16. The Five Punishments were modified during the Western Han Dynasty
During the Western Han Dynasty, the five punishments practiced by preceding dynastic rulers were modified to make some of them more humane, at least in the eyes of the emperors and their courts. Tattooing was abolished, as was the practice of amputating limbs. Beating became a preferred means of punishment for what were considered crimes of a less severe nature, with the number of strokes to be delivered determined by the law. The beatings known as Chi were administered with bamboo poles upon the buttocks, though they could be avoided by paying a fine which corresponded to the number of prescribed strokes. More severe beatings were called Zhang, and were administered with a heavier cane upon the victim’s back.
The modification introduced the concept of penal servitude, often as a laborer in a government project such as the building of dams and fortifications, and the length of time assigned was determined by the severity of the crime and the whim of the judge. Known as Tu, up to three years of penal servitude could be given, accompanied with a prescribed number of beatings in the manner of Zhang. The final punishment other than death was exile, to a remote location within the empire, also accompanied with a beating. An exile could be sent to one of three differing distances away from his home (to a maximum of just over 900 miles).