54 pages • 1 hour read
AnonymousThe Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1949A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Official Paraphernalia and Rituals
Traditional regalia and rituals are both crucial to the text, as both speak to Chinese customs and culture. The judge’s official robes and his cap are mentioned throughout. Special attention is paid to the instances when he does not wear his official uniform, as when he pretends to be an itinerant merchant or when he goes to the Hua manor in an unofficial capacity. The red pelerine he wears on the day of the executions is also emphasized. Other paraphernalia of the magistrate’s work includes the bench in the tribunal.
Interactions between people in the book are governed by ritual and custom. When facing the judge, villagers abase themselves by referring to themselves as “this insignificant person,” for example. When meeting strangers, people give their last names first and first names second, emphasizing the importance of the family over the individual.
Gender Roles
The text consistently presents women as inferior to men. They are the ones who make scenes and display emotions in public, which is thought unseemly, like when the carter’s widow wails loudly in front of the hostel where Judge Dee is staying. Mrs. Bee is described as stupid several times and bursts into tears at the smallest provocation. Additionally, the most depraved criminal is Mrs. Djou, who is both a murderess and a terrible mother who is willing to harm her own child for her selfish desires.
In Confucian philosophy, women are at the very bottom of the social hierarchy. Like in Western societies, women in pre-modern China were confined to the private sphere and were not supposed to be out in public on their own. Mrs. Djou’s desire to be seen outside foreshadows her flawed character.
Respect for Elders and Filial Piety
The book repeatedly emphasizes that a younger person is not supposed to disagree with or disobey an elder. For example, Judge Dee must carefully phrase his request to visit the crime scene, as he does not want to contradict elder Mr. Hua in public. The magistrate is also very respectful toward the old semi-deaf constable. Such behavior is rewarded, as the constable eventually gives the judge essential information. In contrast, bad behavior toward one’s elders, like when Mrs. Djou scolds her mother-in-law, results in negative consequences. The judge becomes convinced of Mrs. Djou’s guilt because of her poor treatment of her dead husband’s mother.
This respect for elders is based on the central Confucian concept of filial piety. The emperor is the ultimate elder or father of the nation, so each subject’s primary loyalty is owed to him. Similarly, a magistrate is the “father and mother” of the people, so he is also owed deep respect. Within an actual family, the oldest male figure is the head and ultimate authority. After that, the hierarchy goes from older brother or son to younger brother or son, and finally, from the oldest woman to the youngest. The importance of families and family lines predates Confucius and goes back to the earliest Neolithic Chinese beliefs about the afterlife. Dead relatives are still part of the family, they are just located in a different plane of existence. Thus, paying respect to one’s ancestors is an extension of the concept of filial piety.
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