In the long history of China, ancient court trials have always been a focus of people's attention. Many people's impression of ancient trials may come from artistic forms such as operas and TV dramas, where the trial scenes are often full of drama. However, what was the real picture of ancient trials? Today, we will uncover the mystery of ancient trials.

First, the procedures of ancient trials.

Ancient Chinese trial procedures were relatively rigorous. After a case occurred, local officials would conduct a preliminary investigation and collect evidence. Then, the plaintiff and defendant would be summoned to the court, presided over by officials such as the county magistrate or prefect. During the trial, both parties could make statements and defenses, and the officials would make judgments based on legal provisions. For major cases, they would need to be reported to higher-level officials for approval.

Second, the methods of ancient trials.

Ancient trials adopted various methods, including face-to-face confrontation in the courtroom and examination of written materials. In the courtroom, officials would listen to the statements of both parties, examine physical evidence, and even resort to torture to extract confessions. In the process of adjudication, officials needed to follow the principle of "fact-based and law-governed" to strive for fair adjudication.

Third, the characteristics of ancient trials.

Ancient trials had some unique characteristics. First, they attached great importance to confessions, believing that confessions were the key to clarifying the case. Second, they emphasized moral education, and many cases reflected Confucian ethical and moral concepts. Additionally, ancient trials had a strict hierarchical system, and the status of officials directly affected the fairness of the trial.

Fourth, the problems of ancient trials.

Although the ancient Chinese judicial system was relatively sound, there were still some problems. For example, the use of torture to extract confessions led to the occurrence of unjust and wrong cases. Officials' favoritism, corruption, and bribery severely affected judicial fairness. Furthermore, due to the limitations of the historical background and social concepts, ancient trials were difficult to completely escape the shackles of feudal ideas.

In summary, ancient Chinese trials had both rigorous aspects and many problems. In modern society, we should learn from the past, continuously improve the judicial system, strive to enhance judicial fairness, and create a fair and just legal environment for the people.

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