Criminal Case Collection, Volume 3 (1-4)

Author: Zhu Qingqi (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-05-01
Features: China is one of the greatest ancient civilizations in the world. Whenever people mention the rich cultural and historical records of China, they often use phrases like "so vast that it makes oxen weary" and "as vast as the sea" to describe them. However, in comparison, historical records related to legal cases are relatively rare and scarce. Moreover, the cases included in the existing historical books mostly come from folk legends and unofficial records, with an emphasis on highlighting the bizarre and mysterious nature of the cases and the extraordinary investigative and judgment skills of the judges. These vividly compiled cases provide us with an invaluable perspective on the judicial conditions of ancient times. However, the development of history is multi-dimensional and three-dimensional. To restore the true face of history, it is inevitable to rely on and establish a foundation of scientific, authentic, and accurate historical records. In this regard, the role of official historical records is undoubtedly irreplaceable by folk legends and rumors. Before the Qing Dynasty, ancient official judicial archives had not been preserved. In this sense, the largest in volume, the most extensive in scope, and the most detailed in classification of case compendiums in ancient China, the "Collected Cases of the Ministry of Justice" compiled over decades by two generations of experienced officials serving in the Ministry of Justice possesses invaluable historical significance.