trial by boiling water
Historical Japanese ordeal in which a person's hand was placed in boiling water; innocence was assumed if the hand was not scalded. Also known as 探湯 (くかたち).
See also: 盟神探湯
In ancient Japan, a divine ordeal called meishintantō was practiced.
盟神探湯は、熱湯に手を入れて無罪を証明する方法だった。
Meishintantō was a method of proving innocence by putting one's hand in boiling water.
探湯 is an older or alternative name for the same ordeal, sometimes read くかたち. 盟神探湯 is the fuller yojijukugo form.
The Sino-Japanese term designates the ancient ordeal called 盟神探湯（くかたち）, in which a person plunged a hand into boiling water and guilt or innocence was judged from the resulting injury.