New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15
THE FUTURE TOLD FOR 4 FEW CEN7SS
PRACTICE OF THE sooTHsAYERs IN CHINATOWN
,-LIFES DESTINY REVEALED BY THE WAY
IN WHICH TWO STICKS FALL!


--LFE's DESTINY REVEALED IY THE WAY
IN WHICH TWO STICKS FALL!
In every Chinese community there will be found
one or moro, soothsayers. fortune teers who, In
return for small coin. will send fate-seekns
Chinaman away either happy miserable. The
Chinese quarter in NewYork supports three Of
these fortune jugglers who manage to make
fairly good living out of their patrons. In this
country the soothsayer is not important
parsonage among Cinnamon as he is in China, for
the influence of Mclean man has affected even
stolid John. Many of them boast of their indifer-
ence to the augures of the luck sticks.
In China the lower classes never take any step
of importance without consulting their favorte
soothsayer so that he exercises considerable in
fuence among his customers. The Chinese festl-
val their New Years Day Is the great day to
take peep into the future and the Chinese come
into New-York from all the neighborng towns
which not strong enough in Cinnamon to sup
port fortune teller One OF the soothsayers piles
his trade on the sidewalk in hot weather. another
has his headquarters close to the Chinese theatre
while the third is in the josshouse. In Mott-st.
Every josshouse has its fortunc-telllng appliances.
which are kept in front of the altar ready for the
use OF the worshippers. There several kinds
of apparatus used to tell fortunes One Of them
consists of two pieces Of wood which are round on
side and fiat on the other
When some superstitious Chnaman desires 10
soothsayer, and asks the what prospect there
Is for him in the future. The man of fate
mumbles an incarnation over the two pieces OF
wood and then throws them upon the ground
Upon their position depends the fate OF the anx-
ious customer. If they both lie with the nat side
up ii is a moderately bad sign and calls for great
caution the part of the fortune-soeker in his
conduct during the coming year. When one is
round side I'D and me other nat side up the augury
is extremely favorable and the Chinaman goes
on his way rejoicing. IL both turn round side up
the outlook is exceedingly gloomy and something
terrible may be expected TO happen soon The
idea is to so frame the question that the po-
stion OF the sticks VIII give an answer one way or
another. The customer asks, for instance, whether
tomorrow is a good day or not to open a laundry
business. If the is unfavorable he names
a month ahead and awaits the verdict OF the
sticks upon that proposition. He continues until
he gets one up round and up fiat and makes
his plans accordingly
The instruments found in the josshouse are those
most generally used and consist OF a large num-
Der of bamboo strips in handsomely carved
cylindrical box. Each strip is about ten inches
long and a quarter Of an inch wide. They are all
polished to a high degree Of smoothness and
squared off at end. the other end being round
The strips are all numbered from one upward, gen.
orally running far fifty Sometimes there
are 100 in a box but rarely more. In this case the
augury COSTS fifty cents, but fan and some joss
sticks thrown in The Chinaman wishing 10
learn his fate chooses at random ole OF the little
sticks and reads aloud the number on H. The
soothsayer then goes to board upon which are
strung a number of red slips of paper. numbered
in the same way the bamboo sticks. Upon each
ticket is written the fate Of the customer and the
one corresponding in number with the number on
the stick which he has drawn Is detached from the
board When translated. a lucky ticket VIII read
something Ike this Though dark clouds now
n,
upon You All your undertaSlngs viii prosper and
your path through life will be strewn with the
A. Tribune reporter drew one which was In
terpreted as meaning Riches and good fortune
will be your torchbearers throughout your career,
and in the smile or Buddha shall we bask Your
! heart shall glow with happiness even as the steady
1t is not absolutely necessary that the. Chinaman
wishing to have his fortune told should be present
Many customers remit the fee and the fortune
teller draws for them and mails the little red
not always favorable and the most CHASTITY predic-
lions are contained on some OF the slips. which
greatly resemble laundry tickets
by OF casting horoscope. which is some
thing like that employed by astrologers Another
method is by means Of an ordinary. magnetic com
pass. which is set In a round disk OF wood Around
Wood Containing numbers. After, giving the date
Of your birth the numbers are shifted around TO
reasoning on the part Of the soothsayer the direc-
ton Of the needle indicates what fortune you may
The fees are not arbitrary and vary according to
the means OF the customer. They begin at one
cent for the fat and round sticks and run up to
81 for the horoscope.
Astrology and fortune-teling play great part
| In the affairs Of the Chinese Government. as well
4 as among the people On the morning of the
| Chinese New Year February IA. the Chancellor Of
| the Board OF Picking Observatory holds a solemn
function TO forecast the prospects for the country
during the year. The direction OF the wind is care.
| fully noted. northwest wind being the most
| favorable and other observations made. After a
short session the Board draws its conclusions from
the auguries and they are circulated all over the
] country,
I Though the Cinnamon lose a good deal OF their
respect for the 'luck' sticks after residence for
| any length OF time In New-York. there still
| sufficient credulous ones to keep the soothsayers
| very comfortable