"Last meal" refers to a meal that a condemned prisoner usually chooses before execution-decapitated meal.

On the one hand, it is a kind of civilization that human beings show when they execute the same kind, on the other hand, it has some superstitious and forgiving elements: in the Middle Ages, the last meal of a condemned prisoner was often interpreted as making peace with the executors, and after death, he would not become a ghost to oppose the executors; This practice also has certain practical significance-accepting the last meal also means that the condemned prisoners finally accept their own punishment in a sense, which will also make the execution process more calm. This tradition began in ancient Rome, ancient Egypt and ancient Athens and has been passed down to this day. China ancient society also had this tradition.

There is a saying that "you should not starve to death" in China since ancient times, and there is also a tradition in the West to provide the last meal for the death row. It is still inconclusive when this culture originated by marking the end of life with food, but the topic of combining food, death and crime can always attract attention.

From a certain point of view, the last meal is an extreme example of the intimate relationship between food and death, but food is almost a part of the custom of expressing the end of life in all societies. There are stories of Eve and Apple in Christianity. The ancient Egyptians carved food on the walls of tombs in order to rest the dead; There is food at the death ceremony of members of American tribes; Buddhists will provide food to "evil spirits" in order to live a good life in the afterlife; Food is also an indispensable part of Mexico's Day of the Dead.

There is no definite conclusion about the origin of the last meal. Although the earliest record of the death penalty appeared in Ullner in the 22nd century BC, some scholars believe that the last meal originated in ancient Greece, and Roman gladiators always enjoyed a big meal the night before the duel.

In the 18th century, powerful or wealthy prisoners in London, England, were allowed to hold a party full of food and wine to entertain guests outside the prison before hanging. On the way to the gallows the next day, the prisoner had a chance to stop in front of the bar to have a drink and enjoy the last pleasure of life.

On January 14th, 1772, in Frankfurt, Germany, six government officials and judges had dinner with Susanna * * *, a condemned prisoner. At that time, this ceremony was called "The Hangman's Dinner". The menu of the day included 3 pounds of fried sausage, 1 pounds of beef, 6 pounds of roasted crucian carp, 12 pounds of roasted veal, soup, cabbage, bread, dessert and a bottle of wine produced in 1748.