In ancient times, why did prisoners seem so docile during executions, almost never resisting, and often kneeling to await their death sentence?
5 Steps Taken Before Executing Prisoners in Ancient China
The most common method of execution in ancient China was beheading. According to regulations, soldiers would arrive at the execution site beforehand to clean and carry out necessary procedures.
- The first step was to notify the executioner in advance, instructing them to sharpen their blade to the sharpest possible level.
- The second step was to announce the time of execution, generally set after the autumn season. This was because the busy farming period had just ended, and autumn corresponded with “gold” in the Five Elements, symbolizing silence and minimal life force, representing destruction.
- The third step involved informing those nearby, including the prisoner and their family. At this stage, the execution was essentially a certainty, and the only way to avoid it was through the emperor’s secret intervention.
- The fourth step was an important procedure before the execution, where the death row inmate would be brought out to the street, firstly to warn the public, and secondly to bring any accomplices to justice.
Prisoners were taken to the street before execution to deter the public.
- The fifth step was to escort the prisoner to the execution site and carry out the beheading immediately at three-quarters of the noon hour. This period generally ran from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., when the yang energy was strongest, capable of suppressing and dispelling any negative spirits, preventing the soul of the executed from haunting the living.
Reasons Why Prisoners Were “Docile” During Beheading
In many Chinese films and television dramas, it is evident that during executions, prisoners appear dazed, emaciated, and highly cooperative, showing no resistance. The main reason is that the prisoners had been tortured nearly to death in prison before their execution, making the act a form of release for them.
There are three reasons why prisoners willingly knelt to accept their punishment:
The first is to demonstrate the supremacy of the law and respect for the state, compelling prisoners to kneel and accept their death sentence.
The second is that life in prison was harsh; prisoners not only faced abuse from guards but also constant psychological pressure. Those who endured such torture had little willpower or spirit left to resist kneeling before death.
Prisoners kneel to accept death sentences due to depleted spirit and health.
To prevent the possibility of escape or resistance, the food provided by the guards was not nutritious, ensuring that the prisoners lacked the strength to flee during their execution. Additionally, executions had to wait for a designated time, so prisoners who were held for too long became lethargic due to malnutrition and harbored no hope of survival knowing they would be sentenced to death.
The death penalty by beheading originated during the Wei and Jin dynasties and was ultimately refined during the Tang dynasty. All death sentences had to be approved by the emperor. Furthermore, due to ancient superstitions, executions were only carried out at specific times, demonstrating a careful approach to capital punishment even in a feudal society.
To uphold the emperor’s authority and deter the common people, the beheading was carried out with the utmost severity. As a result, even though death row inmates knew they were about to die, they dared not resist, as they still had family members to consider. Any act of defiance during the execution would bring disaster upon their loved ones.
Finally, in ancient times, kneeling was not considered overly significant; even when facing superiors, kneeling was not particularly difficult. For death row inmates, there was a belief that kneeling during execution could lead to being reborn as a better person in a future life, which further dissuaded resistance.
