Bao Zheng

Bao Zheng (999–1062), revered throughout East Asia as 'Justice Bao' (Bao Qingtian, 'Clear-Sky Bao'), was a government officer during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song dynasty. Passing the imperial jinshi examination in 1027, he postponed his official career for a decade to care for his elderly parents, embodying filial piety before accepting appointment as a county magistrate.

As Prefect of the capital Kaifeng, Bao Zheng broke with imperial protocol by opening the court doors directly to common citizens without bureaucratic intermediaries. Fearless in the pursuit of justice, he punished corrupt imperial relatives, dismissed thirty corrupt high officials, and impeached the Emperor's uncle-in-law. His incorruptibility earned him demigod status in Chinese folklore, theater, and literature, where he is portrayed with a dark face and crescent moon birthmark on his forehead.