On the afternoon of April 18, the first "Wenrui Criminal Law" graduate student reading session was held in Room Y512 of Jizhong Building at Southeast University School of Law. The session invited Professor Liang Yunbao, Associate Professor Yang Zhiqiong, and Postdoctoral Researcher Gong Shanyao as lead readers to study Professor Liu Yanhong's book *Substantive Criminal Law Perspective* together with the students. The reading session was chaired by Associate Professor Ji Yang, with participation from master's and doctoral students of the law school.
During the sharing session, Dr. Gong Shanyao delivered a thematic presentation titled "The Theoretical Framework and Academic Context of the Substantive Criminal Law Perspective," systematically outlining the structure of the book for the students. Starting from the "rationalist view of law," he traced the historical logic of "rationality as the essence of law" and emphasized the guiding significance of the "inclusive criminal law-based state" for criminal justice practice in China. He highlighted three distinctive features of the book: its clear problem-oriented approach, thorough clearing of intellectual history, and rigorous logical framework, thereby helping students construct a multidimensional theoretical understanding.
Associate Professor Yang Zhiqiong, drawing on her own research experience, delivered a presentation titled "In-Depth Exploration and Perseverance in Academic Research." She reviewed Professor Liu Yanhong's decades-long dedication to exploring the "Substantive Criminal Law Perspective," encouraging students to develop the academic resilience to "grow alongside longstanding issues" and to abandon a utilitarian mindset of "chasing trends." In the learning process, she emphasized the importance of cultivating the systematic thinking demonstrated in the book—progressing "from points to broader perspectives"—and grounding oneself in traditional criminal law dogmatics to instill steadfastness in academic pursuits.
Professor Liang Yunbao, integrating insights from "Substantive Criminal Law Perspective" and "General Theories of Criminal Law", provided an in-depth interpretation of the principle of responsibility by examining its historical evolution and conducting comparative analyses of Chinese and foreign legal codes. Citing the 1912 "Provisional New Criminal Code" of the Republic of China, the Criminal Code of Taiwan region, and extraterritorial provisions on liability, he emphasized that the core of the substantive criminal law perspective lies in revolutionizing criminal law models through substantive thinking. Furthermore, Professor Liang encouraged students to read extensively and take thorough notes, urging them to trace theoretical issues back to their origins
Following the faculty presentations, students actively shared their reflections and insights from reading the text. Wang Hui raised the issue of "balancing formal typification and substantive punishability in judicial practice" in the context of interpretive debates. Yan Yanzhuo focused on the "substantive reconstruction of the crime theory system," questioning how to avoid subjectivity in value judgments regarding normative constituent elements. Shi Yunxin, starting from the "debate between ontology and instrumentalism in criminal law interpretation," explored the inevitability of criminal law scholarship shifting from ontological foundations to instrumental refinement. Liu Chunlei used the "controversy over the abolition of the crime of undermining military marriages" as a case study to discuss the social adaptability of criminal law provisions, advocating for the integration of substantive justice within the framework of formal rationality. Zhou Yunshi expressed concerns about the boundaries of judicial discretion, questioning how to prevent the expansion of judicial power in substantive interpretation. Lin Wenhong analyzed the challenges of quantifying social harmfulness through the example of using "click-through rates as a criterion for defamation convictions." Shen Shiqi emphasized the analysis of the "hybrid concept of crime," stressing the importance of respecting formal rationality when examining criminal law issues.
In conclusion, Associate Professor Ji Yang fully affirmed the students' active participation and profound reflections during the reading session. He encouraged them to maintain this spirit of diligent inquiry in their future studies. He emphasized the importance of integrating a problem-oriented mindset with systematic thinking in their exploration of criminal law scholarship.
The successful hosting of this "Wenrui Criminal Law" graduate reading session has established a valuable platform for in-depth academic exchange on criminal law topics, further igniting students' enthusiasm for criminal law research. In the future, the "Wenrui Criminal Law" reading series will continue to serve as a catalyst, supporting students in their ongoing exploration and advancement within the field of criminal law scholarship.