Human ritual sacrifice was a chilling practice in ancient China, where people were ceremonially slaughtered as offerings to gods, supernatural beings, or ancestors.
This gruesome practice spanned millennia, with archaeological evidence dating back to the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C. to 1050 B.C.). Monarchs and nobles sacrificed humans and animals to appease deities and ancestors. Even more horrifying, men and women were drowned, and slaves were buried alive alongside their masters.
The era of human sacrifice eventually came to an end due to the efforts of enlightened intellectuals and rulers. Duke Xian of Qin outlawed the practice in 384 BCE, marking a significant turning point.