If you thought declaring your major as a college freshman was a lot of pressure, try deciding your career path at just one year old! The adorable ceremony that I’m referring to is called Zhuazhou (抓週 zhuā zhōu), a tradition that’s been taking place in China since the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) and was mainly a tradition celebrated among noble families.
The whole family gathering around for the big reveal
The Zhuazhou ceremony is where various objects, each representing a different career path, are placed around either a large table or on the bed. Then like a turtle race, the crawling baby is set loose and close family and friends watch as the birthday boy or girl crawls toward all the various objects around him/her. Then based on what the baby selects first, it was believed that object was an indication of their future career path.
Click to watch this cutie pie’s Zhuazhou
Back in the ancient days, items like Chinese calligraphy brushes, ink, paper, sword, abacus, coins, jewelry, food, and toys were placed around the babies. For baby girls, they’d include items like spoons, scissors, and thread which represented the girl would become a good housewife in the future. It was also believed that in the olden days parents would sometimes put celery and shallots in the mix as well because these vegetables have Chinese names with positive homonyms. If the baby picks the celery (芹 qín) it meant that he or she will be hardworking and if they pick the shallots (葱 cōng) it meant that he or she will be smart.
Zhuazhou items in the olden days
Today, the tradition of Zhuazhou is still practiced around China, but it’s definitely not taken seriously anymore. This is more for entertainment at a first birthday, because, well, how else will adults stay entertained at a one year old’s birthday?
Nowadays, instead of items like abacus and gender specific items for girls, parents are replacing traditional Zhuazhou items with things like a syringe (representing a future as a doctor), calculator (entrepreneur), balls (athlete), pens (artist), ruler (lawyer), books (scholar), phones (tech guru), microphones (singers), or stamps (government official).
The tradition of Zhuazhou has lasted for generations, and even though it’s highly unlikely that new parents today are still superstitious enough to believe that their crawling baby will decide their future on their first birthday simply by choosing an item, the custom has been passed down through generations and still practiced today – but mostly just for entertainment.
KEEP READING: Pregnancy Diary: Why Gender Reveal Parties Aren’t a Thing in China
Photos: Yoyochinese.com, China Daily, douyin
