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Titre La gestion des temples chinois au XIXe siècle : droit coutumier ou laisser-faire ?
Auteur Vincent Goossaert
Mir@bel Revue Extrême-Orient, Extrême-Occident
Numéro no 23, 2001 La coutume et la norme en Chine et au Japon
Rubrique / Thématique
I. La coutume et les pratiques religieuses
Page 9-25
Résumé anglais The management of Temples in Nineteenth Century China : Customary Law or laissez-faire policy ? Chinese temples during the nineteenth century played a major social and economic role, and yet State laws barely mention the question of their management. One may wonder whether they were managed according to other rules, viz. customary law. Available texts of stone inscriptions allow us to probe this question, notably through temples regulations enacted by the cult communities themselves, and through conflicts adjudicated by the magistrates, whose decisions were carved on stone. These inscriptions give insights on crucial questions like the relations between temple community heads and resident clerics, ownership and use of temple space or land endowments. Finally, it appears that these cases cannot be deemed customary law. Some basic principles of temple management are recognized by all, and included in the law. The rest is left to each temple to decide in full independence. The community heads would not consider being constrained by external rules, be they administrative or customary, and management decisions are taken within the community, on the basis of negotiation among its members.
Source : Éditeur (via Persée)
Article en ligne http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/oroc_0754-5010_2001_num_23_23_1132