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{{short description|Folk sorcery popular in the Guangdong area of China and Hong Kong}}
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=July 2022}}
{{Chinese
{{Chinese
|c=打小人
| c = 打小人
|j=daa2 siu2 jan4
| j = daa2 siu2 jan4
|y=dá síu yàhn
| y = dá síu yàhn
|p=dǎ xiǎorén
| p = dǎ xiǎorén
| l = striking little people
|pic=Dasiuyan.jpg
|piccap=An example of a Villain hitter and her client under the [[Canal Road Flyover]] in Hong Kong
| pic = Canal Road Flyover Villain hitting 2018.jpg
| piccap = An example of a villain hitter and her client under the [[Canal Road Flyover]] in Hong Kong
}}
}}
'''Villain hitting''', '''Da Xiaoren''' or '''demon exorcising'''<ref>*{{en icon}} [http://www.myheartmyhome.hk/eng/sight_02.php?id=2&locationid=1 "Demon-exorcising Service at 'Goose-neck Bridge' "]. My Heart, My Home - 18 Districts Reach Out Together for Lovable Sights in Hong Kong. Retrieved 11 June 2006.</ref> is a folk [[Magic (paranormal)|sorcery]] popular in the [[Guangdong]] area of [[China]] including [[Hong Kong]]. Its purpose is to curse one's enemies using magic. Villain hitting is often considered a humble career, and the ceremony is often performed by older ladies.
'''Villain hitting''', '''da siu yan''' ({{zh|t={{linktext|打小人}}}}), '''demon exorcising''',<ref>*{{in lang|en}} [http://www.myheartmyhome.hk/eng/sight_02.php?id=2&locationid=1 "Demon-exorcising Service at 'Goose-neck Bridge' "] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215943/http://www.myheartmyhome.hk/eng/sight_02.php?id=2&locationid=1 |date=September 27, 2007 }}. My Heart, My Home – 18 Districts Reach Out Together for Lovable Sights in Hong Kong. Retrieved 11 June 2006.</ref> or '''petty person beating''',<ref>[http://www.discoverhongkong.com/seasia/see-do/culture-heritage/living-culture/petty-person-beating.jsp Petty Person Beating – Hong Kong Tourism Board]</ref><ref>[http://world.time.com/2009/03/06/time-to-beat-your-enemies/ Time to Beat Your Enemies – Time]</ref> is a folk [[Magic (paranormal)|sorcery]] popular in the [[Guangdong]] area of [[China]] and [[Hong Kong]]—primarily associated with [[Cantonese people|Cantonese]]. Its purpose is to curse one's enemies using magic. Villain hitting is often considered a humble career, and the ceremony is often performed by older ladies, though some shops sell "[[DIY]]" kits.

Villain hitting has been preliminarily included in the list of "[[intangible cultural heritage]]" by the Hong Kong [[Home Affairs Bureau]], and was selected as "Best Way to Get It Off Your Chest" in [[Time (magazine)|''TIME'']] magazine's 2009 "Best of Asia" feature.<ref>[http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1893324_1893306_1893302,00.html The Best of Asia 2009 – TIME]</ref>


== Villain ==
== Villain ==
The concept of "villain" is divided into two types: specific villain and general villain.
The concept of "villain" is divided into two types, specific and general.


=== Specific Villain ===
=== Specific ===
Specific villains are individuals cursed by the villain hitter due to the hatred of their enemies who employ the hitter. A villain could be a famous person hated by the public such as a politician or could be personally known to their enemy, such as when the request is to curse a love rival.
Specific villains are individuals cursed by the villain hitter due to the hatred of their enemies who employ the hitter. A villain could be a famous person hated by the public such as a politician or could be personally known to their enemy, such as when the request is to curse a love rival.


=== General Villain ===
=== General ===
Villain hitters may help their clients curse a general villain: a group of people potentially harmful to the clients.
Villain hitters may help their clients curse a general villain: a group of people potentially harmful to the clients.


[[Dualism]] is mainstream in the traditional [[China|Chinese]] [[world view]], and many different kinds of folk sorcery beliefs derive from this view. The concept of Villain and Gui Ren ({{lang|zh-hk|貴人}}, people who will do something good to the clients) comes as a result of this [[yin and yang]] world view.
[[Dualistic cosmology|Dualism]] is mainstream in the traditional Chinese [[world view]], and many different kinds of folk sorcery beliefs derive from this view. The concept of Villain ({{lang|zh|小人}}) and Gui Ren ({{lang|zh-hk|貴人}}, people who will do something good to the clients) comes as a result of this [[yin and yang]] world view.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}


== Date ==
== Date ==
The period for villain hitting is different among temples, but [[Jingzhe]] is the most popular date. According to some folklore, [[Jingzhe]] is the date when the whole of creation is awakened by thunder. As a result, different kinds of foul spirits including [[byakko]] and villains become active. Consequently, villain hitting on this day serves to prevent those harmful to others.
The period for villain hitting is different among temples, but [[Jingzhe]] is the most popular date. According to some folklore, Jingzhe is the date when the whole of creation is awakened by thunder. As a result, different kinds of foul spirits including [[baihu]] and villains become active. Consequently, villain hitting on this day serves to prevent those harmful to others.


== Location ==
== Location ==
Villain hitting is often done in gloomy places such as somewhere under an overpass. In Hong Kong, the [[Canal Road Flyover]] between [[Causeway Bay]] and [[Wan Chai]] is a popular place for villain hitting. There are many villain hitters here especially on [[Jingzhe]].
Villain hitting is often done in gloomy places such as somewhere under an overpass. In Hong Kong, the [[Canal Road Flyover]] between [[Causeway Bay]] and [[Wan Chai]] is a popular place for villain hitting. To reach the destination, head to [[Causeway Bay station|Causeway Bay MTR]] Exit A and walk along [[Russell Street, Hong Kong|Russell Street]] for approximately five minutes towards Canal Road Flyover. There are many villain hitters and clients here especially on [[Jingzhe]].

== History in Hong Kong ==
The tradition of villain hitting can be traced back to an ancient custom from agricultural societies in the Guangdong region. According to the Chinese calendar, the year can be divided into twenty-four solar terms and spring is known as the "Awakening of Insects"—when hibernating animals awake from their slumber to forage and feed. To prevent the notorious white tiger from hunting and harming villagers, farmers will worship the white tiger by smearing pig's blood onto little paper tigers as a means of sacrifice and feeding the tiger. As time passed, "villains" gradually morphed into the role of the notorious white tiger and becomes the object of exorcisms and banishment.


== Ceremony ==
== Ceremony ==
[[File:HK SacrificeToBaiHu.JPG|thumb|right|200 px|Sacrifice to [[White Tiger (mythology)|Baihu]]]]
⚫
Receiving orders from clients, villain hitters require human-shaped papers with or without some information of specific people. As part of the ceremony, they beat the papers with shoes or other implements. The whole ceremony of villain hitting is divided into 8 parts:
[[File:Paper tigers in villain hitting.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Paper]] [[tiger]]s used in villain hitting]]
⚫
Receiving orders from clients, villain hitters require human-shaped papers with or without some information of specific people. As part of the ceremony, they beat the papers with shoes or other implements. The whole ceremony of villain hitting is divided into eight parts:


# '''Sacrifice to divinities''' ({{lang|zh-hk|奉神}})：Worship deities by [[Incense]] and [[Candle]].
# '''Sacrifice to divinities''' ({{lang|zh-hk|奉神}}): Worship of deities by [[incense]] and [[candle]].
# '''Report''' ({{lang|zh-hk|稟告}})：Write down the name and the date of birth of the client on the [[Fulu]] ({{lang|zh-hk|[[:zh:符籙|符籙]]}}). If the client request to hit a specific villain, then write down or put the name, date of birth, photo or clothings of the specific villain on the villain paper.
# '''Report''' ({{lang|zh-hk|稟告}}): Writing down the name and the date of birth of the client on the [[Fulu]] ({{lang|zh-hk|[[:zh:符籙|符籙]]}}). If the client requests to hit a specific villain, then write down or put the name, date of birth, photo or clothes of the specific villain on the villain paper.
# '''Villain hitting''' ({{lang|zh-hk|打小人}})：Make use of a varieties of symbolic object such as the shoe of clients or the villain hitter or other religious symbolic weapon like incense sticks to hit or hurt the villain paper. Villain paper can also replaced by other derivative such as man paper, woman paper, five ghost paper etc.
# '''Villain hitting''' ({{lang|zh-hk|打小人}}): Make use of a varieties of symbolic object such as the shoe of clients or the villain hitter or other religious symbolic weapons like incense sticks to hit or hurt the villain paper. Villain paper can also be replaced by other derivatives such as man paper, woman paper, five ghost paper etc.
# '''Sacrifice to [[White Tiger (Chinese constellation)|Bái Hǔ]]''' ({{lang|zh-hk|祭白虎}})：The hitter have to make sacrifice to Bái Hǔ if they want to hit villain on [[Jingzhe]]. Use a yellow paper tiger to represent Bái Hǔ, there are black stripes on the paper tiger and a pair of shape tooth in its mouth. During the sacrifice a small piece of pork is soaked by blood of pig and then put inside the mouth of the paper tiger (to feed Bái Hǔ). Bái Hǔ won't hurt others after being full. Sometimes they will also smear a greasy pork on Bái Hǔ's mouth to make its mouth full of oil and unable to open its mouth to hurt people. In some regional sacrifice the villain would burn the paper tiger of cut off its head after making sacrifice to it.
# '''Sacrifice to [[White Tiger (mythology)|Baihu]]''' ({{lang|zh-hk|祭白虎}}): The hitters have to make sacrifice to Baihu (the White Tiger) if they want to hit the villain on [[Jingzhe]]. Use a yellow paper tiger to represent Baihu, there are black stripes on the paper tiger and a pair of tooth shapes in its mouth. During the sacrifice a small piece of pork is soaked with pig blood and then put inside the mouth of the paper tiger (to feed Baihu). Baihu won't hurt others after being fed. Sometimes they will also smear a greasy pork on Baihu's mouth to make its mouth full of oil and unable to open its mouth to hurt people. In some regional sacrifice the villain hitter would burn the paper tiger or cut off its head after making sacrifice to it.
# '''Reconciliation''' ({{lang|zh-hk|化解}})
# '''Reconciliation''' ({{lang|zh-hk|化解}})
# '''Pray for blessings''' ({{lang|zh-hk|祈福}})：Use a red [[Gui Ren paper]] to bray for blessings and help from Gui Ren.
# '''Pray for blessings''' ({{lang|zh-hk|祈福}}): Use a red [[Gui Ren paper]] to pray for blessings and help from Gui Ren.
# '''Treasure Burning''' ({{lang|zh-hk|進寶}})：Burn the paper-made-treasure to worship the spirits。
# '''Treasure Burning''' ({{lang|zh-hk|進寶}}): Burn the paper-made-treasure to worship the spirits.
# '''[[Zhi Jiao]]''' ({{lang|zh-hk|[[:zh:擲筊|擲筊]]}}) (or so-called "cup hitting" <nowiki>[</nowiki>打杯<nowiki>]</nowiki>)：Zhi Jiao, to cast two crescent-shaped wooden piece to under go the Zhi Jiao ceremony.
# '''[[Zhi Jiao]]''' ({{lang|zh-hk|[[:zh:擲筊|擲筊]]}}) (or so-called "cup hitting" <nowiki>[</nowiki>打杯<nowiki>]</nowiki>): Zhi Jiao, to cast two crescent-shaped wooden pieces to undergo the Zhi Jiao ceremony.
<!--
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（翻譯得不好，附上原文；not a good translation so hereby paste the original text.）
（翻譯得不好，附上原文；not a good translation so hereby paste the original text.）


#'''奉神'''：利用簡單的香燭供奉天地神明。
#'''奉神''':利用簡單的香燭供奉天地神明。
#'''稟告'''：將委託人之姓名、生辰八字等寫在[[百解靈符]]上。若欲打特定小人，則將特定小人之姓名、[[生辰八字]]、照片、衣物等可以代表特定小人身份之物書寫或放置於小人紙上。
#'''稟告''':將委託人之姓名、生辰八字等寫在[[百解靈符]]上。若欲打特定小人，則將特定小人之姓名、[[生辰八字]]、照片、衣物等可以代表特定小人身份之物書寫或放置於小人紙上。
#'''打小人'''：利用各種象徵物如委託者或施術者之鞋、宗教象徵武器甚至是香枝或香煙等毆打、傷害小人紙。小人紙分為小人紙、男人丁、女人丁、五鬼紙等。
#'''打小人''':利用各種象徵物如委託者或施術者之鞋、宗教象徵武器甚至是香枝或香煙等毆打、傷害小人紙。小人紙分為小人紙、男人丁、女人丁、五鬼紙等。
#'''祭白虎'''：若在驚蟄日打小人則須祭白虎。以黃色的[[紙老虎]]代表白虎，紙身畫有黑色斑紋，口角則畫有一對獠牙。祭祀一般是使用小塊生豬肉沾上豬血，放入紙製白虎口中（餵紙老虎），當老虎吃飽後便不會再傷害人。而拜神婆亦會以肥膩的生豬肉抹在紙老虎的嘴上，使紙老虎口中充滿油水，使其不能再張口傷人。有些地方祭完白虎之後會將紙製白虎燒掉或用銅劍將紙製白虎的頭切掉。
#'''祭白虎''':若在驚蟄日打小人則須祭白虎。以黃色的[[紙老虎]]代表白虎，紙身畫有黑色斑紋，口角則畫有一對獠牙。祭祀一般是使用小塊生豬肉沾上豬血，放入紙製白虎口中（餵紙老虎），當老虎吃飽後便不會再傷害人。而拜神婆亦會以肥膩的生豬肉抹在紙老虎的嘴上，使紙老虎口中充滿油水，使其不能再張口傷人。有些地方祭完白虎之後會將紙製白虎燒掉或用銅劍將紙製白虎的頭切掉。
#'''化解'''：將一切污衊、災害等以撒芝麻、豆子等小物體或燒紙船、百解靈符等以消災解厄。
#'''化解''':將一切污衊、災害等以撒芝麻、豆子等小物體或燒紙船、百解靈符等以消災解厄。
#'''祈福'''：以紅色的[[貴人紙]]為委託者祈求貴人幫助。
#'''祈福''':以紅色的[[貴人紙]]為委託者祈求貴人幫助。
#'''進寶'''：將元寶、金銀紙等焚化供奉鬼神。
#'''進寶''':將元寶、金銀紙等焚化供奉鬼神。
#'''打杯'''：「[[擲筊]]」，將兩個半月形，一面平坦、一面向外彎出的'''木塊'''擲出。兩塊平坦向上則為'''陽杯'''，向下則為'''陰杯'''，一下一上為'''聖杯'''。出現聖杯表示儀式完成。
#'''打杯''':「[[擲筊]]」，將兩個半月形，一面平坦、一面向外彎出的'''木塊'''擲出。兩塊平坦向上則為'''陽杯'''，向下則為'''陰杯'''，一下一上為'''聖杯'''。出現聖杯表示儀式完成。
-->
-->


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Lingnan culture]]
* [[Chinese spiritual world concepts]]
* [[Chinese spiritual world concepts]]


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== External links ==
== External links ==
{{commons category|Villain hitting}}
⚫
*{{zh}}[http://www.hkmes.com/interview/20040305/001.htm "Speaking on Jingzhi (驚螫之談)"]. Hong Kong Mystery Exploration Society. Retrieved [[June 11]], [[2006]].
*{{in lang|en}} [http://livecuriouslymag.com/2014/03/beating-the-petty-person/#.Vlr2A3YrIgs Beating the Petty Person – Analysis by Chien Chiao – Live Curiously Magazine]
⚫
*{{zh}}[http://www.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/website/?redirect=/~cciv/product/fest/gano/index.php Villain hitting report], by Chinese Civilization Centre, [[City University of Hong Kong]]. Retrieved [[June 12]], [[2006]].
⚫
*{{in lang|zh}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20040608022844/http://www.hkmes.com/interview/20040305/001.htm "Speaking on Jingzhi (驚螫之談)"]. Hong Kong Mystery Exploration Society. Retrieved 11 June 2006.
*{{zh}}[http://www.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/website/?redirect=/~cciv/product/fest/gano/index.php Villain hitting中國文化中心]
⚫
*{{in lang|zh}} [https://archive.today/20121218095512/http://www.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/website/?redirect=/~cciv/product/fest/gano/index.php Villain hitting report], by Chinese Civilization Centre, [[City University of Hong Kong]]. Retrieved 12 June 2006.
*{{zh}}[http://www.fonghoiyue.com/magazine/ghost/2000hitsmallman.htm 古代詛咒術「打小人」]
*{{zh}}[http://www.com.cuhk.edu.hk/ubeat/050569/story12.htm 解構打小人 文化廣場]
*{{in lang|zh}} [https://archive.today/20121218095512/http://www.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/website/?redirect=/~cciv/product/fest/gano/index.php Villain hitting中國文化中心]
<!--[http://web.archive.org/web/20040608022844/http://www.hkmes.com/interview/20040305/001.htm Immutable link]-->
*{{in lang|zh}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20071206071341/http://www.fonghoiyue.com/magazine/ghost/2000hitsmallman.htm 古代詛咒術「打小人」]
*{{in lang|zh}} [http://www.com.cuhk.edu.hk/ubeat/050569/story12.htm 解構打小人 文化廣場]
<!--[https://web.archive.org/web/20040608022844/http://www.hkmes.com/interview/20040305/001.htm Immutable link]-->
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itgXtRjCBz0&feature=channel_video_title/ The Hong Kong Agent] a film by Robert Iolini. Watch episode "Pay-As-You-Go Shamanic Mobile Service Centre: Divine Intervention #3"


{{Guangdong topics}}
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[[Category:Hong Kong culture]]
⚫
[[Category:Witchcraft]]
⚫
[[Category:Ngo Keng Kiu]]


[[Category:Culture of Hong Kong]]
[[zh:打小人]]
⚫
[[Category:Cantonese culture]]
⚫
[[Category:Witchcraft in China]]
⚫
[[Category:Ngo Keng Kiu]]

Latest revision as of 04:06, 17 May 2024

Villain hitting
An example of a villain hitter and her client under the Canal Road Flyover in Hong Kong
Chinese打小人
Literal meaningstriking little people

Villain hitting, da siu yan (Chinese: 打小人), demon exorcising,[1] or petty person beating,[2][3] is a folk sorcery popular in the Guangdong area of China and Hong Kong—primarily associated with Cantonese. Its purpose is to curse one's enemies using magic. Villain hitting is often considered a humble career, and the ceremony is often performed by older ladies, though some shops sell "DIY" kits.

Villain hitting has been preliminarily included in the list of "intangible cultural heritage" by the Hong Kong Home Affairs Bureau, and was selected as "Best Way to Get It Off Your Chest" in TIME magazine's 2009 "Best of Asia" feature.[4]

Villain[edit]

The concept of "villain" is divided into two types, specific and general.

Specific[edit]

Specific villains are individuals cursed by the villain hitter due to the hatred of their enemies who employ the hitter. A villain could be a famous person hated by the public such as a politician or could be personally known to their enemy, such as when the request is to curse a love rival.

General[edit]

Villain hitters may help their clients curse a general villain: a group of people potentially harmful to the clients.

Dualism is mainstream in the traditional Chinese world view, and many different kinds of folk sorcery beliefs derive from this view. The concept of Villain (小人) and Gui Ren (貴人, people who will do something good to the clients) comes as a result of this yin and yang world view.[citation needed]

Date[edit]

The period for villain hitting is different among temples, but Jingzhe is the most popular date. According to some folklore, Jingzhe is the date when the whole of creation is awakened by thunder. As a result, different kinds of foul spirits including baihu and villains become active. Consequently, villain hitting on this day serves to prevent those harmful to others.

Location[edit]

Villain hitting is often done in gloomy places such as somewhere under an overpass. In Hong Kong, the Canal Road Flyover between Causeway Bay and Wan Chai is a popular place for villain hitting. To reach the destination, head to Causeway Bay MTR Exit A and walk along Russell Street for approximately five minutes towards Canal Road Flyover. There are many villain hitters and clients here especially on Jingzhe.

History in Hong Kong[edit]

The tradition of villain hitting can be traced back to an ancient custom from agricultural societies in the Guangdong region. According to the Chinese calendar, the year can be divided into twenty-four solar terms and spring is known as the "Awakening of Insects"—when hibernating animals awake from their slumber to forage and feed. To prevent the notorious white tiger from hunting and harming villagers, farmers will worship the white tiger by smearing pig's blood onto little paper tigers as a means of sacrifice and feeding the tiger. As time passed, "villains" gradually morphed into the role of the notorious white tiger and becomes the object of exorcisms and banishment.

Ceremony[edit]

Sacrifice to Baihu
Paper tigers used in villain hitting

Receiving orders from clients, villain hitters require human-shaped papers with or without some information of specific people. As part of the ceremony, they beat the papers with shoes or other implements. The whole ceremony of villain hitting is divided into eight parts:

  1. Sacrifice to divinities (奉神): Worship of deities by incense and candle.
  2. Report (稟告): Writing down the name and the date of birth of the client on the Fulu (符籙). If the client requests to hit a specific villain, then write down or put the name, date of birth, photo or clothes of the specific villain on the villain paper.
  3. Villain hitting (打小人): Make use of a varieties of symbolic object such as the shoe of clients or the villain hitter or other religious symbolic weapons like incense sticks to hit or hurt the villain paper. Villain paper can also be replaced by other derivatives such as man paper, woman paper, five ghost paper etc.
  4. Sacrifice to Baihu (祭白虎): The hitters have to make sacrifice to Baihu (the White Tiger) if they want to hit the villain on Jingzhe. Use a yellow paper tiger to represent Baihu, there are black stripes on the paper tiger and a pair of tooth shapes in its mouth. During the sacrifice a small piece of pork is soaked with pig blood and then put inside the mouth of the paper tiger (to feed Baihu). Baihu won't hurt others after being fed. Sometimes they will also smear a greasy pork on Baihu's mouth to make its mouth full of oil and unable to open its mouth to hurt people. In some regional sacrifice the villain hitter would burn the paper tiger or cut off its head after making sacrifice to it.
  5. Reconciliation (化解)
  6. Pray for blessings (祈福): Use a red Gui Ren paper to pray for blessings and help from Gui Ren.
  7. Treasure Burning (進寶): Burn the paper-made-treasure to worship the spirits.
  8. Zhi Jiao (擲筊) (or so-called "cup hitting" [打杯]): Zhi Jiao, to cast two crescent-shaped wooden pieces to undergo the Zhi Jiao ceremony.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ *(in English) "Demon-exorcising Service at 'Goose-neck Bridge' " Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. My Heart, My Home – 18 Districts Reach Out Together for Lovable Sights in Hong Kong. Retrieved 11 June 2006.
  2. ^ Petty Person Beating – Hong Kong Tourism Board
  3. ^ Time to Beat Your Enemies – Time
  4. ^ The Best of Asia 2009 – TIME

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Villain hitting.
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