A Retrospective Study: The Three Kingdoms (Part 10)
LWH, 14 Aug 2025, 10.30 pm
From: minang 64 <minang64@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2011 22:01:47
Subject: Re: San Guo (part 10 )
The use of a beautiful lady to lure gullible men to their deaths was already a weapon in the 15th century.
San Guo described how Wang Yun (the interior minister) used his adopted daughter Diaochan, age 16 and of an unearthly beauty, to turn Dong Zhuo (the imperial preceptor) against his general Lu Bu.
When asked to be a double snare by promising her to both men in marriage, Diaochan said, “If I cannot live up to my duty, may I die by ten thousand cuts.” (Chapter 8, page 64, Moss Roberts)
Poser:
Death by ten thousand cuts carries a technical meaning in Imperial China. True or False? What does it entail?