. The old priest of Mount Omei. A RIVER JUNK, WEST CHINA. Chentu, March 13th, Friends,—I hardly know what to write about, forthere is a great deal of sameness and little of special interest in the first couple ofyears of a missionarys life outhere. The study of the language supplies the work, and it is generally sufficient to keep one out of mischief. Sometimes a week passes without my being out of our own compound. At a recent meeting of our Chentu Association, we listened to a very interesting paper by Mr. M. J. Vale on the superstitions prevalent in West China. It has occurred to
. The old priest of Mount Omei. A RIVER JUNK, WEST CHINA. Chentu, March 13th, Friends,—I hardly know what to write about, forthere is a great deal of sameness and little of special interest in the first couple ofyears of a missionarys life outhere. The study of the language supplies the work, and it is generally sufficient to keep one out of mischief. Sometimes a week passes without my being out of our own compound. At a recent meeting of our Chentu Association, we listened to a very interesting paper by Mr. M. J. Vale on the superstitions prevalent in West China. It has occurred to me that a few extracts from his paper would be of interest to you. As I say these are only a few, for the superstitions by which this people are bound are legion. The first I quote was intimately connected with theriots of 1895, m which our property was destroyed. A curious local superstition is connected with the throw-ing of plums on the east parade ground. Previous to the year. R. COX, 14 J^95 great crowds of men, women and children were inthe habit of congregating on the parade ground on the 5thof the 5th moon to witness the throwing of these of young men, more or less under the influence ofdrink, collected on the (U-tan-shan) U-tanS t*P\ e kiU> or tne city , at the northeast end ofthe parade; and threw unripe plums at thecrowds who assembled below. Any man securing a plumwas sure of prosperity in his family for the ensuing year;any woman, desirous of obtaining a son, eating one of thesespirit plums, would surely obtain her desire and givebirth to a son. This custom, the origin of which is wraptin mystery, was suddenly brought to an end by the pro-vincial officials after the riots of 1895, as tms superstitionwas largely the cause of those riots. A stone tablet erectedat the southwest corner of the parade, near the entrance tothe Si-shen-tsi street, the one on which our mission issituated, is a witness that the outward form of this
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