The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-12-27

All Business and Family Matters d.
rectIy Controlled by This Tn nrcason-
Ing Influence. Which Makes Brutes
of It's Slavish Devotees.
No race in the wide world is more
controlled by superstitious notions than
the Chinese. They enter into every act
of Chinaman:s life, and their lnfiu-
ence is more lasting than that of his re-
ligion. He cannot move hard 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 guld-
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 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 superstltlonS
connected with Chinese entertainments
A dinner party is an ordeal which once
experienced is never forgotten. 1t con-
sists CT 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. Inc
explanation of this strange custom is an
old proverb, which has now become a
superstition, that "he who changes the
plates kills the housewife. y
Chinese proverbs explain several OF
the superstitious notions with regard to
women. 1t is considered unlucky for
woman to mix with the builders of
house or other edifce during its erec-
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 tounda-
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 a woman has walked. =" There is
similar horror of the fair sex lnterfer-
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 no
final interment car take place. This ac-
counts for the number of unburled cof-
fins which are seen about the country
districts il China. Sometimes the coffin
is temporarily deposited in q temple or
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 mat.
When in course Of time (by 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 elaborate
ritual of prayer and sacrifice is made,
or, if the client is wealthy, the building
of pagoda is suggested. in connection
with which the mercenary fortune teller
doubtless reaps large commission.
The last species Of superstition to
which we will call attention forces as
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 CT the bed and room
in which the invalid is lying. To obvl-
ate such q curse as this the relatives of
the dying person, as soon as they per-
ceive his end approaching, forclbly re-
move him from his bed and place him
almost naked upon board. If by chance
man should expire in his bed, it, to-
gether with all the furniture in the
room, must be burned and many atone
ments offered before the room is consld-
cred fit for habitation again.
Many strange and inhuman ideas are
associated with the illness and death OF
children. If child sickens and dies be-
fore the age of - years, its last mo-
ments are hastened by the horrible
cruelty of its parents. So long as hope
is possible the parents do their utmost
to save their child, but as soon as the
doctors abandon hope the child is strip
ped naked and placed against the outer
door of the house. When the end has
come, the corpse is thrown out into the
street to be picked up by the passing
dead cart.
The reason for this brutality is this:
If a family loses child before it has
grown to maturity, its parents refuse to
regard it as their offspring, but rather
as some evil spirit who has worked its
way into their home in order to bring
ruin and misfortune upon it and them.
st. Peters.