Death in China (Chinese Torture as was) edit 2.

[tectak]

I'm going to ignore hessian -- that's what I'd call it anyway, and it didn't stand out as unusual to me. I don't think using the exact word the Chinese would use is of any benefit, since it's most likely a word in one of the Chinese languages! China's closer to Australia than to the UK or USA, so I choose to believe they'd take our word over yours :p

At dawn the light is stretched to ground, below the still and perfumed haze.
The aspic air aglow and held by pointed props of bamboo staves. -- love "aspic air", but I wonder why you've got this formatted as a sentence -- personally I'd have punctuated this line and the preceding one with commas.
The dogs, asleep in hessian walls or curled in stone stairways, -- the rhyme bothers me here -- the accent doesn't fall on "ways" naturally, so to make it work I have to pronounce this awkwardly. It's also a foot short to my ear.
growl at the hidden heron’s stab, its secret lost to circling waves. -- this line is lovely

As gold escapes the lidded eye that opens east on terraced slopes
the light-slit orbs of dreaming men, dog-barked in to brightening days, -- this sounds short, I'd put "are" instead of the comma after "men"
let glints escape to show the sun that life is here and stirring hopes;
revived by peace in cool, dark night and born again in warming rays. -- the images in this stanza are very sensual, they're genuinely warming

But some remain, in dreamless sleep,cold to the touch as feigning death; -- meter's off here just a tad, I have to emphasise "to" instead of "cold" -- what about "But some remain, in dreamless sleep and cold to touch as feigning death"?
Those living lift in languid time, with gnawing thoughts of breaking fast,
and with somnambulistic gait, and effort steaming in their breath, -- I really like "somnambulistic", kudos for getting it to fit the meter!
they light stick fires to heat green tea and bubble rice; a thin repast.

One does not rise, nor stir, nor move; though dogs bark loud to end their rest. -- "one" and then "their" is odd
Pallid on the coarse hemp mat, he lies inert in tight drawn skin.
The opium Peace has left her flower, one poppy placed on naked breast
by one who knows that begged for death will come to those who let her in. -- I'd hyphenate "begged-for"

Hi leanne, your crit was timely and just what I needed. I have to go heavy on this to tighten up the meter. I like it when the work gets done for me. Inevitably such changes will result in some structural alterations,too. It is late. I will repost tomorrow. Don't wait up for me.
Best,
tectak