Exchanging a Leopard Cat for a Prince: Famous Trials by Lord Bao

Lord Bao has been a legendary hero in China for almost a thousand years. The fairness and wisdom he displayed in the numerous judicial cases he dealt with as well as his honesty and incorruptibility have made him a household name. Stories about Lord Bao were largely based on the life of Bao Zhen (999-1062), a native of Hefei in Luzhou Prefecture (present day Anhui Province) in the Northern Song Dynasty. After passing the civil service examination he held a series of government posts, including county magistrate, edict attendent of Shengtianzhang Pavilion, auxiliary academician of Longhu Pavilion, prefect of Luzhou, prefect of Kaifeng and deputy director of the Ministry of Rites.

The eight stories included in this book are characterized by tightly-knit plots often leading to an unexpected final solution. The readers will be deeply impressed by Lord Bao's ingenuity in cracking complicated cases as well as his honesty and determination in upholding the law on behalf of the common people.