Deng Shanhai: The shadow of the end of the Qing Dynasty
Before the morning mist dissipated, a sword light flashed, and life froze in this instant. Deng Shanhai, whose name is little known in the capital of the late Qing Dynasty, was the last executioner of the empire. Under the cold appearance, there is the helplessness and heaviness of an era.
In the corner of the orphanage in the early years, the little Deng Shanhai was always unknown. When he was young, he did not have the warmth of his parents or the care of his relatives. The ups and downs in the orphanage, every beating, every bullying were deeply rooted in his immature heart. He learns to hide his emotions and struggles to survive in an environment where the law of the jungle is the strongest.
As the years go by, the young Deng Shanhai has grown up, but the way of survival is still cruel. With no one to turn on, he enters the bloody and mysterious execution ground and eventually becomes an executioner. This job gave him a stable income, but it also made him carry a heavy burden of sin and contempt.
Whenever night fell, Deng Shanhai would always sit alone in a dim corner and repeatedly hone his butcher's knife. The smooth, sharp blade reflected a faint light, like the fear and remorse he didn't want to face but couldn't shake off.
When the execution was carried out, Deng Shanhai was always able to complete the task accurately. Whispers, screams of terror, angry swearing came from the crowd... These voices constituted an eternal noise in his ears. But only Deng Shanhai knew that when he cut off every head, a tremor passed through his heart - it was the awe of the sacred and terrifying meaning at the end of his life.
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, society was in turmoil, and poverty and wealth coexisted. The people at the bottom struggle to get by, while the powerful indulge in luxurious pleasures. Although Deng Shanhai holds the power of life and death, he has never been able to get rid of being dragged by fate to the dark abyss.
With the passage of time and social changes, at a time when imperial power was declining and public opinion was awakening, Deng Shanhai gradually realized the moral dilemma and historical weight behind his profession. When new ideas slammed into the old rituals, he began to reflect on whether his existence as an executioner was truly necessary and valuable.
Throughout his life, Deng Shanhai, who spent his life in the hard struggle at the bottom of feudal society, may be just an insignificant footnote in the long river of history. However, through the twists and turns of fate and inner struggles experienced by this character, the emotional entanglements and deep reflections on social phenomena, professional ethics, and living conditions have become a precious and cherished page in the process of examining the past, understanding human nature, and discussing the evolution of society.