In Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An) by an unknown author, tells the story of Judge Dee. He is a very well respected Judge and is known as a solver of mysteries much throughout his area. One day, a man comes to the tribunal, claiming he has been greatly wronged. Once Judge Dee is able to make sense of what has happened, he learns that two travelers have been killed, and this man is being accused on the murder. As he sets out to solve the case himself, he comes across another potential case. A woman has lost her husband one night, and suddenly her daughter is ‘stricken with dumbness’, as the girl no longer speaks after her father’s death. Determined that a crime has been committed, Judge Dee vows to solve this case, as well as the one he currently is working on.
Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An) displays many different varieties of philosophies. The most abundant however are that of Confucian and Daoist thoughts and believes throughout this novel. Confucian thought emphasizes felial piety and strong centralization of power of those in control while Daosim is more spiritual and leans towards a laissez faire system of "let it be”.
This book shows both Confucian thought and Daoist principles in a number of ways. Such as throughout the book, people continuously refer to Judge Dee as His Supreme, The Great, and other adjectives of high rank and importance whereas when they speak of themselves or others they generally use words such as inferior and unimportant. Those of lower rank, such as citizens use these when speaking to the Judge in reference to themselves and in reference to the Judge himself.
Daoist believes in the idea of allowing things to happen as they would and accepting these events for what they are. Such as when Judge Dee goes to the grave of Bee Hsun, he allows the spirits and the environment around him determine if he will succeed in finding the grave of the deceased Bee Hsun. Judge Dee allows the spirit to guide him to the grave, and later after the body is exhumed and the coffin is opened, Judge Dee relies on fate to allow his future to be decided by asking the spirit to tell them if he was murdered.
In Tang China, Judge Dee has the right to torture those whom he believes guilty of murder in order to force them to confess their sins. However, if they fail to accuse the correct person, they pay with their position and their black hat. In society today, torture is not only illegal, but also anyone caught committing such a heinous act is prosecuted and punished as a criminal themselves without first waiting to see if the crime is indeed valid, since torture itself is considered a crime.
In addition, in this book, Judge Dee uses many unconventional methods, such as asking the spirit world for help in assisting in the clarification of weather or not Bee Hsun was actually murdered or if he died of a natural death. The use of such unconventional methods in today’s modern worlds is not only frowned upon, but it is thought to be ludicrous and crazy. Modern western methods very rarely include the use of spirit guides to aide in solving crimes, and if they are used, other excuses and reasons are quickly found to replace the supersticious events.
Such is the case, I prefer today’s system over that of Tang China. The idea that any one person in power may choose who they wish to punish, and that they have such supreme rule over others is unfathomable. The methods in which Judge Dee goes about his work, spying on others, sneaking behind people’s backs, dissapearing for days at a time is perposterous. However, I do agree with the way of Tang China in one aspect. They charge their own Judges with a crime if they accuse (and punish) the innocent. Perhaps our own system would function better if lawyers who lost were also punished as their clients were. Perhaps a lawyer would not be so quick to defend a serial killer or a rapist.
Many various ideas are brought forward in this book, such as felial piety, respect towards those of higher rank and of your elders. Today’s society is sorely lacking in respect for one’s elders and for those of ranking office. Police offers and fire men who put their lives on the line every day for the citizens of their town are payed little or no respect from those who are being protected. Just as a screaming child pays their mother little or no respect when the child wishes for a new toy. Instead, only crying and whining, agrivation and bad behavinor or shown. Perhaps the use of felial piety in today’s society, if it were taught in schools, preached and praticed, children would be more incline to follow as their parents say and as others of higher stature request of them.