台灣法上從傳統邁向現代的未成年人監護（1683-1945）

Abstract

「未成年人監護」作為一種現代型法制下，保護未成年人所創設的制度。台灣從清治時期到日治時期（1683-1945），乃是從傳統中國法到現代型法制的變革，本文將考察「未成年人監護」之法律史，以及該制度與社會之間的相互影響。 清治時期傳統漢人社會中，並不存在如同現今之未成年人監護制度。對於家族中的孤兒，通常由尊長加以照顧，且由家長統一管理財產。唯在家族保護照顧機能有所缺失，或是親族關係不佳等因素，為了避免孤兒面臨無人善待的危險，而發展出「託孤」的習慣。至於家族中如何照顧孤兒與「託孤」的做法，官府原則上不會予以干涉。 日治時期初次開始施行現代型法制，透過戶口登記的制度，並由法院判決建構民事法上「舊慣／習慣」的內容，「未成年人監護」明確地形成一種制度規範。本文整理和分析法院判決例中，如何引進日本民法與現代個人主義的元素，以及傳統的「託孤」逐漸為「監護」所取代。相較於清治時期，日治時期國家透過建立監護制度，規範人民對於未成年人的監督保護。諸如未成年人監護人之戶口登記，以及民事法上監護開始與結束的原因、監護人的權利義務等。 日治時期的未成年人監護制度，也確實在社會上普遍地運作。本文透過法院判決中的案例、遺言公證書、日記、報紙等史料，說明從清治時期到日治時期國家法規範的轉變下，人民如何為了因應新的制度，從而在行動上有何異同。並且，未成年人監護案例往往涉及的是尊長的生前安排，或是家族成員間為了未成年人財產管理的利益折衝。

Guardianship over minors is a part of modern legal system, which provides protection and care for minors. From Qing Dynasty to Japanese Colonial Period (1683-1945) in Taiwan, the law system was transformed traditional Chinese law into modern law. This essay will explore the legal history of guardianship over minors, elaborating on the interaction between law and society. In Qing Dynasty, there was no regulation like guardianship over minors in traditional Han Taiwanese society. Typically, if a child loses either one or both of his parents, his whole family would take care of him. However, while a family loses capacity to protect a child, or because of a bad relationship between relatives, there was a custom to entrust orphan (Tuogu) for preventing a child from being desolate. Officials basically didn’t enact any rules neither of entrusting orphan, nor how a family take care of a child losing either one or both of his parents. Under Japanese colonial rule of 1895 to 1945, it has begun modernized legal system in Taiwan. Through household registration and interpreting of (old) custom in court judgment, it can be observed that Japanese government infused Japanese Family Law and introduced the spirit of modern individualization indirectly. Thus, old custom of entrusting orphan was gradually replaced with regulation of guardianship over minors. Comparing two regimes, several regulatory limitations on guardianship over minors was set under Japanese colonial rule, such as guardianship registration, commencement, termination and affairs of guardianship. In Japanese Colonial Period, there was effectiveness of guardianship over minors in society evidently. Based on historical material such as judgment and notarized will in Taiwan Colonial Court Records Archives, dairy and newspaper, this essay will describe the similarity and difference in social practice on governance between two regimes. It can be observed that most of cases are concerned with arrangement of the head of the family and conflict between family members for profit of a minor’s property management.