息訟

平息爭訟。“息訟”往往是古代官方平息訴訟的一種策略。大多數(shù)官員在應對訴訟時都會采取調(diào)解息訟的策略，吳祐、海瑞等古代著名清官廉吏都是典型?？偟膩碚f，“息訟”既是儒家“無訟”思想演化的必然結果，也是為應對訴訟資源匱乏而不得已的選擇。

Quelling litigation is a strategy usually adopted by judicial authorities in ancient China. Mostofficials would use mediation to quell litigation， as manifested in the practice of famoushonest and upright officials such as Wu You and Hai Rui.Broadly speaking， “quellinglitigation” is not only the inevitable result of the evolution of the Confucian concept “（asociety） free from litigation，” but also a last resort due to limited litigation resources.

引例 Citation：

詞訟之應審者，什無四五。其里鄰口角，骨肉參商細故，不過一時競氣，冒昧啟訟，否則有不肖之人從中播弄。果能審理，平情明切，譬曉其人，類能悔悟，皆可隨時消釋。間有準理后，親鄰調(diào)處，吁請息銷者，兩造既歸輯睦，官府當予矜全，可息便息。（汪輝祖《佐治藥言·息訟》）

（對于百姓訴訟，確實應當審理的不足十分之四五。大部分都是鄰里間在一些細小瑣事上發(fā)生口角，一時沖動進行訴訟，或者是有居心叵測的人在中間搬弄是非挑撥訴訟。如果能夠得到公正審理，闡明情理事實，使當事人雙方明白事理，有所悔悟，則矛盾可以得到化解。有時批準訴狀后，由親戚鄰里進行調(diào)解，申請撤回訴訟，既然當事人雙方已經(jīng)和解，官府也應當成全，能夠平息爭訟的便應當平息。）

Actually， less than four or five tenths of the people’s lawsuits deserve to be heard. Most of them arefiled on impulse from quarrels between neighbors over trifles， or are provoked by people withmalicious intent and ulterior motives. The conflicts can be resolved if a fair trial can be ensured andthe fact can be clarified so that both parties can understand and repent. Sometimes， a case may bewithdrawn after being accepted because relatives and neighbors of both parties have mediated thedispute. Since both parties have agreed to an amicable settlement， the government should grant theirwish to drop the case. In short，litigation should be quelled wherever applicable. （Wang Huizu：Expostulation on Assisting the Minister to Rule）