If a thief is killed while entering a house the householder is guiltless; but should he be killed after escaping a hundred yards or so, the killer may suffer for it. Sometimes a thief is killed first and the hole to enter the house is made afterwards. Sometimes a corpse is carried on to another man's land to get him into trouble. One who lends a knife for a murder may be convicted of murder.
Presenting petitions or indictments.
There are official, appointed copyists who prepare and stamp nearly all documents going to the official.
The hung ping (紅稟), red petition, is a statement of public business, used in government circles only and costing only the price of the paper, since the government employees may write their own statements.
The pat ping (白稟), petition on white paper, is used by headmen or heads of bureaus in notifying business to the official.
The hung pai ping, red and white petition; if the official keeps the red and returns the white it means approval, the reverse means that trouble may be looked for.
A petition has to pass through the hands of eighteen persons before reaching the magistrate, and as many more afterwards before it reaches the archives.
There are men who live by stirring up strife and lawsuits; they are called sung kun (訟棍), pettifoggers, ch‘ien kou chiang (牽狗匠), dogleaders, and other names.
The yüan kao (原告), plaintiff, formerly paid some 3,200 cash official fees and the pei kao (被告) an indefinite amount to the runners.
Eyewitnesses, kan cheng (干證), are named in the indictment, but only after getting their consent.
An indictment or petition must be written on special, lined paper, ta kê shih (大格式), holding some 120 characters; it costs from 100 to 300 cash according to the official. A smaller sheet may be used by the poor. The magistrate keeps a copy, fu chuang (付狀), for reference, if necessary, after he has left the district.
