Chinese Culture in Fictions
Justice, the One and Only
“Gong Zheng Lian Ming”, the four words which mean honesty and uprightness, are hung up high on a horizontal wooden board across the doorframe of the courtroom. An official, with a serious look, sits sedately behind a table covered by red cloth at the far end of the room. A suspect is forcefully dragged into the center of the room. Shaking with fear, he is asked to kneel down in front of the official. “Bang!” The official strikes the table and here the interrogation begins. This is a typical scene from ancient Chinese courts of law where the judge is settling a dispute or crime. He assumes every suspect on trial is guilty and the suspects have to prove their innocence, or else they may face severe punishment like beatings or decapitation. The job of the judge is usually taken up by a prefect or a magistrate, who is also responsible for nearly all the other issues in the local district, such as civil administration and tax collection. A fair and wise judge resolves conflicts, settles the neighborhood’s anxiety, and provides comfort and security, a luxury for humble residents especially in times of crisis and corrupt governing. Since every judge is prone to make mistakes due to human nature, most citizens are content with an ordinary judge who can provide a fair enough solution even if he has selfish concerns. Still, nearly perfect judges existed in history, like Lord Pao, who is praised and idolized to such an extent that his abilities appear heavenly. These two stories selected from the book Traditional Chinese Stories offer valuable insight into the culture surrounding traditional Chinese courts and their presiding judges, and reveal an emphasis on final reward and punishment with only a partial regard for the process of identifying criminals.
In the story “Magistrate Teng and the Case of Inheritance,” the local judge Teng tricks his people to gain advantages, yet he is known as a righteous and judicious magistrate. After Mei-shih’s
“Gong Zheng Lian Ming”, the four words which mean honesty and uprightness, are hung up high on a horizontal wooden board across the doorframe of the courtroom. An official, with a serious look, sits sedately behind a table covered by red cloth at the far end of the room. A suspect is forcefully dragged into the center of the room. Shaking with fear, he is asked to kneel down in front of the official. “Bang!” The official strikes the table and here the interrogation begins. This is a typical scene from ancient Chinese courts of law where the judge is settling a dispute or crime. He assumes every suspect on trial is guilty and the suspects have to prove their innocence, or else they may face severe punishment like beatings or decapitation. The job of the judge is usually taken up by a prefect or a magistrate, who is also responsible for nearly all the other issues in the local district, such as civil administration and tax collection. A fair and wise judge resolves conflicts, settles the neighborhood’s anxiety, and provides comfort and security, a luxury for humble residents especially in times of crisis and corrupt governing. Since every judge is prone to make mistakes due to human nature, most citizens are content with an ordinary judge who can provide a fair enough solution even if he has selfish concerns. Still, nearly perfect judges existed in history, like Lord Pao, who is praised and idolized to such an extent that his abilities appear heavenly. These two stories selected from the book Traditional Chinese Stories offer valuable insight into the culture surrounding traditional Chinese courts and their presiding judges, and reveal an emphasis on final reward and punishment with only a partial regard for the process of identifying criminals.
In the story “Magistrate Teng and the Case of Inheritance,” the local judge Teng tricks his people to gain advantages, yet he is known as a righteous and judicious magistrate. After Mei-shih’s
Cited: MA, Y.W., and Joseph S.M. Lau. Traditional Chinese Stories. Cheng&Tsui Company, 501. Print. Idema, Wilt L.. “The Pilgrimage to Taishan in the Dramatic Literature of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries.” Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews (CLEAR), Vol. 19 (Dec., 1997), pp. 23-57, p. 34 Zhang, Junmian. "Top 10 insane emperors in ancient China." China.Org.cn, 02 Sep 2011. Web. <http://www.china.org.cn/top10/2011-09/02/content_23343011.htm>. "Chinese Proverbs quotes." Thinkexist.com, Web. 26 Apr 2012. <http://thinkexist.com/quotation/black_cat_or_white_cat-if_it_can_catch_mice-it-s/152453.html>.