Yanshan University law professor lectures at Toledo Law
October 5, 2015
Chun Hou, a law professor from Yanshan University College of Humanities and Law in Qinhuangdao, China, delivered a talk on China’s legal culture at The University of Toledo College of Law on Sept. 9.
Professor Hou’s lecture was titled “Some Chinese Law Words/Phrases: A First Step to Reading the Chinese Legal System.” The event was a part of Hou’s two-week stint as a visiting professor at UT.
During his lecture, Professor Hou described the long history and evolution of Chinese law. He pointed out the difficulties in translating terms like “law” from one language to another or one culture to another. For example, he explained that there were at least three terms in Chinese that, depending on context, are the equivalent of the term “law” in the U.S. common law system.
Professor Hou also considered the way in which the interconnected nature of the modern world has influenced the Chinese legal system.
“With the cultural exchange with the western world, the Chinese traditional legal system has undergone some significant changes,” said Professor Hou, “and accordingly the context of law has also experienced an irreversible transformation, in which the sense of private ‘rights’ is getting stronger and stronger.”
The event was organized by Toledo Law Professors Bruce Kennedy and Eric Chaffee, UT’s Confucius Institute, and the Center for International Studies and Programs. The University of Toledo has 30-year relationship with Yanshan University.
“I believe after Professor Hou’s lecture both law students and Asian Studies students in attendance better understand the challenges of working in another culture,” said Professor Gibbons. “Understanding China and other legal cultures is significant in Toledo and Northwest Ohio as global trade increasingly is a driver of our local economy.”
Professor Hou writes and teaches in the areas of history of Western legal thought, philosophy of law, and intellectual property law. During his visit to Toledo, he met with UT administrators, observed a number of classes, and visited another university. He also met with local judges and visited local courts and law offices.