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China's # 1 Daddy: Celebrated Cases Of Judge Dee

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Chloe Liu East Asian Straton 5 April 2024 China’s #1 Daddy: Judge Dee At the front of the city gates, the heads of beheaded criminals dangle on the wall. This grim spectacle was a common scene during the Tang Dynasty and is also portrayed in the novel, “Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee.” From 618 to 906 AD, the Tang Dynasty, also deemed as the Golden Era, rose to power in Asia. The dynasty was founded by Li Yuan, a military commander who declared himself Emperor Gaozu after garnering supporters amid a rebellion during the Sui Dynasty. Over three generations, Emperor Gaozu and his descendants forged a unique cultural identity that consisted of having a peaceful coexistence of different religions within the government. Most notably, Confucianism …show more content…

This daring act further solidifies Judge Dee’s character as a good Legalist, as he is committed to enforcing the impartiality of Legalism. Although opponents may argue that Judge Dee is not a good Tang Dynasty Magistrate as he abuses his power to torture individuals and is impatient and reckless with civilians, however, his discipline to maintain the virtue of Confucian principles, and uphold the impartiality of Legalist thinking, proves his excellence as a Tang Dynasty Magistrate. As a good Confucian, Judge Dee upheld the Chinese Penal Code and vowed to de-cap as a magistrate if Mrs. Djou were proven innocent. This principled act exhibits Dee’s profound reverence for adhering to virtue, which is a characteristic of an honorable Confucian. Accordingly, when Hsu, a well-regarded student from a prestigious family, cited his family’s wealth to evade being tortured, Judge Dee ignored his familial connections and punished him accordingly, demonstrating his commitment to preserving the impartiality of Legalism. Ultimately, it can be deduced that Judge Dee is a commendable Tang Dynasty Magistrate with his embodiment of Confucian and Legalist

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