Six Codes
Six Codes refers to the six main legal codes that make up the main body of law in Japan, Korea, and Republic of China. 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.
| 1 | Constitution 日本国憲法 Nippon-koku-kenpō | Constitution 대한민국 헌법 大韓民國憲法 Daehan-minguk Heon-beop | Constitution 中華民國憲法 Zhōnghuá Mínguó Xiànfǎ Chunghua Minkuo Hsienfa Tiong-hoâ Bîn-kok Hiàn-hoat Chûng-fà Mìn-koet Hién-fap |
| 2 | Civil Code 民法 Minpō | Civil Code 민법 民法 Min-beop | 民法 Mínfǎ Minfa Bîn-hoat Mìn-fap |
| 3 | Code of Civil Procedure 民事訴訟法 Minji-soshō-hō | Code of Civil Procedure 민사소송법 民事訴訟法 Minsa-sosong-beop | 民事訴訟法 Mínshìsùsòngfǎ Minshihsusungfa Bîn-sū Sò͘-siōng-hoat Mìn-sṳ Su-siung-fap |
| 4 | Penal Code 刑法 Keihō | Criminal Code 형법 刑法 Hyeong-beop | Criminal Code 刑法 Xíngfǎ Hsingfa Hêng-hoat Hìn-fap |
| 5 | Code of Criminal Procedure 刑事訴訟法 Keiji-soshō-hō | Code of Criminal Procedure 형사소송법 刑事訴訟法 Hyeongsa-sosong-beop | 刑事訴訟法 Xíngshìsùsòngfǎ Hsingshihsusungfa Hêng-sū Sò͘-siōng-hoat Hìn-sṳ Su-siung-fap |
| 6 | Commercial Code 商法 Shōhō | Commercial Code 상법 商法 Sang-beop | Administrative laws 行政法 Xíngzhèngfǎguī Hsingchêngfakuei Hêng-chèng Hoat-kui Hàng-chṳn Fap-kûi |
The word roppō is a slightly adapted form of the word used in Japanese to describe the Napoleonic Code when it was brought over during the early Meiji period. Although, French Emperor Napoleon enacted five major codes, which were, in Japanese, altogether metonymically referred to as "the Napoleonic Code", 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".
Legislation in Japan tends to be terse. The statutory volume Roppō Zensho, similar in size to a large dictionary, contains all six codes as well as many other statutes enacted by the Diet.
The Six Codes were introduced to China in 1905 after the reform and modernization of the Chinese legal system led by Cixi. Such reform was based on the similar laws adopted in Germany, France, and Japan. After the establishment of Nationalist Government, the Complete Book of Six Codes was passed on October 3 1928. The Chinese Communist Party abolished the practices of Six Codes on the land of Communist control in February 1949.
As a result of Japanese colonial rule and the Retreat of the Republic of China to Taiwan, the legal system in Taiwan is strongly influenced by Japan and China. As a result, the terms Six Codes and Book of Six Codes are also widely used in Taiwan.