There is a cruel custom which prevails in some districts in
South China in time of drought. A large collection of brass
locks is made, and each is marked with a Chinese character.
One iron lock is added to the pile, and duplicate slips are
distributed among all the male population of the villages. The
unfortunate man whose slip holds the same writing on it as the
iron lock must have a slit made in the front of his throat and
through this, the bar of the iron lock passed. He is considered
to be in some way the cause of the drought and must wear this
lock until rain comes. Blood-poisoning often carries the victim
off before the drought is broken.
As fast as Christian mission work prevails in China, these cruelties
disappear.
(640)
=Cruelty from the Past=--See MUTUAL SUFFERING.