The Story of the Court - Museum of Humanities and Nature

Author: Huang Minghe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: The court is like a theater. For 5,000 years, countless tragedies and comedies of life have been performed here, unfolding many bizarre stories. This book revolves around the court and the judicial system. The author discusses both ancient and modern times, connecting East and West, meticulously organizing the knowledge behind the system, and providing detailed explanations of the cultural factors that influence its form. With sharp and versatile writing, it is both solemn and playful, captivating the reader. – Professor He Weifang, Law School, Peking University
This book is very engaging. It narrates many famous cases in legal history like a story, and even more commendably, it is accompanied by numerous illustrations, many of which I have never seen before. It transforms our legal history and thought from abstract to concrete, bringing it vividly to life, offering a fresh perspective. – Professor Qu Xinjiu, Dean of the School of Criminal Justice, China University of Political Science and Law
Some have compared the court to a theater, and this is a brilliant metaphor. In fact, the court has always been a stage where the tragedies and comedies of life are performed, unfolding many bizarre stories. Each case is a story, with no script, no pre-designed dialogue, no rehearsals, and even an uncertain ending. On this stage, judges and juries, plaintiffs and defendants, prosecutors and defenders, and witnesses called to the stand all play different roles, narrating or listening to a story that has already happened, while also enacting a story of truth and justice that is unfolding. The author of this book is like an observer standing behind the curtain, explaining in detail the backgrounds, origins, and attire of the various characters on stage, as well as the scenery, props, operational procedures, and rules of the stage, the backstage secrets and unspoken rules. Thus, Socrates' trial in ancient Greece, the cruel inquisitors of the Middle Ages, the eerie and mysterious magistrates in ancient Chinese courts, the lawsuits against Emperor Wilhelm I by farmers, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the love-hate American lawyers, and the century-long Simpson trial—all come to life in the author's hands, once again taking the stage with their masks and makeup.
The curtain has been drawn, and the performance is about to begin.
This book mainly introduces ancient Chinese courts, the prosecution and defense, the attire of justice, legal anecdotes, and historical trials.