NO. 4 RELIGION JN SZECHUAN PROVINCE GRAHAM 49 



and vice versa. Lucky and unlucky days are clearly indicated in the 

 Chinese almanac, which is sometimes used as a charm, and which is 

 possessed by nearly every family. 



3. OATHS 



Oaths are generally made to and in the names of deities, and there 

 are few of the unsophisticated who will break such an oath. The 

 following is an example. The writer was crossing a jmss west of 

 Yachow. He had stopped to rest in an inn, for the day was hot and 

 the road was steep. The carriers had drunk some tea and eaten some 

 food purchased in the inn. When they were settling their accounts, 

 the wife of the innkeeper, who had been waiting on them, asserted 

 that one of the coolies had paid for less than he had eaten. The coolie 

 declared that this was untrue. A lively dispute ensued. The head 

 coolie finally took up the matter. To the wife of the innkeeper he said, 

 "Are you telling the truth ? " She declared that she was. " Then," he 

 asked, " Will you swear by a certain god. and agree that if it is not 

 true the god may burn down this house? " " No," she said, " I will 

 not swear that oath." The coolie did not pay the extra money de- 

 manded, and all were convinced that the woman had been telling a lie. 



4. vows 



V'ows are almost inseparable from prayers, expressed or implied, 

 so they will be briefly treated under the discussion of prayer. 



5. PRAYERS 



The simplest kind of i^rayer possible is illustrated by that of the 

 magistrate of Chengtu in the ceremony to cause the coming of spring, 

 which has been given on another page. A simple wish is expressed, 

 and no deity is addressed or mentioned. The prayers of many wor- 

 shippers go just a step beyond this. They burn incense, respectfully 

 bow or kowtow, name or call upon the deity, and express the wish. 



The writer was in a rowboat, being ferried across the Min River. 

 A woman was holding a little girl in her lap. As they were passing 

 a Goddess of Mercy who was in a shrine on a clifif overhanging the 

 river, the woman looked up reverently and said, " Kuanyin P'usah, 

 bao fu tva xva," or " Goddess of IMercy, protect this child." 



Most vows are practically bargains with the deities. They are 

 promises to do certain things // the god will grant the worshipper's 

 desires, expressed or implied. A sick person may beseech a god 

 to heal him, and promise if healed to make a pilgrimage" to a certain 



