10 Worst Ways People Have Been Tortured To Death

Not to be confused with flaying, death by a thousand cuts was a method of torture utilized by the Chinese known as Lingchi. The practice of Lingchi was used throughout China and Vietnam from 900 CE to 1905 as a means of torture and execution.

Unlike flaying, which removed the skin over a long period of time, Lingchi was more of a mutilation, which required the removal of portions of the body quickly or over an extended period of time. This would result in the person's death "by a thousand cuts" but would be done such that death was prolonged for as long as possible.

Lingchi was reserved for crimes against the state such as treason and was rarely used due to the horrific nature of its execution. A victim was tied to a wooden frame in the public square and was literally taken apart piece by piece.

Slices were made to remove the genitals, fingers, toes, knees, and other parts of the body in a manner that has been described as "death by division." The term "Death by a Thousand Cuts" wasn't literal and often only 100 cuts were required to carry out the execution. That being said, some accounts required more than 3,000 incisions to finally kill the victim.