In ancient times, the death penalty was a weapon of social governance, and the execution method of the autumn queen beheading was particularly chilling, and the execution time was limited to three o'clock in the afternoon.
The reasons behind this are unfathomable, and people can't help but lament the cruelty of history and the complexity of human nature. The choice of three o'clock in the afternoon is not arbitrary. In ancient China, noon was the time of the day when the yang energy was at its strongest and the sun was at its brightest.
This time period may have been chosen for a symbolic purpose, emphasizing social justice and justice. The sun is shining and the earth is bright, so that the death row inmates can feel the atmosphere of "the sky is clear and the earth is clear" before they are executed, perhaps this is a kind of transcendence and comfort for the soul of the deceased.
The three quarters are the closest to noon, emphasizing the urgency of the execution and reflecting the majesty and firmness of the law.
Secondly, the origin of the Autumn Queen's question may be closely related to the ancient agricultural civilization and cosmology. Autumn is not only the season of harvest, but also the period of gradual strengthening of yin energy.
In the ancient cosmology, the five elements of yin and yang were regarded as the basic laws of manipulating the world, so the execution of the death penalty after the autumn may have been regarded by the ancients as using the growth of yin qi to achieve some supernatural punishment effect on criminals.
At the same time, the emphasis on the seasons in the agrarian society makes the execution time of the death penalty have a certain connection with the cycle of nature, reflecting the fine observation and integration of nature and society by ancient people.
In addition, the choice of three o'clock in the afternoon may also involve the ancient concept of the rule of law and the shaping of social order. In feudal societies, rulers often demonstrated their authority and dominance through harsh punishments.
The execution of the death penalty may have been set at a specific moment in the hope of enhancing the ritual and deterrent effect of the entire process, thereby strengthening the authority of the ruler. Three o'clock in the afternoon is chosen as a time point, which has a mystical overtone, making the death penalty no longer a mere punishment, but a solemn and grand display of power.
Despite the complex cultural and social considerations that may be involved behind the three o'clock in the afternoon, in any case, it is impossible to hide the cruelty and indifference of the death penalty itself. Whenever the death penalty is carried out, it is a harsh punishment, and the deprivation of life always raises profound human issues.
In today's society, there has been a shift in our attitude towards the death penalty, with greater emphasis on human rights and the spirit of the rule of law, and the pursuit of a more humane and just penal system.
To sum up, the fact that three o'clock in the afternoon is a special time for the execution of the death penalty may be the result of the interweaving of ancient culture, the concept of the legal system, and the concept of the universe. It is both a symbolic punishment for criminals and a demonstration of social order and the power of rulers.
However, with the progress of society and the evolution of civilization, people's understanding and perception of the death penalty are also constantly changing, and how to find a balance between justice and human rights still needs to be carefully considered and widely discussed.