Dissemination of Rituals and Laws
An important component of the ancient Chinese culture, the Chinese legal system evolved alongside political, economic, and cultural changes and stood out due to its uniqueness. With the mutual influence and fusion of the Confucian moral values and code and laws of the state over several hundred years, the system of rituals and laws unique to ancient China took hold in the Qin and Han dynasties. During Sui-Tang China, foreign envoys introduced China's rituals and laws to their country. When explaining China's specifics, history, and culture to Western society, missionaries that visited China during the Ming and Qing dynasties highlighted the system of rituals and laws that they perceived as a good form of government upon returning to Europe in the Age of Enlightenment. The Chinese system of rituals and laws was widely discussed and praised by Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire, Leibniz, Montesquieu, and Quesnay. All this culminated in the phenomenal Chinoiserie. The spread of the ancient Chinese system of rituals and laws provided reference for Asian and European states to establish a more reasonable and sound political system.
礼法制度传播
作为中国古代文化的重要组成部分，法律制度伴随着中国政治、经济、文化的演进而不断发展，形成了独特风格。经过儒家伦理道德观念与国家法律长达数百年的相互渗透和融合，秦汉时期形成了中国古代特有的礼法传统。隋唐时期，各国使节将中国的礼法制度引介到本国。明清时期，来华的传教士在向西方社会介绍中国的国情、历史、文化的同时，也重点引介了中国的礼法制度，为启蒙时代的欧洲展示了一个理想型的政府。伏尔泰、莱布尼茨、孟德斯鸠、魁奈等启蒙思想家广泛讨论并赞赏中国的礼法制度，兴起了“欧洲中国热”的历史现象。中国古代礼法制度的传播为亚欧国家建立更加合理完善的政治制度提供了参照与借鉴。
