Case of Debt Collection by Qing, Acting Assistant of the Juyan Arsenal

In the autumn of 6 BCE, during the Han Dynasty, Qing, the Acting Assistant of the Juyan Arsenal, discovered an outstanding debt owed to the arsenal by Xu Xu, a Suizhang (platoon chief) stationed at a frontier beacon. Qing sent an official dispatch to the Jiaqu Commandant, requesting that Xu Xu be ordered to repay the sum. When interrogated, Xu Xu claimed that several months earlier, he had entrusted 600 coins to a subordinate clerk, Weishi Xu Xiaoqing, to forward to the arsenal as partial repayment. He argued that the debt should thus be reduced or considered settled. However, Qing maintained that the arsenal's accounts showed no such credit, and suspected Xu Xu of evasion. The resulting dispute generated a series of written exchanges, depositions, and account checks, all recorded on wooden slips. The documents show the procedure of cross-examining witnesses and comparing tally records. This case illustrates the meticulous record-keeping and legal formalities applied to even minor financial disputes in the Han military garrisons.

After examining the tally documents and witness testimony, the judicial authority at the Jiaqu Commandant determined that Xu Xu's alleged repayment lacked sufficient documentary proof. Xu Xu was ordered to settle the remaining debt to the Juyan Arsenal, and the case was closed.

Whether Xu Xu had already partially or fully repaid his debt through a third-party intermediary, and the validity of the arsenal's accounting records.

The case, preserved on a set of bamboo slips, provides a rare and detailed window into debt litigation, contract enforcement, and administrative accountability in the Han Dynasty. It demonstrates the formalized legal procedures used in remote frontier garrisons and has become a vital primary source for studying early Chinese civil law, military logistics, and the judicial functions of low-ranking officials.