The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-08
The Chinese Feast OF the cad In San Fran
ciseo.

From the San Francisco Alta Californian, Ap,h4I
=, Inc annual Feast Of the Dead, lasting some
,nree OF Tour Gays. during which time IN be-
heNers IN ine budhlst faith-amOng which may be
clsssed the whole Of our Chinese popuIstiop- pay
visits 10 the graves of their dead friends besr M
| testimonials Of their aHeetionate Remembrance g.
commenced yesterday, and eli day loag the r0a 4
leading 10 Lone Mountain hss been thronged vvsrA
carriages hlled with Celesta isitors and Csus4s-
ian novelty seekers. Riding out to the Chinese
quarter OF the cemetery IN the morning wa foupf
me ceremonies In honor Of the dead ia full blast,
and the place swarming with Celestals, with a
far spriDkling OF male aud female visitors of our
own race. The ceremonies did not appear TO par
take IN any marked degree Of religious charac.,.
Ter, but seemed more Ike friendly visit lunoh
and familiar chatting with the deer departed =
Sticks Of prepared incense, or a. joss sticks "
and red wax candles, with small sticks TO hod,
them up above the sand, were burning by the,
hesu OF nearly every grave, and in aud around
the open brick inclOsure or temple, and ia
wooden counterpart on the hill shove
Nesrly every party, on driving on the ground,
wouio lei On Je1f DC joe OF fre-crackers. By
way OF announcing TO their friends in the Spirit
Lend that they were on hand and prepared for
buslness. Then the roast pig, oranges, bananas,
pieces OF fresh sugar canes, and other toOthsoms
dehcacss prepared for the occasion, would be
unoaded nom the wagons, and nice spread or
lsy out, would be arranged at each grave, or in
the noDdescrpt Enclosures which, for want of A
better name, we call temples. After the spread
had been arranged, rows Of tiny porcelain CUPS
would be set down on the sand and poured full on
sam shoo, or other alcoholic or vinous liquor
Alter few minutes fire would be kindled. and
The baskets full of square varicOiored paper
WOuld be burned, the eatables would be paeked
uP sean and put in the wagons, the Hquor would
be turned on the fire or on the ground and tha
joss sticks and candles lighted aud left burning.
Then woman would take up handful Of pale,
straw -colored squares Of PAPER, each with a bit
OF gold foil fastened on the center and twirIing
them dexterously in her hand so as TO arrange
them 10 tRe form OF Catherine wheel, as a Cau-
esslaa sport viii sometimes arrange deck Of
cards flung them into the air, sending them fInt-
trng away on the wind for many rods.
The whole cemetery oil round the Chinese
quarter inll OF these little squares Of gilt paper
and Whatever virtue they possess will be largely
shared by the occupants of the POtters Field OF
our own Face, whose graves are strevn with them
as the ground IN the forest is strewn With Autumn
leaves. The visitors would then walk around for
. short time, chat, laugh, and exchange congratu.
lauons with their living friends aud then ride away
10 the city apparently in the best of humor with
themselves aud the rest of mankind. All the
Celesiiais come and go IN carriages, the rich mer5
chants in the eOstliest hacks to be hired at the
Plaza, and the poorer classes In humble STYLE but
all in vehicles Of some kind. In hack drawn by
two foe grays, with silver mounted harness, ycu
would see four opuent merchants in their " -S3n.
days best" smoking cigars, and evidently enjoy
lng themselves thoroughly, and next 70 them
would come an express wagon, loaded with COM
mon laborers, who dubbed together, and by
riding dozen in one conveyance managed to
would be filled with women of the public class
only. And The offerings they brought to please
heir dead friends were OF like diverse char
iefef.
Behind the carriages OF the rich men would
come wagon loaded with delicsces of the cost
hest description-hogs, roasted entire, aud pro-
visions by wholesale, while the poor cigar maker,
Washerman or the peddler Of fruit aud vegetables
would bumby bear in his hands few triaea
such as his means would justify him in purchasing
All were in carriages but in a day or two, after
The hrst rush Is over the poorer laborers and rag
pickers will be seen starting out in parties OF
1alf adozen, carrying in their hands some little
Ilhes, perhaps purchased with the hard. earnings
y weeks, to place by the graves Of the loved
rends gone before.
We saw nothing Of any priests. or any signs OF
eguiar religious ceremonies and the occasion.is
'ronabiy looked upon by the Chinese in some-
: hat the same light as that in which the gay
'arisians regard their annual visit TO Pere Ia
;bsse, and their decoration OF the graves OF their
lead with flowers. The sight altogether Is not
IN unpleasant one nor one calculated 10 make us
blink lees kindly Of people who show such vene-
alton for the memory of their dead, grotesque
nd, TO us, outlandish as the demonstration In its
PARTICULAR form may seem.