44 COGGIN DROWN : MINER &. MINERAL RESOURCES OF YUNNAN. 



It is believed that failure to perform these duties would be to 

 risk the spirits' displeasure and would result in the disappearance of 

 the ore body or in accidents to the miners. 



I was not permitted underground at the orpiment mines until 

 a fowl had been ceremoniously sacrificed and I have heard from 

 the Chinese themselves that valuable ore deposits cannot be worked 

 in some cases because they happen to occur within the sphere of 

 action of some particular spirit, whom it would be a short-sighted 

 policy to disturb. 



Other beliefs are given in the " Tien Nan Kouang Techang," 

 where we are told that the colours of mountains indicate the mine- 

 rals to be found in them. £ When the mountains are clothed with 

 a bluish colour, one may expect to find silver in them. If they 

 contain lodestone their lower beds certainly enclose copper. In fact 

 whatever metallic elements may ordinarily be buried deeply in the 

 ground, a particular sign is always manifested at the surface. This 

 is called " miao " or " guiding sign." The authors further state 

 that it is only by knowledge and long experience that the varioua 

 forms of the guiding signs can be distinguished. (G., p. 176.) 



The Chinese believe in the transmutation of substances. " It 

 would be a great advantage' wrote the authors of the work already 

 quoted, " if some one succeeded in finding the rain which converts 

 itself into gold." It is reported that silver found in mines has va- 

 nished sometimes and that it has changed into other substances, 

 and many other similar occurrences are recorded. (G., p. 192.) 



It is a mistake to imagine that these and similar theories are 

 entirely puerile, as there is often a stratum of sound common sense 

 underlying the apparent absurdities of the East. 



The Chinese in his own country is permitted to explore and 



prospect as much as he pleases. There are no 



Chinese mining ad- n* i . 



ministration. regulations controlling such operations in 



Yunnan. The Government used to take no 

 interest In such matters until they got beyond the experimental 

 stage, or, in other words, until they showed any signs of becoming 

 profitable. 



The Government has a special interest in copper mines, auri- 

 ferous deposits, brine wells and salt mines and occasionally in lead, 

 silver, zinc and tin mines and sulphur deposits. From these metals 

 and minerals special revenues are raised, or tribute taken in kind, 

 to supply metals for official purposes like coinage. Other minerals 



