Sex in the Cloister: Behind the Image of the “Criminal Monk” in Ming Courtroom Tales

Abstract

The late sixteenth-century Chinese book market witnessed the emergence of a new type of literature: collections of courtroom tales or gong’an 公案,1 written in simple classical language (wenyan 文言) with some colloquial elements,2 and sold in cheaply bound editions. These tales were written by anonymous authors and were probably aimed at a broad readership, including people of high to moderate literacy. These stories contain many types of characters, both good and bad: there are just and wise as well as corrupt and incompetent magistrates; chaste and lustful women; righteous and criminal merchants. But when it comes to Buddhist monks, the portrayal is entirely negative. Not one features, say, as a detective friend of the magistrate, helping to reveal the truth and restore justice. They are always suspected or convicted of crimes, especially sex crimes. Bad Daoist clerics are less common in these stories. This was not because Daoists had a better reputation than Buddhist monks (in fact, there are many late imperial anecdotes about Daoist clerics practicing evil magic). Rather, it was because sex crimes