There is an old Chinese saying: “Do not let your daughter
marry with a witchdoctor household (有女莫嫁師公屋).” A “Sai Kong” (師公) is a term generally given to a person
involved in Taoist magic.
In Chinese society, and other community a like; a
witchdoctor is normally a person of lower social status, he can have some
income but the livelihood is generally quite poor. There are exceptions of
course. Below is a folk song describes the condition of a Sai Kong:
“人家祖宗出官職，我家祖宗出師公。
有女莫嫁師公屋，師公浪蕩不耕田。
一日打卦三碗米，不是耕田也過年。
人家耕田一般過，十月禾倉王王開。
不圖手巾做被蓋，不圖米碗不耕田。
不圖香花做富貴，只圖名字九流轉。
人話師公得肉吃，生鐵犁頭得嘴光。
人話師公得酒吃，不見師公醉傲慢。
人話師公得錢使，不見師公買馬騎。”
“People’s ancestor produces
ministers, my ancestor produces a witchdoctor.
Do not marry a witchdoctor;
a witchdoctor is lazy does not plow the land.
Earning three bowls of rice
by divination, no need to plow also can live.
While ordinary people plow
to live, the rice stores open every October.
Don’t want to use handkerchief
as my blanket,
Don’t want the rice bowl if
I never plow the land.
Don’t want the fragrance of
flower to be rich,
Don’t want my name to stay
in the lower classes.
People said a witchdoctor
eats meat,
I enjoy my meat by plowing
my land.
People said a witchdoctor
drinks wine,
No one sees a witchdoctor
gets drunk arrogantly.
People said a witchdoctor
earns a living,
No one sees a witchdoctor rides
a horse.”
Having said so… Guys, do you still want to be a
magician?
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