關於明代宗藩犯罪的情形，所採行的司法程序，與一般審判不同，而《大明律》與《問刑條例》，也並非審判犯罪宗藩的司法依據，即使規範宗藩行為的《祖訓》亦在模糊之間，有其特殊與不確定的性質，故而嘉靖時期編有《宗藩條例》、萬曆時期有《宗藩要例》，皆試圖以法令規範宗藩犯罪的犯罪行為。明代司法制度中的「八議」規定，若有：議親、議故、議賢、議能、議功、議貴、議勤、議賓等八種犯罪的特殊身份時，法司不能擅自勾問，必須先奏報朝廷，若奉旨推問，交由群臣集議後，由皇帝最終作裁決。而明太祖在制訂明律之外，將「議親」的思想，更強化為「親親」的思想，更將具體規範於《皇明祖訓》，在臨濠營建中都皇城時，改稱為鳳陽，其中「高牆」是用以禁錮犯罪宗藩的專門監獄。因此，本計畫從明代宗藩犯罪的情形與司法判決為考察核心，進而討論宗藩犯罪所監禁的鳳陽高牆，其設置、飲食、管理等規劃為何？而支給罪宗的飲食所需，是否造成朝廷的經濟負擔？以及罪宗心中的高牆印象為何？期望藉由對明代宗藩犯罪與審判研究，進而探討宗藩犯罪與社會整體環境的影響與互動。
The crimes and judicial trials of the Ming princes, and are different from ordinary trials. The Ming dynasty law : Great Ming Code (Da Ming lü) is not the judicial basis for conviction. Therefore, the situation has its special and uncertain qualities between ambiguity. There are eight special status prisoners in the judicial system of the Ming dynasty, with special judicial procedures. The prince commit crimes, there is usually privileged protection. In order to manage the crimes of the Ming Princes, the specially managed jail called Gaoqiang was built in Fengyang. This paper attempts to understand how to judge guilty prince? How was there life and diet in prison? How prince's interaction with local society?
