China Court Museum, Legal history museum in Donghuamen, China
The China Court Museum is a legal history museum in Donghuamen that spans several exhibition halls presenting courtroom proceedings from different periods. The collection displays actual case records, judicial documents, and the spaces where hearings took place.
The building originally housed a bank and was later converted into a museum, preserving architecture from the early 20th century. This transformation allowed the history of Chinese courts to be preserved within a historically significant structure.
The museum displays how the Chinese legal system developed over time and what role courts played in society. Visitors can see how everyday disputes were once resolved and what rules governed people's lives back then.
The museum sits near Tiananmen Square on Zhengyi Road and offers film screenings about various court proceedings. Plan to spend about two to three hours for a thorough walk through the exhibitions.
The museum displays original judge residences, writing tools, and personal items showing how magistrates worked in ancient China. These everyday objects provide a rare glimpse into the people behind the robes, not just the rules they enforced.
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