In Southeast Asia, there are numerous Bao Gong temples built in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and other places, along with various forms of Bao Gong worship and memorial activities.

Bao Zheng, a renowned official of the Northern Song Dynasty, is known as "Bao Qingtian" for his incorruptibility, fairness, and unyielding nature. In the decades of the century, the Taiwanese television series "Judge Bao" became immensely popular across the strait, sparking a "Bao Qingtian craze," and the culture of Judge Bao's justice radiated beyond the seas.

How did the culture of Bao Gong originate? Why can the culture of Bao Gong resonate across the strait and spread widely overseas? Recently, Xia Dongbo, a specially invited researcher at the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural History, was interviewed by China News Service's "East-West Question" for an in-depth analysis.

Bao Zheng was well-known during his lifetime. His administrative abilities, his deeds of loving and caring for the people, and his upright and incorruptible image had already earned him great acclaim from his contemporaries. The image of Bao Gong originates from his honest and incorruptible conduct during his tenure as an official, as well as the dual fusion of the literary and theatrical image of "Bao Qingtian" in later legends. Through generations of oral and written traditions, the image of Bao Gong evolved from the historical and cultural Bao Gong to the literary and theatrical Bao Gong, gradually forming the current image of Bao Gong.

Bao Zheng enjoys an excellent reputation among the people, and there are many scripts, novels, and operas about him in later generations, forming the Bao Gong scripts and Bao Gong operas. Traditional Bao Gong operas include "The Three Heroes and Five Gallants," "The Bao Gong Case," "The Execution of Mei," etc. There are also many film and television works themed around Bao Gong, such as the famous Bao Gong TV dramas "Justice Bao," "Young Justice Bao," "The Grand Ambition of Justice Bao," etc.

Overall, the image of Bao Gong is primarily constructed from four dimensions: history, cultural relics, literature, and drama. These four elements complement and supplement each other, collectively shaping the enduring image of "Bao Qing Tian" that has been passed down for millennia.

The influence of Bao Gong culture has gradually formed over time and cultural evolution. With the development of the times, Bao Gong, as the protagonist in legends or stories, has seen his character traits and deeds "accumulate layer by layer." Therefore, the further removed in time from the Song Dynasty, the richer, more legendary, and more fascinating Bao Gong's legends become.

During the Song Dynasty, Confucian ethics were revitalized, emphasizing "the ruler should be like a ruler, and the subject should be like a subject." Therefore, the Song Dynasty pursued the policy of "governing the world together with scholar-officials," and the maturity of this policy was during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, when figures such as Wang Anshi, Sima Guang, and Fan Zhongyan emerged. In this atmosphere, many outstanding deeds of other officials were also attributed to Bao Zheng, making him a model for officials.

Secondly, the economic prosperity of the Song Dynasty gave rise to entertainment venues like the "waci" and the rise of vernacular novels. The widespread popularity of the image of Bao Zheng was timely, becoming the preferred subject for creators of vernacular and public case novels, with increasing fictional elements. After the fall of the Song Dynasty, the Yuan opera and Ming-Qing novels all needed creative material like Bao Zheng, constantly innovating and renewing. In this process, the literary Bao Zheng became increasingly rich, the dramatic Bao Zheng increasingly splendid, while the historical Bao Zheng was increasingly obscured.

Again, since the Song and Yuan dynasties, folk literature has given birth to the "culture of upright officials," in which Bao Zheng transformed into the "Blue Sky," becoming one of the cultural symbols of the "upright official," renowned throughout the world, naturally following a logical and well-deserved path.

Baogong culture in Taiwan is primarily spread through the establishment of Baogong temples, the organization of folk worship and sacrificial activities, and the promotion by the Baogong Cultural Research Center.

The oldest and most renowned "Bao Gong Ancestral Temple" in Taiwan is the Bao Gong Temple in San Tiao Lun, Sihu Township, Yunlin County, also known as Haiqing Palace. It was first built in the year (Qianlong Era, Qing Dynasty) by immigrants from Quanzhou and has a history of years. Many temples across the island have branched off from this temple.

The Baogong Temple in Yunlin worships Baogong, who is revered as the "King of the Underworld". This title was originally named after the Baojia Ancestral Hall in Hefei, Anhui, as it was believed that after his death, Bao Zheng ascended to immortality and took charge of the Fifth Hall of the Underworld. In the century, the temple underwent a major renovation, strictly adhering to ancient architectural standards, with wooden structures connected by mortise and tenon joints. Many exquisite stone carvings, wood carvings, and colorful paintings depict stories of Baogong presiding over trials, with materials mostly sourced from the mainland. The craftsmanship was done by Fujian artisans, and the golden-painted pillars in the main hall are particularly distinctive.

Temples dedicated to Lord Bao, such as those in Taipei, Changhua, Kaohsiung, and Hsinchu, have been established in various parts of the island. The main deity, Lord Bao, was mostly transferred from the mainland. The largest of these is the Kaifeng Palace in Daliou, Kaohsiung, which was founded in a certain year and enshrines Lord Bao (Ma Guogong) as the principal deity. The "Lord Bao's Birthday" is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. During the reconstruction of the temple in the 1980s, it was influenced by both the Bao Gong Temple in Yunlin and the Bao Gong Shrine in Kaifeng, mainland China.

Across the strait, blood is thicker than water. The inheritance of Baogong culture on both sides has been particularly strong since the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a long and enduring history.

Bao Gong, as a representative figure of the culture of upright officials, plays an important role in promoting cultural exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

In Taiwan, folk worship of Lord Bao is quite prevalent, and there are also many festive activities. For example, at the Yunlin Lord Bao Temple, the "Yama Emperor's Birthday Celebration" is held on the tenth day of the seventh lunar month each year, used to pray for blessings and avoid disasters. Over time, this has become a custom, and spirit mediums and believers from various places return to the ancestral temple to offer incense and pay homage. In the month and year to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Lord Bao's arrival in Taiwan to save the people, the Yunlin Lord Bao Temple first invited over ten thousand people from all over the island to gather for a group worship. The ceremony was conducted according to ancient customs, with a grand and lively atmosphere, presenting a scene of flourishing incense.

Many believers in the island place statues of Lord Bao in their homes. The most distinctive aspect is that the Bao Gong Temple has been included in local textbooks. For example, in a textbook from Yunlin County, Taiwan, one unit is titled "Visiting Haiqing Palace," which introduces the history and architectural structure of Haiqing Palace, fostering students' love for their homeland.

In Taiwan, the functions of the Bao Gong Temple are continuously expanding, participating in folk creative life and empowering the local cultural industry chain. Bao Gong is no longer abstract in historical legends and spiritual beliefs; he has actually evolved from a symbol of filial piety, integrity, and a model of justice and anti-corruption into an important bridge and bond for cultural exchanges across the strait.

The culture of Bao Gong has a widespread influence within the Han cultural sphere. According to historical research, as early as the Ming Dynasty, Bao Gong's fame had already transcended national borders. When Zheng He sailed to the Western Seas during the Ming Dynasty, he not only spread Bao Gong's culture overseas but also brought back information about the foreign admiration for Bao Gong. For instance, in the historical records of the year 20th year of the Chenghua era (1484 AD), there is a description that reads, "Even among the various foreign countries overseas, none are unaware of his name and none do not admire him." Especially since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, traditional Chinese culture has been widely spread overseas along with the migration of the populace, including the culture of Bao Gong.

The Hefei Bao Gong Temple is located on the Xianghua Dun, where Bao Gong studied as a child. It is the longest-standing temple dedicated to the worship of Bao Zheng among all the specialized temples across the country, and it is also the "ancestral hall" of Bao Gong Temples worldwide. Descendants of Bao Gong have gathered in Hefei multiple times to pay tribute and remember their ancestors at the Bao Gong Tomb. Some enthusiasts of Bao Gong from Western countries also visit Hefei for inspection and study.

In today's world where cultural dissemination and exchange are becoming increasingly convenient and frequent, the culture of Bao Gong is transcending the limitations of time and space, reaching out to the world, and becoming a unique spiritual symbol of Chinese culture, gaining recognition and admiration from an increasing number of overseas people.

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Author: Emma

An experienced news writer, focusing on in-depth reporting and analysis in the fields of economics, military, technology, and warfare. With over 20 years of rich experience in news reporting and editing, he has set foot in various global hotspots and witnessed many major events firsthand. His works have been widely acclaimed and have won numerous awards.

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