Distributing Predestination Beans

On the eighth day the fourth lunar month, philanthropic people in cities go into the streets with several litres of green beans and yellow beans. They pinch each bean in turn and chant Buddha’s name. Afterwards they boil the beans and offer them to the passers-by. These beans are called “predestination beans”. They are believed to be able to prearrange favourable relationships in the next incarnation.

Prior to this date, people pinch the beans and chant Buddha’s name: one bean, one chant. Some are able to process a hundred litres of beans. On the eighth day of the fourth month, they cook the beans and distribute them to the other people who also chant Buddha’s name each time after eating a bean. Women who are snubbed by their mothers-in-law, or maids and concubines who fall out of favour with their masters of mistresses, will reprimand themselves by saying, “I am not welcome because I did not distribute beans in my former life”.

中国民间风俗--舍缘豆

夏历四月初八，城里喜欢行善的人，拿出几升青豆或黄豆，一边念佛号，一边用手指捏一颗颗的豆。捏完以后把豆煮熟了，分送给路上的人，这称作“舍缘豆”，预示这份结下一世的缘分。

佛诞日先是捏着豆念佛，捏一颗豆念一声佛号。甚至有念到一石豆这样多的人。到那天煮熟了豆，便送给人，得了豆的那人也要念一声佛号，吃下一颗豆。方式有得不到婆婆应答佛号的妇女，或者作为婢女小妾舍缘豆但仍被主人或家中的女性长辈厌弃的人，就要自责说：“我前世没舍豆儿，所以今世结不到人缘啊。”