中世纪,英国,在某次公开仪式上,一个健壮的孩童被一阵子殴打。这孩子是做错什么事吗?不是。严厉的毒打,是要让他对这一天终身难忘:其时正完成了某宗土地所有权的易手。应该承认,在还没有文字、不能做书面记录的年代里,此种实现“见证”的手段是颇具想象力的。因为,健壮的孩童应能比别的与会者活得更长久。 契约,当然是在出现了文字以后的事了。一般说,契约的制作过程也伴有一定的仪式(旧中国的分 Medieval, British, at a public ceremony, a sturdy child was beaten for a while. Is this child doing something wrong? Severe beatings are meant to make him unforgettable for the rest of the day: at the time some land ownership rights are being changed hands. It should be admitted that such an approach to “witness” is quite imaginative in an age when there is no written material and no written record is available. Because, sturdy children should be able to live longer than other participants. Contract, of course, after the words appear. In general, the contract production process is accompanied by a certain ceremony (the old China points