248 SHOOTING IN CHINA 



and unlucky day has been, as near as pos- 

 sible, reduced to a science. The main object 

 of a Chinese almanac is to give information 

 on what is lucky and what is unlucky for 

 every day of the year, so that when the 

 almanac is obeyed there results a feeling of 

 assurance that bad luck has been avoided 

 on one hand and on the other good luck 

 has been secured. And not only are the 

 most important affairs of life governed by 

 this principle, but all the little details are 

 rigidly brought under its control the domi- 

 nation of the almanac. 



Lucky days are selected, not only for 

 marriage and funerals but for the small 

 incidents of daily life, such as shaving the 

 head, buying a new suit of clothes, taking 

 a bath, starting on a journey, breaking 

 ground for the foundation of a new house, 

 and starting a child to school. Days are 

 selected for these affairs of life and even 

 the hour of the day must also be chosen 

 with care. 



Good or bad luck follows the student 

 when he goes to the classic examination 

 halls to apply for a degree. If he succeeds 

 he will leave convinced that good luck was 

 the potent factor in his success, but if he 



