All eds. are small-sized and (except the one at ZKT) badly printed. Cheng Yan’s pref. states that this manual is explicitly intended for the inexperienced. The rather detailed text is organized into four parts: (1) Generalities on the magistrate’s functions (官箴總論), consisting of about 20 lengthy entries discussing in very clear language the topics usual in standard handbooks: maintaining an attitude of austerity and integrity when assuming one’s post, being careful in the post-transfer procedure (交代), ensuring security (關防), accepting complaints (放告) every day, educating the populace, tax administration, granaries, maintenance of order, investigating crimes, administering justice, guarding against clerks and runners, relations with muyou, notables, and others, mastering the Penal Code, managing the prison, and so forth; (2) Formats and models for official correspondence, directives, etc. (稟諭條款); (3) 20 court regulations (堂規二十則), considerations on the administration of justice (刑名總論) and on managing homicides (審理命案), banditry (審理盜案), and various other crimes (審理雜案) ; (4) Advice on how to categorize the cases submitted to the Autumn assizes (辦秋審條款宜入情實), and, as a second part, Baojian xiyuan lu by Fang Ruqian (q.v.).