The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-15
CHINESE CHARMS.
uEArHEN PLANS FOR DRIVING AWAY
DEMONS.
The social virtues Believed to Reside In
Coffin Nails and Pictures of Fly
: Ing TIgers-Omens.
Tsan Francisco Chronicle. ]

| Ing Ttgers-Omens.
ISan Francisco Chronicle
| r. NAV be said of the Chinese that from the
cradle to the grave. from the highest to the
| lowest the life of each is an endless chain OF
| superstitious Observances, of idol and myth
worship, and of perpetual effort to ward off
tho maIign influence Of evil spirits Follow
ing are few samples Of the charms used for
4 this purpose: AS general rule anything red
| is serviceabe in this way; to mark the STOPS
in book with red ink will keep away evil
spirits from the reader So also. will pieces OF
red rags or strings brighten them off. AS those
wicked spirits very often mutilate helpless lit
tie boys unless duly armed against them, pa
rents stitch piece Of red cloth In the pockets
of the little fellows and braid the queue with
q piece Of red silk to prevent ends from cut
| ting it off. Yellow paper is also very e11lca-
cious Slips of this paper, six to twelve inches
long, inscribed with red or black ink, are sus-
pended on bed curtains. or burnt and the
ashes mingled with tea or hot water and
drunk as O specific against evil influences.
| Vast quantities Of these yellow paper slips
are burned in idoatrous ceremonies. Ancient
coins are very good also. They are tied to
the wrists OF newborn babes, and put under
the bed Of newly married couples. Inc small
point of an old iron powshare will do II the
7
potent against spirits. A knife that has been
used in killing person Is very excellent. iron
nails that have been used in
SEALING A COFFIN
are not aniss, if carried in the pocket or
braided into the queue; or they may DC
beaten into q ring and worn Ia that shape I'M
til a boy Is sixteen years old, after which age
he becomes somewhat more imperviOuS TO
satanic influence and more alert to the willy
practices of hobgobns. Yet. excellent as are
these remedies, it will be seen they are used
only on the defensive; but, as the tiend may
feel more or less embroidered by mere defeIl-
sive tactics alone. m aggressive policy Is
often adopted, especially in the case OF q man
lying sick in bed. For this purpose q heinpeh
whip Is made in the shape Of snake, with
, which the bed and bedstead are we'll whipped
and the lurking spirits made to take hasty
exit. Evil spirits arc much addicted to the
malicious practice Of injuring houses IN
| course of erection To put stop to their
FRANKS piece Of red or yellow paper. duly
inscribed with the proper formula, is tied to
, the ridge pole, Or q small bag OF red SILK or
cotton is used instead, containing I'VE KINDS
) of grain in honor of five successive emperors,
2 or five iron nails Of different lengths. Ano-
Their very excellent safe guard against evil
} spirits is a picture OF
: A FLYING TIGER,
the spirits being much afraid of that fero-
{ cious feline A lion grasping naked sword is
q good but two lions coming down hill, the
sun and moon between them, is much better.
= cat. made of lime and burnt clay, and look
! ing at something at distance. is etliCacious
q OF three paper arrows. or paper boy IN the
: attitude Of shooting an arrow, or an eartheH
q lion either OF these is also good. Old f1sh
. nets cut into strips, worn round the waist by
q children. will protect them from perntcous In
4 fusnces. Women in a delicate condition wear
: these slips. because demons, afraid OF being
/ caught in the meshes, keep away from the
q net The fiends are also very much afraid o.
' a sword made out Of two iron rods, some an
+ Gent or modern coins, the coins being tied to
4 the rods with red cords This formidable
q weapon is suspended outside OF a bridal bed
y curtain, or on the inside OF curtain, II the
I bed contain sick woman. 1t is good for
g AN ONLY SON
: to wear small silver paddock as an amulet
round his neck, but the money to buy the sill,
yer from which the lock Is manufactured
must be obtained from - hundred families
n not because the parents are poor and can't al
: ford to buy the silver but because the hun
y dred families, BY the act q subscribing be,
: come securities for the lads good health and
q prosperity; but, above all, for his immunity
i from the influence Of demons. The shell o
IS gourd is suspended at the bed Of children
q VINO have not yet had the smallpox, on tbs
q last night Of the year, because the god o
Il measles will empty the smallpox into tht
\ shell il it be placed convenient to his hand
Y But the better plan Is to cover tho chld's fact
n with an ugly mask, and then the goo oil mett
r sizes who is misehievously addicted to spoil
l. ing pretty faces, will not think it worth Will
q to waste his smallpox upon so ugly child
"a and will pass him by. The fiend Is thu
! trcked out Of his victim. The combined pic
: lures OF tiger, lizard, centips1e. snake, am
+ an unknown animal with three feet, suspend
' cd round the neck, keep off the collie mir
n rOr suspended to q bed curtain, face outward
"a will
II KEEP THE DEVIL AWAY,
y because, on approaching the room, he will SCI
q himself reflected in the glass, and, SHOCKED
l. with his own ugliness, will run away and hid
L himself in some deep cavern until he forget
10 the fright, when he again makes his appear
ance on earth. Such are q few nostrums O
great potency out of hundreds more that nigh
70 be cited. Then there are diaboHcal charm
III which will kill an obnoxious neighbor or i'm
IS pair his health, or reduce him 10 beggafy
L just as the operator shall decide. One sampl
IL OF this charm will suffice: Take of yellow pa
IS per six slips each six inches long and two il
7, width; stamp each slip with the head Of
)f dog or q buffalo; burn the slips and mix tn
g ashes into a cup of tea and let the victim
ne drink You must be on friendly terms wit
nj your victim to guard against suspicion.
9 the feeling between yourself and your intend
u cd victim be Of that determined and recOg
o. nized hostility rs to preclude the possibit,
2 of even specOus friendship you may dau
J. his person or his clothing with the charne
le ashes, but without the knowledgeof the hate
is foe and the charm will have the desired ef
ID ect, unless such individual shall counterac
ne your praiseworthy effort by
A COUNTER CHARM.
- This counter charm consists in fastening
70 =, mirror and n part OF the intended victim
Z clothing on bamboo pole having three gree
y branches on one end and then the recitation
~ of the required formula in temple dedicate
i To the Five Rulers" or it may consist i
- three priests ascending the "ladder Of knives
'9 fveritable knivesJ and reciting the formula
ar while drums and gong5 are beaten by friend
- to Brighten away evil spirits or the innum
~ cradle Omens of good or evil which the prov
- dent gods deign TO manifest o few are her
n given: The magpie IS a bird Of good omen
- vestment In stocks, and hears the voice Of thi
= bird it II d sure sign that stock will 90 up an
ii that this Investment will be a success. !
9 crow, on the other hand, is a bird Of ev
omen; his ka, ka, ka, which In Chinese mean
- bite, bite, bite is warning to the speculate
T. that he will be bitten If he goes through wit
~ his project. strange dog coming to take u