https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven
The harsh laws of legalism factoring in corruption and privilege should be understood and remembered by anyone who cannot quite grasp that there will be no peace without justice.
The Eight Deliberations
Criminals qualified under the following eight conditions could be considered for a commutation of sentence:
- Relatives of the sovereign
- Old acquaintances of the sovereign
- Individuals of great virtue
- Individuals of great ability
- Meritorious individuals
- High officials
- Individuals exceptionally zealous at their government duties
- Guests of the sovereign (i.e. the descendants of preceding imperial families)
The Five Punishments
Chī (笞), beating on the buttocks with a light bamboo cane. During the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), bamboo clappers were used instead. There were five degrees of chī:
- 10 lashes (remitted on payment of 600 wén (文) in copper cash)
- 20 lashes (remitted on payment of 1 guàn (貫) and 200 wén in copper cash. 1 guàn equals 1000 wén)
- 30 lashes (remitted on payment of 1 guàn and 800 wén in copper cash)
- 40 lashes (remitted on payment of 2 guàn and 400 wén in copper cash)
- 50 lashes (remitted on payment of 3 guàn in copper cash)
Zhàng (杖), beating with a large stick on either the back, buttocks or legs. The five degrees of zhàng were:
- 60 strokes (remitted on payment of 3 guàn and 600 wén in copper cash)
- 70 strokes (remitted on payment of 4 guàn and 200 wén in copper cash)
- 80 strokes (remitted on payment of 4 guàn and 800 wén in copper cash)
- 90 strokes (remitted on payment of 5 guàn and 400 wén in copper cash)
- 100 strokes (remitted on payment of 6 guàn of copper cash)
- One year of penal servitude plus 60 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 12 guàn in copper cash)
- One and a half years of penal servitude plus 70 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 15 guàn in copper cash)
- Two years of penal servitude plus 80 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 18 guàn in copper cash)
- Two and a half years of penal servitude plus 90 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 21 guàn in copper cash)
- Three years of penal servitude plus 100 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 24 guàn in copper cash)
Liú (流), exile to a remote location (such as Hainan - a popular beach resort now!) with return to one's place of birth being forbidden. There were three degrees of severity:
- 2000 lĭ (里) (620 miles) plus 100 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 30 guàn in copper cash)
- 2,500 lǐ (775 miles) plus 100 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 33 guàn in copper cash)
- 3,000 lǐ (930 miles) plus 100 strokes of the large stick (remitted on payment of 36 guàn in copper cash)
Sĭ (死), death. Following the Sui and Tang dynasties there were generally two options: strangulation (jiǎo 絞) or decapitation (zhǎn 斬). From the Song dynasty (970–1279 CE) onwards, slow slicing (língchí 凌遲) along with beheading (xiāoshŏu 梟首) were also used. The death penalty could be remitted on payment of 42 guàn in copper cash.
Moral to be extracted
The French Revolution was the consequence of the Third Estate rebelling against the taxes they were subject to that the neither the nobility nor the clergy paid to a king who funded the American Revolution but which ordinary French people could get no benefit. (This was of course the neocon war of the Ancien Regime.)
There are now laws in the West perceived to be unfair by more than half its populace such as the unspoken liberal rule that says:
"Free speech for me, but not for thee, Trump supporter."
"You, Trump and Trump voters, have no legal standing to seek a remedy from the US Supreme Court for any election fraud you may allege. Oh, and by the way, we are still a liberal democracy everyone, so move along, nothing to see here and shut up before we cancel you."
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