The Cases of Magistrate Shi - Volume One: The Scholar's Petition (English Edition)

The first volume of "The Cases of Magistrate Shi" introduces readers to one of the most enduring figures of classical Chinese judicial fiction.

When a scholar arrives at court reporting the brutal murder and decapitation of his parents, Magistrate Shi is confronted with a case that appears straightforward - but soon reveals deeper layers of motive, revenge, and moral disorder. Through careful interrogation, psychological insight, and symbolic interpretation, the magistrate begins to unravel a web of hidden guilt.

Rooted in the celebrated gong'an ("court case") tradition, these stories blend legal reasoning, Confucian ethics, and elements of folklore to depict justice not merely as punishment, but as restoration of moral balance.

This volume presents the opening portion of the complete and unabridged English translation of "Shi Gong An (施公案)", laying the foundation for one of the great judicial epics of late imperial China.

Volume One is the beginning of a three-volume complete edition.