Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/232

224 resembling that borrowed, must be returned to the temple. A flower from one of the temple vases may be substituted for the shoe, but it receives no homage, and is not returned. The parental king of the garden alluded to is to the Chinese a more mythical being than the Goddess Kun Yam. He is supposed [sic]be the guardian of the trees and flowers in the spirit-world, and is on that account worshipped by married women on the 20th day of the second moon.

The proper tree or idol having been ascertained, the child is placed under its care and protection, and the priest then proceeds to inquire of it by what name the child shall be called. Selecting a name he throws up the divining "cups"—two wooden blocks having one side concave the other convex. Should one fall with the convex side upward while the other is concave it is considered that the name is disapproved of. Another name is therefore selected, and the operation is continued until both fall with the same side upward, when the name last chosen is considered to be the proper one, and is therefore bestowed upon the child.

The belief in a close connection between a child and its patron idol is sometimes so strong that the boy will call its father uncle or elder brother, reserving the term father for the idol, from fear that were this not done the idol might in its jealousy kill the child.

It is held that an infant brings with him into the world a bow and arrow with which he may shoot his relatives, and, to obviate this, the fortune-teller has to make bows and arrows of paper and burn them thus returning to the spirit-world those originally brought from it.

To prevent the child from being borne off by demons, a fisherman's net is sometimes spread over the opening in the mosquito-curtains. Should the horoscope prove an unlucky one, the evil fortune presaged is averted by hanging from the left ear of the boy or the right of the girl a small silver medal, having on one side the words "long life," and on the other "riches and honour." This is worn for long, sometimes till marriage, the ceremony being known as "suspending the ear tablet." In early life a cash is frequently suspended from the wrist to ensure long life, whence the name "longevity cash."

At the end of the first month of the babe's life a feast is held, which is attended by the friends and relatives, who then bring with them the