Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1892 — BURYING A CHINAMAN. [ARTICLE]

BURYING A CHINAMAN.

Description of the Ceremony as Conducted in the Flowery Kingdom. We are in the Chinese quarter of San Francisco. Here is a house where a death has occurred. A Chinese friend procures admittance for us, so that we may see of Chinese funeral customs. As soon as the breath has left the body professional mourners are called in, who deck it with all the finery possible. If it is that has died ’her cheeks are heavily rouged, and if the deceased in life was not the owner of sufficient jewelry to decorate the remains with, friends and relatives are called upon to furnish the desired amount. If the weather is favorable the body is laid out on a table placed in a street or alley adjoining the late residence of the deceased, but covered from sight with a large white cloth. N»xt to the table holding the deceased is another table covered with meat, candies, preserved cocoanut, and ginger, together with a liberal supply of Chinese wine and brandy. Among the funeral meats will always be found a pig or a hog rcasted whole, the size of the porcine offering being graded according to the age of the deceased. As soon as the body and feast are laid out in state the serious work of the professional mourners commences. The number of mourners varies according to the social standing of the deceased in life—from six to ten being the average for an adult. The mourners are dressed from head to foot in white, the face and head being hid from sight by a sort of hood, so that one cannot tell whether the mourners are male or female. The first move is to gather round the bier and chant a mournful dirge, not forgetting to extol the many virtues of the departed. During this time they are constantly moving around in a circle to prevent any evil spirit from creeping in and so getting possession of the body. As soon as the dirge is over the musicians commence beating the gongs, cymbals, and tom-toms, the mourners at the same time giving vent to groans, speeches, and howls, varying the proceedings by beating themselves and others with clenched fists, pulling their hair and knocking their heads against the adjoining building. They keep this up until they work themselves into a perfect, state of frenzy, and together with the musicians make such an uproar that one would think that pandemonium had broken loose. The object of beating the gongs, etc., is to frighten the devils away. In the meantime, every two or three minutes, handfuls of small pieces of paper are thrown in the air, over the body of the deceased, so that if by any chance some of the devils should get by the musicians and mourners they would be frightened by the pieces of paper, as they are supposed to represent so many good spirits. Then joss-sticks, punk and incense are kept burning. The mourning and racket last for at least twenty-four hours. The morning of the funeral the body is taken from the bier, and after being stripped of the ornaments and other finery is placed in a coffin. A piece of money is placed in the hands of the deceased, a written prayer or charm is put in the mouth, and a bottle of wine or brandy, together with a liberal allowance of food, is also inclosed in the coffin. Then an express wagon is obtained, and the food and liquor arc placed in the wagon, and two or more men are continually throwing joss papers in the air until their burying ground is reached. Second in the line of the procession is a wagon filled with the hired mourners, then the relatives and friends follow, the deceased bringing up the rear, with the exception of two men who are detailed to follow behind and scatter joss papers. When the grave* is reached the real agony begins. The mourners redouble their efforts and the musicians beat their gongs, etc., with all the power possible. The coffin is lowered into the grave, another piece of money is placed upon the top of the coffin, and the grave filled up. The money is for the purpose of paying the god of waters for rowing the deceased across the dark waters. It is supposed that the god of waters will be satisfied by merely seeing the money in the hands of the deceased. The money on top of the coffin is for the benefit of the evil spirits. After the grave is filled, the eatables, sweetmeats, and liquor are placed over it, as the mere sight of the food will appease the hunger of the gods. The food does does not remain at the grave very long. The morning after, any one is allowed to take it away, as the spirits are supposed to have satisfied their hunger during the night.— Hearth and Hall.