东汉的黄门北寺狱

The Yellow-Door North Temple Jail of the Eastern Han

东汉的黄门北寺狱是设在宫禁之内的诏狱,囚禁对象主要是反对宦官专权的朝野士大夫。狱内审讯、监管由宦官负责,经常非刑虐杀犯人。该狱囚犯经历的司法审判程序和其他诏狱有别,多是宦官矫诏或唆使皇帝直接下诏拘捕,以避开外朝官员的审查覆议。外戚、士大夫针对宦官把持的这所监狱采取了争夺与反制措施。“党锢之祸”后,随着汉末政治形势演变,黄门北寺狱的地位与作用逐渐下降,直至毁灭。

The Yellow-Door North Temple of the Eastern Han was a jail set up within the Imperial Palace, chiefly targeted at those among the literati and officialdom who were opposed to the monopoly of power by the eunuchs at court. The eunuchs took sole responsibility in jail inquest and supervision, resulting in frequent jail malpractice and the killing of innocent inmates. Judicial procedures within this jail were different from those of ordinary law courts; eunuchs often fabricated or suborned the emperor to issue royal edicts for direct arrest and imprisonment, to avoid regular court examination and public knowledge. The clan of the Consorts and the literati and officialdom fought bitterly against the practice and took relevant counter measures. After the ＂Misfortune of Proscribed Party,＂ with changing circumstances of the Han politics, the status and role of the Yellow-Door North Temple Jail gradually declined, until its final downfall.