The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-06-19

are much, nltereSteO, Will ENJOY itCbco diiu
honors in after life. IS reward for the
attention and respect they have paid to the
remains Of their fathers; that as the stream
which they then behold when standing
around their fathers grave flows and returns
again in its windings so shall honors, and
riches, and everything which they can desire,
flow into their possession. These fellows
are generally great rogues, and play upon
the prejudices of the people. Ii frequently
happens that after interment has taken place
for some 6me, they call upon the relatives,
and inform them that for some cause, it Is
absolutely necessary to remove and RENTER
the body. Should the relations object to
this, the answer is, Very well, don't
care but your children and relations viii
also be regardless of you when you die, and
you will be miserable in your graves. =
The feelings Of the poor deluded Chinese
are thus wrought upon, and further sum
Of money is extracted in the finding Of a
more suitable grave for the relative in cues
ZION.
In my travels in the south of China, |
often came upon graves in the most retired
places amongst the hills; they were all less
or more of the same form, namely, half
circle cut out of the hill SIDE, having the
body inferred behind it, Sometimes, indeed
generally, there Were several of these hall
circles with a succession of terraces in front
of the grave and in the cases Of the more
wealthy, the semi-circles were built Of brick
or stone and on rather more extensive scale.
In the centre Of the semi-circle, and Of course
close to the body, the gravestone is placed.
with its inscription. NJ. Gallery, who is an
excellent Chinese scholar, informed me that
these inScriptionsa are Of the most simple kind,
merely stating the name Of the deceased,
that he died in such dynasty, in such a
year This is the plain and unfattering
tale which the Chinese tombstone tells, and
might, perhaps, be a useful lesson to those
who are so fond Of fiarering on tombstones
N our own country In some instances, |
cannot tell if in all, after the body has
tlecayed, the bones are dug up, and carefully
put into earthen ware cans and placed on
the hill SIDE above ground. These, as well
IS the graves, are visited al stated times by
the relatives; they go first to the patriarch,
or father Of tribe, and then to The Others
in rotation; there they perform their devo-
tons, offer incense, and dine together after
the ceremonies are over.
As the traveller proceeds northward, the
circular form Of constructing The tombs is
less common, and they become more varied
in then appearance. In Chusan. Ningpoo,
and various 0.hei places in that district, q
great propor,.ca Of the collins are placed on
the surface Of the ground, and merely thatch-
ed over with straw You meet these collins
in all sorts Of places, on the sides of the
public highway, on the banks Of rivers and
canals, IN woods and other retired parts oI
the country. Sometimes the thutch is COM
pletely of, the wood rotton, and the remains
of the Cinnamon Of former DAYS exposed 10
view On one hill side on the island OF
Chusan, skulls and bones Of different kinds
are lying abou, in all directions. and more
than once. when wandering through the
long bulshwood | have found myself with
nv legs through the lid Of coffin, amongst
the bones Of poor Chinaman, before was
aV are Of the Circumstance.
Tie wealthy in these districts | believe.
generally bury their dead. and some of them
build very chaste and beautiful tombs -
There are three or four very fine ones in the
island OF Chusan, where the paving in front
Of the mound which contains tie body i;
rea " beautiful, and the carving elaborate
and superb, the whole OF the stone work
being square, instead of circu'ar, as in the
tombs in the south of China Here. as at
home, and believe in almost every par; of
the world, the pine tribe are great fayorites,
and hannonize well with the last resting
places OF the dead The Chinese frequent
ly plant them in half circles around their
tOmOs.
In the Shanghai district have frequently
visited large houses which seem to have
been built by the rich 10 hold their bodies
when they die. In these houses generally
found a coffin in one Of the principal rooms,
and an altar with all the trappings OF idol
airy, where incense on high DAYS is burned
TO the memory Of the deceased, and various
other ceremonies are gone through By the
relatives. These houses are generally in a
pine wood and sometimes the body IS buried
out o. doors, the altar and the records being
kept in the house, where a Chinese with
his family is always placed TO look after
them.
Bur. the most curious tomb OF all, was
one ! met with during a Journey in the in
terror, near the town Of Lun-kiang-foo. IL
was placed on the side OF hill, and evi-
IDENTIFY belonged to some very wealthy or
importont parsonage in that city. From
the base OF the hill 10 where the tomb was.
which was about half way up. the visitor
ascends by broad flight Of steps, on each
side Of which a number OF figures carved
out Of stone were placed. As far as | can
recollect, the following was the order in
which The figures were placed: first a pair
OF goats or sheep, one on each side, second
two dogs, third two cats, fourth two horses
saddled and bridled, and fifth two most
gigantic priests, the whole presenting a most
strange and striking picture to the view
| have since seen another ca two Of the same
kind near Nngpoo. but on much smaller |
scale.
The poor, as well as the rich, often keep
their dead in their dwelling houses for a
long time after they die d: | should imagine
rom the numerous collins which met with
in such circumstances, that many are thus
kept Tor years The collins are remarkably
thick snd strong, and the joints carefully
rernnnied in nrder 10 r,rarnnt mn, ,nr,lon. /