Secret: Is Bao Zheng really a magical expert in solving crimes in history?

Introduction: In the eyes of ordinary people, he is a legend and an outstanding representative of honest officials. People used to call him Bao Gong or Bao Qingtian. For more than 900 years,

Bao's real name is Bao Zheng, and his name is Xiren. After his death, posthumous title was named "Xiao Su". Born in the second year of Xianping in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was smart and studious since he was a child and was deeply loved by his parents. In Bao Mian, Bao Gong's Compensation and other operas, Bao Zheng was abandoned by his parents and raised by Bao Zheng's eldest sister, which is not in line with historical reality. In people's minds, Bao is an excellent detective who has cracked many unjust, false and wrong cases. There were 18 kinds of case-solving dramas in Yuan Dynasty, among which Bao Zheng alone accounted for 1 1 kind. There are 13 kinds of ballads published in Yongshuntang in Ming Dynasty, and 8 kinds of ballads reflect Bao Zheng's solving crimes. It was China's traditional operas and novels that turned Bao Zheng from a dutiful feudal official into an omnipotent and powerful expert in solving crimes. In fact, Bao Gong in history is far less magical than the legend. It's just that he does practical things for the people, so he is loved and supported by people.

There is no denying that Bao Zheng did solve a case of stealing bull's tongue. When Bao was a county magistrate in Tianchang, a farmer complained that someone had stolen the tongue of his cow. At that time, the laws of the Song Dynasty strictly stipulated that it was illegal for people to kill cattle without permission, and they had to bear a heavy responsibility. But Bao Zheng told the farmer to go home and kill the cow, keep some for himself, and take the rest to the market to sell. The farmer really killed the cow when he came home. The next day, someone complained to Bao Zheng about the farmer who killed the cow. Instead, Bao Zheng detained the complainant and asked angrily, "Why did you cut the tongue of someone else's cow?" The man was frightened by this sudden question and had to confess truthfully. This man never imagined that this was Bao Zheng's trick of "luring the snake out of the hole". When Bao Zheng received the report that the cow's tongue had been cut, he immediately realized that there must be an enemy trying to frame the farmer.

Unfortunately, in the historical materials of the Song Dynasty, only a few small things such as "cutting off the cow's tongue" were recorded. There is no record in the historical materials of the Song Dynasty of how he became an expert in solving crimes. Most of the major cases with clear reasoning, careful observation, proper judgment and quick settlement known by later generations came from the book Long Tu Gong An in the late Ming Dynasty. This book records more than 100 cases tried in Bao Zheng, but according to the research of relevant scholars, many of these 100 cases are unreliable, of which 22 cases were copied from "Hai Gong An", 20 cases were borrowed from other books, 37 cases were from unknown sources, and 8 cases came from complete legends. In other words, it should be a legend for later generations that Bao Gong became a master of Sherlock Holmes.

Bao Zheng studied hard when he was young, so at the age of 29, he was finally admitted to Jinshi Jiake. According to the regulations of the Song Dynasty, the Jinshi who passed the examination could become an official. Bao Zheng was sent to Jianchang County. However, Bao Zheng's parents were old at that time. As the old saying goes, "parents are here, don't travel far", be filial to your parents. So Bao Zheng asked to go back to Anhui and be an official in Hezhou. Then I simply gave up my official position and adopted my parents at home. Bao Zheng was filial to his parents at home for many years, at the age of 39, and served as the magistrate of Tianchang County until his parents died and the mourning period expired. Three years later, he went to Duanzhou as a magistrate. This kind of feudal filial piety is respected by my hometown people. In recent years, a tombstone erected by Bao Zheng for his father Yi was found in Hefei, Anhui. On the tablet, the seal script is "Song Ancient Tea"

Bao Zheng held various official positions, but according to historical records, his main energy in his life was not to examine and supervise, but to act as an admonition officer and a financial officer. In the third year of Song Renzong Qing Dynasty, Bao Zheng became the first inspector. He made many suggestions to Song Renzong, such as selecting judges, reducing county orders, and choosing Guangnan Prefecture. He also carefully inspected the border guards in the north and west, and wrote famous memorials, such as "The Khitan Incident" and "The Border General". He hoped that the imperial court would attach importance to military training and guard the border. In March of the sixth year of Qing Dynasty, Bao Zheng was appointed as the deputy envoy of the Third Division of Household Administration, and was soon appointed as the transshipment ambassador of JD.COM Road, Shaanxi Road and Hebei Road. In just four years, Bao Zheng has held four or five positions, all of which are related to the transportation of grain and rice in salt affairs. He supported the "law of money and salt" and severely cracked down on unscrupulous businessmen. In the past few years, price stability has increased the national fiscal revenue and safeguarded the interests of the people.

Bao Zheng's talent and professionalism were rewarded by the rulers. In August of the first year of Ding Wei V, on the recommendation of colleagues and courtiers, Bao Zheng was appointed as the magistrate of Jiangning. At the end of that year, he went to Kaifeng. I only stayed in Kaifeng, Bao Zheng for about a year and a half, but I left a deep memory for people. He is famous for punishing traitors, being the master of the country, rectifying the city, appointing people on their merits and being impartial. According to the History of Song Dynasty, there was a folk song circulating in the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty: "If you can't reach the alliance, you will grow old with Yamaraja." It means there is no money to dredge the joints. Don't worry, Master Yan and Master Bao are your masters! It can be seen that Bao Gong has a good reputation and great influence! In June of the third year of Jia Dynasty, Bao Zheng was promoted to Zhong Cheng, whose specific task was to prevent officials from evil and rectify military discipline. Finally, he became a representative of the city Council.

Throughout Bao Zheng's life, he didn't have much time to handle cases. Most of his energy is spent on advice and finance, but why does everyone say that he is a god official? In fact, this has a lot to do with people's expectations of law enforcement and justice for the people. In addition, Bao Gong also tried many cases, and his image as a master of solving crimes was naturally established. In a word, Bao Zheng is a mirror, reflecting the darkness of officialdom, the helplessness of the people, and the people's hope for an upright official. In other words, Bao Zheng became a symbol of justice and wisdom, far away from the real historical figures.