秦律在中国法制史上占有十分重要的位置 ,所谓“明法度、定律令、皆以始皇起”① 。长期以来 ,对于秦律的认识与评价似乎已成定论 ,即秦律是一部条目繁杂琐细、刑罚极其苛酷的法律。笔者认为 ,从刑罚角度来看 ,秦律之严酷毋庸争辩 ,但从秦律产生的历史背景和法治理念等方面考察 Qin law in China’s legal history occupies a very important position, the so-called “Ming Dynasty, the law of order, all from the beginning of Huangqi” ①. For a long time, understanding and evaluation of the law of the Qin seems to have come to a conclusion, that is, the law of the Qin is a complicated and trivial item with extremely harsh penalties. The author believes that from the penalty point of view, the harsh Qin law is indisputable, but from the historical background of Qin law and rule of law ideas and other aspects of investigation