Bao Qingtian
Encyclopedia
Bao Zheng (999–1062) was a much-praised official who served during the reign of Emperor Renzong
of Northern Song Dynasty in ancient China. Culturally, Bao Zheng today is respected as the symbol of justice in China. Throughout history, his largely fictionalized stories have appeared in a variety of different literary and dramatic genres, and has enjoyed sustained popularity.
, Anhui
province. At the age of 29, he passed the highest-level Imperial examination
and became qualified as a Jinshi. He was a magistrate in Bian
(Kaifeng
), the capital of the Song
dynasty.
After passing the imperial 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 the imperial 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 "honest and upright official" (qingguan 清官), 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.
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 Emperor's Father-in-Law , who was also appointed as the Grand Tutor and was known as Grand Tutor Pang . 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 remain 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 favour by cultivating a long standing friendship with one of Emperor Renzong
's uncles, the Eighth Imperial Prince .
His burial site in Hefei contains his tomb along with the tombs of family members and a memorial temple. It was built in 1066.
Bao had 3 wives in his life, named Lady Zheng, Lady Tung and Lady Sun. He had 2 sons, Bao Ye 包繶 and Bao Suo 包綬.
and pingshu
. Written forms of his legend appeared in the Yuan Dynasty
in the form of Qu
. In Ming Dynasty
, the novel Bao Gong An
increased his popularity and added a detective element to his legends. The Qing Dynasty
novel The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants
also added a wuxia
twist to his stories.
In opera
or drama, he is often portrayed with a black face and a white crescent shaped birthmark on his forehead. In most dramatization of his stories, he used a set of guillotine
s , given to him by the emperor, to execute criminals:
He was granted a golden rod by the previous emperor, with which he was authorised to chastise the current emperor. He was also granted an imperial sword from the previous emperor; whenever it was exhibited the persons surrounding, irrespective of their social classes, must pay respect and compliance to the person exhibiting as the Emperor was present thereat himself. All guillotines of Bao Zheng were authorised to execute any persons without first obtaining approval from the emperor, whilst some accounts stating the imperial sword was a license to execute any royals before so reporting.
In many stories Bao is usually accompanied by his skilled bodyguard Zhan Zhao
and personal secretary Gongsun Ce (公孙策). Zhan is a skilled martial artist while Gongsun is an intelligent adviser. There are also four enforcers named Wang Chao (王朝), Ma Han (馬漢), Zhang Long (張龍), and Zhao Hu (趙虎). All of these characters are presented as righteous and incorruptible.
Due to his strong sense of justice, he is very popular in China, especially among the peasants and the poor. He became the subject of literature and modern Chinese TV series in which his adventures and cases are featured.
Emperor Renzong of Song
Emperor Renzong was the fourth emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. His personal name was Zhao Zhen . He reigned from 1022 to 1063. Renzong was the son of Emperor Zhenzong of Song. Despite his long reign of over 40 years, Renzong is not widely known...
of Northern Song Dynasty in ancient China. Culturally, Bao Zheng today is respected as the symbol of justice in China. Throughout history, his largely fictionalized stories have appeared in a variety of different literary and dramatic genres, and has enjoyed sustained popularity.
Life and career
Bao Zheng was born into a scholar family in HefeiHefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
province. At the age of 29, he passed the highest-level Imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
and became qualified as a Jinshi. He was a magistrate in Bian
Bian
-Place:*Kaifeng, a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, People's Republic of China.*An old name for the county of Uiseong, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea.-Others:...
(Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
), the capital of the Song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
dynasty.
After passing the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
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 the imperial court and in provincial locations. In his lifetime, Bao was renowned for his filial piety
Filial piety
In Confucian ideals, filial piety is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. The Confucian classic Xiao Jing or Classic of Xiào, thought to be written around 470 BCE, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xiào /...
, 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 "honest and upright official" (qingguan 清官), 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.
He is famous for his uncompromising stance against corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
among the government officials at the time. He upheld justice and refused to yield to higher powers including the Emperor's Father-in-Law , who was also appointed as the Grand Tutor and was known as Grand Tutor Pang . He treated Bao as an enemy. Although Grand Tutor Pang is often depicted in myth as an archetypical villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
(arrogant, selfish, and cruel), the historical reasons for his bitter rivalry with Bao remain 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
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
, he avoided punishment despite having many other contemporary imperial censors punished for minor statements.
Emperor Renzong of Song
Emperor Renzong was the fourth emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. His personal name was Zhao Zhen . He reigned from 1022 to 1063. Renzong was the son of Emperor Zhenzong of Song. Despite his long reign of over 40 years, Renzong is not widely known...
's uncles, the Eighth Imperial Prince .
His burial site in Hefei contains his tomb along with the tombs of family members and a memorial temple. It was built in 1066.
Bao had 3 wives in his life, named Lady Zheng, Lady Tung and Lady Sun. He had 2 sons, Bao Ye 包繶 and Bao Suo 包綬.
Legend
Bao Zheng's stories were retold and preserved particularly in the form of performance arts such as Chinese operaChinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
and pingshu
Pingshu
In Chinese culture, Pingshu , meaning “storytelling”, is one of forms of entertainment in mass culture in North China. Travelers in Beijing will often find taxi drivers listening to it...
. Written forms of his legend appeared in the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
in the form of Qu
Qu (poetry)
In Chinese literature, qu , or yuanqu consists of sanqu and zaju . Together with the various shi and fu forms of poetry, the ci, qu, and the other fixed-rhythm type of verse comprise the three main forms of Classical Chinese poetry.Yuanqu is a form of Chinese opera, which became popular in Yuan...
. In Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, the novel Bao Gong An
Bao Gong An
-Plot summary:The Judge Bao Zheng unveiled the evil doings by reasoning, with the help of his assistant. He has dark brown skin and a moon-shaped scar on his forehead. He has four bodyguards and one personal expert.-External links:*...
increased his popularity and added a detective element to his legends. The Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
novel The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants
The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants
The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants is an Chinese historical novel whose plot takes place during the Song Dynasty with Justice Bao as a main character. It was written by Yu Yue during the Qing Dynasty; the stories are largely based on the pingshu performed by Shi Yukun at that time...
also added a wuxia
Wuxia
Wuxia is a broad genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists. Although wuxia is traditionally a form of literature, its popularity has caused it to spread to diverse art forms like Chinese opera, manhua , films, television series, and video games...
twist to his stories.
In opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
or drama, he is often portrayed with a black face and a white crescent shaped birthmark on his forehead. In most dramatization of his stories, he used a set of guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
s , given to him by the emperor, to execute criminals:
- The one decorated with a dog's head was used on commoners.
- The one decorated with a tiger's head was used on government officials.
- The one decorated with a dragonChinese dragonChinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
's head was used on royal personages.
He was granted a golden rod by the previous emperor, with which he was authorised to chastise the current emperor. He was also granted an imperial sword from the previous emperor; whenever it was exhibited the persons surrounding, irrespective of their social classes, must pay respect and compliance to the person exhibiting as the Emperor was present thereat himself. All guillotines of Bao Zheng were authorised to execute any persons without first obtaining approval from the emperor, whilst some accounts stating the imperial sword was a license to execute any royals before so reporting.
In many stories Bao is usually accompanied by his skilled bodyguard Zhan Zhao
Zhan Zhao
Zhan Zhao was a man who lived during the period of Northern Song in the era of Emperor Renzong. He was the royal guard of the palace. He was assigned to work together with Bao Zheng who was a governor of Kaifeng city, the capital city of Northern Song. He was a very honest person who was good at...
and personal secretary Gongsun Ce (公孙策). Zhan is a skilled martial artist while Gongsun is an intelligent adviser. There are also four enforcers named Wang Chao (王朝), Ma Han (馬漢), Zhang Long (張龍), and Zhao Hu (趙虎). All of these characters are presented as righteous and incorruptible.
Due to his strong sense of justice, he is very popular in China, especially among the peasants and the poor. He became the subject of literature and modern Chinese TV series in which his adventures and cases are featured.
Famous cases
- Chen ShimeiChen ShimeiChén Shìmĕi is a Chinese opera character and a byword in China for a heartless and unfaithful man.-Chen Shimei:Chen Shimei is a byword of men who betrayed their love in China...
- Chen Shimei was a poor student who was placed first in the Imperial examinationImperial examinationThe Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
and as a result married a princess of the Song Dynasty. However, Chen hid the fact that in his hometown he had another wife called Qin Xianglian who he had left behind to care for his aging parents and two young children. When Chen's parents died during a famine, Qin and the children set out for the capital and found out what had become of Chen. Qin managed to meet Chen and begged him to at least help his own children. Instead Chen sent his servant Han Qi to have the family killed in order to keep his secret, but Han let the family escape and killed himself. Qin sought help from Bao Zheng, who tricked Chen into coming to the court where he was arrested. Chen thought that as the emperor's son-in-law he would not be convicted, but Bao proved him wrong and executed him, despite protests and threats from the imperial family.
- Bao Mian - When Bao Zheng was an infant, he was raised by his elder sister-in-law Wu Miaozhen like a son. Years later, Wu's only son Bao Mian became a magistrateMagistrateA magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
, and was convicted of briberyBriberyBribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and malfeasanceMalfeasanceThe expressions misfeasance and nonfeasance, and occasionally malfeasance, are used in English law with reference to the discharge of public obligations existing by common law, custom or statute.-Definition and relevant rules of law:...
. Finding it impossible to fulfill both Confucian conceptsConfucianismConfucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
of loyaltyLoyaltyLoyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause There are many aspects to...
and filial pietyFilial pietyIn Confucian ideals, filial piety is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. The Confucian classic Xiao Jing or Classic of Xiào, thought to be written around 470 BCE, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xiào /...
, an emotional Bao Zheng executed his nephew according to the law and later tearfully apologized to Wu, his motherly figure.
- The Civet for Crown Prince or Beating the Dragon Robe Case - Bao Zheng met a poor woman claiming to be the mother of the current Emperor RenzongEmperor Renzong of SongEmperor Renzong was the fourth emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. His personal name was Zhao Zhen . He reigned from 1022 to 1063. Renzong was the son of Emperor Zhenzong of Song. Despite his long reign of over 40 years, Renzong is not widely known...
. It turned out that many years ago she was Consort Li, an imperial concubine of Emperor ZhenzongEmperor Zhenzong of SongEmperor Zhenzong was the third emperor of the Song Dynasty of China. He reigned from 997 to 1022. Zhenzong was the third son of Emperor Taizong. His personal name was Zhao Heng and his temple name Zhenzong means "True Ancestor".Zhenzong's reign was noted for the consolidation of power and the...
, but later fallen out of favor for supposedly giving birth to a civetCivetThe family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
. What really happened was a jealous concubine Consort Liu plotted with eunuchEunuchA eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
Guo Huai to secretly swap Li's infant son with a bloody dead civet minutes after birth. Throughout the years Liu also plotted many times to murder Li, but she managed to escape from the palace. The infant son later became Emperor Renzong, not knowing who his real mother was. Bao managed to solve the difficult case, but Emperor Renzong refused to accept the findings. Faced with this, Bao ordered a set of beatings for the emperor for failing to oblige filial pietyFilial pietyIn Confucian ideals, filial piety is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. The Confucian classic Xiao Jing or Classic of Xiào, thought to be written around 470 BCE, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xiào /...
; however, because the emperor could not be physically punished, the Dragon Robe worn by him was beaten instead. Eventually Emperor Renzong accepted Li and elevated her as the new Empress DowagerEmpress DowagerEmpress Dowager was the title given to the mother of a Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Vietnamese emperor.The title was also given occasionally to another woman of the same generation, while a woman from the previous generation was sometimes given the title of Grand empress dowager. Numerous empress...
.
Popular culture
- In modern ChineseChinese languageThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, "Bao Gong" or "Bao Qingtian" is invoked as a metaphor or symbol of justice.- There is a chain of cafes selling baoziBaoziA bāozi or simply known as bao, bau, humbow, nunu, bausak, pow or pau is a type of steamed, filled bun or bread-like item in various Chinese cuisines, as there is much variation as to the fillings and the preparations...
in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
called Bao Today (Bao Jin Tian), which is a pun on Bao Qingtian (Justice Bao).
- There is a chain of cafes selling baozi
- He appears as the main character in a Ming Dynasty Detective novel named Bao Gong AnBao Gong An-Plot summary:The Judge Bao Zheng unveiled the evil doings by reasoning, with the help of his assistant. He has dark brown skin and a moon-shaped scar on his forehead. He has four bodyguards and one personal expert.-External links:*...
. - A side scrolling video game, Bao Qing Tian, was released for the FamicomNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
. - Different TV programs about Justice Bao (包青天) have been filmed in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Singapore, such as Young Justice BaoYoung Justice BaoYoung Justice Bao is a 25-episode ancient legal drama series produced by the Television Corporation of Singapore in 1994. The drama revolves around the legendary Song Dynasty jurist Bao Zheng....
. The Chinese Television SystemChinese Television SystemChinese Television System is a broadcast television station in Republic of China .-History:Founded on October 31, 1971, CTS started off as a joint venture between the ROC's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Education. At the time of its establishment, CTS was the only VHF-supported...
1974/75 and 1993/94 series were both popular. The TVB and ATV HomeATV HomeATV Home , also call aTV1, is one of the free-to-air Cantonese language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival TVB Jade. Its sister station, ATV World, broadcasts in English...
networks in Hong Kong both bought the 1993/94 series in an attempt to gain viewers. Competition between the two networks during the showing of the series was so severe that identical episodes were shown on both channels on the same night. It was also one of the first dramas that used NICAMNICAMNear Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex is an early form of lossy compression for digital audio. It was originally developed in the early 1970s for point-to-point links within broadcasting networks...
technology (Dual Sound SwitchSecond audio programSecond audio program , also known as secondary audio programming, is an auxiliary audio channel for analog television that can be broadcast or transmitted both over the air and by cable TV.-Usage:...
Cantonese/Mandarin). The series was so successful that it spawned numerous spin-off series and created other merchandise products related to Bao Zheng. Most of the series were pure fiction relating to Bao Zheng, with some Chinese fantasyFantasyFantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
thrown in. The series taught Chinese traditional valuesTraditional valuesTraditional values refer to those beliefs, moral codes, and mores that are passed down from generation to generation within a culture, subculture or community.-Summary:Since the late 1970s in the U.S., the term "traditional values" has become synonymous...
, like filial pietyFilial pietyIn Confucian ideals, filial piety is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. The Confucian classic Xiao Jing or Classic of Xiào, thought to be written around 470 BCE, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xiào /...
and respect for one's elders. Many of the programs starred Chin Chao Chun (金超群) as Bao whilst many series were released on VCD. - Stephen ChowStephen ChowStephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
made a spin-off movie based on Bao Zheng called Hail the JudgeHail the JudgeHail the Judge is a 1994 Hong Kong comedy film directed by Wong Jing, starring Stephen Chow, Cheung Man, and Ng Man Tat.-Plot:Bao Zheng’s corrupt descendant, who’s hated by the public for his money-digging ways. He has a change of heart when he sees rape victim Cheung Man get framed by other...
and titled "Pale Face Bao Zheng Ting" in Chinese. In the movie Stephen plays a descendant of Bao Zheng called "Bao Sing" living in Qing DynastyQing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, whose family lost its once glorious prestige due to generations of incompetence and corruption. - In the 2003 movie, Cat And MouseCat And MouseCat and Mouse is a 2003 Hong Kong romantic comedy film directed by Gordon Chan, and starring Andy Lau, Anthony Wong and Cecilia Cheung.- Plot :...
, Andy LauAndy LauAndy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
portrayed Zhan Zhao, a court officer under Judge Bao who received an order to pursue five mice. Judge Bao was played by Anthony Wong - He briefly appears in the novel Iron Arm, Golden Sabre and sponsors young Zhou Tong's entry into the military as an officer.
- In the Marvel comic series New Universal, Young Judge Bao is one of the characters in an in-universe comic book.
- The new Justice Bao was recently shown on Taiwanese television and has consisted of characters from the first Justice Bao.
- Lingling Takiguchi, a sister-duo team, wrote and drew the manga Hokusou Fuuunden (北宋風雲伝), with Bao as the central character while retelling or tweaking several of the cases. It was published by monthly Japanese magazine Princess Comics, serializing from May 2000 to May 2008, and compiled into 16 tankōbonTankobon, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
. - "Les éditions Fei" publish a series of French-language comics about Bao Zheng, as of August 2010, 2 volumes are in print.