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Table of Contents
The Origin of Beating the Little Man on the Day of Awakening Insects
Beating the Little Man is a folk ritual popular in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong, performed to drive away or take revenge on so-called "little people." Today, it remains a folk custom that allows people to vent their frustrations. Some participate not to beat the little man, but simply to pray for blessings and find peace of mind.
The Hong Kong government has also provisionally listed "beating the little man" as part of the territory's Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2009, the custom also made it onto the cover of Time magazine, being named one of the "Best of Asia 2009."
The practice of striking the effigy of one's nemesis has no fixed time limit, but according to tradition, it is primarily performed during the Jīngzhé solar term. This corresponds to March 5th or 6th in the Gregorian calendar each year.
The ritual of beating the little person is typically performed at three-way intersections, under bridges, by roadsides, and near mountains. These locations are believed to be more susceptible to attracting spirits and ghosts. It is also said that the intense malevolent energy at three-way intersections can suppress the little person, piercing and wounding them. Every year during the Jīngzhé solar term, many people visit local land god temples to participate in the beating the little person ritual. While primarily attended by the elderly in the past, younger generations have also joined in recent years.
In China's traditional agrarian society, the custom of sacrificing to the White Tiger on the day of Jīngzhé (the start of spring) was widely practiced. People prayed for the White Tiger's mighty power to suppress snakes, insects, rodents, and ants, preventing these pests from causing harm. With societal transformation, the purpose of sacrificing to the White Tiger shifted to using its power to suppress malicious individuals, hoping to bring good fortune to oneself.The practice of "beating the villain" can be categorized by purpose into "preventative magic" (passive) and "targeted magic" (active). Ritually, it blends elements of mimetic magic and contact magic.
Clients commission specific practitioners known as "exorcists" or "shamanic practitioners" to perform rituals. These practitioners use paper cut into human shapes, inscribed with the target's personal details or left blank depending on the request. They then beat the paper with shoes or other objects to achieve the client's desired outcome.Beyond having shamans conduct rituals, individuals may personally participate in the beating to vent frustration by striking the effigy of their adversary. This practice serves to relieve stress and restore psychological equilibrium.
Props and offerings for beating the little man Props and Offerings
Five Ghosts Paper: A sheet of white paper printed with five figures known as the "Five Ghosts," along with images of a pig, snake, tiger, vermilion bird, chains, and a broom.
Three incense sticks and two incense candles: used for offering to deities as an act of worship.
Yellow Tiger Paper: A paper tiger with a yellow body adorned with black markings, featuring a pair of fangs at the corners of its mouth.
Old shoes and bricks: Used for beating the little man.
Pork fat and pig's blood: Used to appease the White Tiger, sealing its mouth to prevent it from harming people.
Fruit: Used for offering to the deities.
Holy Grail: After defeating the petty individuals, the act of tossing the cup symbolizes whether the divine will assist in banishing these "petty individuals."
Rice grains and five-colored beans: Used for neutralizing after striking the effigy of the malevolent spirit.
The authentic ritual for striking the little man involves the following steps:
The entire ritual of beating the little man can be divided into eight parts:
Worshiping the Divine: Offering incense and candles to honor the gods of heaven and earth.
Please note: Write the client's name, birth date, and other details on the Universal Remedy Talisman. To target a specific adversary, write or place the adversary's name, birth date, photograph, clothing, or other items representing their identity onto the adversary paper.
Beating the Evil Spirit: Using various symbolic objects such as the client's or practitioner's shoes, religious symbolic weapons, or even incense sticks or cigarettes to strike and damage the evil spirit paper. The evil spirit paper includes types such as the male spirit paper, male spirit talisman, female spirit talisman, and five ghosts paper.
Sacrificing to the White Tiger: If one strikes the "little person" on the day of Jīngzhé (the start of spring), one must sacrifice to the White Tiger. A yellow paper tiger represents the White Tiger, painted with black stripes and a pair of fangs at the corners of its mouth. The sacrifice typically involves placing a small piece of raw pork dipped in pig's blood into the paper tiger's mouth (feeding the paper tiger). Once the tiger is sated, it will no longer harm people.Shamanic practitioners also smear greasy raw pork onto the tiger's mouth, filling it with oil and moisture so it can no longer open wide to harm people. In some regions, after the White Tiger is sacrificed, the paper tiger is burned or its head is severed with a bronze sword.
Resolve: Disperse all slander, calamities, and misfortunes by scattering small objects like sesame seeds or beans, or by burning paper boats and talismans to ward off disasters and avert misfortune.
Blessing: Using red auspicious paper to pray for divine assistance on behalf of the client.
Jìn Bǎo: The practice of burning offerings such as gold ingots and paper money to honor spirits and deities.
Divination with blocks:Toss two crescent-shaped wooden blocks, each with one flat side and one curved outward. If bothblocksland flat side up, it is ayang cup; ifbothlandcurved side up,it is a yin cup; if one is flat and one curved, it is a sacred cup. The appearance of a sacred cup signifies the ritual is complete.
Slap that little villain's head! Vernal Equinox "Slap the Little Villain" Incantation (Hong Kong Edition)
Typically, each person performing the "beating the little person" ritual has their own specific ceremony and incantation. The following is a rhyming chant, but it is not an incantation for the ritual.
I'll smack your little head, and when you're still fuming, I'll come bang it every day.
I'll smack your little face, and when your whole family catches SARS, you'll be a disgrace for the rest of your life.
I'll poke your little eyes out, so you'll bump into things all your life, getting cut down day after day.
I'll slap your little ears, Wait till you're covered in rotten shit, Then I'll pick it out with my fingers.
Slap that little bastard's mouth, Wait till your mother grows old and feeble, Getting screwed every single day.
I'll wring your little neck, Until you're covered in venereal diseases— Syphilis, gonorrhea, and all the rest.
May your little chest get pounded, May you catch SARS and stroke, Then get screwed from behind.
Slap your little hands, Wait till you've got money but don't know how to handle it, Your house will turn into a pigsty.
I'll kick you little rascal's feet, so you'll have to apply herbal medicine daily, with shoes but no feet to wear them.
May your wicked deeds come back to haunt you, May your kindness go unrewarded, May you face accusations day after day.
Does beating the little man bring bad luck? Hong Kong's taboos about beating the little man
There are typically two ways to perform the "beating the little person" ritual: one is simple and convenient, while the other is for those who genuinely wish to perform the ritual and seek our assistance in doing so.
The entire "beating the little man" ritual takes about 20 minutes. If people wish to perform it themselves, they can purchase a "beating the little man kit" from a paper goods shop. The kit includes paper clothing for the little man and a paper tiger, but participants must provide their own old shoe and fatty pork.
Taboo One 1. Never Target High-Ranking Officials :
High-ranking officials are blessed by a lucky star, so striking the little man has no effect on them. Moreover, naming and shaming someone while striking the little man will cause both the client and oneself to lose blessings. Therefore, when striking the little man, remember never to name the target by name or display their likeness.
If you happen to work in the public sector or for a government agency, you can inquire with us about how to cast spells against malicious individuals.
Taboo Two 、 Not Suitable for Indoor Use :
If you purchase a ritual kit to ward off malicious individuals, choose locations with heavier negative energy—such as beneath trees, under bridges, or in rear stairwells—to ensure its effectiveness. Additionally, avoid performing the ritual near your home or office, as this may inadvertently draw negative influences into your space. Excessive publicity could also backfire, leading to unintended consequences.
Taboo Three • Women during menstruation or pregnant women should avoid performing the "strike the little person" ritual. :
Due to the potent malevolent energy of the spell, combined with women's weakened resistance and insufficient yin blood during menstruation, practitioners require women to wear pants with tightly secured cuffs when performing the "beating the little person" ritual during their period. Pregnant women should also avoid this ritual, as it may lead to miscarriage.
Taboo Four • Do not bring home items with a musty smell :
When performing the ritual to ward off evil spirits, it's best to bring a pair of shoes you plan to discard. After use, dispose of them immediately. If you perform the ritual yourself, be sure to remove the paper talisman right after finishing to prevent it from becoming possessed by the incantation.
Let us perform the ritual to ward off malevolent forces on your behalf, neutralizing their harm against us. Through Buddhist teachings, we dispel all enmity, driving away those who seek to harm us. We invoke divine justice to restore our innocence and reveal the truth—especially when facing grave slander and defamation.
