► Chinese Lore for Chinese-Hawaiians - 12: Burning Ear

The Saturday Star Bulletin. Honolulu, T.H., February 16, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor

     A burning, hot ear is a certain prognostication of events to come, according to the Chinese Almanac.

     It doesn't matter which ear is burning, the omen is the same. The variations in the omen depend upon the hour of the day the burning occurs.

     The omens are as follows.

     First hour (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.) - Monks or priests are calling on business.

     Second hour (1 to 3 a.m.) - an auspicious or happy event is about to occur.

     Third hour (3 to 5 am.) - You will attend a big gathering, probably a dinner party.

     Forth hour (5  to 7 a.m.) - You will meet someone from a distance who will be bringing you good news.

     Fifth hour (7 to 9 am.) - A good omen - money is coming your way.

     Sixth hour (9 to 11 a.m.) - A bad omen - you will be losing money or something important.

     Seventh hour (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) - You will take part in a joyful event, probably a dinner party.

     Eighth hour (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.) - Guests are coming to ask a favor of you.

     Ninth hour (3 p.m. to 5 p.m.) - You will experience a joyful event, probably dinner with fine wine.

TENTH HOUR

     Tenth hour (5 to 7 p.m.) - Someone is coming to discuss a marriage proposal.

     Eleventh hour (7  to 9 p.m.) - You will take part in an argument and a lawsuit.

     Twelfth hour (9 to 11 p.m.) - You are committed to a lawsuit and a court trial.

NEXT: Red Face Portents

► Chinese Lore for Chinese-Hawaiians - 10: Chinese Grandpa Talk Like Oracle

Honolulu Star Bulletin. Thursday, February 14, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor 

     Did your Chinese Grandpa sometimes talk like an oracle and predict an event which unaccountably came true?

     If he did, Grandpa knew the omens for twitching of the eyelid, ringing of the ear, burning ear and for blushing which are contained in that wonderful book, The Chinese Almanac.

     The omens printed in the 1957 Almanac are the same as those in Grandpa's day.

     The important thing is to know the hour the twitching of the eyed or burning of the ear occurred.

     Perhaps you would like to test Grandpa's omens. If so, cut out the following.

     First hour (11 p.m. to 1 a.m.): Left eyelid - You have a benefactor. Right eyelid-You have an invitation coming.

     Second hour (1 to 3 a.m.): Left eyelid - Something is troubling your mind. Right eyelid - Someone is thinking of you.

      Third hour (3 to 5 a.m.): Left eyelid - A caller from afar is coming. Right eyelid - A joyful event is about to make place.

     Fourth hour (5 to 7 a.m.): Left eyelid - A distinguished guest is coming. Right eyelid - All is well.

     Fifth hour (7 to 9 a.m.): Left eyelid - A guest from afar is coming. Right eyelid - Some damage is about to occur.

     Sixth hour (9 to 11 a.m.): Left eyelid - You will receive an invitation to dinner. Right eyelid - Something bad is going to happen.

SEVENTH HOUR

     Seventh hour (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.): Left eyelid - You will attend a dinner party. Right eyelid - Something bad is coming your way.

     Eighth hour (1 to 3 p.m.): Left eyelid - Something auspicious is coming your way. Right eyelid - You will experience a small joy.

     Nineth hour (3 to 5 p.m.): Left eyelid - Guard against losing some money. Right eyelid - A woman is thinking about you.

     Tenth hour (5 to 7 p.m.): Left eyelid - Guest are arriving. Right eyelid - Guests from afar are arriving.

     Eleventh hour (7 to 9 p.m.): Left eyelid - Guests are arriving. Right eyelid - You will [will] attend a social gathering.

     Twelfth hour (9 to 11 p.m.): Left eyelid - Guests are arriving. Right eyelid - You will be involved in a court dispute.

Next: Ear Ringing

* [will] : duplicate original to this text

► Chinese Lore for Chinese-Hawaiians - 2: Chinese Almanac

Honolulu Star Bulletin. Tuesday, February 5, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor  

     The Almanac which Chinese grandpa used was published for the benefit of the common people, to keep the exact date of religious festivals.

     The first European Almanacs were published for the same purpose - to remind people of the saint's days and religious festivals.

     Chinese grandpa and his forebears needed a reminder because there were thousands of gods in the Chinese pantheon - each has its own memorial day to be worship[p]ed. 

     The old gods are commonly referred to as T'aoist gods and in addition there are the deities and saints brought into China by the Buddhists.

METHOD OF RECKONING

     The Chinese Almanac is a calendar which keeps a record of the days and months by the complicated ancient Chinese method of reckoning in two cycles, one by the moon month and one by a 60-year cycle of years.
     
     Each hour, day, month and year has certain omens - so the Almanac devotes pages to an account of the omens.

     The omens are ages old and are a result in learning about nature.

     Since family life is the center of Chinese thought and action, a great deal of the Almanac is devoted to family wisdom. Parents are advised how to raise their children with homely stories which illustrate right conduct.

FUNDAMENTALS

     Since the common Chinese is not expected to be an educated man and able to read Mandarin, an attempt to educate him in the fundamentals of Chinese literature is included in the Almanac.

     Short sketches of the lives of men of learning poets, philosophers and the great Emperors are given.

     Other sketches deal with legendary and deified persons.
    
     Lengthy details are not given. The sketches only identify the person. The scholar is presumed to know where and how to find the details of the person identified in Chinese literature.

NEXT: Religion

► Chinese Lore for Chinese Hawaiians - 1: Chinese Grandfather

Honolulu Star Bulletin. Monday, February 4, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor  

     "No, my Chinese grandfather never became a Christian. He stayed by his Chinese gods to the end and was buried with Chinese ceremony."

     That is the answer you will receive from the majority of Chinese-Hawaiians today is you ask about their Chinese ancestor.

     "Nothing" is the answer to the question, " What do you know about your Chinese grandfather's religion?"

     Chinese culture is lost to the average Chinese-Hawaiian because the children learned from their Hawaiian mother.

     She took them to church and they became Christians. At home she taught them Hawaiian culture.

     Chinese grandpa was invariably a tolerant man. He stuck to his own beliefs and did not make the children follow his example.

     Today Chinese-Hawaiians realize that they are ignorant of a rich culture which normally should have been a part of their inheritance.

     The majority casually learn of Chinese culture through reading English translations of Chinese literature.

     How did Chinese grandpa know when to worship his gods and when to celebrate Chinese festivals?

CHINESE ALMANAC

     He knew because scholars in his community subscribed to a book in China in Mandarin called the Chinese Almanac.

     It is one of the oldest Chinese publications in the world in use today. Some say it is about three thousand years old because the Chinese have been writing for that length of time.

     Others say it began about 900 A.D. at the time printing flourished in China. (The Chinese where the world's first people to use printing.)

     When you consider the first European Almanac was published in Vienna in 1457, you appreciate the age of it.

     The Chinese Almanac is available today at almost any Chinese store in Honolulu. It is written in China by a recognized group of scholars without governmental interference. 

     The Almanac used today and in Grandpa's day is the one put out for the average person and the farmer. There are two other Almanacs. One is for the use of scholars and the other for government officials.

NEXT: The Almanac