The Code of Ethics of Administration of Justice for Magistrates in Ch’ing Dynasty
Muh-Chyng Guh*
Abstract
Except of taxation, the administration of justice is another most important function of the chou and hsien governments of the Ch’ing Dynasty (1644-1911). A magistrate -- the leader of chou and hsien government -- plays the most critical role in this kind of functions. The chou and hsien yamen (office) is the first tribunal in the whole trial process. Everything related to the administration of justice starts here. The magistrate hears all kinds of cases in his district, including civil and criminal ones. He is not only a judge, but also a prosecutor, police chief and coroner. If he fails to practice any of these duties well, he will be disciplined and punished, as injustice to the public cannot be subsided. There have been numerous books and documents discussing the code of ethics of administration of justice for magistrates of the Ch’ing Dynasty. This article tries to analyze the code of ethics of administration of justice, specifically on trial and verdict.
Keywords: The Codes of Ethics of Administration of Justice, Administration of Justice, Magistrate, Ch’ing Dynasty, trial and verdict
* Muh-Chyng Guh, Professor of Department of Public Administration and Policy, National Taipei University (NTPU), E-mail: muchyng@mail.ntpu.edu.tw.