出現在萬曆卅三、卅四年的《新民公案》與《居官公案》,是明代公案小說的轉型代表。這兩部公案的編纂者,接續余象斗的兩部公案,與寧靜子的《詳刑公案》兩個階段,繼續文學化的工作。之後,才是明代公案中集大成的《龍圖公案》。這兩部作品的加工手法,在明代公案中具有承先啟後的特殊意義。編者更用心於故事奇幻色彩的加強,與敘事手法的精進;而非如前面的公案小說,著重於生硬的法律文書的轉載。作者將故事附會於單一官員,將小說重心放在描寫這位官員的傳奇性斷案手法與人格特質上,使小說內容近乎一種「英雄傳奇」。這種胡適所謂的「箭垛化」現象,逐漸在這兩部公案之後,成為中國公案小說的既定傳統。
“Xin Min Gong An”and“Ju Guan Gong An”published in Wan Li 33 and 34 (1605, 1607) are representative works in the transition period of Gong An fictions in Ming dynasty. Following the two-stage development of Yu Xiang Dou's two Gong An fictions and Ning Jing Zi's“Xiang Xing Gong An,”editors of these two Gong An fictions continued the progress of literaturization, and after these two Gong An fictions came out the masterpiece in Ming Gong An fictions,“Long Tu Gong An.”The method of writing of these two works is significant as it serves as a link between past and future Gong An fictions in Ming dynasty. Instead of dull recounts of legal documents as in previous Gong An fictions, editors of them made efforts in highlighting fantasy in stories and improving narrative techniques in writing. Stories in both fictions are affiliated in a single official, whose legendary way in law judgment and personality are the focus of fiction, and thus, both fictions almost become legends of heroes. Following these two Gong An fictions, this kind of so-called“bull's-eye”phenomenon by Hu Xi has gradually become a tradition in Chinese Gong An fictions.
新民公案、居官公案、明代公案、用譎鈎慝、中國法制、疑獄集、箭垛
Xin Min Gong An、Ju Guan Gong An、Gong An fictions in the Ming Dynasty、to Trick and Cajole、Chinese Legal System、Yi Yu Ji、Bull'seye