i Uw. 



858 CHI 



and Urn i. applied to the l..n..!s or to the tat. The for- 

 inc.- is i:.nY tf.l hv mean* of round piece* of wood, about 

 an inch thick and a foot long, which are placed between 

 the finger*, and drawn together at the ex t remit i. 

 uch a manner a* to dislocate the joints-. The latter is 

 dune with thrve pieces of wood, one of which remains 

 fixed, and it put betwee* the two ankle* ; the other two 

 are moveablr, about three fact in length, and six inches 

 wide, ftcn< d together at one extremity by a hook, 

 and pulled close at the other end, by mean* of cords 

 patting through holes, with such force as to render the 

 ankle joints flat. These racks are understood to be ex- 

 tremely painful ; and yet it is affirmed, that, by means 

 of proper applications, persons who have undergone the 

 latter operation, were often enabled to walk again with- 

 out difficulty. A (till more dreadful kind of torture is 

 ineniuin.<]. which consuls in making small gashes in the 

 body, and then tearing off the skin in the form of thongs: 

 It i* sometimes used in cases of treason, or other atro- 

 cious crimes, when the guilt of the sufferer is clear, 

 and when it is wished to make him discover his accom- 

 plices ; but in these cases, it seems to come rather under 

 the denomination of capital punishment, as already de- 

 !. Torture cannot be inflicted upon the eight 

 ' r order* of princes and officers, upon persons under 

 fifteen or above seventy years of age, or upon those 

 who labour under any permanent infirmity or disease. 



The scale of punuhnunt consists of five divisions, in 

 each . f which there are various gradations. 

 1st, From 10 to 50 blows of the bamboo. 

 2d, From 60 to 100 blows. 



3d, Temporary banishment to a distance not exceed- 

 ing 500 fee, or 150 miles, extending from one to three 

 years, aad accompanied with a corporal punishment from 

 60 to 100 bl< 



4th, Perpituil banishment to the distance of 2000 or 

 3000 Ice, with the additional punishment of 100 blows ; 

 and, 



Sth, Death by strangulation, decollation, or torture. 

 I. These laws are particularly severe with respect to all 

 offences committed against the sovereign ; and his life 

 and authority are guarded by the most minute and cau- 

 tious regulation*. Persons, convicted of treasonable prac- 

 tices, are to be put to death by slow and painful tor- 

 tnres ; all their male relations, in the first degree, indis- 

 criminately beheaded, their female relations sold into sla- 

 very, at.d all their connections, residing within their house- 

 hold, relentlessly put to death. To intrude even into the 

 line of the imperial retinue, while ihe emperor is travel- 

 ling, or to enter any uf the apartments in the palace, ac- 

 tually occupied by himself or his family, is punishable 

 with death. Nay, to walk or ride upon the road and 

 bridges, along which the emperor is to pass, exposes the 

 (Trader to severe punishment. All the workmen em- 

 loyed about the grounds and buildings in the palace, 

 have their names inserted in a list as they go in and come 

 ut ; are provided with passports as they enter the gates, 

 which they must deliver back at their return ; are regu- 

 larly counted, as they pass and repass; and, if any one re- 

 anami behind, he i* subject to a capital punishment. If 

 the emperor's physician compound any medicine for the 

 use of the sovereign, in a manner which is not sanctioned 

 by established usage, he is subject to the punishment of 

 100 blowi. If any dirt is found in his majesty's food, 

 the cook is condemned to receive 80 blows ; if he sends 

 up any dish, which he has not previously tasted, he re- 

 . 50 blows ; if he has mixed any unusual ingredient 

 vi the food, he is liable to 100 blows, and is compelled 

 10 swallow the article himself. 



NA. 



2. Tru- life of wan is held peculiarly sicred ; and, ex- Lawi. 

 cept in the case of exposing infants, murder is never over- * " . ~~^ 

 looked. Murder In 1 by beheading. Homicide 



Administering poison is a capital crime, though the dose "! niur- 

 should not occasion death Killing in an affray is also der - 

 punished with death. Homicide, or even wounding by 

 accident, i., still punishable with death ; but the offender 

 may in this case redeem himself from the capital part of 

 the sentence, by paying a fine to the relations of the suf- 

 ferer, to defray the rxuence of his funeral. The mere 

 attempt or design to commit parricide is punished by be- 

 heading ; and the actual perpetration of this crime, by 

 death with torture. A practitioner in medicine, perform- 

 ing any operation, or admii.islcring any medicines, in a man- 

 ner contrary to the established rules and practice, and t 

 by occasioning the death of his pat ii nt , isconsid..red as guil- 

 ty of homicide ; but if, upon examination, it appear* to 

 have been simply an error, lie may redeem his life by a fine, 

 upon the condttion that he quit his profession for ever. 

 1 o kill another in revenge for the daughter uf a parent 

 is punishable only by 100 blows; ..nil husbands are per- 

 mitted to kill persons tak.-n in adultery. In cases of as- 

 sault, a multitude of nice distinctions are made, accord- 

 ing to the degree of pain or injury inflicted ; the rank 

 and connection of the parties ; aad die degree of provo- 

 cation given and received. Persons inflicting wounds are 

 liable for their consequences, 20, 30, or SOdayp, accord- 

 ing to the nature of the injury ; but, after the legal pe- 

 riod is expired, the assailant is no longer resp..i. 

 though the death of the other party should ensue. To 

 strike a father, mother, grandfather, or grandmother, is 

 punishable by beheading ; and should a wife strike her hus- 

 band's relation* in any of these degrees, she is punished 

 as if they were her own. Should she strike her husband, 

 she is punished by three degrees more severely than for 

 a common assault ; if she maim him, she is put to death ; 

 and if he die in consequence, she is executed by torture. 

 A slave, striking a free man, suffers only one degree more 

 severely, than in the case of assault between equals, 

 and vice versa. A master may strike his slave with im- 

 punity, provided it be for correction, and that the blow 

 does not cut. A parent, chastising his child so as to oc- 

 casion death, is punishable only by 100 blows; and no 

 statute whatever exists agair.it infanticide. Anonymous 

 accusations are punished with death, even although they 

 should prove true ; and false and malicious accusations 

 subject the offender to a penalty, two degrees more se- 

 vere than the accused would have undergone, had the 

 charge been proved. 



3. Theft, merely attempted, is punished with 50 blows j fl;. 

 if actually committed, by a punishment from 60 blows, 

 to 100 blows, or to death, in proportion to the value 

 stolen ; and, if against relations, or connections by mar- 

 riage, the penalty is five degrees leas thin in ordinary ca- 

 ses ; because all the members of a family are considered 

 as having a joint interest in their property, so that the 

 domestic thief takes what is partly his own. Swindling 

 is punished by the same degrees as theft to the same 

 amount ; but, if the money was extorted by threat-., the 

 penalty is one degree more severe, than in ordinary rases 

 of theft. Kidnapping and selling free persons > slaves, 

 is punished with 100 blows and perpetual banishment; 

 but, if force was used and wounds inflicted, by death. 

 An attempt to rob in a body is punished with perpetual 

 banishment. A single person, taking openly and by 

 force the property of another, suffers 100 blows, and 

 three years banishment ; but, if the plundered individual 

 be wounded, the penalty is death. Robbery during the 

 night is punished with death ; entering a dwelling-house 



S 



