Page 389 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book
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A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 382
In North-west China women wash their faces in urine to improve their skin. The urine
of foxes and of spirits masquerading as foxes is supposed to cure various diseases.
Many professional magicians drank it to prolong their lives.
On the day when the bride quits the paternal home, she is not supposed to give in to
‘little need’ (xiao bian) until the evening. Urinating on a statue dishonours it: however, in
the great temple of Yo Fei in Hangzhou there was a small statue of Qin Kui (Yo Fei’s
adversary through whose intrigues the heroic general met his death) which could be
dishonoured with impunity. Other expressions for this call of nature are ‘to unclasp the
hand’ (jie-shou) and ‘to cleanse the hand’ (jing shou).
