Six Codes
Six Codes (六法), refers to the six main legal codes that make up the main body of law in Japan, South Korea, and the Republic of China.[1] Sometimes, the term is also used to describe the six major areas of law. Furthermore, it may refer to all or part of a collection of statutes.
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Constitution (1946) 日本国憲法 Nippon-koku-kenpō |
Constitution (1948) 대한민국 헌법 大韓民國憲法 Daehan-minguk Heon-beop |
Constitution (1946) 中華民國憲法 Zhōnghuá Mínguó Xiànfǎ (Mandarin) Tiong-hoâ Bîn-kok Hiàn-hoat (Taiwanese) Chûng-fà Mìn-koet Hién-fap (Hakka) |
| 2 | Civil Code (1896) 民法 Minpō |
Civil Code (1958) 민법 民法 Min-beop |
Civil Code (1929) 民法 Mínfǎ (Mandarin) Bîn-hoat (Taiwanese) Mìn-fap (Hakka) |
| 3 | Code of Civil Procedure (1996) 民事訴訟法 Minji-soshō-hō |
Code of Civil Procedure (1960) 민사소송법 民事訴訟法 Minsa-sosong-beop |
Code of Civil Procedure (1930) 民事訴訟法 Mínshìsùsòngfǎ (Mandarin) Bîn-sū Sò͘-siōng-hoat (Taiwanese) Mìn-sṳ Su-siung-fap (Hakka) |
| 4 | Criminal Code (1907) 刑法 Keihō |
Criminal Code (1953) 형법 刑法 Hyeong-beop |
Criminal Code (1935) 刑法 Xíngfǎ (Mandarin) Hêng-hoat (Taiwanese) Hìn-fap (Hakka) |
| 5 | Code of Criminal Procedure (1948) 刑事訴訟法 Keiji-soshō-hō |
Code of Criminal Procedure (1954) 형사소송법 刑事訴訟法 Hyeongsa-sosong-beop |
Code of Criminal Procedure (1928) 刑事訴訟法 Xíngshìsùsòngfǎ (Mandarin) Hêng-sū Sò͘-siōng-hoat (Taiwanese) Hìn-sṳ Su-siung-fap (Hakka) |
| 6 | Commercial Code (1899) 商法 Shōhō |
Commercial Code (1962) 상법 商法 Sang-beop |
Administrative laws 行政法規 Xíngzhèngfǎguī (Mandarin) Hêng-chèng Hoat-kui (Taiwanese) Hàng-chṳn Fap-kûi (Hakka) |
| Six Codes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 六法 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Hangul | 육법 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanja | 六法 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kanji | 六法 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kana | ろっぽう | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The word roppō is a slightly adapted form of the word used in Japanese to describe the Napoleonic Code (ナポレオン五法典 Napoleon go-hōten) when it was brought over during the early Meiji period.[2] Although, French Emperor Napoleon enacted five major codes, which were, in Japanese, altogether metonymically referred to as "the Napoleonic Code" (the official name of the Civil Code, the first and most prominent one), the Japanese added to this their own constitution to form six codes in all, and thus it came to be called the roppō or "six codes."[2]
Legislation in Japan tends to be terse. The statutory volume Roppō Zensho (literally: Book of Six Codes), similar in size to a large dictionary, contains all six codes as well as many other statutes enacted by the Diet.
The Republic of China's legal system is strongly influenced by Japan's. As a result, the terms Six Codes and Book of Six Codes are also widely used in the Republic of China.
See also
| Japan | South Korea | Republic of China |
External links
References
- Ministry of Justice, R.O.C. (Taiwan)
- Masaji Chiba “Japan” edited by Poh-Ling Tan, “Asian Legal Systems” Butterworths, London, 1997.