The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-11-13
FANATICAI. CHINESE.
stFERsTITIoR RULES ThEBAcE FROM
CRADLE TO GRAVE.

ALI EuRfnGmm and Family Matters d.
rectIy ControIIed BY ThIsUnreasOn.
ing Influence which Makes Brutem
Of Its SIavish DevOtees.
No race in the wide world is more
controlled by superstitious notions shan
the Chinese. They enter into every act
Of n Chinaman'H life, and their influ-
ence is more lasting than that Of his re-
iigion. He cannot move hand or fc0s
without their agency, and from the
earliest moment OF his life down 90 the
last detail I'm connection with his brxiai
their power and influence are the guild
ing motives OF his acta ALI business
and family matters are directly con-
trolled by superasitious sentiments both
rich and poor, young and old. being
slaves TO their force.
To the average Chinamau HE religion
is a mere negative factcH in 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 superstiti0us
connected with Chinese se-entertainmentR
A dinner party. is an ordeal which once
experienced is never forgotten. It con-
sists Of from 40 to 90 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 samc plate throughout. The
explanation of this strange custom is an
old proverb, which has now become q
superstition, that she who changes the
plates kills the housewife. Ht3 r. :
Chinese proverbs explain several of
the snperstitious notions with regard to
women. 1t is considered unlucky for a
woman to mix with the builders of a
house or Othe ediflce during its ereo-
tion, and to -.void 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 ill with wood, and death
lives in the house over whose founda-
tions a woman has walked. F" There is
a 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 car take place. This ac-
counts for the number of unburied cof-
fins which are seen about the country
districts in China. Sometimes the coffin
is temporarily deposited in temple OF
kept in tho house of the heir of the de.
ceased. Among the poor as often as moi
it is conveyed to some sheltered spot
and covered with a mat.
When in course of time (Ey aid oi
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 elaborate
ritual of prayer and sacrifice Is made
or, if the client Is wealthy, the building
of a pagoda is suggested, in connection
with which the mercenary fortune teller
doubtless reaps large commission.
The last species of superstition Il
which we will call attention forces ri
to place China among the half civilized
and brutal nations. One Of these super
stitions is that the soul of a 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 hin
almost naked upon board. II by chanci
man should expire in his bed, it, to
gether with all the furniture in thi
room, must be burned and many atone
ments offered before the room is consid
cred flt for habitation again.
Many strange and inhuman ideas ar,
associated with the illness and death O
children. If child sickenG and dies be
fore the age of 12 years, it's last mo
ments are hastened by the horribl,
cruelty Of its parents. So long as hop,
is possible the parents do their utmos
to save their child, but as soon an th,
doctors abandon hope the child is strip
ped naked and placed against the outel
door of the house. When the end hai
come, the corpse is thrown out into th,
street to be picked up by the passint
dead cart.
The reason for this brutality is this
If family loses a child bsfore it hai
grown to maturity, its parents refuse t.
regard it as their offspring, but rathel
as some eri! spirit who has worked it
way intn their home in order to brinI
ruin and misfortune upon it and them
st. Peters.
It's Bliss For Her.
Mrs wicklins-YonS and vorr b,s