in ancient china criminals were guilty until proven innocent the reverse of modern jurisprudence ancient chinese law and modern jurisprudence are not so different although 'innocent until proven guilty' is often shouted about and exist in theory and is regarded as a pillar of the legal system in practice it does not stop the authorities in western countries from holding suspects in prison on remand for months and even years without trial or until the final trial criminals by definition are guilty and not innocent and so were correctly treated by the ancient chinese legal system as they are also guilty by definition in modern jurisprudence suspects were are however not criminals by definition