What is the purpose of wearing pig bones

Many people may not understand the use of wearing pig bones. In fact, this is a folk saying that the two auditory bones on a pig have a certain effect of warding off evil and calming the nerves. Especially in the past, when children were frightened, they might be considered to be frightened by evil spirits. In order to make them grow up healthily, some adults would give them pig bones, but this is a folk saying.

1. The pig's auditory bone, commonly known as the pig's auditory bone, is located in each ear, one centimeter square in size, and irregular in shape. The two auditory bones on the pig have a peculiar natural shape. When turned over, they look like a ghost face, and when turned over, they look like a dragon head. Since ancient times, they have been regarded as things that can "calm down and ward off evil spirits" by the people of Jiaodong. Therefore, in the past, when a daughter-in-law was about to give birth, in addition to preparing postpartum feeding supplies in advance, some thoughtful people would go to the butcher's house to find a few pig bones, go home to wash them clean, air-dry them, and then polish them on a stone slab to make them smooth. When the child turned 100 years old, they would string them together with a red string and wear them on the child's wrist or ankle. It is said that this will prevent children from being frightened by evil and will help them grow up healthy.

2. In the past, if a child was frightened during the day and had a fever and cried incessantly at night, it would be believed that he had "lost his soul" and he had to be "called back" in order to make his soul return, restore his spirit, and fall asleep peacefully. There are many ways to call back the soul in the countryside, the most common one is "burning a stamp": burn a used old stamp (with a postmark) in front of the frightened child, call the child's name and say, "It's okay, it's okay." That's it.

3. There is another situation where people believe that a child who becomes listless after falling ill has been taken away by the soul of a deceased relative or a deceased person who knew him before, and this also requires calling back the soul. To call such a soul, you need to prepare half a bowl of water, hold a chopstick and stand it in the water, and recite the name of the deceased one by one. If the chopstick stands up by itself when you recite someone's name, it means that the child's soul has been taken away by that person. At this time, burn incense and paper, kneel down, and ask someone not to make things difficult for the child and to send the child back quickly. Finally, pour the water and chopsticks out.

4. In fact, where does the soul come from? What can suppress the fright? Bringing pig fright bones, calling the soul and the like are just psychological factors at work. Elders putting pig fright bones and soul-calling charms on children shows their love and care for them, and children gain a sense of security, comfort and satisfaction from it, and forget their unhappiness and eliminate their fear.