Is “The mastermind behind the 'invite into the jar' trial of Zhou Xing” true?
The Old Book of Tang, Biographies of Tang Lin, Zhang Wenguan, Xu Yougong, records that 'Zhou Xing, Lai Junchen and others were cruel by nature.' The official history records that Zhou Xing was accused of rebellion, and Empress Wu ordered Lai Junchen to interrogate him. Junchen set up a large jar with burning charcoal and ordered Zhou Xing to enter the jar to confess. In the Romance of Sui and Tang, Chapter 73, it is rewritten as Di Renjie recommending Yan Sishan to interrogate Zhou Xing. 'Sishan then obtained a large jar, heated charcoal as Xing's method, and then rose and said to Xing: "There is an internal document accusing you, please enter this jar."' The presiding judge differs from the official history.
In the official history, Lai Junchen punished Zhou Xing by inviting him into a jar, while the novel attributes this scheme to Yan Sishan.
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