Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-07-25
NO. XXXVI.
The People of China

CHINESE FoYpHEss FOR CoFrINs.-1n no otIi-
er country than China, perhaps, could men be
heard exchanging compliments on the subject Of a
coffin. People are mostly shy of mentioning the
lugubrious objects destined to contain the mortal
remains of a relation or friend. and when death
does enter the house, the coffin IS got in in secre
cy and silence. in order TO spare the feelings of
the mourning family. But it is quite otherwise
in China; there coffin is simply an article. OF
the first necessity to the dead, and of luxury and
fancy to the living. In the great towns you zee
them displayed in the shops with all sorts of taste
fnl decorations. painted and vanished, and pol
ished and trimmed up to attract the eyes OF pas
sengers, and give them the fancy to buy them
selves one. People in easy circumstances, who
have money TO spare for their pleasures, scarcely
ever fail to provide themselves beforehand with a
coffin TO their own taste, aud which they consider
becoming; and, until the moment arrives for ~
ing down in it, it is kept in the house, not as an
article of immediate necessity, but as one that
cannot fail to be consoling and pleasant to the eye
in nicely furnished apartment.
| For well broughtup children it is favorite
method of expressing the leryor Of their flial pie
ty toward the authors of their being, sweet and
tender consolation for the heart of son to be able
to purchase beautiful coffin for aged father or
mother, and come in state to present the gift at
the moment when they leaat expect such an a.
preeabIe surprise. If one is not sufficiently IA
yored by fortune to he able to afford the purchase
of coffin in advance, care is always taken that
before ''saluing the world" as the Chinese say.
sick person shall at least have the satisfaction
Of casting glance at his last abode; and if he is
surrounded by at all aiieciohate relations, they
never fail to buy him coffin, and place 1t by the
side OF his bed.
In the country this is not always so easy; for
coffins are not kept quite ready, and, besides,
peasants have not such luxurious habits as towns
people, The only way then is to send for The
carpenter of the place, who takes measure Of the
sick person, not forgetting to observe 10 him that
it must be made little longer than would seem
necessary because one always stretches out lit
tie when ones dead. bargain is then made
concerning the length and the breadth, and espe-
ciaIly the cost; wood is brought, and the work
men set about their task in the yard close to the
chamber of the dying person, who is entertained
with the music of the saw and the other toois,
while death is at work within him, preparing
him to occupy the snug abode when 1t is ready.
THEIR OPINIONS OF EURoPEANs.-The Chi
nese of the interior whom business takes TO Can
ton or Macao, always 90 the first thing TO look at
the Europeans on the promenade. It's one OF the
most amusing of sights to them. They squat IN
rows along the sides Of the quays, smoking their
pipes and tanning themselves, contemplating tho
while with satirical and contempuous eye the
English and Americans who promenade up and
down from one end to the other, keeping time
with admirable precision. Europeans who 90 to
China are apt TO consider the inhabitants of the
Celestial Empire very odd and supremely ridicu
lous, and the provincial Chinese at Canton and
Macao pay back this sentiment with inter est 1t
is very amusing to hear their sarcastic remarks on
the appearance of the devils of the west their ut
ter astonshment at sight of their tght-fitling gar
ments, their wonderful trowsers, and prodiglous
round hats, like chimney -pots-the shirt-coliars
adapted to cut off the ears, and making frame
around such grotesque faces, with long noses and
blue eyes, no beard or mustache, but handful OF
curly hair on each cheek. The shape OF the
dress coat puzzles them above everything. Ihey
try in vain to account for it, calling it half gar
ment, because it is impossible to make it meet
ovor the breast, and because there is nothing in
front to correspond TO the tails behind. They ad-
mire the judgment and exquisite taste OF putting
buttons as big as sapecks behind the back where
they never have anything to button. How much
handsomer they think themselves with their mar
row, oblique, black eyes, high cheek bones, and
little round noses. their shaven CROWNS and mag
nifcent pig tails hanging almost to their heels
Add 10 all these natural graces concal hat, coy-
cred with red fringe, an ample tunic with large
sleeves, and black satin boots, with white sole
of immense thickness, and it must be evident 10
all that European cannot compare in appearance
with a Chinese.
LAMENrING THE DEAD.-The Chinese think,
A., 81, 10 roculf of tho daGnffiUa
separation of the soul from the body, but they al
so think that the degree of illness is in direct pro-
portion TO the number Of attempts which the soul
makes to escape, and when the sufferer expert
ences the terrible crisis that endangers his life, it
is proof thai the soul has been momenarly alb
sent that it keeps going away TO a certain dis
lance. but returns again The distance being so
small that it is still able to exercise considerable
influence on the body, and keep it alive, although
it suffers dreadiully from this transtOry separa-
tion if the dying person falls into the last agony.
it is evident that the soul has gone with the firm
resolution not TO come back again. Nevertheless
all hope is not yet lost, and there is method Of
making il take up its abode again in the untortu-
nate body that is struggling with death. Ihoy
try first the effect of persuasion, and endeavor by
PRAYERS and supplicatons to induce the soul TO
change its resolution. They run after 1t. they
conjure it 10 come back they describe in the most
moving terms the lamentable state to which they
will be reduced if this obstinate soul will not hear
reason They tell it that the happiness ot the
entire family depends upon it, they urge 1t, flater
it. overwheIm it with enreates. "Come back,
come back!" they cry, "what have we done,
what have we done to you? What motive can
YOU have for going away? Come back we con-
lure you," and as no one knows very well which
way the soul is gone, they run in all directions,
and make a thousand eyolutions in the hope OF
meeting it, and soltenIng it by their prayers and
tears.
If these mild and insinuating methods do not
succeed. if the soul remains deaf, and persists
coolly in going its own way, they adopt another
course, and try and frighten it. They utter loud
cries, they let off fireworks suddenly in every di-
rection in which they imagine it might be making
off they stretch out their arms to bar its passage,
and push with their hands to force it TO return
home and re-enter the body. Among those who
set out on the chase after refractory soul, there
are always some more skillful than others, who
manage to get upon lis track. Then they sum-
mon the others to help them, calling out, 'Here
it is! here it isl" and Immediately everybody
runs that way. They then unite their forces,
they concentrate their plan of operations. they
weep, they groan, they lament, they let off
squbs and crackers CT all kinds, they make a
hightful charirari round The poor SOUL and hustle
it about in all sorts of ways, that if it does not
give it up at last, it must really be most stub
born and i'll disposed spirit.
REDUCED ARIsToc is family
in humble circumstances at Kettering, bearing the
ancient royal name of Planagenet, though now it
is commonly corrupted into Plant, we suppose for
the sake of brevity. There is also living in the
town the widow Of harOnet, who earns preca-
rOus livelihood at washing and charing. She is
sometimes facetiously called 'My Lady" Her
late husbands grandfather, Sir John Norwich,
lost large estate through gambling, and was az