Page:On to Pekin.djvu/46

28 "There is too much of religion and superstition in the way. The Chinamen all believe in geomancy, as it is called. According to that, no street in a village must be straight for fear the Evil Spirit may sweep through too easily, and no door in a house can be directly opposite to another for the same reason. The cities and towns are all laid out according to the rules of geomancy, as expounded by the so-styled learned men who make the mysterious art a life study. Even the grave of a rich man is not located until the geomancer has been well paid in order to locate a spot where wind and weather cannot disturb the spirit of the departed one."

"Such superstition is almost beyond belief."

"That is only the beginning of it. They believe in all sorts of signs and omens, and won't even cook a meal at a fireplace unless the latter is located near a door or window, so that the evil spirits in the food can find an easy way out of doors."

"Humph! I wonder what they would say to some of our up-to-date inventions,—the telephone, for instance?"

"I don't know about the telephone; but they do say that in the interior the people believe the