In a private museum in Nanjing, there is a chilling exhibit, a human skin drum. This is not only an object, but also a historical witness of blood and tears. This drum was once the skin of a pure maiden, and in the serf era of Tibet, the human skin drum was a very special sacrificial tool. The process of making it is not only cruel, but also full of superstition and inhumane practices. According to legend, this drum is able to connect "earth" and "hell" and awaken those forgotten souls. But in reality, these legends are more of an excuse for the lamas to commit their cruel acts.
In the 18th century, a large-scale smallpox epidemic broke out in Tibet, resulting in a large number of deaths. The lamas at that time declared that it was the wrath of the gods, and that people needed to use human skin drums to convey their hearts and ask the gods for forgiveness. This idea is deeply rooted in people's beliefs, which justifies the cruel act of making human drums.
The material used to make the human skin drum must be a girl under the age of 16. The lamas believed that the young girls of their age were pure and flawless in their skin and were the most pleasing to the gods. From the birth of a baby girl, it is possible to choose the material for the human skin drum. These chosen baby girls, whose futures have been thoroughly set, will be overshadowed by the shadow of sacrifice for the rest of their lives.
In order to maintain the purity and elasticity of their skin, their lives are tightly controlled. From an early age, they should cut their tongues and puncture their eardrums to prevent them from speaking or hearing foul language. This extreme practice is to keep their hearts pure in order to meet the lamas' requirements for "spiritual instruments". This is not only the destruction of the body, but also the great destruction of the mind.
As they grow older, these girls gradually grow to 13 to 14 years old. At this time, everything about them, including their diet, activities, and even thoughts, was strictly controlled by the lamas in the temple. They apply special potions to the girls' backs to keep their skin soft and elastic, while also requiring them to be absolutely alone and almost isolated from the world.
Eventually, these girls will be selected to be part of the human skin drum until the age of 16. The production process is usually carried out at night to maintain its mystique and ritual feel. The girls were taken to a secret room, given drugs to make them unconscious, and then skinned alive to make the drum surface. This kind of cruel behavior is not only the destruction of people's bodies, but also the trampling on personality and human nature.
This extreme human sacrifice is not only a part of the culture, it is also deeply reflected in the violence and extreme oppression of women in the society of the time. In fact, this cruel exploitation of women is reflected in many ancient cultures, but in this part of Tibet, it has been given a religious overtone and a sacred name.
Through human skin drums, lamas claimed to be able to converse with the gods, which undoubtedly strengthened their authority and control among the people. They take advantage of people's fear and ignorance to rationalize and even sanctify cruel acts. And those innocent girls, whose pain and sacrifice, are given a noble name.
The lessons of this cruel history are profound. It not only makes people reflect on the dark side of human nature, but also makes people think about how to develop and pass on culture on the basis of respecting and protecting every life.