《折獄龜鑑》為一部匯集歷代獄例故事而成的專輯，由南宋鄭克所撰，目的在希望君子斷案時能夠「明慎用刑」，從速處理，不至拖延。惟《四庫全書．折獄龜鑑提要》言是書之旨在「尚德緩刑」，期待刑罰寬宥，以達太平。而「明慎用刑」與「尚德緩刑」此兩者看似手段、目的不同之作意，實可在《折獄龜鑑》中找到關連性，即鄭克認為官吏當有「惻隱之心」。於是乎，因「惻隱」不威刑，因「惻隱」而寬貸。「明慎用刑」與「尚德緩刑」成為鄭克編撰《折獄龜鑑》的宗旨與脈絡。因今人多據鄭克自言「明慎用刑」論述《折獄龜鑑》，鮮少觸及清代四庫館臣指出「尚德緩刑」此一隱性脈絡，故本文申述之，並以《折獄龜鑑》中的「宥過」、「矜謹」兩門為例，說明鄭克的「尚德緩刑」思想。

Zhe Yu Gui Jian（折獄龜鑑） isAbook that combines the stories of prisoners. It was edited by Zheng Ke of the Southern Song Dynasty. The purpose is to hope the officials can judge cautiously when they decide cases. However, Siku Quanshu（四庫全書） believes that the purpose of this book is to hope that the punishment will be wide and the peace will be achieved. This article uses the example of "You Guo"（宥過） and "Jin Jin"（矜謹） in Zhe Yu Gui Jian to illustrate Zheng Ke's "Advocating Virtue and Relaxing Punishment" thinking.