ABSTRACT

Married life in China, unless attended with male children, is seldom happy. The child is taught from its earliest infancy to worship idols and the tablets of its ancestors. Spirits in the lower regions are believed to have important influence for good or for evil in the affairs of this world, and many parents are quite solicitous to secure their friendship and kind offices in behalf of their children. The pictures on the duck eggs are representations of children, flowers, and animals, in bright gaudy colours. 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. The ceremony called “going out of childhood” is performed by many families when each of their children is sixteen years old or thereabouts. After the ceremony of “going out of childhood” has been performed, it is often used as a plaything by the children of the family.