Zhuazhou is a special custom practised on a baby's first birthday in China. (early) record of this custom can go back to the Song Dynasty, about 1,000 years ago. In the late Qing Dynasty, the custom got popular in Beijing.
The Zhuazhou ceremony usually (take) place before lunchtime on the baby's first birthday. Different items (物品) (put) on a table. Then parents seat the baby in front of the table. Without help from anybody, the baby is free (choose) anything in front of him or her. The item he or she chooses is used to predict his or her (interesting) and job in the future.
The items on the table can be many things. There might be a stamp, a pen, an abacus, and so on. Choosing the stamp means the baby will be an officer in the future. the baby picks a pen, he or she may become a writer. The abacus (probable) means the baby will be good with numbers.
Zhuazhou is still followed today. However, the items have changed to some degree. Many parents put a computer mouse, a coloured pen, a CD or a violin in front of (they) babies. These things stand for modern jobs. For example, a computer mouse means the baby will be engineer.
Today's items at the Zhuazhou ceremony are different those before, but a family's good wishes for a baby are always the same—to have a bright future.
