Death by 1000 cut's, a Chinese punishment

"And I think to myself, what a wonderful world." (George Weiss / Bob Thiele)



Lingchi could be used for the torture and execution of a living person, or applied as an act of humiliation after death. It was meted out for offenses such as acts of treason, murder, or assault on one's parents. There are problems in obtaining accurate details of how the executions took place, but the executions consisted of cuts to the arms, legs, and chest leading to amputation of limbs and followed by decapitation or a stab to the heart. If the crime was less serious, or the executioner was merciful, the first cut would be the throat, the subsequent cuts serving solely to dismember the corpse.

Art historian James Elkins[1] argues that extant photos of the execution make obvious that the "death by division" (as it was termed by German criminologist R. Heindl) involved some degree of dismemberment while the subject was living. However, Elkins also argues that, contrary to the apocryphal version of "death by a thousand cuts", the actual process could not have lasted long, the condemned could likely not have remained conscious and aware (if even living) after one or two severe wounds, and the entire process could not have included more than a "few dozen" wounds. Reliable eyewitnesses, like Meadows [2], describe a fast process lasting no longer than 15 to 20 minutes. Available photographic records [3] seem to prove the speed of the event as the crowd remains consistent across the series of photographs. Moreover, these photographs show a striking contrast between the stream of blood that soaks the left flank of the victim and the lack of blood on the right side, possibly showing that the first or the second cut has reached the heart. [4]. The coup de grâce was all the more certain when the family could afford a bribe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_slicing


Warning somewhat graphic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7iDZnkn1xo

 

Is it that surprising that torture and post-mortem humiliation jar with the idea of a "wonderful world"? It's not like they're supposed to be nice.

 

Define irony?

 

Well the implication would be that the world is wonderful because people aren't making the effort, rather than because of anything inherent or unavoidable.

 

It was sarcasm Mr. Data, at ease.

Yes that was a star trek reference and yes I am a nerd.

 

And the point of this thread is...?