Page:Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills.djvu/209

 The twelve branches are as follows:—

子 Do not enquire by divination. 丑 Do not buy hats and garters. 寅 Do not sacrifice to gods. 卯 Do not dig wells. 辰 Do not weep, for weeping may be protracted. 巳 Do not travel to a distance for fear of not coming back. 午 Do not thatch or make raincoats. 未 Do not eat medicine. 申 Do not sleep during the day, 酉 Do not receive guests. 戌 Do not eat dog flesh. 亥 Do not arrange marriage affairs.

The following are some of the things to be avoided by business men:—

In the early morning it is very unlucky to use the abacus, or to turn up the account books; but each morning the abacus is washed to clean away the assistants' malpractices; when the shop is opened and closed, the abacus is shaken violently to drive away demons. No one entering the shop may touch the abacus, such an act would be deeply resented by many. The abacus is not generally used for business purposes before breakfast. Anyone trying to force a reckoning before breakfast will be suspected of an evil intention.

Such common things as ears ringing, sneezing, hot ears, hot face, clothing caught and torn, heart quivering, all betoken family quarrels and general bad luck throughout the day or even the year. The upsetting of a basin of rice on the table or elsewhere is very unlucky, and to take any person's rice-steamer and empty it on the ground is one of the greatest insults that can be given to a family. The twitching of the eye-lashes has deep significance.

Brick and tile-makers have a superstitious dread of hung (紅) or red, as red bricks and tiles are not half the value of the black or grey coloured ones. The lime-kiln owner has a dread of the words tao tsang (倒贓), as this means that the limestone won't be burned through and will be returned to him.