This article investigates the development of judicial reform in the Three Northeastern Provinces (Dongsansheng) during the late Qing dynasty’s New Policy(Xinzheng) period, focusing on the establishment of the Judicial Bureaus (Tifasi) and Courts (Shenpanting). The aim is to supplement existing research, which has largely centered on Fengtian, by conducting a comparative analysis of Fengtian, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. Through this approach, the study seeks to comprehensively examine how regional conditions influenced the formation of court systems in each province.
Following the Qing government’s designation of the Three Northeastern Provinces as pilot regions for the new judicial system, each province initiated preparatory efforts for establishing trial courts. Initially, a Judicial Bureau was installed in each province as the provincial-level judicial-administrative agency, taking the lead in organizing the new court system. At the same time, due to practical limitations, this bureau also assumed the functions of the traditional Judicial Commissioner(Anchasi). While the Judicial Bureau directed the establishment of the courts, clear provincial differences emerged based on factors such as the level of support from the central government, availability of human and financial resources, and the existence of institutional foundations. Fengtian, with substantial backing from the central government, was able to establish a relatively comprehensive judicial structure in a short period. In contrast, Jilin and Heilongjiang developed more limited systems due to resource constraints.
Although all three provinces pursued the common goal of building a modern court system, the actual implementation varied significantly depending on the political, economic, and social circumstances of each province. This highlights the importance of considering regional diversity in studies of late Qing and early modern Chinese judicial reform.