Jia Yu-cun’s Brand of Justice

Through the tale of Jia Yu-cun, we are brought face-to-face with a kind of justice that often offends the vast majority of people. Instead of administering strict and straightforward justice, as required by any law, Jia Uu-cun prefers to heed the advice of the usher from his past in administering justice that ensures that justice is done, though retribution is not. Of course, most people confuse notions of justice with notions of vengeance or retribution, mistakenly believing that they are one and the same. In reality, justice requires only that the injured party be compensated for their losses to the fullest extent possible. While Jia Yu-cun does other less savory things, he also administers this genuine brand of justice in the process.

Upon first hearing of the case at hand, Jia Yu-cun is prepared to issue warrants of arrest and, generally, to effectuate a model of restorative justice to the fullest extent of the law, without any regard for external considerations, including those that might bear on his own future. Once prompted by the usher from his past, Jia Yu-cun understands that he cannot allow for his own fate to be determined through an administration of justice that would not achieve that which it seeks to achieve; ultimately, Jia Yu-cun realizes that the “thugs” in question are essentially beyond the law’s reach and that to attack a powerful cohort to bring them to justice would not serve the interests of justice in that it would not make the Fengs whole.

Moreover, Jia Yu-cun recognizes that if he were to compromise his own position of authority in administering emotionally-charged justice, he would likely lose this position, and thus be unable to do that which is his life’s purpose: to administer the law in as fair a way as is practicable under whatever circumstances. For this reason, though ulterior motives appear possible, the Jia Yu-cun determines that it is necessary to dispose of the usher boy in the interest of tying up any loose ends that might serve to compromise Jia Yu-cun’s position of authority going forward. Though it might appear that Jia Yu-cun has become what he behests, the context in which this decision is made reveals otherwise: Jia Yu-cun works tirelessly to effectuate a proper manipulation capable of doing justice without rewarding those who oppose it, so his interest in “breathing freely” is not merely to save his life, but to save his life as a judge.

As the story points out, Jia Yu-cun’s treatment of the law is “judicious,” which amounts to the epitome of the manner in which an administrator of the law should treat the law in practice. Jia Yu-cun does not rail against fate and accepts that a “life-preserver” is often necessary, even for those who believe that they should not feel beholden to those so wealthy as to be outside the law. Instead of viewing this concept as a kind of hindrance to the law and railing against it irrationally and emotionally, Jia Yu-cun accepts this reality, which allows him to continue achieving justice on behalf of the Fengs. To be sure, there is a kind of manipulation inherent in Jia Yu-cun’s brand of justice, but this kind of manipulation is the healthiest way of maneuvering around the genuine problems that threaten to impede the administration of justice.

In the story of Jia Yu-cun, we see a path towards honor and justice that is rarely taken; one that is seemingly paved with unsavory words and deeds, but which is revealed as an efficient and effective means of reaching the true ends of justice. Instead of allowing his emotions to govern an ineffectual administration of justice, Jia Yu-cun strikes a modern balance that allows him to do justice without risking that it will be done and without preventing himself from continuing to do the work of justice in the future. In this effort, some parties are left unhappy, but the work of justice cannot serve all equally, as the story makes perfectly clear.

Work Cited

Xueqin, Cao. Story of the Stone, Vol. 1. UK: Penguin Classics, 1973