Chinese Cases

Selected real-world legal cases from the Chinese-speaking world, adapted into suspenseful courtroom drama novels.

1. Case of the Debt of Qian Shaoqing, a Commoner of Jiangdu County, Yangzhou, Submitted by the Department of State Affairs to the Court of Judicial Review for Detailed Adjudication in the 19th Year of Kaiyuan

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty, China (731 CE (19th year of the Kaiyuan reign))
3. Original Case: 开元十九年尚书都省牒大理寺详断扬州江都县民钱少卿债负案
4. VictimsCao MomingDefendantsQian ShaoqingPlaintiffsCao MomingInstitutionsDepartment of State Affairs (Shangshu Dusheng)Court of Judicial Review (Dali Si)Yangzhou Prefecture
5. Case Tags: Debt Default;Usury Cap;Tang Civil Dispute;Surety Liability

1. Case of the Longyou Herdsmen Office Impeaching the Herd Supervisor for Horse Theft in the 16th Year of Kaiyuan

2. Jurisdiction: China (728 AD (16th year of Kaiyuan))
3. Original Case: 开元十六年陇右群牧使司劾监牧盗马案
4. PlaintiffsLongyou Herdsmen OfficeProsecutorsLongyou Herdsmen OfficeJudgesEmperor Xuanzong of TangInstitutionsLongyou Qunmu ShisiTang Imperial Court
5. Case Tags: Official Corruption;Tang Dynasty Law;State Property Crime;Horse Administration

1. The Case of Yan Zhenqing Adjudicating a Fraternal Land Dispute in Fengqiu County in the 13th Year of Kaiyuan

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty China (725 AD (13th year of Kaiyuan))
3. Original Case: 开元十三年汴州封丘县尉颜真卿断兄弟争田案
4. JudgesYan ZhenqingInstitutionsFengqiu County Yamen, Bianzhou
5. Case Tags: Land Dispute;Sibling Property Conflict;Tang Dynasty Judicial Practice;Moral Education in Justice

1. Case of Anyi County Resident Suing the Village Head for Unequal Land Distribution

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty China (722 AD (10th Year of Kaiyuan))
3. Original Case: 开元十年蒲州安邑县民诉里正均田不均案
4. Institutions安邑县衙蒲州府
5. Case Tags: Equal-field System;Administrative Litigation;Land Dispute;Tang Code Case

1. 开元四年河南府告成县民王义方诉佃主夺田案

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝（中国） (唐玄宗开元四年（公元716年）)
3. Original Case: 河南府告成县民王义方诉佃主夺田案
4. Victims王义方Defendants佃主某Plaintiffs王义方Judges告成县令Institutions告成县衙
5. Status or Result: 告成县令判决佃主归还所夺土地，王义方得以继续佃种；州府复审后维持原判。
6. Case Tags: 土地纠纷;唐代法律;佃农权益;拟判案例

1. The Case of Guo Zhiyun's Memorial to Execute Those Who Privately Traveled to Remote Regions in the Seventh Year of Kaiyuan

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty, China (719 AD)
3. Original Case: 开元七年陇右节度使郭知运奏决私赴绝域者案
4. DefendantsUnnamed individuals who privately traveled to remote regionsPlaintiffsGuo ZhiyunInvestigatorsGuo ZhiyunProsecutorsGuo ZhiyunJudgesEmperor Xuanzong of TangInstitutionsLongyou Military CommandTang Imperial Court
5. Case Tags: Tang Dynasty Law;Border Control;Military Commissioner Judicial Power;Capital Punishment Memorial

1. 开元二年京兆府新丰县民诉主簿受财枉法案

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝 (开元二年（714年）)
3. Defendants新丰县主簿Plaintiffs新丰县民Investigators李杰Judges李杰Institutions御史台
4. Case Tags: 受财枉法;唐代司法案例;李杰断案;孝道与审讯

1. 玄宗先天二年太平公主谋反赐死案

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝（中国） (713年（唐玄宗先天二年）)
3. Victims李隆基Defendants太平公主窦怀贞萧至忠岑羲Plaintiffs魏知古Investigators王毛仲高力士Judges李隆基Institutions左右羽林军唐朝廷
4. Case Tags: 谋反案;赐死;唐代宫廷政变;太平公主

1. 太极元年越州都督崔日用奏诛逆党案

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝（中国） (太极元年（公元712年）)
3. Victims被诬杀的流人数十人Defendants崔日用Investigators崔日用Judges唐睿宗李旦Institutions越州都督府唐廷
4. Status or Result: 数十名流人被斩首，越州都督崔日用未受任何惩处。
5. Case Tags: 唐代冤案;流人诛戮;崔日用;谋反诬告

1. 景云二年华州郑县民诉县令违法征科案

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝 (唐景云二年（711年）)
3. Investigators韩琬Prosecutors韩琬Judges李旦Institutions御史台
4. Status or Result: 监察御史韩琬查明县令违法征科，奏请处置。唐睿宗准奏，将华州郑县令罢免官职，追缴多征钱粮，并依法科罪。
5. Case Tags: 违法征科;韩琬;华州郑县;唐景云年间

1. The Rebellion Case of Prince Qiao Li Chongfu in the First Year of Jingyun

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty (China) (August 710 (First Year of Jingyun))
3. Original Case: Ruizong Jingyun Yuannian Qiao Wang Li Chongfu Moufan An
4. VictimsEmperor Ruizong Li DanDefendantsLi ChongfuZhang LingjunWang DaoxianPlaintiffsLi YongJudgesEmperor Ruizong Li DanInstitutionsTang Imperial Court
5. Case Tags: Treason;Coup d'état;Imperial Succession Crisis;Tang Dynasty Political Purge

1. Case of He Ayong's Conviction for Seditious Speech in Dingzhou during the Jinglong Era

2. Jurisdiction: China (During the Jinglong era (707-710 AD), Tang Dynasty)
3. Original Case: Jinglong Nianjian Dingzhou He Ayong Zuo Yaoyan An
4. DefendantsHe AyongInstitutionsTang Dynasty Dingzhou Prefectural Government
5. Case Tags: Yaoyan (Seditious Speech);Tang Zhongzong Jinglong Period;Speech Crime in Imperial China;Dingzhou Prefecture

1. Tang Lanlan Case

2. Jurisdiction: China, Heilongjiang Province, Wudalianchi City (Crimes allegedly occurred 2008–2010, initial trial concluded October 2012, reexamination rejected July 2020)
3. VictimsTang LanlanDefendantsTang YuhaiWan XiulingTang YukunLiu ChanghaiJi GuangcaiLiang LiquanChen ChunfuInvestigatorsWudalianchi Public Security BureauProsecutorsHeihe People's ProcuratorateDefense AttorneysZhang YanshengInstitutionsHeihe Intermediate People's CourtWudalianchi Public Security BureauHeihe People's ProcuratorateHeilongjiang Higher People's Court
4. Case Tags: Sexual Abuse of Minors;Coerced Confession Allegations;Judicial Reexamination;Wrongful Conviction Controversy

1. Case of Zhao from Luozhou Suing the Market Director for Forced Purchase during the Shenlong Era

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝 (神龙年间（705年—707年）)
3. Original Case: 神龙年间洛州人赵某诉市令强市案
4. Victims赵某Defendants洛州市令Plaintiffs赵某Institutions洛州府
5. Case Tags: 唐代法制;官吏贪腐;市场管理;民事诉讼

1. 于欢案

2. Jurisdiction: 中国山东省聊城市 (2016年4月14日)
3. Original Case: 于欢故意伤害案
4. Victims杜志浩严建军程学贺郭彦刚Defendants于欢Plaintiffs杜志浩家属严建军程学贺郭彦刚Prosecutors聊城市人民检察院Defense Attorneys殷清利Judges山东省高级人民法院合议庭Institutions聊城市中级人民法院山东省高级人民法院聊城市公安局聊城市人民检察院
5. Case Tags: 正当防卫;防卫过当;故意伤害;非法拘禁

1. The Case of Prince Xiang's Subordinates Being Exiled as Empress Wei's Partisans in the First Year of Shenlong

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty, China (705 AD (First Year of the Shenlong Era))
3. Original Case: 中宗神龙元年相王府属官坐韦后亲党流贬案
4. VictimsLiu YouqiuWang JuZhang WeiDefendantsLiu YouqiuWang JuZhang WeiPlaintiffsWu SansiDou CongyiProsecutorsDou CongyiJudgesEmperor Zhongzong of Tang (Li Xian)InstitutionsDali TempleImperial Censorate
5. Case Tags: Tang Dynasty Political Case;Judicial Exile Case;Factional Strife and Court Intrigue;Fabricated Accusation Case

1. 泰州1.6亿天价环保公益诉讼案

2. Jurisdiction: 中国 (2014年)
3. Original Case: 江苏省泰州市环保联合会诉江苏常隆农化有限公司等六家企业环境污染公益诉讼案
4. Defendants江苏常隆农化有限公司泰兴锦汇化工有限公司江苏施美康药业股份有限公司泰兴市申龙化工有限公司泰兴市富安化工有限公司泰兴市臻庆化工有限公司Plaintiffs泰州市环保联合会Institutions泰州市中级人民法院江苏省高级人民法院泰州市环保联合会
5. Case Tags: 环境公益诉讼;1.6亿天价赔偿;泰州废酸倾倒案;企业环境责任

1. 武周长安年间陇右三卫番上违限案

2. Jurisdiction: 唐朝 (长安二年（公元702年）)
3. Original Case: 长安二年陇右诸军健儿番上违限案
4. Defendants刘珪Institutions法司陇右诸军
5. Status or Result: 依《唐律》改判，刘珪决杖一百，并发配防边。
6. Case Tags: 番上违限;律敕冲突;武周法制;唐代军事审判

1. Michael Jordan Trademark Administrative Case

2. Jurisdiction: China (2016-12-08)
3. Original Case: Michael Jordan v. Trademark Review and Adjudication Board
4. DefendantsTrademark Review and Adjudication Board of the State Administration for Industry and CommercePlaintiffsMichael JordanJudgesTao KaiyuanInstitutionsTrademark Review and Adjudication BoardQiaodan Sports Co., Ltd.Supreme People's Court of China
5. Case Tags: Trademark Dispute;Right of Name;Supreme People's Court Retrial;Qiaodan Sports

1. Case of A Bai Suing Her Son for Unfilial Conduct in Gaochang County during the Shengli Era of Wu Zhou

2. Jurisdiction: Tang Dynasty China (Xizhou, present-day Turpan, Xinjiang) (Wu Zhou Shengli era (c. 698–700 AD))
3. Original Case: 武周圣历年间西州高昌县阿白诉子不孝案
4. VictimsA BaiPlaintiffsA BaiInstitutionsGaochang County Office
5. Case Tags: Tang Dynasty Law;Filial Piety Crime;Turfan Manuscripts;Wu Zetian Era