What did Jin Shengtan mean when he commented on the Water Margins?
Jin Shengtan's comment on the Water Margins was that the criminals wanted to avoid the law and use some improper means to avoid punishment. In the novel, these criminals often used deception, bribery, forgery and other means to avoid legal punishment. " Avoidance in crime " was also a concept in the ancient criminal law system. In ancient China, there were three types of criminal law: castration, caning, and imprisonment. Castration referred to the direct death penalty, while caning and imprisonment were punishments that were reflected through judgment. Criminals who wanted to avoid castration or caning could avoid legal punishment through some improper means. For example, they might forge documents, deceive the judge, or bribe to get a lighter sentence. "Avoidance in crime" was described as a common phenomenon in the novel, reflecting the dark side of ancient society and the cunning methods of criminals.