What was the punishment for itching in ancient times? What does it feel like to be tortured to death?
Readers, do you know what the most cruel and cruel punishment was in ancient times? How many ways are people tortured? It may be painful, but people still have to live, and life is better than death. Today, let's explore these unusual punishments in ancient times and explore the bloody history behind them. This is no ordinary research trip, so be prepared.
The beginning of an ancient wave of punishment.
In the 4th century BC, Shang Ying, a famous Legalist in Chinese history, proposed"Heavy penalties for misdemeanors"system, creating a precedent for the severe punishment of the ancient Qin State. Shang Ying was a controversial historical figure who carried out many reforms during his lifetime to make the Qin state rich and strong.
One of his major reform initiatives was:"Misdemeanors and heavy sentences"。Shang believes that only a harsh criminal law can deter criminals. This idea was also recognized and appreciated by the Legalist master Han Fei.
Han Fei was a representative of Legalism at the end of the Warring States Period, inheriting and developing the Shang Dynasty"Severe punishment"Thought. It can be said that Shang Yang is ancient"Severe punishment and strict law", and Han Fei carried it forward.
What Shang Ying didn't know was that the wave of revenge he set off would sweep through more than 2,000 years of history and become a living hell for many sinners. Today, we will explore some of the great waves of this seemingly boundless wave, which represent the extreme punishments of ancient criminal law. These executions fully reveal the cruelty and darkness of that era, and at the same time sound a wake-up call for our reflection today.
Death Penalty I: Hunger with an Iron Mouth.
We have the impression that starvation means that prisoners starve to death. In ancient times, hunger was much more than that. There are several types of hunger, the most brutal of which is"Iron tongue hunger"。This punishment required the executioner to push a large piece of iron in the shape of a tongue into his mouth, hence the name"Iron tongue"。
The cold piece of iron was firmly stuck in the prisoner's throat, preventing him from making any sound or swallowing any food. The prisoners struggled with pain and hunger, looking at the food in front of them but unable to eat it. This type of capital punishment is an extremely slow and brutal form of killing, and prisoners are often tortured for long periods of time before they die. This method, which ignores the value of life and only wants to inflict maximum suffering on death row, is a perfect embodiment of the cruelty of ancient punishments.
Worst Punishment II: Sting.
There seemed to be no pain at all, only a slight tingling. Before you know it, this seemingly minor punishment can actually torture a person to the point of collapse. The full name of this punishment is:"Honey stabbing punishment"。In ancient times, before execution, the executioner would tie the prisoner's limbs to a wooden frame, leaving the prisoner defenseless. Then, they will choose exposed areas, such as the palms of the hands, and apply honey or other itching substances.
Then the executioner released several hungry goats and licked the prisoner's naked body with hunger. The poor prisoner will slowly suffocate in uncontrollable laughter, with an outwardly pleasant expression but in reality it is in pain. This cruel criminal law, which tortures people with the most unbearable itch, can be described as elaborate torture. It also illustrates how cruel and ruthless the locals are when it comes to designing punishments.
Death penalty III: Shackles.
The punishment is deceptively simple - the prisoners are locked up. But the brutality of the punishment is chilling. This punishment is called"Bloodlocks"The prisoner was locked in a large black iron lock. The iron locks were very hard and heavy, covered with sharp iron nails, and the chains and nails strangled the prisoner's limbs and torso, making the prisoner immobilized.
What's even more terrifying is that this thin layer of black iron is specially treated to create a mysterious magnetic field that blocks the normal flow of the prisoner's blood, causing it to slowly coagulate. The prisoners had to endure this extreme torture to end their lives, as their blood and limbs were coagulated in chains, suffocating to death, and suffering from it. The punishment of the blood chain also reflects the cruelty and viciousness of the ancients in designing this punishment.
Death penalty iv: Court ruling.
This punishment was designed specifically for male prisoners in ancient times with the aim of destroying the bodily functions and dignity of men. According to records, the great historian Tai Shi Gong also suffered such cruel punishments. Taishi Gong, whose real name is Sima Qian, was sentenced to palace punishment for insulting Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and died directly in despair.
This indirectly led to the emergence and widespread use of eunuchs, which became another dark side of society. In feudal dynasties, many boys were castrated and served as eunuchs. The eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty's East and West factories even used this status to compete for power and extortion, which eventually led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. Gong Punishment (a type of capital punishment) also reveals the cruelty of the rulers of previous dynasties.
Death penalty v: Wooden donkey.
It was an ancient penal code that specifically punished female prisoners. Female prisoners had to ride through the streets on wooden donkeys with spikes and were insulted and beaten by passers-by. It is recorded that Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, died of this punishment in his father, ending his short life.
We can imagine how humiliating and painful it was for the once powerful khan to be insulted on a wooden donkey. This punishment of female prisoners also reveals the discrimination and abuse of women in ancient societies.
Death penalty vi: Death penalty.
It was probably one of the most brutal punishments of antiquity, almost the extreme destruction of life. The executioner used a sharp knife to cut off the flesh of the prisoner inch by inch. The executioner deliberately avoided the vital parts of the prisoner in order to prolong the torture as long as possible.
According to historical sources, the longest lynching lasted 3000 knives, which is unimaginable. We can't imagine how a person can endure such a long period of torment. This is probably the most brutal form of human history, with no respect for either the law or human morality.
The harsh criminal laws of ancient times reflected the ruthlessness of the rulers of the time. They trampled on the dignity of human life in punishing prisoners. As history progressed, society abandoned these punishments. Today, we look back on this dark history, not for revenge, not to support cruelty, but to fully recognize the price that must be paid for the progress of civilization.
Looking back at history, we must not only see the cruel side, but also see the progress and development of each historical stage. From the harsh criminal law in ancient times to the humane judicial system today, all this is the progress of human civilization. Today's civilized society is trying to mend people's hearts with a more benevolent and rational system, so let's work together for this common future. But at this moment, let us mourn the lives of ancient times that were lost under cruel punishment.