Page:Chinese Life in the Tibetan Foothills.djvu/22

10 their girls because they are unable to support them. It is impossible to get enough information to make a reliable estimate of illegitimate births and infanticides, but it is certain that both are very numerous among both rich and poor.

When a person falls sick a quack doctor may make him believe that his spirit has already departed and entered into a certain pregnant woman, and that the only hope for his life is to curse this woman and make her miscarry. This is done by the 胎術 t‘ai shu, womb black art. Generally a witch is called in; she takes an egg and recites over it an incantation somewhat as follows: "If the spirit has gone south the south precinct god 土地神 t‘u ti shên will bring it back; if to the north, the north precinct god will do the same," etc. The egg is then put in hot ashes, and if it spurts in any direction the spirit is called back from that quarter with the usual ceremonies. Persons known as shuan t‘ai-ti 拴胎的 are called in for the purpose of counteracting this black art.

It is believed that deformed and maimed births 瘸精瞎怪 ch‘üeh ching hsin kuai, are the outcome of sin, whether of adultery or of irregular intercourse as to time or place.