Social life of the Chinese : with some account of their religious, governmental, educational and business customs and opinions, with special but not exclusive reference to Fuhchau . ine knockings. On the morning of the third day of the third month it is theuniversal practice for householders at this place to nail up oneach door-post of their family residences, about six or sevenfeet above the ground, on the side facing outside, a small bunchof a common weed much resembling chickweed. These bunch-es can, of course, be readily seen by a passer-by. Many Avin-dows and doors of shops and hongs have
Social life of the Chinese : with some account of their religious, governmental, educational and business customs and opinions, with special but not exclusive reference to Fuhchau . ine knockings. On the morning of the third day of the third month it is theuniversal practice for householders at this place to nail up oneach door-post of their family residences, about six or sevenfeet above the ground, on the side facing outside, a small bunchof a common weed much resembling chickweed. These bunch-es can, of course, be readily seen by a passer-by. Many Avin-dows and doors of shops and hongs have also bunches of thisweed nailed upon them, one on each side, corresponding toeach other in height and general appearance. The common people, while they invariably follow the cus-tom, are not able to explain its origin or its significance. Theonly reason or explanation that they can give is that their an-cestors did thus, and they follow their example. On the eighth day of the fourth month occurs the festivalcalled Buddha washing vegetables. Few of the commonpeople observe this festival. Those who do observe it pursuethe following course: they prepare congee or porridge made. GOD Of TiJE FIVE GKAINS. 54 ESTABLISHED ANNUAL CUSTOMS AND FESTIVALS. out of glutinous rice in which several kinds of dried fruit andthe kernels of several kinds of nuts have been boiled together,much after the manner of preparing the porridge of filialpiety. This porridge is salted, that was sweetened. Severalbowls of it are then offered before the ancestral tablets andthe household gods, according to the established manner. On the same day, in the principal Buddhist monasteries,there is placed before the images of the Three Precious Onesa brass wash-bowl, and in it is put a small brass image ofBuddha in a sitting posture. A small quantity of water ispoured into the vessel. Worshipers of Buddha who come tothe monasteries are expected to take each a handful of cashand put them on the head of the image, let
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, bookidsociallifeof, bookyear1865
