秦汉磔刑考

The Notes of “Zhe” in Qin and Han Dynasties

磔刑是秦汉时期的一种死刑。磔的本意是裂牲,是指在宗教献祭仪式中杀牲祭神,后来演变为一种割裂肢体、挖出内脏的酷刑,用于惩罚群盗等重罪。通说以为磔刑是处决后暴尸或以马车撕裂受刑人的肢体都是错误的。后世的凌迟保留了割裂肢体、挖出内脏等裂牲的基本方法,当是由磔刑发展而来。

＂Zhe＂ is a death penalty to punished robbers in Qin and Han dynasties. It means the criminal is warranted to be separated into pieces and gouged out internal organs, but it is not same to mean ＂executing and exposing＂, nor ＂to be torn apart by carriages＂, as suggested by the general explain. ＂Zhe＂ originates from the method to dismembered a sheep or an ox as a sacrifice to God in religious rites. ＂Zhe＂ is similar in method to Lingchi in later ages.