Case of Garrison Soldier Zhuang Qiangyou and Others Falsifying Asset Testimony

During the Han Dynasty, garrison soldier Zhuang Qiangyou and several fellow soldiers stationed in the Juyan region were investigated for giving false testimony regarding property values. According to Han statutes, providing untruthful statements about the worth of goods constituted a distinct offense. The soldiers deliberately misrepresented asset values in official proceedings, and the amount of the falsified gain exceeded 250 coins, crossing the statutory threshold for severe punishment. The case was documented on wooden slips, citing the law that false property testimony resulting in an illicit gain of 250 coins or more warranted the sentence of Wan Wei Cheng Dan—shaving of the beard and temples followed by hard labor on city wall construction. Their actions compromised the accuracy of military logistics and judicial integrity.

Zhuang Qiangyou and the other soldiers were convicted and sentenced to Wan Wei Cheng Dan, a punishment entailing hard labor with shaved facial hair, because the falsified gain exceeded the 250-coin limit.

The central controversy was whether the misstatements satisfied the legal definition of “giving testimony not in accordance with the facts about property” and how to precisely calculate the illicit gain derived from the false valuation.

The case demonstrated the Han legal system’s rigorous enforcement of truthful testimony and accurate asset reporting, especially within frontier military ranks. It served as a strong deterrent against perjury and fraudulent declarations among garrison soldiers, reinforced legal accountability in logistical administration, and provided a vivid example of the detailed penal provisions preserved in the Juyan Han slips.