NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM I39 



INCANTATIONS AND CHARMS 



Incantations are widely used in West China, both by priests and 

 by laymen. Sometimes they are employed to wreak vengeance on an 

 enemy. I once saw an instance of this. Someone had stolen a chicken 

 from a Chinese farmer's wife, whose house was near the road. In 

 anger she went outside the house, looked up toward the sky, and 

 called upon the god of the sky to bring harm upon the thief. The 

 severity of her curse shocked the Chinese men who heard it. 



Among the Lolos an incantation is regarded as so powerful, espe- 

 cially when pronounced by a priest, that it often causes death unless 

 it is counteracted by another priest using another incantation. 



Many sacred books, which are ceremonially read or chanted by 

 Buddhist or Taoist priests, or by tuan knngs, begin with incantations. 

 These, among other purposes, are to purify the mouth, the body, and 

 the mind or heart of the priest, and to pacify the local deity who is 

 called the t'ti-ti, or earth god. 



Incantations are used in ceremonies of exorcism, of which the fol- 

 lowing is an example. It is a Chinese incantation obtained in the 

 Chinese language from a Ch'iang priest. 



The t'u-ti of the east, the t'u-ti of the south, the t'u-ti of the west, the t'u-ti of 

 the north, the t'u-ti of the bridge beams, the t'u-ti's at the gate of the temple, 

 the t'u-ti of the sky lamppost, the 24 t'u-ti's beside the roads, the demons of people 

 who have died at night, the demons of people who have died at daytime, the 

 demons of tree stumps, the demons of people who have committed suicide by 

 cutting their throats, the demons of people who have drowned in rivers, the 

 demons of those who have died violent deaths, or have bled to death, the demons 

 of exorcists whose souls are wandering, the demons of Taoists whose souls 

 are wandering, the wandering demons of carpenters, the wandering demons of 

 blacksmiths. Sir, I have bumped against the head of the horse that you are 

 riding, and against the tail of the horse that you are rrding (to prevent your 

 departure). I will give you money of gold, silver, and brass. I will present you 

 a tray of flowers. There is little water, but the money and the rice are plentiful. 

 Come from the east and return to the east, come from the south and return 

 to the south, come from the west and return to the west, come from the north 

 and return to the north, When you come, do not deceive me, this apprentice 

 magician, or the others who have come (to look on). I have received the 

 strict orders of the most high Lao Chiin, like a legal command. I, the appren- 

 tice magician, having in my mouth 36 teeth, carrying 28 swords in my hands, 

 can see 3,000 li distant and 800 li near. Master Nien Wang, and the Official 

 Recorder in Hell, the small demons in hell, j'ou can see that my eyes are large 

 and bright (with fierceness) ; I, the apprentice magician, holding in my hands 

 1,000 clubs as white as jade, first, I will not strike the sky, second, I will not 

 strike the earth, I will strike straight at you demoniacal spooks and demons. 

 Let the poisonous breath of the sky return to the sky, and the poisonous air 

 of the earth return to the earth, also the poisonous year air, the poisonous 



