Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-18
HIS eCOND BIRTHDAY
Little Ii Moy Will Have Great Time This
Week.
Twill he an Important Occasion in
His Young Bife-Chfnatovn's
Elaborate Ceremonies

birthday this week. and all Chinatown win
hock to his parents house TO pay homage
to the only Chinese baby in Washington
Ii lives down on lower Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. and his parents are among the WELL
TODD celestials of the city. Since his birth
two years ago, LII has been tenderly cared
for, and unusual efforts have been made to
ward off the innumerabe evil spirits which
the superstition OF his people teach tnem
TO believe surround him.
The second anniversary of Las advent
into this vale of tears is an important
event in his life. AT that time he is sup
posed 10 be directed by fate TO choose the
profession he will follow for life 1t will
be the occasion of feasting and prayer and
making of gifts to the goddess OF chill
dren- Birds nest soup. preserved eggs ana
all the delicacies of the Chinese market will
be spread in prodigal abundance for the
benefit Of the Acknowledged guests who call
to wish the little fellow success in life and
a return TO the land of his forefathers after
death.
According to Chinese custom the second
anniversary OF child's birth is marked
by great rejoicing. At the age of two an
infant is supposed TO become proof against
fully half of the evil spirits which have
threatened II since birth, and consequently
parents and friends rejoice alike at the
reduction OF the handicap under which the
little one has labored. The remaining
devils are easy to deal with when com
pared with the ones left behind and rem
dered harmless by the lapse OF time.
Ancient Customs
In celebrating Lis birthday the ancient
Chinese custom will be closely followed
The guests arrive early in the morning and
gather in large room around a table. As
each guest enters the house he hands to
the father of the child package contain
ing a gift for the child. None come empty
handed, and the presents are conspicuous-
w llSDiaVpl ahOnf the In n.
IN a circle are laid articles TO represent the
different professions, and in the center a
highly decorated box two or thre.. inches
high, Is placed.
After all the guests are assembled the
child, attired from head TO foot in scarlet
Is brought into the room by the father and
placed upon the box. Then absolute silence
is preserved while the childs eyes seek the
articles on the table. Suddenly. like an
children Will, the baby will stretch out a
tiny hand and seize one of the articles A
shout OF JOY or a groan OF d!sappointment
goes up from the relatives as they see their
hopes realized or shattered for whatever
the child grasps indicates the profession
III VIII follow. If a book, the child will be
a literary man; if money, a merchant: If
vegetable, farmer; if a tool, an artisan,
and on.
After the choice is made and the future
OF the child settled. so far at least as his
parents superstition leads them to believe,
the guests hle slowly past the table ana
Solemnly shake the little fellow by the left
hand- linen the goddess of children, rep
resented by small wooden image delicate
1y carved, is brought in and passed around
from hand TO hand. finally being deposited
beside the child on the table. All this cere-
mony is accompanied by the burning OF
many joss sticks and The tearing up of col
ored paper by the guests.
Spare No Expense.
This ends the child's participation in the
affair, and II is turned over to its mother,
while the father proceeds to entertain his
guests. The feast, which is served in an
other room, lasts Several hours. and there
is no lack of rice wine to wash down the
many queer dishes with unpronounceabIe
names. Ii Moy will have all these things
on his anniversary, and his parents VIII
spare no expense TO make it a red letter
day in Chinatown.
Lis short life has been a series OF cere-
monies for he has been brought up ac-
cording to the old customs of China, which
all good Chinese parents strictly observe
in rearing their children. A Chinese
child's first bath, given three days after
birth, is accompanied with all sorts of
strange incantations, and is the first step
taken to ward off the evil spirits. a few
days later red cords are fastened to the
chld's wrists and charms made of the
smallest Chinese silver coins are strung
around its neck and waist
At the age of three months the baby is
dressed In garments which would horrify
the average American mother if suggested
Chinese babys outfit consists of a loose
coat, trousers, wooden-soled shoes and a
square top cap. The door of the nursery
is covered with strips of red paper re-
sembling overgrown laundry tickets The
hieroglyphics the strips are warnings
for the ever-present and ever-feared evil
spirits TO give the place a wide berth.
These are taken off at the end of the
fourth month.
One Ceremony After Another.
tha ~. SO,
head of the child is shaved for the first time,
and this is again the occasion for a cele-
bration and gifts to the goddess of chill
dren. Then the child is named. The usual
rule is for the fathers parents % select a
cognomen, but in this country such a pro-
ceeding is generally out Of the question,
and the oldest and most valued friend of
the family is chosen TO perform that func-
ton. Even then the chances are that after
the child reaches mans estate he will take a
name according to his own fancy, or to
suit the sign of the laundryman he may
happen to buy out for it is a well-known
fact that Chinese laundry signs never
change, although the owners frequently
do.
The goddess of children is supposed to
watch over the child until he reaches the
age of sixteen. Then in the language of
the celestial he Leaves childhood behind
and is only AFFECTED with a lot of devils he
never heard of in infancy. When leave is
taken of the goddess there is another elab-
crate ceremony in which the child takes
the place of the father as host. and IL is
then that the well-reared child imbibes his
first intoxicating liquor. The result is that
he experiences his first head the next
morning, for the fun of the night is fast
and furious, and the youngster is invaria-
bly, anxious TO show his elders that he is
not afraid of the pungent liquors so dear
to the Chinese palate.
Little Ii Moy has seldom been seen on
the streets of the city, for his parents con-
slider him of too tender an age to venture
where the evil spirits are free to roam I'M
hampered by cabalistic signs and charmed
bed curtains.