each end being put about the wrists, leaving about one foot of loose string between them. These things are worn till the child is fourteen days old, when some families remove them. Sometimes, however, a ring of red cord or of red tape, with or without some cash or toy, is worn for several months, or even for a year. When soiled, the tape or cord is exchanged for another clean one.

The ancient cash is used as a charm, in order to keep away evil spirits or influences. The silver toys are designed as omens of good relating to the future life of the child, as it were expressing the desire that it may become wealthy and honored. The wrists are thus tied together in order to prevent the child becoming naughty and disobedient. It is thought that such a tying of the wrists will tend to keep the child from being troublesome in after-life, and from meddling with what does not belong to it, just as though he or she was bound. When boys and girls are naughty and troublesome, they are often asked if their mammas did not bind their wrists? implying that if their wrists had been properly bound when an infant, they would have been restrained from misconduct in subsequent life.

On the third day after the birth of the babe two Chinese characters are written on a piece of red paper, which, having been carefully folded around a parcel inclosing certain articles, is hung up on a nail or peg on the outside of the door of its mother's room by means of a red string tied around it. The design of this paper and contents is to ward off unfavorable influences from the child; and persons who are not very intimate with the family, on seeing it, understand it to constitute a request that they should not enter the room. Some say that only those persons who were present at the washing of the babe are allowed to enter the bedroom as long as the red paper is attached to the door, which is for eleven days.

This parcel contains two of a certain fruit full of seed used in the manufacture of a material employed somewhat like soap in washing, some pith of a rush used for wicking, two chopsticks, one or two onions, two pieces of charcoal, some cat's hair, and some dog's hair. A pair of the trowsers of the child's father are put upon the frame of the bedstead, in such a way that the waist shall hang downward, or be lower than the legs. On the trowsers is stuck a piece of red paper, having four words written upon it, intimating that all unfavorable influences are to go into the trowsers instead of afflicting the babe. The hair in the package on the outside of the bedroom door is to keep the noises which may be made for eleven days by the dogs and cats in the vicinity from frightening the babe. The coal is to aid in making it hardy and vigorous. The onions are to cause it to be quick-witted and intelligent. The pith is explained as contributing to make it fortunate or successful in life. The two fruits are to aid it in being cleanly and neat. It is believed that if persons come

When it is one month old, mother and child, according to theory, leave the bedroom for the first time after her confinement. On this day occurs another important ceremony, that of shaving the child's head for the first time, either by a barber or by one of the family. Some are careful to have it done before an image of "Mother" if it is a girl, and before the ancestral family tablets if it is a boy, incense and candles being lighted in front of the image and the tablets. A thank-offering is also presented to the goddess on this occasion. Relations and intimate friends are invited to a feast. often come to witness the shaving of the child's head. Those who come must bring with them presents of money or silver rings, vermicelli, or fowls, etc. In case of its being the first-born, Tauist priests are often invited to perform the ceremony called "passing through the door," for the benefit of the babe. The maternal grandmother of the child is always expected to bring or send presents of clothing or food on this day.

They

When the child is four months old "Mother" is again thanked; relatives and friends are again invited to a feast, who bring or send presents of money or food. As at the end of a month, so now the maternal grandmother or her present, if she does not come in person, occupies a prominent position. If the circumstances of her family allow her to do so, she makes expensive presents of food and clothing, and a chair, sometimes painted red, together with a quantity of molasses candy. The various articles of food are presented as an oblation before "Mother." The happy father, or the paternal grandfather or grandmother, bows down before the goddess, and begs that the child may be good-natured and easy to take care of, that it may grow fast, that it may sleep well at night, that it may be wide awake in the daytime, that it may not be given to crying, and that it may be kept in good health. The edibles are subsequently feasted on by the family and invited guests, having

are already burning. On this are laid a set of money-scales, a pair of shears, a foot-measure, a brass mirror, pencil, ink, paper, and ink-slab, one or two books, the abacus, a silver or a gold ornament or implement, and fruits, etc. The child, dressed in the new garments just presented, is placed upon the sieve in the midst of the articles upon it. The object now is to see what it will first take hold of and play with. The moment is one of great interest to the parents and assembled friends. It is said that the article or articles the child first takes up indicate its future employment, character, or condition in the world. If the child be a boy, and he takes a book or an implement connected with literature, as pen or ink, it is surmised that he

CHILD SITTING ON A CHAIR WHEN FOUR MONTHS OLD.

It is not usual to allow a child to sit in a chair until the day it is four months old. At a suitable time during this day the soft molasses candy provided by its maternal grandmother is taken, and put in the seat of the chair on rollers. The child is then put in the chair so as to sit down on this candy, which sticks it to the chair for the time being. This is done in order that it may learn to sit in the chair, and not require to be carried very much in the arms of the nurse or mother.

On the anniversary of the child's birthday another thank-offering is presented to "Mother,' and other presents of food and of clothing are received from the maternal grandmother. If it be a boy, among other articles of clothing are a pair of boy's shoes and a cap; if a girl, besides clothing are wristlets and head ornaments. The provisions for the thank-offering are in theory provided by the maternal grandmother of the child.

Before the feast on this occasion, a large bamboo sieve, such as farmers use in winnowing

GRASPING PLAYTHINGS WHEN ONE YEAR OLD.

will become a distinguished scholar; if he seizes the money-scales, or the silver or gold instrument or ornament, that he will become famous for his wealth and for his talents in making money.

haps twelve or fifteen cents. The furniture in the room is so arranged that the priests and the party which passes through this door can go around without doubling on their track. Sometimes a table is placed near the centre of the room, and an open space is left on all sides of it. One of the priests-who wears a fancycolored skirt, and has on his head a curiouslyshaped head-dress-takes in one hand a small bell, or a sword having small bells fastened to the handle, and in the other a horn, and commences reciting formulas or incantations in front of this door, which is often at this time standing near the centre of the room. The priest, thus dressed, personates "Mother" in the act of performing magic spells for the purpose of saving children from evil spirits and unhealthy and malignant influences. The paterfamilias, or, if absent or deceased, some one in his stead, calls the children of the family together. He takes the one which can not walk or which is sick in his arms, and the other children, if any, each take a single stick of lighted incense in their hands. The priest after a while blows his horn, and advances slowly through the door. He is followed by the paterfamilias or his representative, and all the children of the family, who thus pass through the door. All the other priests are at this time doing something to aid, as beating the drum and clapping their cymbals. The head priest brandishes the sword in the air, or in its place he sometimes flourishes a whip made in the shape of a snake, as though he was striking an invisible object.

The door is then taken and placed at one of the four corners of the room, and the priest, father, and children again pass through it in a similar manner. It is then successively placed at each of the other corners, and again in the centre, where it is respectively passed through by the priest and his followers. Soon after this the door is hacked in pieces, and its parts set on fire and burned in the open court of the house, or in the street in front of the house where the ceremony is performed.

While performing this ceremony a small wooden image, a foot high, more or less, is invariably used to represent the child for whose special benefit it is celebrated. When first performed for any child, a new one is obtained to represent it; and when not used, it is carefully preserved. Oftentimes it is placed by the side of "Mother's" image in the bedroom. The name of the child is usually written on the back of the image. In case the child dies before sixteen years of age, this image is placed in the coffin with its corpse, and buried with it. After the ceremony of "going out of childhood" has been performed, it is often used as a plaything by the children of the family. In case the child is exceedingly sick, and may not be carried in person through the door, this image, with or without some of the clothing of the child placed on a platter, is taken and carried through the door, instead of the child, which amounts to the same thing as though the child itself was carried VOL. XXXI.-No. 184.-GG

through. As above intimated, all the children of the family improve the opportunity to pass through the door, as well as the particular one for whose special benefit the ceremony is observed. Sometimes nephews and nieces, and several of the children of the near relatives of the family who happen to be present, also join the procession and pass through the door. The design of all this is to benefit the children, causing them to recover if sick or feeble, continuing them in health if well, and enabling them to arrive at a good old age.

Many parents, after the first shaving of the head of a child, when one month old, allow the hair to grow on a part of the top of the head, if a boy, in the shape and of the size of a small peach, until eight or ten years old, or even until sixteen years old; if a girl, a patch of hair is often allowed to grow on one or both sides of the head. Many Chinese seem to be at a loss why the tuft is left. Some explain that which is left on the pate of a boy to be for a defense of the soft part of the skull. They all seem to regard it as an omen of good, or a kind of charm, and conducive to the health or welfare of the child.

Sometimes neither the "peach" nor the queue is allowed to grow until the lad is some six or eight years old, the whole head being regularly shaven. The cause of this delay is sometimes said to be the death of his father or mother when it was decided to let one or both of these grow. Sometimes, in the case of him who is the only son of his parents, and born long after their marriage, they vow to give him up to be the child of some idol or to be a Buddhist priest. They will not then let his hair grow on his pate until six or eight years old. Their object in making this vow, and in treating their dearlybeloved son in this way, is to procure good health and longevity to the lad. They apply various sorts of derogatory names or epithets to him, as "Buddhist priest," "beggar," "refuse," "dirt," imagining that he will thus be allowed to live, and that no evil spirit or influence will injure his health. By-and-by, when he seems to be established in health, they allow his hair to grow like other boys. All their apparent neglect and abuse are but an index of their real affection for him, and are intended to lead the evil spirits and malicious influences, which might otherwise be expected to molest or harm him, to pass him by as worthless and good for nothing.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN.

The ceremony called "going out of childhood" is performed by many families when each of their children is sixteen years old or thereabouts. It is very nearly like the ceremony called "passing through the door," which has been described, except that it is generally much more imposing and showy than that ceremony, as it is usually performed. The theory entertained is, that at sixteen years of age the boy emerges from boyhood into manhood, and the girl from girlhood into womanhood. From the