中國古代的屠城是怎麼進行的?

在中國古代的屠城是最令人毛骨悚然的名詞，很多人以為是單純的城內的人都殺光，但是真正發生的比大家想像的還恐怖，是對城內百姓的肉體與精神上的雙重折磨。以揚州十日的清軍屠城為例，是有組織跟規模的慢慢殺人，將領入城後將偌大的揚州城分成許多區塊，對士兵來說掠奪錢財是主要的目標。

首先清軍會放出紀律嚴明的口號，不會傷害城內的百姓，用錢就能買命，於是許多有錢人會把錢拿出來貢獻。百姓們會磕頭迎接軍隊，然後步兵會開始挨家挨戶的收取錢財，第二天開始屍體就不斷出現，如果敢說沒錢就會殺人，並會隨機砍人。隔天許多女人都被蹂躪後殺害，第四天清軍就會告知屠城已經結束.準備安置百姓，於是許多倖存者跑出來後全部被清軍趕到一個大院內持續搜刮錢財，最終都難逃一死。第五天存活下來的人又被清軍如法炮製的欺騙。

近年中國經歷最嚴重的屠城是南京大屠殺，又稱南京大屠殺事件，是指發生在1937年12月至1938年1月期間，日本侵略軍佔領中國南京市後，對該市的中國平民和國民黨士兵進行大規模的暴行、殺戮、性侵犯、搶劫等惡行。這一事件在歷史上被視為二戰期間亞洲最嚴重的戰爭罪行之一。

南京大屠殺的規模和暴行廣泛，據歷史記錄，日本侵略軍在南京大屠殺中殺害成千上萬的中國平民和戰俘，估計死亡人數在幾萬到數十萬之間。許多婦女和女孩在這一事件中成為性暴力的受害者，性侵犯和強姦屢見不鮮。日本侵略軍不僅進行大規模的搶劫，還摧毀南京的建築和文化遺產。

南京大屠殺事件引發國際社會的廣泛關注和譴責。在二戰結束後，一些日本軍事領導人被審判並被判處死刑或監禁，因為他們被認定在南京大屠殺中扮演重要角色。中國國內也有紀念南京大屠殺的活動和紀念館，以銘記這一黑暗的歷史。

這些事件中，城市屠城通常伴隨著大規模的人員傷亡、財物損失和文化遺失。城市屠城事件在中國古代歷史中留下許多血腥的記憶，但也反映古代戰亂時期的殘酷現實。然而，需要指出的是，中國歷史上也有許多和平時期、繁榮時期，它們對文化、科技和社會的發展產生深遠的影響。

How was the massacre conducted in ancient China?

Massacres in ancient China were among the most horrifying events, often involving not just the physical but also psychological torment of the city's inhabitants. Taking the example of the Yangzhou Massacre during the Ten Days of the Qing Army, it was a systematic and organized process of killing, with the primary goal for soldiers being the plundering of wealth.

Initially, the Qing Army would release disciplined slogans, claiming they wouldn't harm the civilians within the city, and that one's life could be spared with the payment of money. Consequently, many affluent individuals would contribute money in hopes of saving their lives. The citizens would kowtow to welcome the army, and then the infantry would start going door-to-door, collecting money. On the second day, corpses would start appearing, and anyone claiming they had no money risked being killed, with random acts of violence occurring. On the third day, many women would be raped and killed, and by the fourth day, the Qing Army would announce the end of the massacre, claiming they were preparing to settle the citizens. Survivors who emerged were rounded up by the Qing Army in a large courtyard for continued looting, inevitably leading to their deaths. On the fifth day, those who survived were again deceived by the Qing Army.

In recent Chinese history, one of the most severe massacres was the Nanking Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, occurring between December 1937 and January 1938. This atrocity took place when the Imperial Japanese Army occupied the Chinese city of Nanking during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and it involved widespread atrocities, killings, sexual assaults, and looting against Chinese civilians and Nationalist soldiers.

The scale and brutality of the Nanking Massacre were extensive. According to historical records, the Imperial Japanese Army killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and prisoners of war, with estimated death tolls ranging from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand. Many women and girls became victims of sexual violence, experiencing rape and assault repeatedly. In addition to the mass killings, the Japanese forces engaged in extensive looting and the destruction of Nanking's buildings and cultural heritage.

The Nanking Massacre drew widespread international attention and condemnation. After World War II, some Japanese military leaders were tried and sentenced to death or imprisonment for their roles in the Nanking Massacre. In China, there are commemorative activities and museums dedicated to remembering this dark period of history.

These events of urban massacres were typically accompanied by significant casualties, loss of property, and cultural devastation. While these massacres left bloody memories in ancient Chinese history, it's essential to note that China also experienced many periods of peace and prosperity, contributing profoundly to cultural, technological, and social development.