# Chinese "Water" Torture: Does It Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 12, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740 "2005-02-12T14:32:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/1 "2005-02-12T14:32:06Z")
Supposedly, the Chinese had a techniques that was cheap. low tech, and easy (and also would leave no marks on the body).The luckless victim would be tied down so that he could not move, and a slow drip of water would be palced on his forehead. this would be a gentle drip-drip-drip-harmless! But after a few hours, the victim wouls fell the drops as a hammer blows on his head, and would do anything to have this stop! My question: is this all Hollywood fiction?And, if it was so effective, why isn’t is used today? I mean, electric shocks to the genitals are soo messy…why not water torture? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/2 "2005-02-12T14:49:41Z")
I don’t have the answer but that is because I logged in this morning to ask this exact same question. That is quite a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/3 "2005-02-12T15:12:25Z")
Cecil says [it’s not really Chinese](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010112.html), though the column doesn’t comment on its efficacy. I’m guessing that being held immobile for long periods would have effects far more traumatic than the water…muscle stiffness, restricted circulation, not being able to scratch that really bad itch on your nose, etc. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/4 "2005-02-12T19:59:42Z")
The modern equivalent is locking someone in a room where the **Teletubbies** theme song is played non-stop. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/5 "2005-02-12T20:33:09Z")
[The Perfect Master speaks…](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010112.html) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/6 "2005-02-12T20:34:54Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > [The Perfect Master speaks…](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010112.html) Oh, frell…never mind. I missed that **Number** got to it first… ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/7 "2005-02-12T20:43:25Z")
The water Torture is when a prisoner is forced to drink large quantities of water, until his stomach bursts. I don’t know if the Chinese used it, but the Spanish Inquisition did. [http://wiccanhistorian.home.att.net/histories/torture.html](http://wiccanhistorian.home.att.net/histories/torture.html) [http://www.aztriad.com/letter5.html](http://www.aztriad.com/letter5.html) [http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dungeon/4712/torture.html](http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dungeon/4712/torture.html) please don’t mention comfy chairs ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/8 "2005-02-12T22:04:53Z")
NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chinese-water-torture-does-it-work/289740/9 "2005-02-12T23:04:18Z")
> [@CC](#): > > NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! [SDMB Cliche] Blast! You beat me to it! [/SDMBC]