Duke Bao, or Bao Zheng, was the most renowned judge in the Song Dy-
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nasty. One of the most famous stories in Peking Opera about Duke Bao is called
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Execution of Chen Shi-mei. The story goes like this:  a poor scholar named Chen
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Shi-mei marries a woman named Qin Xiang-lian, who endures many hardships to
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advance his career. Coming in first in the imperial examinations, Chen conceals
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the fact that he has a wife back home in order to marry the emperor¡s daughter. The deserted Xiang-lian comes to the capital to look for him, but is
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rejected by Chen. In order to protect  his  position Chen hires  an assassinto kill his first wife and his two children. The killer, however, changes his 
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mind when he hears the true story. Then Xiang-lian brings suit against her husband in Bao¡s court. Judge Bao becomes the champion of the wronged
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woman after he examines the evidence and conducts an investigation. Disregarding pressure from the emperor, Bao insists on prosecuting the case, 
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and the faithless Chen is eventually executed under the fodder chopper. This story shows how strictly Bao Zheng enforces the law. His exploits as a 
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judge have gained him immortality.