If Your Neck Must Lose a Head

December 20th

 

Today our guide took us to Lord Bao Temple Garden.  Besides seeing gold statues and the impressive life-sized wax works of Lord Bao and his family, we saw the same death sentence can be carried out with three options.

 

How to choose the giant paper cutter suitable for someone's head

 

If you displeased the emperor and are of the royal family, you will have the highest dignity by having your head lopped off by the blade of a dragon head.

 

If you displeased the emperor and are only an official of the government, no dragon head for you.  You lose your head by the blade of the tiger head.

 

If you displeased the emperor and are a commoner, you will receive the added insult to be dismembered by the blade of the dog head.

 

Our first family photo.  Under this pagoda there is a well that the Chinese believed to have special powers to determine if someone accused of a crime is guilty or not. 

 

The accused must drink the water.  If the well water is sour in their stomach and they get sick, they are evidently guilty.

 

If the well water tastes sweet in their stomach and they remain in perfect health, they are clearly innocent.