Ten evils
The ten evils (十惡) were criminal offenses in traditional Chinese law , which were viewed as particularly reprehensible and were seen as a threat to the continued existence of civilized society. Evils 1-3 were considered capital crimes .
- Conspiracy to revolt / subversion
- Great commotion planning: damage to or destruction of imperial temples, tombs or palaces.
- Conspiracy to betray: defection to the enemy, usually with disclosure of state secrets.
- Unruliness: hurting or murdering one's own parents, grandparents, or the murder of one's own older relatives or of one's husband.
- Depravity: murder of three or more innocent people; Murder and removal of entrails; Production of Gu (蛊, a poison) and its use for curses.
- Great contempt: disrespect for the emperor , the imperial family.
- Lack of respect for parents: abuse of parents, grandparents; the pleasure during the mourning period.
- Discord: harming or suing the husband or elderly relative.
- Depravity: Assassination of his superior, teacher, or local government official.
- Incest: A relationship with concubines of the father, grandfather or other elderly male relative.
Legal privileges could not be invoked in the case of the ten evils because the crimes were considered very serious. The eight privileges could also not be used.
literature
- Frank Münzel: Criminal law in ancient China according to the criminal law chapters in the Ming Annals, O. Harrassowitz, 1968
- Xingfaxue quanshu [Criminal Law Encyclopedia], ed. Xingfaxue Quanshu Bianweihui (Shanghai: Kexue Jushu Wenxian, 1993), p. 502