Case of Pei Zheng Investigating Liu Rong's Oral Report

During the Sui Dynasty, official Pei Zheng investigated a case involving Liu Rong, who had made an oral accusation against another party. Suspecting the accusation was fabricated, Pei Zheng employed a psychological tactic by separating Liu Rong from the accused and questioning him in detail about the alleged events. Pei Zheng identified inconsistencies in Liu Rong's testimony, particularly regarding timing and specific details, which ultimately revealed that the oral report was a false accusation made out of personal spite. Liu Rong confessed to the fabrication under the weight of the contradictory evidence presented by Pei Zheng.

Liu Rong was found guilty of false accusation and punished according to Sui law, which applied the principle of turning the punishment back on the accuser for fabricated charges.

The central dispute was whether Liu Rong's oral accusation was truthful or a malicious fabrication. The case hinged on the lack of physical evidence and the reliance on verbal testimony, making the determination of credibility the key legal challenge.

The case demonstrated the importance of rigorous cross-examination in judicial proceedings and reinforced the legal principle against false accusations in ancient China. Pei Zheng's investigative technique became a model for judicial officials, emphasizing psychological insight and logical deduction over torture.