The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-09-12
Chinese Offerings to the Dead.

One of the most ancient customs of
the Chinese is that of offering food to
the dead at their graves. 1t is one of
the most cheerful features of pagan
creed, indicating belief on the part of
the idolater that his relatives and friends,
departed this life, live in the other world;
that they are capable of the sensuous
enioyments of this, and that he is enabled
to demonstrate in practical manner
his continued love and devotion to them
The failure of any of the sacrifcial vians
to disappear when spread upon the
graves Of the departed does not seem to
weaken the faith of the sacrifcer that
his offerings are acceptable to the shades.
He is ever liberal to extravaganza and
faithful in the performance of all the
ceremonies which this part of his creed
enforces.
The Chinese burial ground at Lone
Mountain was the theatre yesterday of
n general observance of these customs.
They are usually performed twice each
year, on the 18th of February and the
10Th of July, according to their calendar.
In China it is regarded as sort of fes-
tival, and the houses and shops are
decorated in all the profusion of Oriental
splendor. In this country such general
observance is unknown, and the people
content themselves with the less costly
operation of cooking food and carrying
it as an offering to the tombs.
At an early hour, Sunday, long pro-
cession OF carriages and express wagons
moved toward the cemetery from the
Chinese quarter. Every one was filed
IL, r.. - ! Il, H.
ing overloaded. In the latter were the
offerings to be made at the graves.
Scores of white people, attracted by the
novelty of the proceedings, went to the
cemetery to witness them. Arrived at
the ground, the team halted and the
sacred burdens were taken out, conveyed
to the tombs and deposited on the ground.
Each party of sacrifcers had roast hog,
laid on shallow wooden trough or tray,
baked ducks and chicken, pyramids of
cakes, composed Of lard, -four and sugar,
and baked in varions colors, pots OF tea,
bottles of wine and brandy, chopsticks,
Guns, plates and saucers, packages of
rice and large bundles Of yellow and
crimson paper. The ceremonies at all
the tombs were similar, so that de-
scription of those at one will answer for
all.
The tray holding the roast pig was
placed at the foot of grave or inclosure
containing several, and behind this was
placed piece of mating, on which was
spread the smaller delicacies of the
Celestial lunch Rice was scattered on
the ground, tea and wine and brandy
poured into little cups, the chopstick>
-, fpr h.,
mids of cakes uncovered. Then the men
of the party, singly or. in couples, bowed
twice with clasped hands toward the
offering and the graves, then knelt and
bowed the head thrice to the ground
Josssticks and crimson wax tapers were
lighted and stuck in the sand on the
tombs, the latter for the purpose of dis
couraging the presence and oficious in.
reference of evil spirits, or those who
had been foes on earth of the dead The
peculiar odor of Chinese incense filled
the air, and was at times so pungent a,
to almost discourage the presence O
Caucasians, clothed in the strong armol
of the earth earthly. The oblations be.
ing all properly arranged, the package
of paper were unloosed and prepared fo
the flames. Some of the papers bor
Inscriptions written by men called wis
in matters of religion. Some were pray
ers to the gods for good harvests, health
peace and joy to the living. Some wer
in the nature of oils of fare, informin!
the departed of all the ingredients O
the offerings, the names OF the donors
and a petition to them to come and par
take. Then there were piles of money
paper" representing copper, silver ant
gold, according to the color of a littl
piece of gilt paper stuck in the centr
of each sheet. This is intended to b
drawn on sight by the dead, and use'
by them to defray their necessary ex
penses in the other world. All these
and such other communications as ma
be written, are supposed to become visi
BILE and tangible to the spirits whel
reduced to ashes. The pile is fired, an,
in few minutes clouds of smoke AM
cinders fill the air; the immortals ar
present, and renew the festivities O
mortal life. 1t is always supposed tina
there are spirits who have no friends t
call them back-charity reaches into tn
land of Buddha. The Chinaman cut
off small portions of the pig, the lowe
bill of duck, a portion of a chicken
breast, takes morsel of cake, littl
wine or tea and rice, and deposits then
in side-dish for the gustatory enjoy
ment of the poor spirits. At the con
clusion of the sacriticial ceremonies, al
the edibles that have not been cast upol
the ground are gathered up again, re
placed in the wagons and returned t.
the abodes of the living, where the table
receive them, and they soon disappea
down the throats of all who have con
tributed to procure and cook the Celestia
feast.-San Francisco Bulletin.