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The Restorative Role of Apology in Resolving Medical Disputes: Lessons From Chinese Legal Culture

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Abstract

This article is the first exploration of the Chinese notion of apology from a comparative legal perspective. By reviewing the significance of apology in the context of Chinese culture, the article presents a three-dimensional structure of apology that, in contrast to the understanding the research community now has, defines acknowledgement of fault, admission of responsibility, and offer of reparation as three essential elements of an apology. It is the combination of these three elements that enables apology to serve as a form of reparation. The article further places the three-dimensional apology in the context of the Chinese concept of “the relations of humanity,” arguing that an apology accompanying admission of fault and responsibility may help to restore the harmony of relations and, by so doing, resolve medical disputes positively.

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Notes

  1. The term “avowal” is understood here in the sense of Foucault’s definition of avowal as “something more than a simple declaration.” “What separates an avowal from a declaration,” said Foucault, “is not what separates the unknown from the known, the visible from the invisible, but what might be referred to as a certain cost of enunciation. … One who avows a crime, in a sense, commits to being the author of the crime. By that I mean he not only accepts the responsibility, but he also establishes this acceptance on the fact that he did commit the crime. In an avowal, he who speaks obligates himself to being what he says he is” (Foucault 2014, 15–16).

  2. “Repenting Edict” (zui ji zhao) was an imperial proclamation by which the emperor publicly apologized to the whole nation about his past policy mistakes. The two well-known examples are the Repenting Edict of Luntai issued by the Emperor Wu of Han in 89 BCE and the Repenting Edict issued by the Emperor Chongzhen in 1644.

  3. In the Book of Mencius, Mencius (372–289 BCE) said: “This was a subject of anxious solicitude to the sage Shun, and he appointed Seě to be the minister of instruction, to teach the relations of humanity: how, between father and son, there should be affection; between sovereign and minister, righteousness; between husband and wife, attention to their separate functions; between old and young, a proper order; and between friends, fidelity” (Legge 1932, 630–631).

  4. The imperial examination was a civil service examination system in Imperial China through which government officials were selected and appointed to different levels of bureaucracy. The system was established in 605 CE and officially abolished in 1905.

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Cases A

  • 《北京金山安全软件有限公司与周鸿祎侵犯名誉权纠纷案》[Beijing Kingsoft Security Software Co Ltd v Zhou Hongyi—Dispute over the Infringement of the Right of Reputation], 北京市第一中级人民法院 [First Intermediate People’s Court of Beijing Municipality, People’s Republic of China], 一中民终字第09328号 [Civil Appeal No 09328], 25 August 2011.

  • 《徐大雯诉宋祖德、刘信达名誉纠纷案》[Xu Dawen v Song Zude & Liu Xinda—Dispute over the Infringement of the Right of Reputation], 上海市静安区人民法院 [Jing’an District People’s Court of Shanghai Municipality, People’s Republic of China], 静民一(民)初字第779号 [Civil First Trial No 779], 25 December 2009.

  • 《赵雅芝与上海琪姿贸易有限公司、上海诺宝丝化妆品有限公司侵害姓名权纠纷、肖像权纠纷案》[Zhao Yazi v Shanghai Qizi Trading Co Ltd & Shanghai Nuobaosi Cosmetics Co Ltd—Dispute over the Right of Infringement of the Right of Name and the Right of Portrait], 上海市浦东新区人民法院 [Pudong New District People’s Court of Shanghai Municipality, People’s Republic of China], 浦民一(民)初字第17767号 [Civil First Trial No 17767], 23 November 2012.

Cases B

  • 《陈某某与复旦大学附属华东医院医疗损害责任纠纷案》[Chen v Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University—Medical Injury Compensation Dispute Case], 上海市第二中级人民法院 [Second Intermediate People’s Court of Shanghai Municipality, People’s Republic of China], 沪二中民一(民)终字第130号 [Civil Appeal No 130], 21 January 2013.

  • 《上诉人陈维伦、张秀连与上诉人广州医学院第一附属医院医疗损害赔偿纠纷案》[Chen Weilun & Zhang Xiulian v First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University—Medical Injury Compensation Dispute Case], 广东省广州市中级人民法院 [Intermediate People’s Court of Guangzhou Municipality of Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China], 穗中法民一终字第6020号 [Civil Appeal No 6020], 2010.

  • 《刘某、张某某与复旦大学附属妇产科医院医疗损害责任纠纷案》[Liu & Zhang v Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University—Medical Injury Compensation Dispute Case], 上海市第二中级人民法院 [Second Intermediate People’s Court of Shanghai Municipality, People’s Republic of China], 沪二中民一(民)终字第2563号 [Civil Appeal No 2563], 23 April 2012.

  • 《原告田某某、赵某某、张某某、张某与被告某某医院医疗损害赔偿纠纷案》[Tian & Zhao & Zhang XX & Zhang X v X Hospital—Medical Injury Compensation Dispute Case], 陕西省西安市灞桥区人民法院 [Baqiao District People’s Court of Xi’an Municipality of Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China], 灞民初字第00794号 [Civil First Trial No 000794], 3 July 2012.

  • 《张秋霞、廖鄂华、廖郧华与佛山市中医院医疗损害赔偿纠纷案》[Zhang Qiuxia & Liao Ehua & Liao Yunhua v Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine—Medical Injury Compensation Dispute Case], 广东省佛山市中级人民法院 [Intermediate People’s Court of Foshan Municipality of Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China], 佛中法民一终字第304号 [Civil Appeal No 304], 23 April 2008.

Statutes (People’s Republic of China)

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  • 《中华人民共和国刑法》[Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China] National People’s Congress, 14 March 1997 (see article 37).

  • 《中华人民共和国刑事诉讼法》[Criminal Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China] National People’s Congress,14 March 2012 (see article 277).

  • 《中华人民共和国民法通则》[General Principles of the Civil Law of the People’s Republic of China] National People’s Congress, 12 April 1986 (see article 134(1)).

  • 《中华人民共和国行政监察法实施条例》[Implementing Regulation for the Administrative Supervision Law of the People’s Republic of China] State Council, 6 September 2004 (see article 22).

  • 《中华人民共和国法官法》[Judges Law of the People’s Republic of China] Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 30 June 2001 (see article 47).

  • 《中华人民共和国消费者权益保护法》[Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests] Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 25 October 2013 (see article 50).

  • 《中华人民共和国海关行政赔偿办法》[Measures of the People’s Republic of China for Customs Administrative Compensation] General Administration of Customs, 24 March 2003 (see article 60).

  • 《国家经贸委行政审批管理办法》[Measures of the State Economic and Trade Commission for the Administration of Administrative Examination and Approval] State Economic and Trade Commission, 8 January 2003 (see article 34).

  • 《中华人民共和国检察官法》[Public Procurators Law of the People’s Republic of China] Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 30 June 2001 (see article 50).

  • 《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚法》[Public Security Administration Punishments Law of the People’s Republic of China] Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 26 October 2012 (see article 117).

  • 《计算机软件保护条例》[Regulation on Computers Software Protection] State Council, 16 January 2013 (see articles 23, 24).

  • 《企事业单位内部治安保卫条例》[Regulation on Internal Security and Safeguard for Enterprises and Public Institutions] State Council, 13 September 2004 (see article 20).

  • 《信息网络传播权保护条例》[Regulation on Protection of the Right to Network Dissemination of Information] State Council,30 January 2013 (see article 18).

  • 《中华人民共和国电信条例》[Regulation on Telecommunications of the People’s Republic of China] State Council, 20 September 2000 (see articles 74, 75).

  • 《事业单位人事管理条例》[Regulation on the Personnel Management of Public Institutions] State Council, 26 February 2014 (see article 42).

  • 《中华人民共和国国家赔偿法》[State Compensation Law of the People’s Republic of China] Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 26 October 2012 (see article 35).

  • 《中华人民共和国侵权责任法》[Tort Law of the People’s Republic of China] Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 26 December 2009 (see article 15(1)).

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Acknowledgments

My entrance into the field of apology law was inspired by Professor Prue Vines. Without such an inspiration, this article and a corresponding chapter in my Ph.D. thesis likely would not exist. I also would like to express my gratitude to Bill Madden, Professor Robyn Carroll, and Professor Barbara McDonald for their guidance, encouragement, and hearty support.

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Lin, N. The Restorative Role of Apology in Resolving Medical Disputes: Lessons From Chinese Legal Culture. Bioethical Inquiry 12, 699–708 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-015-9657-1

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