The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-19
QUEER THINGS In CHINA.
Manners, Customs and superstitiOns I'm the
Flowery Kingdom.

Flowery Kingdom.
Bishop Goodsell in Central Christian Advocate
1t is the custom in many parts of China
to tie a white cock to coffin and then sac
rifice 1T on the grave L write from mem
DRY, but recall what Socrates said TO his
disciple. little before he drank the fatal
hemlOck, Let us sacrifice cock to Escu-
lspius," i, e.. the god of health.
While there is q strong national feeling
in China exhibiting itself in contempt for
foreigners, the people of the several prov
inces have great contempt for each other.
Thus heard at Foochow that one OF the
citizens said: The Jesus religion might
do for Hingwha dogs and Kucheng hogs.
but not for FoOchOw menu
Our physicians are often called upon to
treat women VINO have swallowed gold.
The Chinese believe that is poison, when
the chief danger is from mechanical 3D.
struction. Thus an angry wife Will often
swallow her gold rings to. commit suicide
One of our physicians gained great require
by curing one such with dose OF castor OIL
In Shanghai, and in many other places in
China. the crows build and raise their
broOds in the trees of the city. Iney are
especially abundant in Peking. On account
of the Buddhist reverence for all LIE. no
which, from its having q band OF white
about it's neck. is known as the PEARSON
crow"
Beggars are an organized guild in China
They abound every here. and In the north
their only garment if any Is tattered
sheep-skin. When the funeral procession
carrying Bro. Ahok's body was moving
through beggar village near roo CHOW IL
was stopped 10y the king of the beggars
and compelled to pay 81 before 1t could
proceed. They get in front OF travellers In
the streets and knock their heads on the
ground In supplcatlon.
While coming down the Pei-ho in q
house boat / observed our captain just
after day break coming forward to the bow
of the boat, an unusual thing for q captain
to do while the boat is under way. Pres
emily he lighted bunch of incense, burned
some gilt paper and then Frustrated him
self, knocking his forehead on the deck
several times. after which he fired some
crackers. He WAS wOrshiping the river
god and the crackers were intended TO call
the attention of the river god to his devo-
tons.
1t Is custom very ancient and very COM
mon IN China for any one who has grew
ance against any one to get upon some
elevated place and bawl IL out to the neigh
borhOod. L have seen women on the roofs
of the houses yelling forth their domestic
grievances. This is called telling the
street." In Jeremiah Xviii, IS. We read:
Ion all the housetOps of Moab and in the
streets thereof there Is lamentation every
where" Thus the custom of using the
hOusetops for lamentatiOn is scriptural as
we'll as Chinese.
The junks, whether at sea or on the riv-
ers, are a perpetual terror to the steamer
captains. The masters. of the junks believe
that if they can cross moving steamers
bows close at hand it will bring them
good luck for the year. Hence they will
unexpectedly tack across the bows of the
steamer and risk q most serious collision.
The captains and pilots can never tell what
the Junk is going to do at the most critical
moment