ABSTRACT
Fears of witchcraft, possibly of an hysterical nature, resulted in the deaths of many who were suspected of such practices, and large numbers were killed in the open fighting that broke out in the city. In the name of justice men and women were sentenced to severe punishments, and senior officials tried in vain to persuade the Emperor to relax and rule with a greater measure of clemency. The Princess Yang-shih, with whom Kung-sun Ho's name had been linked, was impeached for practising witchcraft and put to death; the same fate overtook her sister the Princess Chu-I. Chiang Ch'ung had foreign shamans, dig the ground to look for manikins, and a variety of steps were taken to prove that witchcraft had been practised. In November to December 92 bc, the Emperor ordered cavalrymen to carry out a search of the Shang-lin Park, a large pleasure ground including ornamental waterways, shrines for the worship of various spirits and a hunting park.
