introduction
Torture "lighting a sky lantern" has been considered one of the most brutal forms of torture since ancient times, and its cruelty surpasses that of many other forms of torture.
In history, the first person to be sentenced to the punishment of "lighting a sky lantern" was Dong Zhuo, a powerful minister in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.
Dong Zhuo relied on brutal means to control the government and acted recklessly, which eventually caused public anger and suffered tragic retribution.
This article will explore Dong Zhuo's life in detail, from his rise to power to his eventual execution, and analyze why he became the first person to be tortured by "lighting a sky lantern".
The invention and implementation of the sky lantern
Lighting a sky lantern, a horrific punishment that sounds, originated from bandits in Sichuan and Hunan provinces, lighting a sky lantern was originally a custom, and over time, it was given a new meaning and became a cruel punishment.
The execution of the punishment was extremely cruel, first of all, the prisoner's clothing was stripped of all his clothes, his whole body was tightly wrapped in sackcloth, and then he was soaked in oil tanks for several days.
After the oil soaked the whole body, the prisoner was tied to a pole and lit from the foot, and the flame gradually spread upwards until the entire body was completely burned.
Historically, there has been another form of torture called "lighting a sky lantern", which is even more cruel and torturous, in which the prisoner not only has to experience excruciating physical pain, but also has to endure great psychological torture, burrowing holes and pouring oil, and burning the despair of life
This method of "lighting a sky lantern" involves drilling a small hole in the prisoner's skull, then slowly pouring lamp oil into it and lighting it with fire.
This method of execution was more brutal than the burning of a corpse, because the prisoner felt the pain of the flames burning inside the skull.
The flame ignites the lamp oil, and the heat is quickly transmitted to the skull and brain tissue, and the flame scorches the brain in the skull, and the burning sensation is like a thousand needles piercing the scalp, and every second is an unbearable torment.
Dong Zhuo in the late Eastern Han Dynasty received this punishment, but he was executed after his death.
The chaotic situation in the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the dynasty was in turmoil, and the world was in turmoil. Political corruption, serious land annexation, and collusion between foreign relatives and eunuchs have led to the weakening of the country.
At this time, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and the whole country was in turmoil. Although the Yellow Turban Rebellion was suppressed, it left behind countless scars and chaos, providing an opportunity for the rise of various powerful people in the future.
In this context, Dong Zhuo stepped onto the stage of history, he was born in a powerful family in Liangzhou, and showed extraordinary military talent since he was a child.
After Dong Zhuo became an adult, he soon joined the army and became a brave and warlike general.
Dong Zhuo's rise was inseparable from his outstanding performance in quelling the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Liangzhou Rebellion, and with his outstanding military talents, he quickly established his prestige in the army and became one of the most powerful figures at the time.
In the sixth year of Zhongping, He Jin and Yuan Shao plotted to eradicate the eunuchs, but the plan failed, He Jin was killed, the court fell into chaos, and the eunuchs hijacked the young emperor Liu Wei and Chen Liuwang Liu Xie to flee Luoyang, and the world was in chaos.
It was at such a critical moment that Dong Zhuo led his troops to Luoyang, rescued the kidnapped Liu Wei and Liu Xie, and won the trust of the imperial court.
After Dong Zhuo came to power, he quickly showed his brutal side, he deposed the young emperor Liu Wei and set up Liu Xie as the emperor, which was to dedicate the emperor.
Dong Zhuo did whatever he wanted, wantonly slaughtered the opposition, and even did not hesitate to kill Zhongliang, he used his power for personal gain, amassed countless wealth, and brutally oppressed the people, causing the people's resentment to boil.
Dong Zhuo's atrocities and anger
Dong Zhuo's atrocities went far beyond political persecution, he also carried out brutal economic exploitation and violent repression of the common people, he looted and burned palaces in Luoyang, leaving the once prosperous capital in ruins.
He also imposed taxes and looted the people's fat and ointment, making the people miserable, and Dong Zhuo's rule was full of blood and violence, arousing strong resistance in various places.
Dong Zhuo's actions not only caused great anger among the people, but also caused strong dissatisfaction within the imperial court.
The loyal ministers led by Situ Wang Yun were determined to eradicate this tyrant and eliminate harm for the country, and Wang Yun skillfully used Diao Chan to carry out a beauty plan, dividing the relationship between Dong Zhuo and his righteous son Lu Bu, and successfully planting the seeds of hatred between them.
Wang Yun's strategy gradually worked, and the relationship between Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu became increasingly strained, and finally, under the pretext of a celebration, Wang Yun set up an ambush to get rid of Dong Zhuo.
On April 23, the third year of Chuping, Lu Bu personally led the forbidden army, and when Dong Zhuo was defenseless, he suddenly launched an attack, and Dong Zhuo was stabbed by Lu Bu, ending his tyrannical life.
Dong Zhuo's death caused a great shock at the time, and Wang Yun and others quickly took over power and began to clean up Dong Zhuo's remaining party.
However, Dong Zhuo's atrocities have not been forgotten, on the contrary, his body has become an object of anger and hatred.
The cruel punishment of lighting a sky lantern
Dong Zhuo's tyranny made the government and the opposition hate him, and although he was eventually assassinated by Lü Bu, it was felt that this was far from enough to offset the heinous crimes he had committed.
Therefore, Wang Yun decided to punish him posthumously by "lighting a sky lantern" to appease public anger.
Wang Yun dragged Dong Zhuo's body to the downtown area of Chang'an, and in full view of everyone, ordered soldiers to insert a long wick on his navel and light it with fire, and the ignited wick began to burn slowly, gradually spreading to Dong Zhuo's whole body.
Dong Zhuo's corpse became a "human oil street lamp", and the raging flames danced on his body, making the streets of Chang'an extremely bright at night.
The soldiers strictly guarded to prevent the wick from going out and ensuring that Dong Zhuo's body continued to burn, which was not only a punishment for Dong Zhuo's crimes, but also a warning to other careerists.
Normally, the corpse of the person who was "lit by the sky lantern" would be burned to ashes within a day, however, Dong Zhuo's body burned for three full days before turning to ashes.
This anomaly has sparked speculation, and some people believe that it is caused by Dong Zhuo's unwillingness and soul after his death.
In fact, this statement does not conform to scientific reason, and the fundamental reason why Dong Zhuo has been burning for so long is that his body is too fat.
According to the record of "The Book of the Later Han Dynasty: The Biography of Dong Zhuo", Dong Zhuo was extremely strong and strong when he was young, and in his later years, due to his extravagant life, his body became extremely obese. "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" describes Dong Zhuo as "eight feet long and ten girths around the waist", even according to the ancient unit of measurement, such a figure is extremely large.
"Heroes" further explains the reason why Dong Zhuo's body burned for a long time, Dong Zhuo's body contained a lot of fat, which became the fuel for continuous burning under the action of the flame.
The high ignition point of the fat and the abundance of oil made Dong Zhuo's body burn from night to dawn, and then burned for more than two days before finally turning into ashes.
This extremely cruel punishment not only made Dong Zhuo suffer after death, but also showed people's deep hatred for him.
This kind of torture is not only an extreme punishment for Dong Zhuo's atrocities during his lifetime, but also a symbol of his persistence after his death, Dong Zhuo's body burned in flames, as if all his crimes were burned.
The flames illuminate the night, and reflect the fierce resistance and endless anger of the people against tyranny.
epilogue
Dong Zhuo, as a generation of heroes in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, held power in the troubled times with his ferocious methods, but he also became the target of public criticism because of his tyranny and unreasonableness, and finally ended up being tortured by "lighting the sky lantern".
Dong Zhuo's tragedy not only reflects his personal fate, but also reveals a profound historical lesson: evil deeds will eventually reap their own consequences.
By examining this bloody history, we should bear in mind the truth that good is rewarded and evil is rewarded, cherish the current peace and the rule of law, and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
Dong Zhuo's ending warns future generations that doing good deeds and accumulating virtue is the long-term way, and tyrannical and unrighteous people will surely bring about their own destruction.
Reference: Research on Dong Zhuo Group at the end of the Han Dynasty - CNKI (cnki.net)
Lighting the Sky Lantern (Ancient Punishment)_Baidu Encyclopedia (baidu.com)