张家山汉简所见西汉继承制度初论

张家山汉简《二年律令·户律》等表明,西汉已建立系统的继承法。继承方式分为法定继承和遗嘱继承两种。继承内容既有身份继承也有财产继承。身份继承包括二十级爵位和一般户主的身份在内,二十级爵位除彻侯和关内侯的爵位世袭罔替之外,其余均降级不均等继承;一般意义的财产继承原则是诸子均分。继承人及继承顺序按血缘亲等确定而兼顾权利和义务相一致的原则,未婚女子有一定的继承权。西汉的继承制度对爵位降级继承的规定,使军功地主的后代逐渐失去爵位;他们由于大量继承财产和凭借父祖的政治权势,成为西汉前期严重影响乡里社会的豪民地主的重要组成部分。

Primary investigation on inheritance system of West Han Dynasty found in Han bamboo slips of Zhangjiashan

From Han bamboo slips of Zhangjiashan such as Two Years Law & Statutes Civil Branch we can see that a systematic inheriting legal system had been builtThe inheriting ways were two kinds:inheritance according to law and that according to testamentThe contents of inheritance include status and property;status inheritance includes 24 levels of nobility title and common status,among the 24 levels of nobility title,only Che Hou and Guannei Hou are hereditary,others are inherited with different demotion;normally the property inheritance is to divide the property evenly by sonsThe heir and the inheritance are determined according to consanguinity with consideration of the consistence of rights and obligations,unmarried daughters have some rights in inheritanceThis is one of underneath factors of the social structure changes in the first half of West Han