Ancient Chinese Stories: An 8-Year-Old Girl Rolls Over a Bed of Nails

Ancient Chinese Stories: An 8-Year-Old Girl Rolls Over a Bed of Nails
Vidar Nordli-Mathisen/ Unsplash
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At the beginning of the Hong Wu period of the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, there was a man named Zhu Shiji who had a daughter named Zhu E. Zhu Shiji, who was in charge of food taxes, was falsely accused by a grain debtor. He was put in jail and sentenced to death. His two sons were also jailed.

At the time, Zhu E was only 8 years old. Seeing that her family was falling apart, she cried day and night. She made the decision to save her father and two brothers. She thought, “I must go appeal for justice.” Then, together with her uncle, she went to the capital. At that time, there was a rule that whoever wanted to appeal must first roll over a bed of sharp nails; only then would the case be accepted. Without giving it a second thought, Zhu E lay on the bed of nails and rolled over it. Her firm will shocked all the bystanders.