Caishikou Execution Grounds

Caishikou Execution Grounds (traditional Chinese: 菜市口法場; simplified Chinese: 菜市口法场; pinyin: Càishìkǒu Fǎchǎng) was an important execution ground in Peking during the Qing Dynasty.

Execution of Boxers at the execution ground.

The execution ground was located at the crossroads of Xuanwumen Outer Street and Luomashi Street.[1] The exact location is under debate today. However, contemporary sources and photographs put it across from an apothecary shop named He Nian Tang (鶴年堂藥店).[2]

Executions were usually carried out at 11:30AM.[3] On the day of the execution, the convict would be carted from the jail cell to the execution grounds. The cart stopped at a wine shop named Broken Bowl (Chinese:破碗居) on the east side of Xuanwu Gate, where the convict would be offered a bowl of rice wine.[4] The bowl would be smashed after it was drunk. During the executions of infamous convicts, it was common for a large crowd to gather and watch. The torture death by a thousand cuts was also carried out at the execution ground.[5]

Famous people executed at Caishikou

See also

References
  1. Henriot, Christian; Yeh, Wen-hsin (2012). Visualising China, 1845-1965: Moving and Still Images in Historical Narratives. BRILL. p. 66. ISBN 978-9004233751.
  2. "解密北京菜市口秋決:犯人臨刑前吃大餅醬肘子".
  3. The time was 午時三刻 in old Chinese timekeeping, which corresponded to 11:30AM. "古代中國斬首行刑奇聞". Archived from the original on 20 August 2015.
  4. "Beijingers of the Past Seen in Photos (part three)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 23 Aug 2015.
  5. Chan, Shelley W. (2011). A Subversive Voice in China: The Fictional World of Mo Yan. Cambria Press. ISBN 978-1604977196.
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