Preface Index Book I: Domestic Chapter I: Births. Chapter II: Passing Through Crises. Chapter III: Marriages. Chapter IV: Deaths. Chapter V: The Domestic Altar. Book II: Social Chapter I: Theatricals. Chapter II: Pastimes, Riddles, etc. Riddles and Ditties Cries Chapter III: Footbinding. The Queue. Chapter IV: Preparations for the Future Life. Exhortation Purchase of Property Mortgages Beggars Robbers Book III: Political Chapter I: Secret Societies The Confucian Society The Mystical or Hypnotic Sect The Reactionary School, or Han Liu The Ssŭch‘uan Ku-lu-tzŭ The Ko-lao-hui and the Han Liu The Railway League Chapter I: Punishments I. Punishments not involving death II. Illegal punishments III. Death penalty IV. Torture Punishment of prisoners upon prisoners Duties of a District Magistrate Followers of the Yamen Yamen Runners Judicial Cases Presenting petitions or indictments Signs of Authority, Followers, etc. Book IV: The Supernatural Chapter I: Spirit Rapping Ghosts The "Planchette" Necromancy Conjuring Divination or Sorcery, Wu Shu Book V: Idolatry Chapter I: Gods of Wealth Charms Door Gods The Goddess of Mercy Precinct or Local God Idolatrous Festivals Fire and Pestilence Fast Fasts for rain and fine weather Book VI: Times and Seasons The Seasons of the Year New Year Midsummer Feast Seventh Moon Feast Midautumn Festival The Ninth Moon Feast Tenth Moon Feast Book VII: Plausible Pretensions The Liars' Mart Itinerant Vendor Itinerant Buddhist and Taoist Priests The Nine Startlers Physiognomists Geomancy Book VIII: Superstitious Dread Things to be Avoided Superstitions connected with the first day of the year Continual fears of all classes Hydrophobia Eclipses and Comets Snakes and Dragons