which is generally about half what was originally asked for, a small sum of money is paid down as an earnest and an agreement to that effect drawn up, li ting yo 立定約.
To draw up the permanent agreement, from which there is no departure, is called li ta 大 yo; in this agreement are included such details as shang t‘ien tsao tso chih chien 上天造作之件 all that heaven produces connected with the land, such as trees, flowers, shrubs, fishes and wild animals; also jên kung 人工 tsao tso chih chien, all that man has made belonging to the building, etc.
It is very important that the kind of money to be used should be fixed. The middlemen see the amount in full paid over to the seller of the property, who takes the money with his own hands.
To give taxes according to the old standard under the changed name is shui tsai yüan liang 稅載原糧.
The buyer is allowed to take over the tenants and farm the land, chiao tien kuo ching 交佃過耕. The tenants have generally to be present when the money is paid over and their deposit on the land or houses deducted from the price which remains in the hands of the purchaser. A small feast is prepared for the middleman when the signature is being attached to the deeds. The seller at this juncture makes a fuss, and pretends not to be able to agree to the conditions and price, and ready money has very often to be added before this important signature can be procured. I have known many hours to be spent in wrangling over a bit of work which takes half a minute to complete.
Yo chieh hsia pai, 約界下碑 is to go round the boundaries of the property along with the middlemen and neighbouring landlords, who have to be invited to a feast; their presence is equivalent to their recognition of their new neighbour. The seller of property never comes to the feast, but a table will be sent to the home of the family. It is reckoned a loss of face to have to sell the family inheritance, and an occasion for pity too.
Ch‘ê shên li wo 撤神離窩, to take down the family altar and leave the nest; as long as the idols are not removed the old landlord does not reckon to have left.
