Since the beginning of the tenth century, "the year of the year" has become the most typical punishment in China's criminal system. However, the fact is just the opposite: the year number is very different from the ancient punishment. Although the word "nian" first appeared in the tenth century, it was not formally incorporated into the criminal law until the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In addition, in 1905, Shen Jiaben, a legal historian, asked for permission to delete capital punishment such as the year of death, which was also one of the arguments. After all, "in that year" did not conform to the legal spirit, penalty characteristics and application methods of our country, and looked more like the punishment type of "special law". Of course, this special law belongs to the emperor's judicial system and is recorded in the Yuan Law. But after careful observation, it is against the normal legal spirit to set up an incorrect penalty. Scholars have always called it cruel and inhuman punishment from its establishment to its abolition.

In, it was a punishment of dismemberment, which included cutting off and separating limbs. Photographs taken in the late Qing Dynasty show the real "eight knives" execution. Eight knives, the executioner used a basket of numbered sharp knives: the first knife, cutting the chest (all from the left and other parts below); The second knife, cut the biceps; The third knife, thigh; The fourth knife and the fifth knife cut the arm to the elbow; The sixth knife and the seventh knife cut the calf to the knee; Eighth knife, first knife. After dismemberment, the remains of the body were put into a basket, and the head was publicly displayed indefinitely. This is the practice in the late Qing dynasty, commonly known as "sixteen knives", "thirty-two knives" and "three hundred and sixty knives" ... but we don't know if these figures really exist or are just imaginary numbers. The "knife" in the Ming Dynasty means cutting and "excessive", and the number is accumulated, and the execution time is prolonged. 15 10, eunuch Liu Jin was sentenced to three days in prison on suspicion of conspiring against the government, but died the next day. This is a special case. Eunuch was hated to be put to death and was sentenced to the heaviest crime. "History of Ming Dynasty" never mentioned that Liu Jin was punished in the middle of the year, but "died in the city", which belongs to the form of "abandoning the city" and clearly stated that he must be publicly executed.

It is really not easy to distinguish the "year-end" from other similar punishments and understand the practice of "year-end" before the Qing Dynasty. When we further explore the origin of this punishment, clearer relevant information becomes less and less. We must first distinguish: on the one hand, these punishment practices include dismemberment; The appearance of the word "year after year" shows the legitimacy of criminal law interpretation.

If we look at the chronicle of the ancient criminal law, we can find many cases in which generals and officials were cut in history, and the scariest details can be associated with the kitchen menu. After reading these historical episodes, I am confused about the origin of "Year". Of course, there are two ways to behead a corpse: when the so-called "death penalty" is used, the corpse is completely cut off, the prisoner becomes the meat of a cannibal, and the enemy can have a big meal in his own hall; On the other hand, the "mid-year" punishment is the opposite. After the body is dismembered, the human body shape can still be recognized and displayed in the market afterwards. In addition, there is a basic difference: the case of "Guo" punishment is extremely rare and unique, and historians carefully keep it as a cruel and terrible tyrant example. Although these cases are horrible, they are all anecdotes, and may even be just rumors. On the contrary, from the end of 1 1, "mid-year" is a widely known and frequently executed punishment, not just anecdotes or legends, but a truly shocking historical fact.

We have also found many similar "years of imprisonment" to punish rebellion and rebellion. For example, in June13, Emperor Yang Di sentenced the rebels to dismember, pierce an arrow and exterminate the nation. Similarly, the Sui Dynasty also deleted corporal punishment from the Sui Law. This kind of punishment is not only used in judicial trials, but also in wartime, and it is real. Almost every dynasty can see similar punishment, which is usually called "punishment" or "solution", so it is often associated with: the word "year of the year" does not apply to a dismembered corporal punishment, but is only used in court legal decisions. All the key issues are to understand: how to use extreme methods in special cases and occupy a place in the code, so it becomes a perfect "crime" in law, and judges can often use it to sentence.