“髡刑”的法人类学考察

A Examination On "Kun" punishment In Law-anthropology

髡,剃发也,是中国古代的一种刑罚。对于髡刑,学者有不同意见,其实髡刑是将犯人的长发剪为长三寸左右的短发。根据法人类学的材料,髡所以成为刑罚,与古人对头发的迷信观念有关。髡刑虽没有肉体痛苦,但由于古人相信头发是人体精气之所在,剃去头发将伤害生命和健康,所以受刑者会遭受精神上的痛苦。从这种意义上讲,髡刑是一种精神刑罚。

Kun punishment,haircut is a kind of penalty in ancient China. There have different views on kun punishment in academia. In fact, when kun punishment is executed, prisoner＇ s long hair will be cut into short hair about 3 inches. According to the material of Law - anthropology, it has something to do with the concept of superstition to hair of the ancients, that haircut turn into a penalty. Although Kun punishment isn＇ t harmful to the human body,it causes mental torture and is a spiritual penalty.