近代日本民事立法的啟示－－關於中國民法典編纂方針的幾點思考

19世紀末至20世紀初，受國內外形勢所迫，中日兩國都進行過編纂民法典的活動，但結果卻大不相同。日本明治維新在經濟、政治以及國家權力構造上進行的一系列變革，促使了日本民法典的制定；而採取法律移植的基本態度，吸收世界最先進的、對日本有用的制度成果，並與憲政體制下的諸法配套與整合，為日本民法典的制定確立了基本方針；同時，由優秀的法學家組成的起草小組和長期不斷的理論研究，為日本民法典的成功編纂奠定了理論基礎。考察日本近代民事立法，反觀我國清末民事立法活動及其失敗，結合當前我們正在進行的民法典編纂活動，如何才能發揮我們的“後發優勢”，制定出一部立足現實又面向未來的優秀民法典，是值得深入思考的問題。

From the late century 19 to the early century 20, both Japan and China had been making efforts in their civil code codification under the stress from home and abroad. However, the results were quite different. Meiji Restoration made a series of revolution in economics, politics and the structure of state power, which promoted the codification of Japan Civil Code. While taking the standing point of legal transplantation, absorbing the most advanced and helpful institutional achievements into Japanese legal system, and then integrating it with the other branches of law established pursuant to the constitutionalism were the main principles for its codification. Furthermore, the drafting group consisted of outstanding legal study scholars together with their non-interrupted research set the theoretical foundation for its success. Studying the Japan’s civil legislation in the modern age, reviewing ours and the failure thereof in the late QING dynasty will do a great to our present codification. Making use of our late-starting advantage, our civil code should not only stand against the present reality, but also endure the future challenges.