Note 146 — Chapter III · SURVIVAL IN CULTURE.
Reading edition
St. John, ‘Far East,’ vol. i. p. 46; see Bastian, vol. ii. p. 407. I am indebted to Mr. R. K. Douglas for a perfect example of one meaning of the foundation-sacrifice, from the Chinese book, ‘Yūh hea ke’ (‘Jewelled Casket of Divination’): ‘Before beginning to build, the workmen should sacrifice to the gods of the neighbourhood, of the earth and wood. Should the carpenters be very apprehensive of the building falling, they, when fixing a post, should take something living and put it beneath, and lower the post on it, and to liberate [the evil influences] they should strike the post with an axe and repeat—
“It is well, it is well,
May those who live within
Be ever warm and well fed.”’