In ancient China, the variety and cruelty of punishment was notoriously high. From the cruel cannon branding and heart-digging of the Shang Dynasty, to the car cracking and palace punishment in the Qin and Han dynasties, and then to the later beheading, Ling Chi, waist beheading, skinning, etc., these punishments are not only terrifying, but also become a part of history. In particular, the "Ten Tortures of the Manchu Qing Dynasty" are even more terrifying with their extreme cruelty.
In ancient times, executions were usually carried out in bustling vegetable markets, and this public execution scene was not only a punishment for criminals, but also a deterrent to the public. People are forced to witness the suffering and despair of the tortured, and this scene often leads to fear and even regret coming into this world.
However, these tortures, while to some extent, demonstrate the bravery and tenacity of some people. For example, the fearlessness and perseverance shown by Shi Dakai, the general of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, when he was subjected to Ling Chi, shocked and admired everyone present. However, for women, the torture is often too cruel, and they are often so frightened that some people die when they hear about it.
Therefore, according to the characteristics of women, the ancient society "specially" designed a series of special punishments, such as smacking, burning and "entering the cold palace". While these punishments do not directly cause physical harm like torture, the psychological and spiritual trauma inflicted on women is profound.
Execution, as an ancient punishment, was mainly in the form of shaving off the female prisoner's hair and other body hair. Although there is no direct physical harm to this punishment, the psychological blow of female prisoners being paraded through the streets and subjected to public ridicule and humiliation after being tortured is fatal.
Burning is to leave a permanent mark on a person's body. In "Water Margin", we can see that many heroes and heroes have been burned. For women, this punishment is not only physical pain, but also mental torture. Once branded with insulting words, they will never be able to raise their heads as human beings.
As for "going to the cold palace", it was a special punishment, which meant that women would be forever excluded from the emperor's favor. The Cold Palace is not a specific place, but any place designated by the emperor as a cold palace. These places are often remote and inhospitable, and women under house arrest will lose their freedom and will not be able to leave for the rest of their lives.
In modern society, although these ancient punishments no longer exist, the phenomenon of "cold violence in the family" still occurs from time to time. Many seemingly introverted, honest men like to "beat women into the cold house" and carry out mental abuse through snubbing and neglect. Although the Marriage Act explicitly opposes such acts, it is difficult to completely eradicate them due to their concealed nature.
In general, the punishment of women in ancient times was not only physically devastation, but also a violation of spirit and dignity. The history of these punishments reminds us that respecting and protecting women's rights and interests is an important sign of social progress.