ID: 1

Ressource_Provider: Jérôme Bourgon

Title: Execution of Fu-zhu-li

Date of event: 10 April 1905

Date Accuracy: Exact

Place Continent: Asia

Place Country: China

Place Region: Hebei (Zhili)

Place City: Beijing

Place_Street: Caishikou菜市口

PlaceAccuracy: Exact

EventNature: Execution

Summary: Fu-zhu-li was a guard at the service of the *Mongol prince head of the Aohan (Jehol) banner. On New Years eve (*February 1905), he murdered the prince (essay: The Fu-zhu-li case). He was sentenced to quartering, the penalty prescribed for slaves who had murdered their master. As the photographs show, this was witnessed at close range by a number of witnesses. The photographs are now found, either printed on glass (for the stereos only) or on paper prints (essay: Photographic Processes). In addition, a set of 12 postcards (essay: Postcards), published in Tianjin, was available by 1912. The appalling images were accepted by the postal service, and some cards were actually mailed.

The photographs of Fu-zhu-li's execution added to the sulfurous interest already surrounding the lingchi penalty in the West. A few details on the criminal and the reasons for his sentencing were published by Carpeaux in 1913, together with two photographs. Some details are accurate (the names of the criminal and his victim, the executions date), others are more dubious (essay: The Fu-zhu-li affair) (critical review of Carpeaux). For example, and contrary to what he stated, Carpeaux cannot have been a witness to the execution (essay: Phony eyewitnesses). His story was nevertheless used by Georges Bataille in 1961 as a source on another lingchi execution (* to fiches "pseudo" Fu-zhu-li) (essay: Executions by Lingchi).



Bibliography

1:Ref.: BOURGON, Jérôme Chinese Executions: Visualizing their Differences with European Supplices

2:Ref.: MONESTIER, Martin Peines de mort. Histoire et technique des exécutions capitales, des origines à nos jours

3:Ref.: MATIGNON, Jean-Jacques Dix ans au pays du Dragon

4:Ref.: CARPEAUX, Louis Pékin qui s'en va

Essay

1:Title: Photographing 'Chinese Torture' Jérôme BOURGON

Photographs

Related Textual (2)



1 Ressource_Provider: Jérôme Bourgon

Internal_Type: OCR



2 Title: Découpage de Fou-Tchou-Li

Ressource_Provider: Jérôme Bourgon

Internal_Type: OCR



Geolocation

Asia --> China --> Hebei (Zhili) --> Beijing

Derniére modification le : 2006-09-25