On The Revision Of Wanli’s Criminal Interrogation Ordinace

As an important criminal law during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty,the revision of the main-body of Wanli’s Interrogation Regulations had been continued from the second year to the thirteenth year of Wanli.Although the decree of its issuing and enforcement was asked afterwards,it did not end the updating and revision,and even until the thirty-fifth year of Wanli,there were still new regulations added,and it had never revised ever since.In that period,the Ming Dynasty underwent drastic reforms with the iron fist Prime Minister Juzheng Zhang.During his ten-year reign,the country was purged and in peace and good order,nations around were submitted and serving,and the treasury was full.However,with Juzheng Zhang’s death,being liquidated,and being confiscated,the courthouse gradually became turmoil and chaotic,and officials began to attack each other which then evolved into a parties struggle.The Emperor Wanli was neglected in political affairs and keen with treasure collecting and the flourishing age of Wanli gradually declined.As the revision of the Wanli Interrogation Regulations was done against such ups and downs backdrop,whether the articles were affected by social changes and by the changes of reviewers are the main purposes of research of this paper.This article firstly conducted a detailed comprehensive study on the background of the revision on Wanli Interrogation Regulations,which was the Juzheng Zhang’s reform.Secondly,compared the Wanli Interrogation Regulations with the Jiajing Interrogation Regulations vertically,extracted and interpreted the newly added and modified articles,horizontally compared the changed clauses against the reform of Juzheng Zhang,and then concluded that the changes were deeply affected by the reform of Juzheng Zhang.Thirdly,conducted a separate analysis of the newly enacted provisions in the Wanli Interrogation Regulations after the death of Juzheng Zhang,integrated with consideration of the gradual social status of chaotic at that time,and concluded that it had not yet escaped the shortcomings of being the feudal laws.Finally,an overall evaluation of Wanli Interrogation Regulations was conducted,and it was believed that although the newly added clauses in the later period had some flaws,they still retained the effective and greatly succeeded governance measures of Juzheng Zhang’s reform and inherited his excellent legal thinking,and it could be of significant reference for our contemporary law making to be able to save the political and/or governance legacy regardless of the living or death of a politician.