Under the rule of the King of Qin (247 BC–221 BC), severed noses accumulated like mountain peaks, and carts overflowed with amputated feet
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenKevin McSpaddenPublished: 10:00am, 19 Sep 2026Stealing someone’s cattle is a serious crime, and in many places, the thief would end up in jail. However, ancient Chinese justice could result in a truly horrific form of mutilation: the amputation of the nose.
This harsh consequence has been well-documented by historians as one of the infamous “five punishments” from the penal system of the Xia dynasty (2070 BC–1600 BC). Until now, no physical evidence of this punishment had been discovered.
A team of researchers from China and the US recently announced the finding of a female skeleton dated between 1298 and 1404 (from either the Yuan or Ming dynasties) that showed clear evidence of nose removal as part of a criminal sentence.
