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Remnants of Ch'in Law (8): Group A: Statutes on Agriculture (4)
By Anonymous
2008-08-14 03:38:01
 

(Translated by A.F.P. Hulsewe)


[A55] When for statute labour in the capital area as well as for official work on government buildings there is borrowing of government (tools),and the borrowers die or abscond,orders are likewise to be given to the statute labourers and the retainers to stand surety for those borrowers, as in the case of participating in levies for frontier service.(Statutes on Artisans)

[A56] Government armour and arms are each to be incised or branded with the name of the office concerned; on those that cannot be incised or branded, it should be written with vermillion or lacquer.When armour and arms are loaned to commoners,it is essential to record the brandmark;they are to be bestowed according to the brand-marks.When loaned (armour and arms) are handed in and they have no brand-mark,as well as when it is not the brand-mark of the office concerned,(such armour and arms) are all to be confiscated by the government;they are to be charged according to the Statutes on Equipment.(Statutes on Artisans)

[A57] Government tools and office…branded,brand them:those that cannot be branded,brand them with lacquer.When somebody has borrowed government tools and returns these,these are only to be accepted when the brand-mark is correct.From those that are spoiled and discarded the brand-mark is scraped off.The office every time informs the person who  borrows a tool,saying:“When a tool is spoiled and it is to be feared that the brand-mark will be rubbed off, then,before it is rubbed off, you should request to renew the mark." When the mark has been rubbed off and is unrecognizable,(the borrower) must be ordered to provide (another tool) in repayment. Whenever the work of the person who borrowed the tool is terminated,as well as when he is dismissed,the office should collect the tool;not collecting it quickly constitutes a crime.In case the borrower dies or absconds or commits a crime,it is not to be charged;the official(s) repay(s) it in his stead. One must not unauthorizedly loan government tools;all those who unauthorizedly loan government tools are guilty of a crime. Those who destroy or break government tools as well as those who...are to be ordered to repay them.(Statute on Artisans)
   
[A58] For bond servants,persons under detention (and) ch'eng-tan who are working together with artisans,the winter norm is the applied norm;three days imposed on them are equivalent to two days in summer.(Personnel norms for Artisans)
   
[A59] For bond-women assigned to work (the 1abour of) two bond-women is equivalent to that of one artisan.(The labour of) four bond-women taking their turn of duty is equivalgnt to that of [one] artisan.For small bond servants and bond-women who can be employed,(the labour of) five persons is equivalent to that of one artisan.    (Norms for Artisans)

[A60] For bond-women as well as women who use the needle to make embroidery and other things,one woman is equivalent to one man.      (Norms for Artisans)

[A61] When a new artisan begins his work as an artisan,in one year (he obtains) half the work; in the year thereafter the work imposed on him is equal to that of an old hand.If the Master of the Artisans teaches him well,what the old artisan accomplishes in one year,the new artisan accomplishes in two years. When somebody is capable of accomplishing his training before the term,this is reported to the superior;the superior will have means to reward him.When somebody does not accomplish his traning within the term, this is noted in his register and reported to the Minister of Finance.(Statutes on Equalizing Artisans)

[A62] When bond servants are clever and could be made artisans,they must not be made servants or cooks of other people.(Statutes On Equalizing Artisans).

[A63] ....Equalizing Artisans.

[A64] When a levy is raised for the Court,to be remiss and not to carry it out is fined two suits of armour:to miss the term by three to five days (results in) a reprimand; from six days to a decade the fine is one shield;beyond a decade the fine is one suit of armour.When (the men) have been obtained,(the levy) quickly proceeds;if it rains,the levy is cancelled.When lewing conscripts for work inside a settlement,order is given to guarantee the earth walls for a full year.In case the walls collapse before (the year) is over, the Controller of Works who had directed the work,as well as the Master in charge of the wall (building) will have committed a crime.The conscripts concerned will be ordered to build it again:(this work) must not be accounted as statute labour.
 
Whenever prefectures,which maintain Forbidden Parks (or) parks for government horses and cattle,levy statute labourers because the ditches and walls have fallen apart and they quickly repair these,the park officials are informed about this.The park officials inspect these (repairs).In case within a year some collapse or show cracks,the prefecture is ordered to levy conscripts again to do (the repairs),whereas this must not be accounted as statute labour.In case they would show cracks or collapse when the year is over, for more than three sections the prefecture which maintains (the parks) repairs them.For less than three sections and also,although the year is not yet over,when some have been surreptitiously breached for passages in and out,the park (officials) are ordered to repair these themselves immediately.In Forbidden Parks,regardless of their being close to or far from the hills, where the soil is bad and does not resist rain,so that in summer there are (walls) which collapse,these must not be repaired piecemeal;this is to be done by means of statute labour when autumn has come,the season without rain.

When for fields near (to these parks) it is feared that animals as well as horses or cattle would break out and eat the crops,the Prefectural Overseer will make an estimate for a levy among those who have fields close by regardless of their status,to provide men according to the number of their fields in order to build walls or repair these;it is not allowed to consider this as statute labour.
   
The prefecture must not venture unauthorizedly to demolish or change govemment buildings,storehouses as well as (the prefect's) court.When it is desired to demolish or change (such buildings),this must be requested.When it is desired to use ch'en-tan and grain-pounders to enlarge government buildings and storehouses,as well as to repair these,let it be done;it should not be requested.
 
When the prefecture undertakes routine work as well when it has re-uested (permission) to undertake work,the officials apply the norms to the work.In case (the estimate proves to be wrong by) an excess of the (labour) force,or a shortage,of two days or more,this is considered as “lack of perspicacity”.When for levies raised by superiors the application of the norms to the work is incorrect,(punitive measures) are like those for the prefecture.When estimating the work,it is imperative to have the Controller of Works estimate it together with the Builder;one must not only order the Builder (to estimate it).In case of carelessness the persons who made the estimate are to be adjudicated according to the Statutes,whereas the actual amount is to be accounted as statute labour for the conscripts.(Statutes on Statute Labour)

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