Child Cries Non-Stop at Night, Elder Says Soul Is Lost, Must Go "Call Back the Soul"

In the Xiangxi region, if a child gets frightened during the day, they tend to cry at night and sleep restlessly. Adults say this is because the soul has been lost.

At this time, the family elders must "call back the soul" for the child. Usually around dusk, the mother or grandmother takes a piece of the child's clothing, and some also carry a bowl of rice, and goes to the place where the child was frightened, or to the village entrance or a crossroads.

While walking, they call the child's name, shouting "Come back, come back to eat, come back to sleep." The person following behind must respond: "He's back." The voice must be drawn out long, letting the night wind carry it away.

They call all the way home, cover the child with the clothing, and sprinkle the rice at the head of the bed, saying the soul has returned. Some families also boil an egg for the child and roll it on their forehead.

Whether the child sleeps well after that varies by household; some say it works, others say it's just that the child hears the familiar voices calling all the way and calms down on their own.

One thing must be made clear: if the child has a persistent fever and won't stop crying, don't just rely on calling back the soul; go to the hospital first.

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