Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-08-05

4 uOV -
of two representing respectively the exact
hour, day, month and year of birth. These
sre handed by the father to q fortune-teller,
wbose business il is to draw up from them
a certain book of fate, generally spoken OF
"a the bows "pst-tez " or eight characters.
Asrein The fortune-teller describes the
GOOD and evil which the boy is likely to
meet with in after life, and the means to
be adopted in order to secure the one and
to avert the other.
The pat.tez having received the first at
~tention, the father prostrates himself he
fore the ancestral tablets, and there offers
mn thanksgiving for the birth of his boy.
In every house in China q room or amongst
the moor a niche in the wall Of their COM
mon room, is set apart for the worshipo OF an
cestors. The names of those Of the four
mast generations are painted on wooden
tablets. before which, night and morning,
a, we'll as on other special occasions, joss
sticks are burned in honor Of the departed.
The father next visits the temple OF the
goddess called mother" She is supposed
to look after the welfare Of all children un-
til they arrive at the age Of sixteen. Here
-ineeuse and oblations Of fruit, ETC., are Of
fered. and the goddess is requested to look
with favor upon the precious boy.
Meanwhile o bundle of leaves OF the
Artemesia is hung up over the door of the
bouss. This answers the double purpose
of frightening away demons and Of warn
ing visitors that they must not call. The
entrance of an ordinary visitor during the
first fortnight of . child's life is said to en-
tail upon the infant the penalty Of sore
gums. On the third day the ceremony OF
washing the head takes place. The child's
head is washed with soap and water, 10
which latter, amongst other things. wal
nuts, acacia wood and pepper have already
been placed. This washing is performed
before an image of the goddess mother"
which has been fixed up in the apartment.
Around the boys neck q red cord isnext
fastened, and to it are attached certain
charms. Another red ii. e., lucky-cord
about two feet in length is' fastened to ms
wrists, one end passing round the right, n
the other round the left. This is called the
ceremony of binding the wrists, a ceremony
the performance of which, it is believed will
keep his hands from picking and stealing
when he is older. A sheet of red paper
being spread out, the following articles are
placed upon it: Two fruits, the seeds OF
which are used rs soap, some pitch, cats and
dogs's hairs, an onion or two, a pair OF chop
sticks, and some charcoal. These are sym
bolical of good wishes-vjz, the desire that
the boy may be clean and tidy IN his ap-
pearance. be successful in all things, not be
frightened during infancy by the cries OF
cats and dogs, be quick-witted, always have
plenty to eat, may finally grow up to be
a hardy and enduring a The paper ID
tied up by a red cord in the form OF a bag,
and suspended over the bedroom door.
After this a piece of red paper is at
tached to q pair of the fathers trousers,
and these latter are hung over the bedstead.
The paper contains a notice to evil spirits
to Leave the child alone, and also a re-
quest to the effect that if they can not pass
by without engaging in some wicSedness
they will be pleased to wreak their ven
geance on the owner of the trousers.
There is something very touching In the
thought of the Willingness thus expressed
by the father to suffer in place of his son.
The only visitors allowed on this occa-
SlOQ uIG near ItldllNto huu NShy NSeh
friends, all Others being supposed to bring
ill-luck. These are now duly Toasted, after
which they take their departure.
On the fourteenth day special thanks
giving and oblations are made as before,
and the wrist-cord, the red bag, and trou-
sers before mentioned, are removed as be-
ing no longer needed.
On the thirty-first day the nun yat or full
month ceremony is performed. 10 this
feast all the friends and relatives of the
family are invited from far and near.
Everyone is expected to bring q present.
These consist OF a great variety of Objects
e. O., wearing apparel, bracelets, anklets, a
red or lucky bsdstead, o red chair, red cap
with q hole all ready for the little pig-tail
when it has grown, ETC., etc.
The boy is placed in front OF the ances-
trail tablets. A basin of water, containing
leaves from the trOng pr tree, being provi-
ded, two boiled duck eggs and nine cash
are plrced therein. With this water the
child's heads is first washed, after which
a barber commences to shave him. The
older the barber the bette. because, in
proportion - Il. age or youth, 80 will the
child attain to age or die. The shaving
over, the buckeyes are gently rolled
around the shaven crown. Then another
aged man stands up, n placing his
hand upon the child's head, says, MAY
long life be thy portion?'
After this the boy is dressed in a new
red Jacket and green trousers, whilst the
red cap already mentioned is placed upon
his head. Oblations to the ancestors and
to the goddess have been made, the child
receives his first, or milk name. A feast
concludes this important ceremony.
The next, if not the same day, the child
is carried out for the first time, on which
occasion it is taken into o temple, and to
see it's grandmother. All unlucky objects
are removed out Of the child's sight. A
cash sword, perhaps, il hung near his bed.
This consists of a sw~ord-shaped charm con-
sisting of two iron rods covered by q large
number of copper cash, fastened together
by wire and red cords; or the father collects
copper cash from o hundred different fam
lilies. With this he purchases q lock-shaped
neck ornament. This is called the 'hun-
bred families lock-" and when worn by a
child is reckoned q powerful preventative.
These, with many other charms, are sup
posed either to bring good luck or to avert
evil.
At four months the child is taught to ait
up in his pretty red chair. When he goes
out-that lie, if the family be poor--he
takes the air comfortably strapped up in q
bundle upon his mothers hack.
As soon as he shows any signs Of a desire
to walk, the mother or nurse pretends to
cut with a knife the imaginary cord which
is said to have hitherto tied his feet to-
gether. He is then presented with a pair
OF kitten sh0es-shat is, shoes which have
a cats head worked at the toes. These sre
supposed to guarantee for him q sure and
cat-like walk.
Thousands of Years Saved.