He believed that China's laws were perfect,strict and unified,and even sang praises for Chinese paternal rule.At the same time,the strong admiration of Confucius became a weapon against his right to teach.Charles Louis de Secondat Montesquieu 1689-1755,as a pioneer of sociology of law,although not the first thinker to criticize the image of Chinese law in the Age of Enlightenment,as "the greatest political thinker of France in the 18 th century",Meng's criticism of the image of Chinese law is undoubtedly the most theoretical and systematic.His theory of polity and the judgment of China as an authoritarian regime and a comprehensive evaluation of the etiquette of Chinese etiquette belong to the alternative voices of the mainstream songs of China,creating a precedent for China and laying a foundation for later criticism of the Chinese political system.The foundation.Although at the same time,such as Denis Diderot 1713-1784,Mabli G.-B.de Mably,1709-1785,and Francois de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon,1651-1715 and other other Chinese characters,but in general they can not reach the height and depth of Montesquieu.Francois Quesnay 1694-1774 was a French economist and thinker and leader of the agrarian school.He unequivocally admits that China is authoritarianism,and then sings passionately to praise China's political system.He regards China as an ideal kingdom andvigorously praises his persistent pursuit and publishes "The Devotional System of the Chinese Empire" Le Despotisme de La China,another Translated "Chinese Absolutism",which refuted Meng's criticism of China one by one,pushed the "Chinese fever" to the top,and developed the enlightened authoritarian theory to a new stage.At the same time,his esteem and praise of Confucius' s thoughts made him known as "the Confucius of Europe."Fundamentally,their attitude towards the image of Chinese law is a microcosm of their personal political ideal and ideal foresight.Voltaire and Quaynai's political system,which advocates the combination of Chinese morality and politics,is the hope of the Republic in reality.The progressive significance of natural theology and rationalism is demonstrated by the examples of China,and it is the sharp weapon of their opposition to the right of religion.They insisted on reason and evolution,and firmly believed that they could adapt to and promote the development of France at that time by drawing lessons from the form of government and Confucianism in China,which was in line with reason.The enlightened monarchy with natural morality and Confucianism are examples and models of learning in France.In contrast,Montesquieu,as a pioneer of sociology of law,used the research method of sociology of law,and studied the law and material conditions and climate with holistic thinking,separated from a single model of legal development.The relationship between geographical location and residents' beliefs,using the Chinese reverse proof of his ideological theory.By stripping away the appearance and digging deeply,we will find that the image of China and law has a profound and significant impact on the West.n the one hand,China's knowledge and image of law provide a weapon of anti-religious rights for enlighteners and "others" for the development of the West,which is a mirror confirmed by the West itself.By caring for foreign civilization,the west can develop itself and perfect its own development mode in a sense,which can be used for reference for us.n the other hand,in the 18 th century,there were two distinct images of Chinese law in the writings of French enlightening thinkers: one was described by many theologians,through Voltaire,Quinn and others.The other is the autocratic image of Chinese law created by Montesquieu and others.These two voices have opened two different frontiers for the future western cognition and evaluation of China and self-evaluation,that is,"western centralism" and "Chinese centralism".