Preface
During the Qing Dynasty, the punishment of beheading was highly controversial, but how cruel was it? One foreigner's recollection is shocking: it is said that in less than three minutes, 33 heads were cut off.
In those years of authoritarian rule, such scenes were not uncommon. The value of life is ruthlessly devalued, and the brilliance of humanity is ruthlessly stifled. Let's walk into that bloody era together, witness those chilling scenes, and reveal its cruel and ruthless side.
Qing Dynasty: The low value of life
In the hierarchical feudal society of the Qing Dynasty, the rulers turned a blind eye to the lives of ordinary people. They can take the lives of people at will without any guilt. This concept has even penetrated into the consciousness of ordinary people.
In this hierarchical society, the emperor is supreme and his power is absolute. In order to maintain their rule, the rulers enacted draconian laws, including the death penalty in a detailed and brutal manner.
According to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, the death penalty was divided into various types, such as hanging, beheading, and beheading, among which beheading, which is commonly referred to as beheading, is the most common one. Generally speaking, those who commit heinous felonies such as rebellion, treason, and rebellion are punished with beheading.
This disregard for life stems from the authoritarian thinking of the rulers. In their eyes, the lives of the common people are as insignificant as ants that can be taken away at will. This concept has gradually penetrated into the consciousness of ordinary people.
In this bloody age, death row inmates are like lambs waiting to be slaughtered. And those executioners are devils with butcher knives in their hands, cold and insensitive. Their disregard for life is chilling. This contempt for life is undoubtedly a betrayal of humanity and a blasphemy against civilization.
The source of the numbness of the people
This kind of numbness and indifference is actually the result of long-term brainwashing in feudal society. In order to maintain their own rule, the rulers deliberately created various policies to fool the people, telling the people that the imperial power is supreme and that life is destined for the rich and the poor.
In this hierarchical society, status is determined by birth. The rulers told the people that there are noble and low people in life, and this is the destiny of heaven and cannot be disobeyed. They also told the people that the king wanted his ministers to die, and the ministers had to die, and the emperor's order was the mandate of heaven.
Over time, the people became accustomed to being obedient and obedient. Their reverence for life gradually faded. On the execution ground, the reason why the onlookers are excited about the tragic situation of the death row inmates is because they subconsciously do not take the lives of the death row inmates seriously.
In their view, death row inmates are heinous sinners, and their lives and deaths have nothing to do with them, and some people even think that death row inmates are to blame and have more than enough to die. This numbness and indifference is the result of the long-term brainwashing of the rulers. Through various policies of ignoring the people, they have made the people accustomed to obedience and obedience.
Over time, the people lost their reverence for life and turned a blind eye to the tragic death of their compatriots. This disregard for life is undoubtedly a betrayal of humanity and a desecration of civilization.
The cruelty and inequality of feudal society
In the Qing Dynasty, beheading was almost commonplace, and people were killed at every turn. This is certainly related to the tyranny of the rulers, but the deeper reason lies in the inequality of the whole society.
In this pyramidal society, the common people at the bottom are the least of the status and rights. They are like meat on a chopping board, to be slaughtered. And those high-ranking and powerful nobles can do whatever they want, exploiting and oppressing the people at will.
This inequality stems from the hierarchical system of feudal society. In this hierarchical society, status is determined by birth. With their power and wealth, the nobles and lords can wantonly oppress and exploit the common people.
And these ordinary people can only be slaughtered by others, and have no ability to resist. In such an unequal society, unjust cases are common, and many innocent people have fallen victim to the powerful. They were either framed or falsely accused, and eventually died.
And those real criminals, as long as they have money and power, can get away with it and get away with it. This polarization has exacerbated social injustice and deepened the resentment of the people. This inequality is not only reflected in the application of the law, but also in the judgment of the value of life.
In the eyes of the rulers, the lives of ordinary people are as insignificant as ants that can be taken away at will. And those high-ranking and powerful nobles can escape the punishment of the law.
The ignorant and backward Qing Dynasty
The existence of beheading also highlights the ignorance and backwardness of Qing Dynasty society. In Western countries, the Enlightenment has long since emerged, and humanist ideas have become increasingly popular. People began to respect reason, respect life, and pursue freedom and equality. The death penalty also began to be seen as barbaric and cruel, and was gradually abolished.
But in the Qing Dynasty, these advanced ideas had not yet been introduced. The whole of society is still shrouded in the cloud of authoritarianism. Rulers still adhere to the concept of "divine authority of kings", believing that their power is absolute and that they can deprive their people of their lives at will. They enacted cruel laws that made beheading the most common form of death.
This practice is a blasphemy against humanity and a betrayal of civilization. In Western countries, people have begun to reflect on the legitimacy of the death penalty as a barbaric and inhumane practice. But in the Qing Dynasty, this idea had not yet been introduced, and the whole society was still in a state of ignorance and isolation.
The proliferation of beheading is a manifestation of this backward state. It shows that this ancient empire is far from the threshold of civilization. The rulers are still immersed in the dream of absolutism, unable to recognize the value of life and the dignity of human nature. This contempt for life is undoubtedly a betrayal of human civilization.
The shock and confusion of foreigners
The two missionaries who witnessed all this could not calm down for a long time. They feel as if they have witnessed the extinction of humanity and the sorrow of life. The two missionaries sneaked into the execution ground, only to see that the death row inmates were bloodless, their legs trembling, and they were obviously frightened.
Immediately after, several burly executioners came out, armed with sharp machetes, their eyes fierce and numb. The executioners picked up their broadswords and slashed, only to hear a few "whoosh" sounds, and a few heads fell to the ground.
There was a burst of cheers from the onlookers, who shouted excitedly, as if to applaud the executioner's "bravery". The two missionaries were dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the indifference of these civilians to the tragic death of their fellow citizens.
Even more shockingly, the executioners laughed along with it, as if killing people was a daily occurrence for them. The two missionaries were shocked to hear this, and they could not understand how a man's life could be so inhumane.
"Here, human life seems worthless. Life has been trampled on wantonly, human nature has been completely distorted, can there be salvation in such a world?" muttered a missionary. Another missionary chose to write about this experience with his pen and wrote a book called "Bloody Records of the East", which promoted the reflection on the death penalty in European society.
These two missionaries witnessed first-hand the disregard for life and the distortion of human nature in Qing society. They were shocked by the ruthlessness of the executioner, but also by the numbness and indifference of the people. This contempt for life is a betrayal of humanity and a blasphemy of civilization. They left China full of doubts and sorrows, but the experience became a haze for their lives.
epilogue
The dignity of life and the brilliance of human nature are the cornerstones of the progress of human civilization. The history of beheading shows us that we should cherish the present, defend human rights, and build a more just and benevolent world. Only in this way can we truly give life the dignity it deserves and restore the glory of human nature.