Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-01-18
Japanese Festival Of Death.

Burns Il not brightly now as theni
Did Ger my spirit tire ! . G H7fl
japanese Festival of Death.
An intelligent tourist gives the following
interesting account Of certain customs among
the Japanese: -.r4.,, r.t. ...-
Nagasaki is built along the bay, around the
bases of the different hills and mountalns,
and in terrace form up their side, presenting
a very picturesque appearance, Many Oh the
temples in these elevated positions are sur.
rounded ON all sides BY tombs, which extend
upward to the very tops ofthe mountains.
The dead are buried in a species Of tub, In
sitting posture, to save space, and over
them is always erected monument. Wnen
a man dies, the widow has at the same time
her tombstone erected, but the inscription on
it is painted red, the only indication that she
is really among the living. The priests
usually have their own houses near the tenn
pie among the tombs. They are exceedingly
fond Of renting them out to foreigners to
make little money. 1t was my good fortune
TO find one of these houses open to my own
situated at q considerable height. 1t COM
mands magnificent view Of town, country,
and harbor, It's only objection being the num-
ber of MOSQUITOES infesting it. Unlike other
mosquitoes, they torture their victims by day
as well as by night. :.
It appears that the water standing in a
little trough before each monument in the
different tombs has much to do with their
presence in this locality. This water is put
there for the use Of the spirits OF the dead.
Flowers, also, and incense are offered up be-
in fhn
greatest festival of the people takes place at
these tombs-" the Worship Of the Ances-
tors" No man works in all this time. AS
it is one of the two occasions of the year
when debts are allowedto be collected, all are
busy during the day to attend to this. After
dark then they gather around the tombs of
their departed friends, which are most beau
tifully illuminated with paper lanterns. l
have counted in one little tomb, of no larger
proportions than eight or ten feet, as many
as seyenty-fiye lanterns. Intermixed with
large white and yellow lanterns l noticed
some very neatly finished and smaller red
ones, which were to denote the number OF
children buried in the tomb. While these
lanterns are burning, the relatives arc pray
ING at the monuments then perhaps take a
little supper, which they bring with them.
Finally some of them fall asleep among the
burial places. ~, Ill.
The Japanese enter into the festival heart
and soul. and, not satisfied with praying,
they let off large quantities of fireworks. In
order to see this grand illumination to the
best advantage, / left my mammoth house
and descended down some hundred and
eighty steps, to the first street, which still
has a downward direction, until reached
the shore. / took boat and went Oft some
distance on the smooth water. Then, look
ing around and above me, bcheld specta-
Gle such as cannot be seen in any other part
of the world. All the hill-sides about the
dwellings were illuminated to the very tops.
They appeared US il covered with flaming
crowns upon their heads, 1t is impossible to
give any appropriate description Of this won
derful magic-like, inexpressibly beautiful
sight.
aThc last night of the festival, most sim
cular proceeding puts close to this annual
ancestor, worship. The Japanese believe
that the spirits visit their tombs during the
time of this worship. In order now to cna-
bic them to go back again to their place OF
rest, Ia kind of heaycn), they manufacture
all sorts of boats, skifs, junks, etc, out Of
straw or paper lanterns. Some OF these YES
sells are sixty feet long, with masts and sails
upon them, even saw most perfect side
wheel steamer model very good imitation,
and Of excellent proportions. The Japanese
seem to be, in general, very apt to make
their limitations almost perfect as regards
this last quality. On the third night, about
an hour after midnight, all these vessels are
carried to the shore Of the bay, while the
ringing and all the lanterns are burning.
There they are set afoat, the carriers carry
ing them Us far away from the land as the
depth of the water will permit. l had taken
a boat to get good view Of this illuminated
fiotilla, expecting something grand, but l
was rather disappointed. Ere any OF these
vessels could float off far, some one would
cause them to ignite entire, straw and paper,
lanterns and masts and as soon as this took
place, a legion of sswreckers" swimming about
like frogs, in all directions, would draw the
burning fame under water, to save and ap--
propriate whatever valuable articles remained
unhurt.
It is amusing to sec them swim off trium-
phantly with piece Of bamboo or half a
boat OF straw, loading gradually boats Of con-
siderable size with their spoils. A young
Japanese, on being asked how the spirits
managed to get here, not having any boats
to bring them, but only to carry them back,
after their arrival, said that he thought they
would swim here. Most probably, after
three days abode among the saki-drinking
Japanese, they became incapable of walking
or swimming back. This reminds me OF a
curious explanation young priest Of Budd-
ha gave Of the two distinct beatings Of q
drum in temple just below our residence,
every evening at about 7 o'clock. The first
beatingis to let Buddha know that he can
take a nap the second, that II is time for
him to 90 to heaven. 1t is curious fact
that only priest himself could give infor-
nation on this point, while almost everybody
else was unacquainted with the cause Of the
cause of the noise daily heard, and this, too,
q part Of their own religious ceremonial.
But Japanese leave all such things to the
priests, considering 1t out of their line Of
business to concern themselves about them.
ANY question in regard to similar ceremo-
mails they will answer by saying: " The
priest knows that; he is in the temples. 1t
is his business to know it." Yet they keep
their temples in admirable condition. In
fact, when first went through the streets at
night, and saw the candles before shrine in
each house, i thought the people remarkably
devoted to their creed. soon, however,
learned that this religious observance is en-
forced by law which recognizes person
not illuminating his idol in the dark at once
a Roman Catholic. "