In ancient times, there was a rather peculiar ritual when the execution of the punishment of beheading, that is, the executioner would spray a mouthful of wine on the knife before beheading. This may seem inconsequential, but there is a deep culture and belief behind it.
First of all, the act of spraying wine on the knife can be traced back to the ancient ritual of sacrificing heaven and earth. At that time, sake was considered sacred because it had magical powers due to the changes it produced during the brewing process. When offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, people will use wine to pray for the blessings and gifts of the gods of heaven and earth. In the same way, the executioner sprayed wine before the beheading, hoping to be blessed by the gods, to ensure that the prisoner could pass away smoothly after the knife, and at the same time avoid unnecessary trouble for himself. Secondly, wine also had the effect of disinfection and sterilization in ancient times. Due to the limited sanitary conditions at the time, the knives used during decapitation were susceptible to contamination by bacteria. By spraying alcohol, the executioner hopes to kill the bacteria on the knife, thereby reducing the risk of infection caused by decapitation. In addition, from a psychological point of view, spraying alcohol on a knife can also help relieve the executioner's nervousness. For many executioners, decapitation is a difficult task, and they tend to feel great psychological pressure. Through the ritual of spraying wine on the knife, the executioner can cheer himself up and see off the prisoner who is about to die. To sum up, the ancient custom of decapitating and spraying wine on a knife is not nonsense, but contains a deep cultural and religious background. This ritual is both a reverence and prayer for the gods, as well as a respect and care for life. Today, this custom may have lost its original significance, but it still provides us with a window into ancient cultures and beliefs. February** Dynamic Incentive Program