MONGOLIAN OATHS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 572, 26 August 1880, Page 3

MONGOLIAN OATHS.

The minds of the Attorney-G-eneral and the members of the bar have recently been severely exercised regarding the proper and most effective method of swearing Celestials. In the Flowery Land, oaths as understood by Englishmen, are unknown in the courts of justice. In the Chinese court, the mandarin sits at the head of a small table, surrounded by soldiers. A double file of soldiers extends a long distance round the hall, and the witness is not allowed to come within _3oft of the magistrate. The witness is introduced under an armed guard, and immediately upon entering the temple of justice, is compelled to fall prostrate. With head touching the matting, he is compelled to crawl upon his hands and knees to the appointed plice. No oath is administered, but the witness

gives his evidence without raising his head from the ground or daring to look at the mandarin or anv one else ia the court. Tii" s<il-jmnity of the proceedings, and the display of pow r to punish if nerjtiry is pernetrated, is considered by mandarins sufficient to ensure truthful testimony, la Australia severe 1 methods of administering oaths have been used. Some time ago "a paragraph appeared in our columns, showing that the present method of blowing out a match was introduced (rom motives of economy. For general information, we publish the words used in the three oaths which it has been customary to administer to Celestials. It may be mentioned that the only oath that the Buddhist Chinaman considers binding is CUTTING OFF A COCK'S HEAD. This 13 only resorted to in cases of emergency. When a crime has been committed, the perpetrator of which the police are unable to discover, any one who may be suspected is brought up before the mandarin of the district. If the accused man persists in his innocence, he is taken to the front of a joss house, and seated ia public. Two large tapers are lighted, and. three sacred sticks are placed between them crosswise. The suspended individual then kneels down reverently UNCOILS HIS PIGTA.It, and after muttering a prayer takes a cock in his left hand and a sharp knife in the other, and repeats the following, of which we give an English translalion:— " May it please heaven and earth, and the gods and evil spirits, I • , this day swear by my own mouth to tell the truth If I do not speak truly may the gods and evil spirits punish me, as this fowl dies under the sword, and the body will be divided or drowned in the high seas, and my' soul will be cast down into hell, and likewise the souls of my children will be consigned to eternal perdition." Chinese criminals have been known to confess to committing murder rather than take this oath, which is the most terrible and binding known in the countries where the j Buddist religion prevails. BREAKING A PLATE is an oath peculiar to the Amoy province of China. It is only used in war time, and is practically a sworn declaration of fealty. When soldiers are enlisted they are drawn up on parade, and each man swears as follows, smashing a plate as he utters the last word : —" In the face of the enemies of my country I swear to obey all orders, to be faithful to my cause, and never to betray my leaders. If I break my word, I hope to be killed by the first bullet fired by the enemy, or to drop down dead before a shot is fired." BLOWING OUT A MATCH is unknown in Chinese courts of justice. It is used among the Celestials in ordinary life much as a bullock-driver blasphemously ornaments and emphasises an assertion. As au oath, blowing out a match is practically meaningless among Chinamen. The formula runs as follows : —The witness takes a match in his right hand, and says, " I swear to tell the truth. If Ido not tell the truth may my life terminate as soon as this match is blown out." —' Town and Country.'