Many stories have been handed down among
Chinese about a judge known for his fearless espousal of justice. He was known as
"Clear Sky Bao" or "Clear Sky Bao Milord", meaning that no wrongdoing could be hidden
from his impartial eye and that he gave justice to the common people. Indeed, there
was a virtuous official in history during Song Dynasty named Bao Zheng.
Bao Zheng (999 - 1062) was from Hefei, in today's Anhui province. He served in the
local government as well as in the court. When he was a county magistrate, his uncle
once violated the law. Bao Zheng showed no partiality for friends or relatives,
and he treated him according to the law. He sent runners to take his uncle to the
local official, and even sentenced his uncle to death. Many relatives pleaded for
his uncle, but Bao Zheng said, "It is not because I am ruthless, it is he who violated
the law."
When Lord Bao became a court official, he upheld the law firmly. One year, there
occurred a flood in the capital, Keifeng, which threatened to engulf the poorer
quarters of the city. Bao Zheng found that the flood had been caused by the instrusion
of waterside gardens and pavilions built for the pleasure of senior officials. For
the safety of Kaifeng, without any hesitation, he ordered that these constructions
be removed. Whoever violated the law, even if they were relatives of the emperor,
Bao Zheng did not show any mercy. He kept proposing his opinion to the emperor till
those people were punished.
Bao Zheng had great sympathy for those who were unjustly convicted. He would determinedly
carry out detailed investigations and bring justice to the victims. People admired
his character so much that they praised him as the "Clear Sky Bao".
Although Bao was a highranking official, there was little change in his house and
he lived a simple and frugal life just like commoners. His will declared that if
his descendants were to be corrupted officials, the would be forbidden to return
home and they would be denied the right to be buried in the family graveyard.
Bao was well respected by people because of his righteousness, and his legend was
spread among the regions. Since people were used to calling him Lord Bao, his real
name was rarely mentioned.
Reference data
Lord Bao and Inkstones
Bao Zheng was incorruptible and never received a bribe in all his life. He had been
the magistrate of Duanzhou (today's Zhaoqing in Guangdong province) for almost three
years. Duanzhou was famous for its Duan inkstones. Writing brush, ink, paper and
inkstones are altogether called "the Four Tresures of Study", and Hu writing brush,
Hui ink, Xuan paper and Duan inkstones are the best of all. The stone of Duan inkstone
is hard as well as smooth, and its texture is fine. As Duan inkstone is easy to
grind the ink with and takes longer time to dry out, writing used with the ink ground
by it is rather smooth and convenient. These inkstones were so fine that they were
even presented as tribute to emperors since Tang Dynasty. Bao Zheng's predecessors
had often extorted instones from people and used them to bribe court officials.
But when Bao Zheng governed there he did not extort any Duan inkstones and refused
to stoop to flattery. In fact, although he was a keen calligrapher himself, he did
not take a single inkstone with him when he left Duanzhou.
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