Justice Pao

In Justice Pao, a prolific ATV series from the mid 1990s, the upright magistrate Bao Zheng presides over a string of criminal and civil matters that test law, custom, and power. Each story arc unfolds as a discrete case, with investigators, witnesses, and courtroom confrontations revealing layers of deceit and social pressure. The show balances investigative scenes with moral argument, showing how evidence, testimony, and Bao's reputation interact. Over 160 episodes the writers present 25 distinct cases, so the tone shifts from quiet inquiries to high-tension trials, but plot developments tend to focus on procedure, motive, and the consequences of corruption rather than sensational twists.

Produced by ATV and broadcast in 1995 and 1996, the series stars Jin Chao-chun in the title role, a part he became widely associated with. The show is often listed under the Chinese title 新包青天, and its long episode count let it adapt many classic Bao Zheng cases into serial television form.

The series did not register major international awards in widely tracked ceremonies, and no prominent global nominations are recorded in commonly available sources. It did, however, earn a durable place on regional television schedules and in the memories of viewers who followed long-running procedural dramas in the 1990s.

Justice Pao played a role in reinvigorating interest in historical legal dramas across Greater China, helping to keep the Bao Zheng figure prominent on TV screens. Jin Chao-chun's performance became closely identified with the character for a generation, and the show prompted subsequent adaptations and spin-offs that returned to the same well of stories and courtroom set pieces.

Critical and audience reaction has been mixed to positive, reflected in modest aggregated scores like a 7.0/10 rating from available user polling. Reviewers and viewers often note the steady procedural structure, the moral clarity of many episodes, and the emphasis on evidence and duty, though some critics pointed to uneven pacing across so many installments.