CHAPTER VI

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SUPERSTITIONS AS TO VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

The Hare and Its Attributes—Discovery of Drowned Bodies—Casting Salt into the Water—The last Piece left upon a Plate—Fêng-shui—Value of Human Blood and Flesh as Medicinal Aids—Chinese Cannibalism and its Reason—Blood Bread Sold at Peking after Executions—Blood of Unborn Infants—Restorative Properties of Human Flesh—Ancient Rain Stones—Gymnastics; Curious Belief as to Effects of Practising Them—Bridges and the Beliefs Concerning Them—Curing Swellings—How to Prevent Water from Boiling over and Eggs from Cracking—Cinnebar and Vermilion as Antidotes to Sickness—Superstitions as to the Female Principle and Silkworms—Signs by Corpses if Dissatisfied, pp. 64–71.

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