Smyrna times., 1898-11-02

All business and Family Matters d.
rectIy Controlled by This UnreasOn-
ing Influence, Which Makes BrUtes
of It's SIavish DevOtees.
No race in the wide world is more
controlled by superstitious notions than
the Chinese. They enter into every act
of a Chinaman's life, and their infiu
ence is more lasting than that of his re-
ligion. He cannot move hand or foot
without their agency, and from the
earliest moment of his life down to the
last detail in connection with his burial
their power and influence are the guild
ing motives of his acts All business
and family matters are directly con-
trolled by superstitiOus sentiments, both
rich and poor, young and old, being
slaves to their force.
To the average Chinaman his religion
is mere negative factor i'll his mode of
life, to be followed or disregarded at
will, but no true son of Han dares to
act otherwise than in accordance with
the strict precepts of those spiritual
powers which directly control his life
There are some amusing superstitiOns
connected with Chinese entertainments.
A dinner party is an ordeal which once
experienced is never forgotten. 1t con-
sists of from 40 to so distinct courses
and occupies the greater portion of
day. During the whole of these repasts
and Notwithstanding the endless variety
of dishes served the invited guest re-
tains the same plate throughout. The
explanation of this strange custom is an
old proverb, which has now become
superstition, that she who changes the
plates kills the housewife.
Chinese proverbs explain several of
the superstitious notions with regard to
women. 1t is considered unlucky for a
woman to mix with the builders of a
house or other edifce during its cree
tion, and to avoid any possibility of one
straying into the premises all approaches
are carefully guarded by watchmen,
and fence is erected around the pro-
posed building as soon as its founda-
tions are laid.
The explanation of this is the saying,
"Women mix i'll with wood, and death
lives in the house over whose founda-
tions woman has walked" There is
similar horror of the fair sex interfer-
ing with any public matter of national
interest or in any business transactions
where men are concerned. "WOmen tie
knots" says the Chinese proverb. "Let
them remain at home"
No funeral can take place until as
trologers and professional fortune tellers
have been consulted. These unscrupu-
lous diviners decide the place of burial,
and in the event of disagreement nc
final interment can take place. This ac-
counts for the number of unburied cof-
fiEs which are seen about the country
districts in China. Sometimes the coffin
is temporarily deposited in a temple OF
kept in the house of the heir Of the de-
ceased. Among the poor as often as not
it is conveyed to some sheltered spot
and covered with a mat.
When i'll course of time (Ey aid OF
additional fees) the diviners can report
that all objections to final burial are re
moved, the funeral takes place amid re
joicing and profane excesses. The mode
of Precipitation generally prescribed by
astrologers is the purchase of some stone
Or piece of iron, to which an elaborat,
ritual of prayer and sacrifice is made
or, if the client is wealthy, the building
of pagoda is suggested, i'll connection
with which the mercenary fortune telle
doubtless reaps large commission.
} The last species of superstition t,
, which we will call attention forces u
to place China among the half civilized
and brutal nations. One of these super
stitions is that the soul of dying per
! son takes possession of the bed and room
in which the invalid is lying. To obvi
ate such curse as this the relatives O
the dying person, as soon as they per
: ceive his end approaching, forcibly re
move him from his bed and place hir
, almost naked upon board If by chanc
a man should expire in his bed, it, tc
l gether with all the furniture in tn
t room, must be burned and many atone
4 ments offered before the room is consid
Q cred fit for habitation again.
s Many strange and inhuman ideas al
/ associated with the illness and death {
$ children. If child sickens and dies bC
Q fore the age of - years, its last me
o ments are hastened by the horribl
. cruelty of its parents. So long as hoI
: is possible the parents do their utmo.
o to save their child, but as soon as tn
o doctors abandon hope the child is striI
o ped naked and placed against the outC
l. door of the house. When the end ha
! come the corpse is thrown out into tt
IS street to be picked up by the passin
f dead cart.
d The reason for this brutality is thi
% If family loses a child before it hi
n grown to maturity, its parents refuse
is regard it as their offspring, but rath
L as some evil spirit who has worked i
s way into their home in order to brir
IT ruin and misfortune upon it and then
l. st. Peters.