Simultaneous Governance by Virtue and Law: The Logic and Path of Integrating Outstanding Traditional Chinese Legal Culture into the Education System for Law Students in Universities

Abstract

Chinese-style modernization of the rule of law is based on the subjectivity of Chinese civilization, inherits and creatively transforms the outstanding traditional Chinese legal culture. The principle of governing by both virtue and law, as its core essence, serves as an important guideline for cultivating legal talents in the new era.The concurrent governance of virtue and law, as its core essence, serves as an important guideline for cultivating legal talents in the new era. Currently, the education system for law students in universities still faces prominent issues such as the fragmented integration of traditional legal culture, the rigid connection between ancient and modern legal theories, and the weak integration of virtue and law in education. These problems make it difficult to fully meet the demand for interdisciplinary talents in Chinese-style modernization of the rule of law. Based on the theory of "the second integration," this paper sorts out the internal logic of integrating the excellent traditional Chinese legal culture into the education system for law students in universities from three dimensions: value, theory, and practice. It analyzes the practical dilemmas in concepts, courses, teaching, and practice, and proposes a systematic integration path featuring upholding the correct orientation and making innovations, as well as learning from both Chinese and foreign experiences, from four dimensions: concept innovation, curriculum reconstruction, teaching innovation, and practice empowerment. The purpose of this research is to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of the excellent traditional Chinese legal culture, construct a legal education system that is rooted in the local context and integrates Chinese and foreign elements, cultivate legal talents in the new era with both professional legal abilities, cultural confidence, and professional ethics, and strengthen the talent foundation for Chinese-style modernization of the rule of law.