Page:Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills.djvu/20

 Such customs as are noted above have a great hold on otherwise quite enlightened people.

The following customs are connected with the protection of children.

If during the first month or two of the child's life it cries a great deal, this request is put out: 小兒夜哭請君念讀若還不哭請君萬福; "My little one cries in the night, will good men take note and read; if after this it does not cry may ten thousand blessings rest on you."

People who are afraid of their child becoming a priest make a priest's hat and other garments for it. They think the spirits will be thus deceived and suppose the child is a priest already.

For fear a child may not live long a ring is put round its neck and locked, so kuan 銷關. This is even done to sick adults, with the idea of locking in the life that it may not leave the body.

With the same idea an old horse-shoe is made into a bangle and locked on the child's wrist—ta ma-chang ch‘üan 打馬掌圈.

Money also is collected from many other families 化千家錢 hua ch‘ien-chia ch‘ien, and made into a silver, iron or bronze collar, which is locked on the child's neck.

A tablet called ch‘ang-ming p‘ai 長命牌 is made up of the characters for long life, riches and honour. It may be worn suspended round the child's neck or on his cap. It is sometimes the gift of friends. A tablet with the figures of the Eighteen Lo-han is similarly worn.

A coin-shaped tablet on the cap with the Eight Diagrams 八卦 pa kua engraven on it is supposed to repel evil influences.

In the same way are worn the images or names of the 12 Buddhist pratyeka who were disciples of the goddess of Mercy 十二圓覺 shih-êrh yüan-chüeh; or of the twenty-eight constellations; or of the 36 or 72 famous generals who are supposed to be able to ward off demons.

An embroidered cat on the cap, with eyes and mouth facing outward, is worn to drive away demons. A monkey embroidered on the shoulder has similar virtue.