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Which methods of execution were used in ancient China?
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capital punishment
Lethal-injection room.
In ancient China, the state employed various painful and severe methods of execution to punish those convicted of crimes. Historical records indicate that these methods included:
- Ling chi: Also known as "slow slicing" or "death by a thousand cuts," this practice involved the gradual removal of skin and limbs while the condemned was tied to a post, typically ending with a final cut to the heart or decapitation. This method was used as early as the 10th century and was not banned until 1905.1
- Sawing in half: A method of execution that involved physically cutting the condemned person in two.2
- Flaying: The removal of the skin from the condemned while they were still alive.2
- Boiling: The condemned was placed in a vat or pot of boiling liquid, such as water, oil, or tar.21
Additionally, during the Han dynasty, the death penalty was one of several punishments for criminal offenses, though senior officials and members of the imperial family were often permitted to avoid public execution by committing suicide.3