Occult Science in the Chinese Quarter [pp. 160-169]

CHINESE OCCULT SCIENCE.
EXORCISM.
From the foregoing, it is evident that
the Chinese consider it fortunate that
the ghosts can be summoned from the
spirit world when their services are
needed; but they seem, also, to think
that there may be too much even of this
good thing; for they often fancy that
they are visited by ghosts who come unbidden and stay too long, and who cause
much annoyance while they stay; therefore, while they think it convenient to
have at hand those who can raise the
devil, they are, also, glad to know where
to find those who understand how to lay
him again if he is troublesome.
The Chinese live in constant dread of
evil spirits: therefore, the exorcists, of
whom there is no lack, find abundant
employment.
There are various expedients for casting out devils, for expelling evil influences, and for guarding the door so that
evil spirits may not enter; and there are
charms designed to be hung up in the
house, or worn about the person, which
may prevent the approach of these spiritual adversaries, or render invulnerable
from their attacks. WVe shall not undertake a full description of these till our
readers and we have much more time to
spare than at present; and on this occasion, one brief account must suffice.
The Chinese have no regular priests
in this country; but there is a set of men
who get their living by performing the
offices of the priest, and sometimes by
adding to those offices the functions of
the conjurer. These people, whether
they be men or women, are commonly
termed NVam Mo-which means witch,
wizard, sorcerer.
When a NVain. Mo is summoned to
expel a troublesome spirit from the
premises, or to turn the devil out of a
person, he generally proceeds in the following manner:
With his hand he seizes a pen and
dips it in a vermilion dye; with his mouth
he repeats the form of a curse, then writes
that curse upon a sheet of yellow paper;
next, this charm, or curse, is burned, and
the ashes mingled in a cup of water.
Now he fills his mouth with this bewitched water; with one hand he seizes
a piece of wood on which are engraved
three stars and the words Lui Ling, the
mandate of the Thunder god (Jupiter
Tonans); with the other hand he grasps
a sword, and assuming ferocious looks
and attitude, he spurts the water from
his mouth in all directions, smites upon
the table with a crashing noise the mandates (or the bolts) of Jove, brandishes
high in air his sword, striking and thrusting right and left, while rushing hither
and thither, and stamping with his feet;
and all the time cursing the devil, calling
him by his name, in case he knows it,
and saying: "I adjure you [such or such
a devil] to come out of this person, or to
leave this house and these premises, and
betake yourself again to your own infernal regions."
By this time the devil is expelled; or,
at least, he ought to be.
CHARMS, ETC.
We have spoken of charms as a means
of protection from evil spirits, and preservation from evil influences.
Some people of other nations nail a
horse-shoe over the door to keep out invisible enemies: the Chinese paste over
the door, or in other parts of the house,
a strip of paper with something written
on it as a charm. The pictures or images of tigers or lions which may be seen
in Chinese houses are for the same purpose, viz.: to guard the place from evil
demons. Such charms are also worn
upon the person, inclosed in a little bag,
suspended from the neck or from a button-hole. An ear-ring with mystic character inscribed upon it is a charm; also,
the image sometimes seen upon the children's caps. To lock up the life, or to
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[AUGUST,