Tu Rusong's Wrongful Conviction for Uxoricide in Macheng

In 1730, Tu Rusong, a resident of Macheng, Hubei, reported his wife Yang Shi missing. Her family accused him of murder. Despite the absence of a body, local authorities arrested Tu. A decomposed female corpse was later misidentified as Yang’s by her brother, and under severe torture, Tu confessed to killing his wife. He was sentenced to death. The case was reviewed and upheld by Governor-General Mai Zhu. Years later, Yang Shi was discovered alive in another county, having eloped with her lover Feng Da. The revelation triggered a retrial. Tu Rusong was exonerated and released, while Magistrate Tang Yingqiu and other officials were impeached for judicial misconduct, forgery, and using torture. The case became a notorious example of injustice in the Qing legal system.

Tu Rusong was initially convicted and sentenced to death. After Yang Shi was found alive, he was fully exonerated and freed. Magistrate Tang Yingqiu was dismissed and punished, Governor-General Mai Zhu was disgraced, and the conspirators who aided the false accusation were prosecuted.

Whether Tu Rusong actually murdered his wife or was framed by her family; the legality and impact of torture in extracting a false confession; the responsibility of local and provincial officials in perpetuating a miscarriage of justice.

The case exposed severe flaws in the Qing judiciary, particularly the reliance on torture and the lack of oversight. It became a cautionary tale in Chinese legal history, recorded in unofficial histories and cited by reformers to advocate for judicial reform. It also inspired literary and dramatic works criticizing official corruption.