An ancient Chinese style of torture: a vessel of water with a hole is hung above the guy. How does it work?

Question

What is the principle in water-drops falling on someone's head being used as a torture technique?

I hope my question is clear enough.

Answer 1

I saw an episode of Mythbusters where they covered Chinese water Torture. The actual dripping of the water had negligible effects by itself. But when a person was restrained, the involuntary reactions to the dripping water made the restraints extremely uncomfortable. To the point that the mere fact that they were restrained was the focus of their distress.

Answer 2

Chinese water torture is the popular name for a method of water torture in which water is slowly dripped onto a person's forehead, supposedly driving the victim insane. This form of torture was first described under a different name by Hippolytus de Marsiliis in Italy in the 16th century. Supposedly the torture in dripping water is the slow rate at which the water flows. The victim can almost predict when the next drop will fall and a sense of tension builds up. When the drop finally does fall, a sense of shock and relief follows, only to be replaced with more tension about the next drop. The release of tension (no matter how small it is) prevents the victim from withdrawing inside himself. As this does not require interaction on the part of the torturer it can be done continuously.

There is no evidence that this form of torture was ever used by the Chinese. The popularity of the term "Chinese water torture" may have arisen from Harry Houdini's Chinese Water Torture Cell (a feat of escapology introduced around 1913 which entailed Houdini being bound and suspended upside-down in a locked glass and steel cabinet full to overflowing with water, from which he escaped) together with the Fu Manchu stories of Sax Rohmer that were popular in the 1930s (in which the evil Fu Manchu subjected his victims to various devious tortures, such as the wire jacket). It is also thought by many that the term "Chinese water torture" comes from the same set of terms as Chinese fire drill and Chinese Whispers, where the word Chinese was originally used by the Victorians as slang for confusing or 'containing erratic qualities'.

The US television program Mythbusters investigated Chinese water torture and found that dripping water on the forehead, by itself, was not particularly stressful. Immobilizing the subject and running a continuous stream of water on the forehead proved the most stressful of the methods they tried.

Answer 3

Chinese water torture is the popular name for a method of water torture in which water is slowly dripped onto a person's forehead, supposedly driving the victim insane. This form of torture was first described under a different name by Hippolytus de Marsiliis in Italy in the 16th century. Supposedly the torture in dripping water is the slow rate at which the water flows. The victim can almost predict when the next drop will fall and a sense of tension builds up. When the drop finally does fall, a sense of shock and relief follows, only to be replaced with more tension about the next drop. The release of tension (no matter how small it is) prevents the victim from withdrawing inside himself. As this does not require interaction on the part of the torturer it can be done continuously.

There is no evidence that this form of torture was ever used by the Chinese. The popularity of the term "Chinese water torture" may have arisen from Harry Houdini's Chinese Water Torture Cell (a feat of escapology introduced around 1913 which entailed Houdini being bound and suspended upside-down in a locked glass and steel cabinet full to overflowing with water, from which he escaped) together with the Fu Manchu stories of Sax Rohmer that were popular in the 1930s (in which the evil Fu Manchu subjected his victims to various devious tortures, such as the wire jacket). It is also thought by many that the term "Chinese water torture" comes from the same set of terms as Chinese fire drill and Chinese Whispers, where the word Chinese was originally used by the Victorians as slang for confusing or 'containing erratic qualities'.

The US television program Mythbusters investigated Chinese water torture and found that dripping water on the forehead, by itself, was not particularly stressful. Immobilizing the subject and running a continuous stream of water on the forehead proved the most stressful of the methods they tried.

Source(s):

Answer 4

I heard it from one of the friends. It's a method of torture where the person is shaved of his head and a drop of water every second is trickled over his head. The person is kept in isolation and in dark.

Since there is no activity other than the drop of water falling on the head, the person tends to concentrate on the drop and after sometime, every drop of water feels like somebody hitting a hammer on the head.

You know what happens next.

Answer 5

the constant water drops become painful after a while believe it or not- the constant drip in the very same place, timed exactly at the very same rate- it really is torture
and if ya think that shouldn't be of any consequence just think of how holes are bored into rocks in caves over the span of time..drop by drop

Answer 6

I heard its a very slow death enough to make a hole in your head
drops on your head for a long time same place
just imagine someone hitting on you same place for a very long time constantly
but tickle torture is worst.

Answer 7

the repeated noise of each drop of water in their head makes them go crazy.... if they hold out long enough the skin on that spot becomes very raw and starts to deteriorate

Answer 8

y dont u try it on yourself sit below a Tab open litte bit see how it feels when a single drop will fall slowly on ur head ....i damn sure u not bear it more than 10drops

Answer 9

It puts a whole in your skull after so long!!!