CHILDBIRTH

CASE 5:  Popular Belief in Ancient China

SHT 827b–825b [SHT: Slip number follows those given in Yunmeng Shuihudi Qinmu (Peking: Wenwu Chubanshe, 1981)].

The first four characters of each entry, which are invariably in the form of “if a child [son] is born on such and such day,” are not translated here.

Day 1 (jiazi, 甲子): He will be an orphan when young and wear dirty clothes.

Day 2 (yichou, 乙丑): He will be warlike and skillful in battle.

Day 3 (bingyin, 丙寅): He will be warlike and become venerable

Day 4 (dingmao, 丁卯): He will not be straight, and will have a mole on his forehead.

Day 5 (wuchen, 戊辰): He will be adored.

Day 6 (jisi, 已巳): He will be ghostlike and will surely become the servant of other people.

Day 7 (gengwu, 庚午): He will be poor and powerful, but will die first.

Day 8 (xinwei, 辛未): He will eat meat [that is, he will become an official].

Day 9 (renshen, 壬申): He will be famous.

Day 10 (guiyou, 癸酉): He will be …

Day 11 (jiaxu, 甲戌): He will be a person who eats and drinks in a hurry.

Day 12 (yihai, 乙亥): He will be happy and rich.

Day 13 (bingzi, 丙子): Inauspicious.

Day 14 (dingchou, 丁丑): He will be fond of speech, and … grow on his eye.

Day 15 (wuyin, 戊寅): He will leave his parents and go south.

Day 16 (jimao, 已卯): He will leave his country.

Day 17 (gengchen, 庚辰): He will be a womanizer.

Day 18 (xinsi, 辛巳): Auspicious; he will be rich.

Day 19 (renwu, 壬午): He will be happy and warlike.

Day 20 (guiwei, 癸未): He will be tall and capable of making gains.

Day 21 (jiashen, 甲申): He will be skillful and will have a career.

Day 22 (yiyou, 乙酉): He will be happy and will love to play.

Day 23 (bingxu, 丙戌): He will have a career.

Day 24 (dinghai, 丁亥): He will be skillful in battle and be filial.

Day 25 (wuzi, 戊子): He will leave his country and head north.

Day 26 (jichou, 已丑): He will be poor and sick.

Day 27 (gengyin, 庚寅): If it is a girl, she will become a merchant; if it is a boy, he will love dresses and decorations and will become a man of status.

Day 28 (xinmao, 辛卯): Auspicious; he will be happy.

Day 29 (renchen, 壬辰): He will be warlike and fond of clothes and the sword.

Day 30 (guisi, 癸巳): He will be happy.

Day 31(jiawu, 甲午): He will be warlike and strong, but will be orphaned when young.

Day 32 (yiwei, 乙未): He will be sick and become an orphan when young; then he will be rich.

Day 33 (bingshen, 丙申): He will love family.

Day 34 (dingyou, 丁酉): He will be an alcoholic.

Day 35 (wuxu, 戊戌): He will love the fields and houses.

Day 36 (jihai, 已亥): He will be happy.

Day 37 (gengzi, 庚子): He will become an orphan when young and will be filthy.

Day 38 (xinchou, 辛丑): He will have a heart and …

Day 39 (renyin, 壬寅): Inauspicious; a girl will become a medicine woman.

Day 40 (guimao, 癸卯): Inauspicious.

Day 41 (jiachen, 甲辰): He will be happy and warlike and will benefit his younger brother.

Day 42 (yisi, 乙巳): Auspicious.

Day 43 (bingwu, 丙午): He will be fond of wine, be sick, and then be rich.

Day 44 (dingwei, 丁未): Inauspicious; he will have no mother and will be imprisoned.

Day 45 (wushen, 戊申): He will be adored and serve the lord.

Day 46 (jiyou, 已酉): He will be happy and have a business.

Day 47 (gengxu, 庚戌): He will be warlike and poor.

Day 48 (xinhai, 辛亥): Inauspicious.

Day 49 (renzi, 壬子): He will be brave.

Day 50 (guichou, 癸丑): He will love water, be sick when young, and will be a clerk.

Day 51 (jiayin, 甲寅): He will be a clerk [li 吏].

Day 52 (yimao, 乙卯): He will have a mole on his body and …

Day 53 (bingchen, 丙辰): He will be happy and beautiful and …

Day 54 (dingsi, 丁巳): He will be fond of wine and hunting.

Day 55 (wuwu, 戊午): Auspicious.

Day 56 (jiwei, 已未): He will be good.

Day 57 (gengshen, 庚申): Inauspicious.

Day 58 (xinyou, 辛酉): He will be fond of family.

Day 59 (renxu, 壬戌): He will have no …