Qin Er Shi
"Lingchi" existed under the earliest emperors, although similar but less cruel tortures were often prescribed instead. Under the reign of Qin Er Shi, the second emperor of the Qin dynasty, multiple tortures were used to punish officials. The arbitrary, cruel, and short-lived Liu Ziye was apt to kill innocent officials by "lingchi". Gao Yang killed only six people by this method, and An Lushan killed only one man. "Lingchi" was known in the Five Dynasties period (907–960 CE); but, in one of the earliest such acts, Shi Jingtang abolished it. Other rulers continued to use it.