Autore: Szto, Mary
Titolo: The Rule of Virtue, Ancestor Worship, and Chinese Inheritance Law
Periodico: Quaderni di diritto e politica ecclesiastica
Anno: 2025 - Fascicolo: Daimon - Pagina iniziale: 157 - Pagina finale: 174

China has the longest continuous legal history in the world. Its blend of ritual and law has contributed to this longevity. Chinese law’s essence is a rule of virtue and its foundation is ancestor worship. Filial piety is the root virtue. This article discusses how the rule of virtue and ancestor worship have shaped traditional and modern inheritance law. Traditional inheritance law ensured that the first born son would carry on the rituals that nourished both ancestors and descendants, and that the male blood line would continue. This shows a unity of the spirit and material worlds, and centers filiality, reciprocity, shared property, and ritual. Heirs are priests who make offerings to the ancestors, and are themselves worthy sacrificial vessels, harmonizing the past, present, and future. Thus, property ownership is stewardship for both ancestors and descendants. Today, as the world’s population ages and fertility rates drop, China promotes filial piety. A recent study suggests that families who worship ancestors have more children. China’s modern inheritance law also rewards those who have cared for the deceased. The interplay of filial piety, ritual, and inheritance in other legal systems should be considered as well.




SICI: 1122-0392(2025)DAIMON<157:TROVAW>2.0.ZU;2-F
Testo completo: https://www.rivisteweb.it/download/article/10.1440/118174
Testo completo alternativo: https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1440/118174

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