Another oddity to the sensibilities of the modern reader when reading the Dee tales is the relative accuracy of the ever-present dreams, supernatural foreshadowing, and ghosts that enable Dee to find the truth. The connection between the afterlife and the world today was another important aspect of Confucianism. The ability of the supernatural to point the way to the truth shows the essential harmony of nature -- the entire cosmos shows that 'the way' is there, so only if mortal man look to find it, it is there.

There are some features of Dee's detection are similar to modern police work, and do not cause a non-Confucian reader to raise an eyebrow. Dee deploys psychological insight and observation to come to the root of a mystery, noting that, good Confucian he is, he has studied carefully the ancient handbooks of detection, which values the importance of knowing the character, daily life and habits of the victim and that personality supplies the clues to solve the crime. Know a person's ethics, and know the man or woman. Know the person's place in society, and know how they 'should' behave. Having an upright character is also an essential component to being a good, that is, an ethical Confucian, and defects in character must be scrutinized and used as clues, as they leave a person open to the danger of becoming a victim.

Another of the core ethical beliefs of Confucianism are that of the importance of paying one's respects to the ancient world, hence Dee's stress that his method is ancient rather than new. By rooting out persons who do not show love...

In refusing to bend his morals, again like a good Confucian, Dee always manifests righteousness, honesty and trustworthiness, benevolence, and above all loyalty to the state. Dee's honesty and consistent sense of morality are the keys to his ability to show intelligence and wisdom in combination.
Finally, investigation of the self, not in the name of psychology, but in the name of self-perfection is also a key part of Confucianism. One must investigate natural phenomenon, the past, and look to these things as a guide of one's duties. Dee observes the world around him, consults how it may mesh with received wisdom, and obeys his ethical precepts without clinging to those ethics to the point that they will inhibit the enforcement of justice. Ironically, although he obeys a creed which devalues individual rights and distinction and places harmony, moral fidelity, and service above all else, as an individual, Dee remains in the contemporary reader's mind as a striking figure, despite the gulfs of faith, historical time, and narrative conventions that may separate him from 'us.'

Works Cited

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee. Translated by Robert Van Gulik. New York, Dover

Publications, 1976

Smith, Huston. The World Religions. New York: HarperCollins 1991