The Case of Qu Yunzhen Using Qi Haiyuan's Ox to Trample Wheat

During the Tang Dynasty, in Gaochang County under the administration of Xizhou (present-day Turpan, Xinjiang), Qu Yunzhen, a petty official serving as a section head (Cao Zhu), took the ox belonging to commoner Qi Haiyuan without proper authorization and used it to trample wheat. The incident resulted in the death or serious injury of the ox. Qi Haiyuan subsequently filed a lawsuit at the county tribunal, seeking compensation from Qu Yunzhen for the loss of his valuable draught animal. The county magistrate reviewed the case, applying relevant Tang legal statutes concerning the unauthorized use and damage to private property.

Qu Yunzhen was found liable and ordered to compensate Qi Haiyuan for the value of the deceased or injured ox, ensuring restitution in accordance with the legal codes of the Tang Empire.

Whether Qu Yunzhen was legally liable for the unauthorized use and death of Qi Haiyuan's ox, and the appropriate amount of monetary or in-kind compensation under Tang law.

The case illustrates the robust protection of private property rights under Tang law, even in remote frontier prefectures. It demonstrates the legal system's ability to adjudicate civil wrongs involving officials and commoners, reinforcing social order and the principle that no one, including minor government functionaries, is above the law in matters of tortious liability.