A CHINESE BABY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2519, 1 September 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A CHINESE BABY.

No sooner ie a Chinese boy born into the world than his father proceeds to write down eight characters or words, each set of two representing respectively the exact hour, day, month, and year of bis birth. These are handed by the father to a fortune-teller, whose business it is to draw up a certain book of fate, generally spoken of as the boy's pat-tsz, or '' eight characters." Herein the fortuneteller describes the good anil evil which the boy is likely to meet 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, we must glance at the Chinese method of reckoning time. There are only twelve Chinese hours to our twenty-four. Beginning at 11 p. m. to 1 a. m., which is their first hour, the names are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, and pig. As everybody is supposed to take more or less of the nature of the the animal at whose hour he is born, it appears obvious that e.g., it would never do to send a rabbit boy to the school of a tiger schoolmaster. Hence the importance of consulting the pat-tsz of both parties before entering upon any kind of agreement. It is a fact that is thus referred to on every import, ant occasion. The pat-tsz having received the first attention, the father prostrates himself before the ancestral tablets, and there offers up thanksgiving for the birth of his boy. In every house in China a room, or amongst the poor a •niche in the wall of their common room, is set apart for the worship of ancestors. The names of those of the fonr past generations are painted on wooden tablets, before which, night and morning, as well as on special occasions, joss-sticks are burned in honour of the departed. The father next visits the temple of the goddess called "mother." She is supposed to look after the welfare of all children until they arrive at the age of sixteen. Here incense and oblations of fruit, &c, are offered, and the goddess is requested to look with favour upon the precious boy.—From The Quiver for July. _________.