Japanese Legal History Workshop: The formation and development of the concept of Hō (law) and Ri (reason) from ancient texts

This presentation explores pre-modern Japanese law as a concept of law distinct from the European tradition. Throughout its history, Japan inherited Chinese law (known as Ritsuryō) in ancient times and modern Western European law, specifically civil law, in more recent times. During the medieval and early modern periods, indigenous samurai law emerged. The presentation delves into the evolution of the legal concept within samurai law and its unique attributes. It specifically examines the interplay between the concepts of Hō (law) and Ri (reason) through an analysis of ancient texts.