Synopsis
''Death by a Thousand Cuts'' investigates the use of slow slicing or ''lingchi'', a form of torture and capital punishment practised in mid- and late-Imperial China from the tenth century until its abolition in 1905. ''Lingchi'' involved repeatedly slicing the convict's flesh beyond the point of death. By the time of the final imperial dynasty, the punishment could be meted out for an offence as simple as striking a teacher. The authors argue that this was more than a physical punishment, as the victim was sedated withReception
A staff reviewer at '' The New Yorker'' describes the book as a "fascinating study". A staff reviewer at '' The Times'' states that "the authors present a nuanced picture of state-imposed execution and, without at any time condoning, succeed in their goal of contextualising ''lingchi'' in relation to Western forms of punishment" and that "this challenging and important work will appeal not solely to Sinologists,Sinology: the study of China and things related to China. but to legal historians and students of visual representation." Jonathan Mirsky in '' Literary Review'' writes that " he authorswrite coolly and formally, but this is a book primarily about torment."Awards
''Death by a Thousand Cuts'' was a finalist and received an honourable mention for the Professional/Scholarly Publishing (PSP) Division of the Association of American Publishers 2008 PROSE Award, in the World History and Biography/Autobiography category.About the authors
Timothy Brook is Professor of History at the University of British Columbia. Jérôme Bourgon is a researcher at the Institut d’Asie Orientale / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Lyon. Gregory Blue is Associate Professor of History at the University of Victoria.Notes
Further reading
Other reviews
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