Read that Cixi had her son's wife's limbs amputated and kept her (alive!) in a jar. Not sure how historically accurate it is but are there any such cases, documented in history, of acts of cruelty?
Happen to know of the sentence of a painful death by "a thousand slices". Believed it is for assassination or trepasing into the forbidden palace. Anyone here know of more cases, do share. Thanks.

For more info on ancient chinese punishments and execution, refer to this:

http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?showtopic=21872

Thanks. Wow! A wealth of information.....
(PS: Anyone knows whether the punishment by amputation of limbs and subsequently kept alive in the jar thingy ordered by Cixi is for real?? Gosh! Wonder how long can the victim survive, if at all.)

Keeping alive in the jar is 'supposedly' real. In fact, it has already existed since Tang dynasty. I'm not sure if I got this correct, but I once read that Empress Wu Zetian gorged out the eyes of the former concubines/queen of Emperor Tang Gaozong and then stuffed them in a big jar. So did Empress Lu of Han dynasty.

The author of that story may have borrowed it from an actual historical record of Empress Dowager Lu (widow of Han founder Liu Bang) doing something like this to one of Liu Bang's concubines: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consort_Qi

The victim in the story you read is probably the Guangxu emperor's Concubine Zhen. It seems the legend about Cixi having her limbs chopped off and then having her thrown down a well is quite common, because of the popular perception of Cixi as a vicious monster well capable of such acts. For an earlier discussion on this issue, please go to the following thread: http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php...=12829&st=0

Especially post #5.