儒家的法律思想主張「德主刑輔」，從孔子開始就不曾否認刑罰存在的必要性，只是對於法家提昇刑罰角色的做法感到不安而已。以兩漢的刑罰發展趨勢為例，「省刑慎罰」與「斷獄寬平」已經成為兩漢間的刑罰走向。兩漢的刑罰趨勢與儒家思想在漢代的發展相互輝映，從中央的公卿到地方的官吏，自宣、元以後儒家化的程度愈來愈深，儒家的德主刑輔思想，也藉由這些官吏在司法活動中表現出來。

Confucianism’s legal thought advocated “ The morals surpasses the penalty”, Confucius was never to deny the necessity which the penalty, just to feel restless about the legalist school to promote the role of penalty. In this paper, the author will take two penalty development tendencies as the examples in the Han dynasty, “省刑甚罰” and “斷獄寬平” already become the trends of penalty in the Han dynasty. The development tendencies of penalty are mutual influence with the Confucianism’s thought in Han Dynasty. From the central high-ranking officials to the local government , Confucianism’s legal thought influences them increasingly after 宣、元. The thought of“The morals surpasses the penalty”, also displays by these government officials in the judicial activity.