Why did the concubines buried alive with Qin Shi Huang not close their legs after being interred?

The practice of tuẫn táng is one of the most brutal customs of ancient times, making any woman who underwent it extremely unfortunate.

In ancient China, there existed a custom known as tuẫn táng, one of the harshest traditions of the past. When an emperor died, he would be buried alongside many others; some were buried alive, while others were killed or committed suicide before burial.

Tuẫn táng can be understood as a form of offering, where the living are sacrificed with the dead. This barbaric custom has been prevalent since the slavery period. However, during the feudal era, monarchs continued to abuse it, compelling not only maidservants but even wives and concubines to be buried alive with them upon death. Only those favored concubines who bore sons could escape this fate, while others, regardless of their status or the emperor’s affection, could find themselves facing this horrifying burial. The practice of tuẫn táng began during the Zhou Dynasty and continued until the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty.

Historical records indicate various methods used to force concubines to die alongside the emperor. Some were “granted death” before being buried with the monarch, while others were simply drugged and bound, eventually dying in the tomb.

Unsurprisingly, any woman subjected to tuẫn táng would be immensely pitiful. Regardless of their noble status or whether they were favored by the emperor, in the face of death, they all experienced profound tragedy. In the feudal dynasty, women could not decide their own fates.

From the Han Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty, tuẫn táng was rarely practiced. During the Cao Wei period, before his death, Cao Cao instructed his wives and concubines not to be buried with him and encouraged them to remarry if they wished. Such civilized remarks are rare in history.

However, during the Ming Dynasty, the practice of tuẫn táng saw a resurgence. From the reign of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang to Ming Xuantong Zhu Zhi, the custom was imposed on those living in the palace. It was not until Emperor Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen came to power that the practice was officially abolished within the royal family.

During the era of Qin Shi Huang, the practice of tuẫn táng reached an extreme level of cruelty, with the number of people buried with him still uncounted today. Archaeologists have discovered a large number of female remains in the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, confirming that these are the remains of concubines who were buried alive with the emperor.

Remarkably, most of the female skeletons found had their leg bones not fully closed. What did these concubines endure before their death that left their legs unable to straighten?

Concubines who were sacrificed had to struggle desperately, ultimately dying from lack of oxygen.

After extensive research, scientists found the reason for this phenomenon: the oxygen levels in the tombs were very low. Once the soldiers completed sealing the tomb, those inside had only one path leading to death.

In such a terrifying environment, the concubines who were sacrificed struggled desperately, crying out in pain, ultimately dying from asphyxiation. Consequently, the bodies of these women exhibited very unusual postures upon death, either curled up or with limbs that could not close or straighten normally. Regardless of the circumstances, one thing is certain: they experienced an ultimate fear.

Any victim of the barbaric custom of tuẫn táng faced a heartbreaking death. For women who were physically weak and accustomed to the comforts of the palace, even those who had lived in luxury, such a demise was particularly brutal. This custom starkly illustrates that women in ancient times could not determine their own fates. Regardless of their high status or whether they were favored by the emperor, in the moment of facing death, they were all tragically vulnerable.