Jiang Jian, a man of unwavering righteousness and integrity, left his mark in the official historical records of the Qing History Draft (Qing Shigao), despite never holding an official title or passing the imperial examinations. His legacy was preserved not because of rank or status, but because of his remarkable acts of justice and virtue.
His son, Jiang Shiquan, later became a well-known playwright and scholar, serving as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy during Emperor Qianlong’s reign. Yet, it was Jiang Jian’s reputation for courage and righteousness that made history remember his name.
A child’s keen observation solves a murder case
Jiang Jian, courtesy name Feilin, was born in Yanshan, Jiangxi. From a young age, he displayed remarkable intelligence. At just 7 years old, he accompanied his uncle to visit the Fayun Temple, where they witnessed monks chanting scriptures in the main hall. In the corridor below, a few yamen officers whispered among themselves, discussing a recent murder of a monk in the temple. They were at a loss, unable to determine who the culprit was.
Jiang Jian quietly told his uncle: “The killer must be the elderly monk in the hall.” His uncle scolded him for speaking carelessly, but Jiang Jian explained: “That old monk keeps glancing around nervously while chanting. His mind is clearly not on the scriptures, so I suspect him.”
The yamen officers overheard his words and decided to question the old monk. Under interrogation, he confessed — Jiang Jian’s instincts had been correct.
A selfless act of kindness leads to lifelong brotherhood
At the age of 17, Jiang Jian set out on a journey. While traveling by boat, strong winds forced him to stop at Ruihong Town. On board was a young man who always left the boat alone during mealtimes, avoiding others. Jiang Jian noticed this unusual behavior and decided to follow him discreetly. He found the young man crouched under a temple bell by the riverbank.
Curious, Jiang Jian approached and asked why he was hiding there. The young man introduced himself as Xiong Bailong from Nanchang. He explained that he had traveled to visit relatives in Hekou for financial help, but could not find them. With no money for food or passage home, he had been surviving on the kindness of the boatmen. However, now that strong winds had delayed their journey, the boatmen no longer had extra food to spare. Overcome with despair, Xiong Bailong wept.
Jiang Jian was deeply moved. Without hesitation, he took Xiong Bailong back to the boat and shared his own food with him. Afterward, he even gave him money to help him return home. Grateful beyond words, Xiong Bailong invited him to visit his family in Nanchang and insisted on formally becoming his sworn brother. He agreed and decided to stay in the area for a while.
Exposing deception and safeguarding an inheritance
Sometime later, Xiong Bailong told Jiang Jian that, thanks to his help, he had successfully started a trading business and tripled his capital. He planned to travel to Lin’an (modern-day Hangzhou) to sell silk, but was concerned about leaving his mother and wife behind. He confided that his father had an adopted son, Xiong Jiao, who was known for his bad character. If anything happened to him, he asked Jiang Jian to look after his family.
A year later, a messenger from Lin’an arrived with devastating news — Xiong Bailong had fallen ill and passed away at an inn. Before his death, he had entrusted the innkeeper to find Jiang Jian.
Understanding the situation, Jiang Jian anticipated that Xiong Jiao would be sent to retrieve the body. But knowing Xiong Jiao’s greed, he suspected Xiong Jiao might attempt to steal the wealth Xiong Bailong had accumulated. To outmaneuver him, he secretly instructed the innkeeper to take specific precautions. Only 10 days later did he inform Xiong Bailong’s mother of her son’s passing.
As expected, Xiong Jiao was sent to Lin’an. When he returned, he claimed that Xiong Bailong’s body had been cremated and his ashes stored in a wooden barrel. He also insisted that there was no money left. Xiong Bailong’s mother, devastated and desperate, called Jiang Jian for help. She mentioned rumors that her son had sent money to Jiang Jian before his death and pleaded for a share, as she had no means to survive.
Before Jiang Jian could respond, Xiong Jiao suddenly interjected, suggesting that the matter be taken to court. Jiang Jian, however, proposed a more immediate solution: gathering respected elders from the community to judge the matter.
After summoning six or seven elders, Jiang Jian led them to the backyard where the wooden barrel was placed. He solemnly called out: “Bailong, you knew my character well!” Then, raising an axe, he smashed open the barrel. To everyone’s shock, hidden within the false bottom was a cache of silver and account records. The truth was exposed — Xiong Jiao had attempted to steal Xiong Bailong’s wealth. The gathered villagers wept, realizing how unjustly Jiang Jian had been treated.
Using the law to bring justice
Jiang Jian later tried his hand at the grain trade, but continued to struggle with the imperial examinations. At the age of 28, he gave up his aspirations of becoming an official and instead traveled the country. Eventually, he settled in Shanxi, where he became a legal advisor to high-ranking officials. He was renowned for his deep understanding of legal matters and his commitment to justice.
On one occasion, the magistrate of Linfen County allowed his corrupt subordinates to exploit the people, leading to widespread suffering. Villagers were forced to flee into the mountains, and unrest grew. In response, the provincial governor dispatched Zhouzhen Magistrate Tong Guolong to handle the crisis, inviting Jiang Jian to accompany him.
When they arrived, the villagers, armed and defensive, had barricaded themselves in. Jiang Jian rode ahead, holding an official decree, and addressed the crowd: “The governor knows you are good people forced into this by corrupt officials. He has sent Lord Tong to bring justice. You may return home without fear.”
At first, the villagers hesitated, but as some started to descend from the mountains, Jiang Jian escorted them to the magistrate’s court. There, the corrupt officials responsible for their suffering were arrested and punished. Order was restored, and the villagers rejoiced.
A debt repaid in time of need
Years later, Jiang Jian retired from his travels and returned home. One day, he heard distressing news — Tong Guolong, the magistrate he had assisted years before, had been imprisoned in Taiyuan due to his subordinates’ financial misconduct. He immediately set out to help.
Upon arrival, he found that Tong’s subordinates had embezzled 5,000 taels of silver. Facing certain execution, Tong had lost all hope and was starving himself in prison. Hearing that Jiang Jian had arrived, he finally ate a meal.
Jiang Jian wasted no time — he traveled to Luan City to collect debts on Tong’s behalf and borrowed money from the people of Zezhou. Through his tireless efforts, he raised the required sum and secured Tong’s release.
A lasting legacy
Jiang Jian married at the age of 46 and had a son, Jiang Shiquan. When Jiang Shiquan later passed the imperial examinations and became a scholar-official at the Hanlin Academy, the court honored Jiang Jian with the same title.
Through his acts of righteousness and justice, Jiang Jian not only earned a place in history, but also left behind a legacy of virtue for future generations.
Translated by Eva
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