Histories of International Law in China: An Introduction

Ignacio de la Rasilla; Jiangyu Wang; Congyan Cai

doi:10.1093/oso/9780198888345.003.0001

Histories of International Law in China: An Introduction

Ignacio de la Rasilla
, Jiangyu Wang
, Congyan Cai

School of Law

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 12 - Chapter in an edited book (Author) › peer-review

Abstract

As China’s rise to a highly influential international rule-shaper and, increasingly, also an international rule-maker and an international institution-builder continues, it becomes imperative to consider the country’s experience in engaging international law in a longue durée historical perspective. These historical experiences, which have deeply influenced Chinese elites’ worldviews and China’s relationship with the international legal order, reveal remarkable historical patterns but also deep historical discontinuities. This introductory chapter explains the purpose, structure, main themes, and scope of the volume, placing it in the context of preceding research on the history of international law in China and providing an analytical survey of its research agenda and the main contributions of its different chapters.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Histories of International Law in China
Subtitle of host publication	All Under Heaven?
Editors	Ignacio de la Rasilla, Jiangyu Wang, Congyan Cai
Place of Publication	Oxford
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Chapter	1
Pages	3-19
Number of pages	17
ISBN (Electronic)	9780191995071
ISBN (Print)	9780198888345
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198888345.003.0001
Publication status	Published - 19 Mar 2026

Publication series

Name	The History and Theory of International Law

Bibliographical note

Information for this record is supplemented by the author(s) concerned.

Research Keywords

Chinese history of international law
national histories of international law
longue durée
rise of China
historical patterns

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10.1093/oso/9780198888345.003.0001

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1 RGC 14 - Edited book (Editor)

Histories of International Law in China: All Under Heaven?
de la Rasilla, I. (Editor), Wang, J. (Editor) & Cai, C. (Editor), 19 Mar 2026, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 672 p. (The History and Theory of International Law)
Research output: Scholarly Books, Monographs, Reports and Case Studies › RGC 14 - Edited book (Editor) › peer-review

Cite this

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Histories of International Law in China: An Introduction. / de la Rasilla, Ignacio; Wang, Jiangyu; Cai, Congyan.
Histories of International Law in China: All Under Heaven?. ed. / Ignacio de la Rasilla; Jiangyu Wang; Congyan Cai. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2026. p. 3-19 (The History and Theory of International Law).

Research output: Chapters, Conference Papers, Creative and Literary Works › RGC 12 - Chapter in an edited book (Author) › peer-review

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AB - As China’s rise to a highly influential international rule-shaper and, increasingly, also an international rule-maker and an international institution-builder continues, it becomes imperative to consider the country’s experience in engaging international law in a longue durée historical perspective. These historical experiences, which have deeply influenced Chinese elites’ worldviews and China’s relationship with the international legal order, reveal remarkable historical patterns but also deep historical discontinuities. This introductory chapter explains the purpose, structure, main themes, and scope of the volume, placing it in the context of preceding research on the history of international law in China and providing an analytical survey of its research agenda and the main contributions of its different chapters.

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PB - Oxford University Press

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ER -

Histories of International Law in China: An Introduction

Abstract

Publication series

Bibliographical note

Research Keywords

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

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Research output

Histories of International Law in China: All Under Heaven?

Cite this