Sophia Takahashi - Risk-Taking Researcher

Sophia Takahashi - Risk-Taking Researcher

  

Sophia Takahashi - Risk-Taking Researcher

Red Scarf Girl - Chapter 6, 7, 8 and 9

Ji-Li Jiang

Rotation #3

 Chinese Fortune Telling

Summary:

In Red Scarf Girl, "I had an idea. "'Listen, let's predict the future."' [...] We folded them, put a little water on each one, and then stuck them on the sill" (Jiang 154-155). For my rotation this week, I decided to research more on the art of Chinese Fortune Telling, also knows as one of the Four Olds in Red Scarf Girl (Ji-Li Jiang).

Street fortune teller consults with client in Taichung, Taiwan (Chinese Fortune Telling)

According to Wikipedia, "Chinese fortune telling, netter known as Suan Ming (算命) has utilized many varying divination techniques throughout the dynastic periods. There are many methods still practiced in China, Taiwan and Honk Kong Today" (Wikipedia, Chinese Fortune Telling).

The practice shown in Red Scarf Girl is writing prophecies in pieces of paper and putting them on the windowsill, with one water droplet in on top of each piece of paper. Whichever piece of paper that's blown off from the windowsill first will be your prophecy.

History:

The oldest type of accounted Fortune Telling is called 'Examination of Doubts' (稽疑). Others include on the tortoise shells (卜) and stalks of milfoi (蓍).

Other Methods Include:

- Face Reading (面相): The interpretation of facial features of the nose, eyes, mouth and other criteria within one’s face and the conversion of those criteria to predictions of one’s future. Read More

- Palm Reading (手相): This analysis the positioning of palm line for love, personality, and other traits. Read More

Sources:

Chinese Fortune Telling: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_fortune_telling

Physiognomy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiognomy

Palmistry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmistry