True Crimes in Eighteenth-Century China: Twenty Case Histories

by Robert E. Hegel (Translator)

The little-examined genre of legal case narratives is represented in this fascinating volume, the first collection translated into English of criminal cases - most involving homicide - from late imperial China. These true stories of crimes of passion, family conflict, neighborhood feuds, gang violence, and sedition are a treasure trove of information about social relations and legal procedure.

Each narrative describes circumstances leading up to a crime and its discovery, the appearance of the crime scene and the body, the apparent cause of death, speculation about motives and premeditation, and whether self-defense was involved. Detailed testimony is included from the accused and from witnesses, family members, and neighbors, as well as summaries and opinions from local magistrates, their coroners, and other officials higher up the chain of judicial review. Officials explain which law in the Qing dynasty legal code was violated, which corresponding punishment was appropriate, and whether the sentence was eligible for reduction.

These records began as reports from magistrates on homicide cases within their jurisdiction that were required by law to be tried first at the county level, then reviewed by judicial officials at the prefectural, provincial, and national levels, with each administrator adding his own observations to the file. Each case was decided finally in Beijing, in the name of the emperor if not by the monarch himself, before sentences could be carried out and the records permanently filed. All of the cases translated here are from the Qing imperial copies, most of which are now housed in the First Historical Archives, Beijing.

Genres: History, China, True Crime, Nonfiction, 18th Century

285 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jindřich Zapletal · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will learn plenty about the mechanics of criminal investigation and review process of the high Qing. On the plus side, there is a good selection of capital cases (from drunken fights and sex-related family murders to corruption and secret society investigations), on the minus side, there is the repetitive and rather stilted structure of the original sources. All in all, it is a great book.

[Alison Zoccola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fascinating look into law in late imperial China. Their legal system would likely at first glance seem strange to any Westerner, but the more you read these cases, you see that Chinese law in the late imperial period was efficient and achieved justice just like any other legal system.

[Irka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book after 'Washing away of wrongs', and to be honest it's surprised me that some of the investigating methods mentioned in the book from 13th century were still in use in 18th century. In total it's an interesting book showing how the chinese legal system was working.

[๖ۣۜSαᴙαh ๖ۣۜMᴄĄłłiƨʈeʀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent primary source.

[Jeffrey Powanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combines tabloid subject matter, a glimpse at ordinary life in Late Imperial China, and valuable insight into Chinese law, society, and culture. For my complete review, see https://wp.me/p9w4kV-4z.