The Ingenious Judge Dee

by Hock G. Tjoa

A double homicide, a "reluctant" corpse, a bride poisoned on her wedding night--all taking place in a small county, one of fifteen hundred in Tang dynasty China, and all demanding investigation and judicial response within a month! Judge Dee deals with these cases with his usual investigators and with his customary aplomb, even though he is himself under investigation by an Imperial Censor. He is unorthodox in his choice of investigators (former bandits and a female ex-cat burglar) and one of his suspects is a voluptuous woman who alleges harassment on the part of the authorities. He may also have stepped on some toes of the local gentry. What is an upright civil servant to do?

94 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2013

About the author

Hock G. Tjoa was born to Chinese parents and studied history at Brandeis and Harvard. He taught European history and Asian political thought at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. He is married and lives with his family in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California.

He published in 2010 The Battle of Chibi (Selections from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms) that he had translated, and in 2011, Heaven is High and the Emperor Far Away, A Play that he translated and adapted from Lao She's Teahouse. Both are part of his project to make more widely known traditional Chinese values. In 2013, he published The Chinese Spymaster and The Ingenious Judge Dee, a Play.

Agamemnon Must Die was published (see reviews) in 2014.

Another volume in The Chinese Spymaster series, The Ninja and theDiplomat was published in 2015.

I struggle to bring the Book of Job to life for my current writing project.

Reviews

[Stjepan Cobets · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating 4.1

The theater play “The Ingenious Judge Dee” by Hock G. Tjoa is solidly written and interesting, like some of Agatha Christie’s books on murder investigations. The main story is set in a small county, one of fifteen hundred in the Tang dynasty of China where Judge Dee lives and works. There are no major crimes in that small province other than the normal petty problems of stealing chickens and some disagreements with neighbors, but double murder changes all that. Judge Dee slowly with his associates, studiously approaches the task to solve the case. The characters in the story are well worked out and the story follows the investigation solidly, showing how far Judge Dee was with his investigative methods far ahead of his time. I would recommend the play to mystery lovers and anyone who loves a good story.

[K.R. Slifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to begin this review with the note that I'm not normally into plays. Despite that, I did enjoy reading it for the most part.

The play takes place in China and revolves around Judge Dee, his band of investigators, and three murders. The plot line was interesting and I could imagine it on stage with colorful costumes and traditional music. I've always enjoyed plays from Asia (Kabuki, etc) and I know that if this were being performed I would thoroughly enjoy it. There is sparse description as to setting, which leaves most to the reader's imagination.

There were a few elements that I found lacking. While the dialogue was well written, there didn't seem to be any difference between any of the characters. Each character seemed to have the same vocabulary and a similar speech pattern. I ended up imagining them all as the same person, just different genders. I also found the constant "beat" used throughout the dialogue to be distracting, especially when ellipses were used at other times to signify a pause.

The last element I found lacking was how easy all the information pertaining to the homicides was to ascertain. It seemed as though everyone was willing to divulge anything upon just meeting someone. I liked the story and I liked the characters; I wanted something a little less predictable. I was also confused as to why the Censor was present in the play since he seemed to have no purpose and nothing came of his presence.

Overall, I did enjoy the play. It was well written despite a few typos and some of the previously stated issues. I could absolutely see this as a popular and entertaining play when acted on stage. There was good character development where Judge Dee was concerned. I thought he was a great character with a big heart and a moral sense of justice, and he was highly intelligent. My thoughts in terms of my issues in reading the play may not be problems when actually watching the play being acted out, which is why I usually don't read plays.

I do recommend the play to those that enjoy reading them. It's well done and rich with history.

[Darrell Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Interesting

This is a play based on the character created by Robert van Gulik, Judge Dee. It is a neat little cozy mystery, and a nice introduction to this character. It has been a while since I worked in the theater, but I could see how a director could do a great job with this, and more importantly, how a bad director could have trouble messing it up.
Reading it, as opposed to watching it, I found it interesting and amusing. The only thing that I wished for (while reading) was more depth into the culture of the time. As the author said in his notes, he leaned toward modern English in wording over the traditional Chinese. Bringing in my theater background, I can see how the director could easily take it either way.
Reading it, some of the characters did seem very similar to each other, but not so much that actors who have moved from the reading their lines phase, to the mugging it up for the audience phase couldn't get around.
I am not used to rating plays, although I've read several. I will have to give this a five star as I can clearly see this being great in the hands a good director, and worth watching in the hands of a bad one. This was a fun read, and if any theater group in the greater Cincinnati area were to preform it I would definitely take my wife out to go see it. (hint - hint)

[Sue Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this play and think its staging could be successful and entertaining. This piece has several strengths: a fascinating setting, often clever sleuthing, good dialog, and potentially strong character interactions. It could use some fine-tuning, and I imagine a few run-throughs with actors will help with that.

This play's setting should not be hidden in the theater notes - it is too important to our appreciation of the story. There's an easy fix: the bailiff could announce the year and location when he opens the courtroom for the first case.

We find out late - too late - that the Imperial Censor poses a real threat. When the Censor confronts Dee, we learn that Dee's unconventional actions and decisions threaten his career. However, by then the play is pretty much over and Dee is fine. Moving the confrontation to an earlier scene would heighten dramatic tension.

Play's title to the contrary, the first case is low on ingenuity. I was underwhelmed by how the team identifies a suspect and obtains a confession. I was more satisfied with sleuthing in the other two cases. However, I was confused by similarities in the second and third cases. When solved, the cases are different, but along the way, they have many details in common. As just a few examples, both involve mysterious deaths of family members at home. (And aren't some of the symptoms of illness similar also? Or am I royally confused about that?) There is a Widow Bee in one case, and another Widow called Lee in the other! One is old and one is young, so viewing actors will help with that; however most of my confusion occurs when Judge Dee's team discusses the cases, with other actors absent. Presentation of this as a radio play could magnify such confusions.

Judge Dee is a fascinating blend of out-of-the-box thinking and traditional values. His interactions with his team could be fabulous, but are a bit thin as stands.

I wish that one of Judge Dee's team had trouble keeping the cases straight, so that the others would have to help the teammate (and me!) keep things straight. That might make a good running joke, and provide opportunity for more interplay among the team. The interactions among the team are flat at times. And repetitive: team members talk to witnesses, then get together and discuss what they learned - which forces the audience to sit through the details twice.

Several of the characters will be fun and meaty roles for actors, but some of the potentially strongest scenes occur "off stage". All of these are in the second case, I realize as I write this: I very much want to see the curing of the young girl's muteness, as well as her mother's psychological evolution when she takes belated responsibility for her actions. In addition, Widow Bee is a terrific foil for Judge Dee, and I am sorry that he avoids most confrontation with her!

Finally, a PC concern: it makes me quite uncomfortable to hear the girl called "dumb", even though that term is appropriate for the era.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ingenious Judge Dee is a play, adapted from the original Robert van Gulik novels, which are, according to Wikipedia, also adapted from their original Chinese counterparts from an eighteenth-century Chinese novel, all of which are allegedly adapted from a real magistrate, Di Renjie, who was born in the year 630 AD. Author Hock Tjoa has his work cut out for him!

If I've used the word “adapt” a lot, it's only because I'm trying to provide a good hook for this review. Truthfully, it's because there's a good hook in the book! Judge Dee is an interesting enough character; we learn early in the play that he's fair-minded, that he employs former criminals to investigate crimes, and that he's living in a time long before forensic technology has given him access to DNA evidence, satellite surveillance, and PRISM by the NSA. It's a time when a law enforcement official is really not beholden to the people of China, but to the officials – one of whom he ends up having to snoop around, investigating the death of a young bride!

The play is especially enjoyable in the first large chunk. The description and stage direction is strong, and the characters inhabit a cohesive world. As the drama goes on, however, a reader will have a difficult time keeping track of what they see; there's “elder” and “young” versions of many characters, along with “Mother” and “Widow” ones. The names can grow hard to keep track of. The actual description of a scene gets lost as dialogue seems to replace it; from a reader's perspective, this makes it difficult to know where the characters are. From a play director's vantage point, it's almost impossible to tell how to set up one's stage – but that's not necessarily bad.

Ultimately, it's hard to judge a play by reading it. By their very nature, plays are meant to be staged; at least in my mind, reading a play is itself an adaptation of the author's vision of how it will be portrayed. Of course, stage directors make their own little tweaks, and at least Judge Dee lets people come up with their own way of doing things! It's much like the judge, himself – admirably adaptable to his circumstances.

[Karen Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hock Tjoa takes an 18th century Chinese story and adapts it into a play. As such, it begins with the introduction of the cast of characters and is divided into acts and scenes, versus chapters. Judge Dee is obviously the ‘Matlock’ of his generation, an individual who is not overly concerned with status, and more interested in getting to the truth.

As the play opens, Judge Dee is in his courtroom. He is confronted with a case of apparent murder, in fact double murder, as there are two bodies. Although there are those in the courtroom who are tempted to rush to judgment and accuse the innkeeper, Judge Dee instead orders an investigation.

In order to avoid spoiling the story, I won’t explain the plot any further. However, it is interesting to note that the Judge decides to delegate as investigators several individuals who have reputations that are less than honorable. Perhaps he believes that it takes a thief to catch a thief.

In addition, the Judge takes matters into his own hands and learns more about the case as he travels through the countryside, helping local peasants and talking to them about their lives. The Judge travels incognito, representing himself as an herbalist during his sojourn. Eventually, Judge Dee returns to his courtroom along with the individuals who had been investigating on his behalf. As the play concludes, multiple cases of wrongdoing are sorted out, and the guilty brought to justice.

I found this play an enjoyable reading experience. Hock has deftly infused the characters with contemporary sensibilities while maintaining their 18th century sense of decorum. He has added stage direction and lighting cues that allow the reader to visualize what this drama might look like, if it were performed on an actual stage. I wish I could have seen an actual production, complete with costumes!

[Susan M Rostan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hock G. Tjoa’s play, The Ingenious Judge Dee, is an adaptation of Robert van Gulik’s detective stories set in Imperial China and featuring Judge Dee, a district magistrate. Tjoa faithfully portrays Judge Dee as a master-detective whose vigilance, curiosity, and effective supervision of his assistants results in his solving unrelated overlapping crimes.
Tjoa’s engaging dialogue, peppered with reflections on the morals and social graces of the traditional Chinese culture, reveals the thinking of an idealized magistrate, whose responsibilities include those of prosecutor and jury. The judge’s keen intellect and critical reasoning in solving crimes brought before him, as well as those he uncovers in random encounters, highlight his superior intellect and generous spirit toward the cross-section of Chinese society
Tjoa’s play emphasizes the content of conversations over the context in which they occur. Thus, the descriptions of the settings offer little visual information about the narrative being played out, providing the reader with few, if any visual clues. Interestingly, it is the direction taken in the judge’s thoughtful conversation and purposeful questioning and the instructions he gives his assistants that color the scenes, leaving the reader to imagine the particulars of each of the settings.
Engaged in three simultaneous crimes, each with its own background, Tjoa’s cast of characters are surprisingly easy to follow. By not revealing the criminal in the beginning and providing only the material germane to the plot, Tjoa keeps the reader’s attention focused, playfully anticipating what might happen next. It is a thoroughly enjoyable play!
Susan M. Rostan, author

[Scott Spotson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun, and different. Like Agatha Christie, without the flowery prose. Set in China, in the seventh century. The cast of characters is large, but not too large. Three concurrent cases command the judge's attention, and while it was sometimes hard to separate the facts of each case, it was not insurmountable. The dialogue is clean, and while not completely natural, is very appropriate for a play.

It was an entertaining play, designed to bring a smile to your face. Judge Dee, the judge, investigator, and prosecutor all rolled into one figure,clearly has a blast as he pronounces on his cases. He has enough respect and authority, even in imperial time China, to appoint unsavoury characters as his inspectors.

The only minor gripes are: Widow Lee is too similar in sound to Widow Bee, and some of the outcomes are implausible, i.e. I don't know of any combination of herbs in pre-medieval times (or even prior to the modern era) that can cause deafness and muteness in children while allowing all other body functions to be unharmed, and I don't know how snakes' venom can naturally be in large enough quantities and potency to cause what the play claims it causes (to say more would spoil the plot).

A great read. I enjoyed the facts at the end of the book.

[Ben Westerham · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy going and straightforward read, with little in the way of complexity to trip you up ,this is really three stories in one, each involving the redoutable judge in a murder investigation. A large part of the underlying theme is that Judge Dee adopts techniques and employs assistants that are not typical for the place and time, which attracts some attention in itself and adds an additional storyline to the play.

The characters are lightly drawn, maybe too much so, though Judge Dee himself is, not surprisingly perhaps, more fully fleshed out than the others. There are enough prompts and pointers to the Judge being something of an eccentric as well as a talented individual and I did warm to him.

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing this on the stage and would particularly like to see the former criminals that the judge employs as his assistants brought to life. I found these the most intriguing individuals in the play and was left wanting to know more about them.

[L.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've not read many screenplays before, and of those I have, all were based on films I've watched. That being said, this made a refreshing change from simply reading a story. Here, my imagination was tested to visualise the characters without the lengthy descriptions you might get in a novel. It's like being the director / set designer / costume designer and viewer all-in-one.
The story - or stories - are linked beautifully in a way that kept my attention completely, the clues to the crimes all being drip-fed to the reader and the connections made with subtlety.
The additional details at the end were just as interesting, life in 7th Century China being a mystery to me along with the tea-drinking habits of its people.
A thoroughly enjoyable read, an original and creative portrayal of a great set of cozy mysteries. I'll be reading more screenplays from now on.

[Mary Kincaid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play is a carefully crafted work about a Judge who investigates the murders in his jurisdiction. He has employed three unusual characters to help him investigate the actions of people that are involved in the cases of murder. He finds out about his county by walking around and talking to the inhabitants. He is a cunning discerner of human nature. Without giving the plot away, I think anyone who likes mysteries will enjoy reading it because the story is very well laid out and entertaining.

I give it four out five stars because of the excellent presentation and plotting.

[Andra Weis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I obtained a copy from the author, through Goodreads - a free e-copy of this play/book in exchange for an honest review - a big thank you by the way. Well....I must say it is different reading a play as opposed to watching it. I liked the premise of the play. Would have enjoyed it more watching on stage. That would have made differentiating the characters easier.

However, I did enjoy the read.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to read this play.

[Melinda Brasher · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cultural tidbits in The Ingenious Judge Dee were very interesting, as were the cultural notes at the back. The honorifics used gave nice flavor.

It's hard to rate this without knowing the source material, because I'm not sure how much of what came from Tjoa and how much from the source material the play is based on. So here are my thoughts based only on the play.

The solving of the mysteries depended too much on learning information by coincidence, asking obvious questions, doing basic sleuthing, and getting easy confessions, so I wasn't really left with the impression that Judge Dee was all that ingenious. However, I liked his character—honorable and inquisitive, kind-hearted yet firm—and I liked the interesting mix of judge and investigator (also discussed in the cultural notes at the end).

The play did suffer a bit from the "as you know…" problem, where characters tell each other things they both already know and would have no reason to discuss in the way they're discussing it, but they do so for the benefit of the reader. For example, when the investigators are talking about how they used to be criminals, but Judge Dee turned them around, I think this would have been more natural and powerful if they were telling the story to someone who didn't know it.

There were a lot of similar names (probably the fault of the source material), so I sometimes had to stop and think about who was who. (Dee, Bee, and Lee, for example, and Hua, and Hu, and Su). The side characters didn't stand out too much from each other, but it didn't really matter much to the plot.

The author addressed this in the end notes, but I always find it jarring to read historical fiction written in very modern language. I appreciate the author's choice to make it more accessible by writing in this way, but I would have preferred it to be just slightly more formal than modern usage, or at least to be stripped of slang and ultra-modern terms and phrases. For example, if these ancient Chinese court officials had spoken of two murders and not wanting to be accused of impropriety, I don't think I would have given it any thought. But to hear them use terms like "double homicide," and "harassment" made me think too much of modern America. Another example that stuck out: "differential analysis."

The play did have a sort of light, breezy feel to it, which made it enjoyable. No typos distracted me. I liked Judge Dee. And I quite liked the solution to the last mystery.

More accurate rating: 3.5

[Thomas O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This play was my introduction to Judge Dee, a character with a long history in both Chinese and English written works. Based in part on a real-life historical figure, Judge Dee is a magistrate in seventh century China who is tasked with solving not one, but three cases - involving a total of four dead bodies. It’s important to note that this is an adaptation of the novel The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, which was published in 1949 and is itself a translation of a much earlier Chinese manuscript – talk about a story that’s come a long way!

Judge Dee is shown to be a wise and competent judge and investigator, almost a little too perfect, actually. A couple of flaws might’ve rounded him out, but as far as I can tell this is simply a case of Tjoa being faithful to the character. It’s fun to witness Judge Dee work through the aspects of each case as he and his investigative team interview suspects and scrutinize clues. Even though this is a play, if you use a little imagination it can still be enjoyed as you would a novel. Make sure you pay attention, as the cases unfold concurrently.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ingenious Judge Dee is a play based on the English translation of a traditional Chinese story. The author does an excellent job of using modern, understandable English while keeping a historical Chinese feel. This play teaches you about what life was like in 7th century China while you enjoy watching three mysteries be solved.

[Little Red Readinghood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Judge Dee a Chinese Judge in some bygone century. Not so fond of the play format and these mysteries are also found in the books by van Gulik and that is a better place to go to.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first play I've read as a pleasure past-time and I have to say I liked it. I thought the characters were good and I was engaged by the plot and read the whole thing straight through because I wanted to know what happened.