WHEN AH SING IS BORN.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 423, 27 November 1889, Page 6

WHEN AH SING IS BORN.

No sooner is a Chinese boy born into the world than the father proceeds to write down eighfc characters or words, each set of two representing lespectively the exact hour, day, month, and year s of his birth. These are handed by the father to a fortuneteller, whose business it is to draw up from them a certain book of fate, generally spoken, of as the boy's pat-tsz, or ' eight characters.' 1 Herein the fortune-teller describes the goodl and evil which the boy is likely to meefe with in after life, and the means to be adopted in order to secure the one and avert the other. In order to understand something of the value of this document*, w© must glance at the Chinese way of reckoning time. There are only twelve Chinese hours to our twenty-four." Beginning with eleven at night to one in the morning, which is our first hour, the names are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, and pig., As everybody is supposed to partake more or less of thenature of the animal at whose hour he is. born, it appears obvious that, c. g., it would never do to send a rabbit boy to a tiger schoolmaster. Hence the necessity of consulting the pat - tsz, of both parties.' before entering on any kind of agreement.. It is a fact, that, it is thus referred to on everyimportant occasion. ' '