The
so-called Shuanwawa, literally “tying down a baby”, is a popular local
custom of praying for a baby. The “baby” here refers to a kind of clay
figure which is molded out of yellow mud and then stenciled with
different colors after being dried. The clay baby can be a boy or a
girl. The place to fasten clay babies is usually set in the vicinity of
Chongsheng Gate and in the Sleeping Halls of
Zhongyue
Temple. The woman who expects a baby shall
kneel down and burn the incense in front of the statues of Great Emperor
Songyue and the Queen. The red string used to bind the neck of clay
baby usually takes a shape of butterfly, very nice looking.
Taking
over the clay baby, women will carry it home and put it bedside or
under reed mat. If they succeed in giving birth to a baby as expected,
they will return to the
Zhongyue
Temple to redeem her wish to Queen Songyue.
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