International Social Science Journal (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2024

Re-Examination of the Construction of Traditional Chinese Social Order

(Abstract)

Zheng Zhihua

Examining social order from the perspective of the “source of law” aids to understand its framework, but it faces three blind spots: only seeing the “main stream” without seeing the “tributaries”; the presented images are mostly static without considering the possibility of changes in “branches” and “stems”; overemphasizing the perspective of order maintainers while neglecting the role of other participants, especially the parties involved. The shaping of the specific order in traditional Chinese society is intimately related to four forces: legal mobilization ability, rational mobilization ability, relational mobilization ability, and violent mobilization ability. These four abilities constantly circulate and compete, seeking balance on the surface but hiding opportunities for transformation in essence. This article focuses on the perspective of actors, exploring these four mobilization abilities and their mechanisms of mutual generation and restraint which have shaped the specific order of traditional Chinese society.