In our impression, the imperial power of ancient China was supreme, and it could not tolerate the challenge of courtiers. If any courtier dares to risk the limelight and be a troublemaker. Then they would have to be executed, not only the individual would be executed, but his relatives, including some other members of the Nine Tribes, would be put to death. It can be said that such a punishment was inhumane to the ancients.
In fact, this punishment for exterminating the Nine Tribes began to be popular from the Western Zhou Dynasty. When there are rebels who attempt to pervert the regime in an attempt to subvert the regime, the emperor will order that all these people who are related by blood be given a pot, so that the ruler can sleep peacefully.
As the saying goes, "Cut the grass to remove the roots, and the spring wind will not blow." However, speaking of this, there are certainly many readers and friends who will also have questions, those convicted of extermination, why did their people not choose to escape, but also "stupidly" wait for death?
In fact, after understanding the punishment of exterminating the nine ethnic groups (referred to as "ethnic punishment"), it is not difficult for us to find a phenomenon. That is, the clan punishment originated in the tribal struggle in ancient times, and the clan of the defeated side would be executed by the victorious side. Over time, it was passed down and evolved into a bargaining chip for the ruler to execute the traitor.
When this clan was punished in the Han Dynasty, it was influenced by Confucianism, and gradually changed from brutality to a "humane" nature, so that many of the crimes of the head of the rebellion were reduced. In this period, in addition to committing heinous crimes (such as nearly assassinating the emperor) and asking for treason, there is no need for such a serious tribal punishment. Among them, the people who were sentenced to death in the clan punishment were members of the three ethnic groups who were relatively closely related by blood, and the other members were exiled and charged with the army instead.
Since the influence of Confucianism, the scope of tribal punishment has been greatly reduced, and it does not mean that all members of the nine ethnic groups must be executed, so it seems more humane. Therefore, it has been used and circulated by later dynasties, and it can be said that a large part of the family punishment has been pulled back from the "edge of death" to the nature of "judicious life". It is just that this nature exists in the situation of "death crimes can be forgiven, and living sins cannot be escaped".
Therefore, when a prisoner is sentenced to clan punishment, his clan does not have to and cannot run. Because the people at that time were living in the city, as long as the ruler issued an order and closed the city gate, these people could not run if they wanted to. Moreover, they will also search for their traces from house to house, and once they are discovered, they will inevitably be beaten, and sometimes it is common to lack arms and legs.
Even if they have evaded the search, the officers and soldiers will still guard the city gate and put a reward notice outside the city wall, and once they are discovered by the officers and men of the city or reported by other people who are greedy for money, it is a crime plus one. What a living sin, after such a toss he turned into a capital offense, how unworthy it was.
Ten thousand steps back, even if they were lucky enough to escape from the city, in the ancient era of underdeveloped transportation. What means of transportation he used to escape from, and where he could run, became a big problem. Therefore, they are not far away, and the officers and men will soon catch up, and they will also end up with a crime and a first class, which is not worth it. Moreover, in the process of fleeing, they inevitably had to tremble and survive, physically and mentally exhausted.
Instead of tossing and turning around like this and not living well, he finally rebelled against the death penalty because of the addition of sin. It is better to wait for the sentence of being exiled and charged, and perhaps there is still a glimmer of life, and it is not good to be able to turn around in the future. Therefore, in the face of their relatives being betrayed, it is the right choice for the clan not to run away, and those who run away are real fools, and it is really not worth it.
Therefore, those who are affected by the clan will often be "stupid and wait for death". In this way, I am also at ease, so that I will not toss in vain, and finally end up with a worse end.