A Comparative Study of "Group-Orientedness" in Chinese and African Legal Cultures

This study examines the historical dimensions of "group-orientedness" in Chinese and African legal traditions to propose new frameworks for Sino-African rule-of-law exchange. Traditional Chinese legal praxis reinforced group-orientedness through concepts like the integration of rites and law and dispute resolution prioritizing harmony. Despite colonial restructuring of African legal systems into a tripartite framework, collective consciousness within African customary law remains resilient. Both traditions prioritize maintaining group harmony in mediation systems and dispute resolution mechanisms. Building on this shared value of group-orientedness, Sino-African legal cooperation should establish syncretic mediation mechanisms that balance cultural adaptability with modern legal principles. By reactivating traditional group structures and implementing dual-track mediation systems, such cooperation can foster mutual learning and integration across civilizations in the legal domain, offering new paradigms for diversity in global governance.