The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee

Sergeant Hoong is Judge Dee’s chief assistant and advisor. He is an older man who has served the Dee family all his life and thus knows the judge from childhood. This allows him a certain degree of familiarity with the judge and makes it possible for the magistrate to discuss his problems freely without fear of “losing face,” or embarrassing himself. The judge and the sergeant often discuss cases as equal partners rather than as master and servant, which indicates that the judge is not overly concerned with rank when not in public.

The sergeant is a devoted servant, one willing to sleep on the steps of the temple to serve the judge during his vigil. He is also instrumental in correctly interpreting the divination book poem and the judge’s dream. His character demonstrates that while the magistrate heads each investigation, he could not fulfil his job without support.

Ma Joong is one of the two former highway robbers who work for Judge Dee. His first meeting with the judge happens when Ma Joong and his gang attempt to rob the magistrate. The judge does not consider him a common thief but someone with a “heroic disposition,” and so the judge decides to reform the robber. Ma Joong confesses that he had become a “brother of the green wood” not because he had wanted to but because he had had no other resources and no family to support him. As a result, the judge takes Ma Joong and his friend, Chiao Tai, into his service.

Ma Joong is often sent to apprehend dangerous criminals because he knows how to fight. He is instrumental in apprehending Shao, as he is the one who sends word to the local headman, resulting in the necessary back-up. His good character is showcased in his tireless and selfless efforts to help the judge solve cases. Finally, Ma Joong is adventurous, as demonstrated by the thrill he gets from pretending to be a burglar to gain access to Hsu’s bedroom.

Mrs. Bee, or Mrs. Djou, is the widow of Bee Hsun, a poor shopkeeper from Huang-hua Village. She is described as very beautiful but rude and immodest. She argues with her husband, disrespects her mother-in-law, and openly jokes and laughs in public, which is considered improper.

Mrs. Djou demonstrates intelligence and a very strong will when she is accused of murder. Instead of confessing under torture, she proceeds to convincingly play the role of a wrongly accused woman, insinuating that the judge is persecuting her due to a personal reason. Even faced with her lover’s betrayal, she continues to deny her crime, knowing that they cannot sentence her without a confession. The widow’s intelligence is further demonstrated by the manner of her crime: She inserts a needle into her husband’s head, which would leave no discoverable mark. She is also the one who comes up with the idea of constructing a secret passage.

Finally, Mrs. Djou is shown to be completely ruthless. She capable of murder, and she is willing to harm her own daughter for the sake of her lover. The widow gave the child a draught took her ability to speak; such a handicap would be a terrible burden for the girl and might have left her unwedded.

While Mrs. Djou is clearly the most depraved criminal the judge investigates, she is also the easiest one to sympathize with. She is a young, beautiful woman living in poverty with a husband she does not love. The appearance of the young and rich student Hsu provides her an opportunity for both romance and an escape from her dreary life. Her crimes are motivated by her unhappiness and made possible by her selfishness. Mrs. Djou’s character underlines how honest and selfless the judge is. He is not swayed by her physical beauty or dissuaded either by her husband’s low social status or her threats, which could have resulted in his demotion. From all three cases, Mrs. Djou’s crime is the one that tests the magistrate to the fullest, and it is the case that ultimately wins him special commendation and the promotion to the imperial court.