A PEOPLE OF CURVES AND ZIGZAGS.

Otago Witness, 14 December 1893, Page 41

A PEOPLE OF CURVES AND ZIGZAGS.

A Chinese Supebstition.

The Egyptians, and after them the Greeks, idealised the straight liEe. The Chinese have idealised the curve and zigzag, notably in their national emblem, the dragon. Every straight.passsge in the cities and towns of China has a board at the mouth, on which is painted a powerful charm consisting of eight diagrams surrounding the circle, intersected with curved lines, which stands for the primordial egg of the universe. Under this is written the words, " Darest thou withstand the stone from the Tai Mountain 1 " Their field paths, as the benighted foreigner knows, are formed of curves as intricate as those of the old fretwork puzzles. Every continuous straight line is a sore of lower world lightning-conductor, inviting in no innocuous manner the dreaded influences of the " hell under the earth." Demons move in straight lines. And so, according to the accepted notions, do corpses that have been resuscitated by the breath of some domestic animal. Theee, actuated by the lower soul, the pelt (the spirit of the beast, Eocles. iii, 21)— the higher (Juvuri) being dissipated — are apt to rise and give chase to their former friends. Such an unpleasant occurrence may be prevented by keeping the chickens, cats, dogs, and pigs away from where the newly deceased man lies — a precaution observed ia most Chinese homes, or, should it happen, the pursuer has to be dodged. In the late summer festival too, when the gates of Hades are open, baunticg ghosts are disposed of by being led along mazes of streets, preferably in the small hours, guided by the sounds of gongs and cymbals, and the light of burning cash paper or of lotus-like lamps. Or they ara sent away by water, guided by ths same lamps floated ou the surface of the river, preferably at places where its curves bewilder them. — Contemporary.