Chinese water torture

[Laurence Horn]

At 9:10 AM -0500 12/9/00, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>I don't have any knowledge of this 'water-drop' torture except from casual
>references in English. I wouldn't be surprised if the putative original
>referent proved to be apocryphal.
>
>There are at least two forms of torture called 'water torture' which
>regrettably seem to be well documented (in Europe and elsewhere): (1)
>near-drowning or near-suffocation, with the victim's head repeatedly
>submerged for uncomfortable periods, or with a soaked cloth applied to the
>face, (2) a procedure in which the victim is forced to swallow enormous
>amounts of water to painfully distend the stomach.

Does everyone else associate "Chinese water torture" with the idea of
being tied down and having the torturer drip water on your forehead
drop by drop until your forehead begins to give way under the
pressure?  Would water really do this?  It does somehow sound a bit
like the alligators in the sewers or the
theft-of-suitcase-with-dead-dog-inside story.

>
>To Larry Horn's basketball reference, I might add that the "[Chinese]
>basket trick" is a staple in pornographic and other literature (I think it
>might have appeared in one of the "Flashman" novels for example) -- it has
>no obvious connection to basketball; it seemingly would call for great
>precision and control, and not confusion or disorganization by any means.

Heard of the practice; never heard the "Chinese" designation,
although I would have associated it more nebulously with the exotic
Far East or perhaps southeast Asia.

>
>Another seemingly non-negative expression -- whatever its origin -- would
>be "Chinese-fashion" or "Chinese-style" sexual intercourse, usually
>referring to at least one participant lying on his/her side. At least it
>sounds less pejorative than "dog-style", doesn't it?
>
don't know this one.  But speaking of non-negative expressions,
there's "Chinese food"...

larry

larry