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The character of Judge Dee is largely molded by the ideas of his time. During his reign, the philosophies of Legalism, Confucianism, and Taoism, were heavily relied upon for the basis of ethics within the common people and magistrates alike. Judge Dee’s persona is derived directly from the strictest teachings of these philosophies. As the revered district magistrate of Chang-ping province, his conduct was expected to serve as a model for the citizens. This …

…the Judges character. Without the ideals of these philosophies he would have been completely infective in his job as district magistrate. When this story was constructed, the character of Judge Dee was the impossible byproduct of three philosophies. The Judge is taylored for the story, perfectly suited in every concievable way to the duties of his job. Judge Dee represents an ideal that is wholly unachievable in reality, but flawless in the realm of literature.