Bao Zheng (Chinese: ??; pinyin: B?o Zh?ng), courtesy name Xiren ????posthumous title Xiaosu ???? (999–1062) was a much-praised official who served during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song China. After passing the Jinshi examination in 1027, Bao deferred embarking on his official career for a decade in order to care for his elderly parents and faithfully observe proper mourning rites after their deaths. From 1037 until his death in 1062, Bao successively held several offices at court and in provincial locations. In his lifetime, Bao was renowned for his filial piety, his stern demeanor, and his intolerance of injustice and corruption. Due to his fame and the strength of his reputation, Bao’s name became synonymous with the idealized “pure official” (qingguan ??), and quickly became a popular subject of early vernacular drama and literature. Bao was also associated with the Buddhist god Yama and the “Infernal Bureaucracy” of the Eastern Marchmount, on account of his supposed ability to judge affairs in the afterlife as well as he judged them in the realm of the living. The fictionalized Bao Zheng was known variously as “Lord Bao” or “Judge Bao” (Chinese: ??; pinyin: Bao Gong), Rescriptor-in-waiting Bao (Chinese: ???; pinyin: Bao Daizhi), Bao of the Dragon Image (Chinese: ???; pinyin: Bao Longtu), and “Blue-Sky Bao”/”Unclouded-Sky Bao” (Chinese: ???; pinyin: Bao Qingtian). From the middle of the Song Dynasty to the present day, the character of Judge Bao has appeared in a variety of different literary and dramatic genres, and has enjoyed a sustained popularity by audiences of all ages.

Bao Qingtian was born into a scholar family in Hefei, Anhui province, where the Memorial Temple of Lord Bao (???) is still located near the city center. It was built in 1066 close to his tomb. At the age of 29, he passed the highest-level imperial exams and became qualified as a Jinshi. He was a magistrate in Bian (Kaifeng), the capital of the Song dynasty.

He is famous for his uncompromising stance against corruption among the government officials at the time. He upheld justice and refused to yield to higher powers including the “royal father-in-law” (??), who was also appointed as the Grand Tutor (??) and was known as Grand Tutor Pang (Chinese: ???; pinyin: Pang taishi). He treated Bao as an enemy. Although Grand Tutor Pang is often depicted in myth as an archetypical villain (arrogant, selfish, and cruel), the historical reasons for his bitter rivalry with Bao remains unclear.

Bao had conflicts with other powerful members of the imperial court as well, including the Prime Minister, Song Yang. He had 30 high officials demoted or dismissed for corruption, bribery, or dereliction of duty. He also had Zhang Yaozhuo, uncle of the high-ranked imperial concubine impeached 6 times. In addition, as the imperial censor, he avoided punishment despite having many other contemporary imperial censors punished for minor statements.

Bao Zheng also managed to remain in favor by cultivating a long standing friendship with one of Emperor Renzong’s uncles, the Eighth Imperial Prince (Chinese: ???; pinyin: Ba Wang Ye).

Tomb of Bao Zheng, mount and altar on top

Tomb of Bao Zheng, entrance to burial chamber