The five traditional poisonous animals, typically identified as the scorpion, viper, centipede, house lizard, and toad.
the five evils
A collective term for economic crimes committed by private business owners during the 1952 五反wǔfǎn campaign, specifically bribery, tax evasion, theft of state property, cheating on government contracts, and stealing economic information.
the five toxic minerals
(literary) Five poisonous minerals used in ancient medicine to treat sores, usually identified as blue vitriol, cinnabar, realgar, arsenopyrite, and magnetite.
severe torture
(literary) The various cruel forms of corporal punishment used in ancient times.