ABSTRACT
The blind fortune-tellers are usually led about the streets by a lad. Some of them have a kind of harp, which they play occasionally as they slowly walk along the street. The fortune-tellers whose eyesight is good, are said to “see the fortunes” of their patrons. They seldom or never go about the streets seeking patronage, but generally open a shop in some frequented street, where they await those who wish to consult them. By using the eight horary characters which denote the year, month, day, and hour of one’s birth.—This is perhaps the most common and the most popular kind of fortune-telling in this part of the empire. The blind fortune-teller labours under the great disadvantage of having to calculate the fortunes of his patrons without making constant reference to books. In regard to marriages, whether certain parties may or may not be engaged in marriage is always submitted to some fortune-teller.
