The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-20

CHINESE IDEAS ABOUT DEATH.-The Chi
nese are almost Indifferent to the phenOme-
non of dissolution, and frequently compass
their own end when life becomes Wearlsome.
wife sometimes elects to follow her nus
hand on the starlit road of death and pa.
rents will destroy their offspring in times OF
famine and great distress rather than allow
them TO suffer. Still more remarkable is the
custom of selling their lives in order that
they NAV purchase the superior advantage OF
obseouies, which are considered to insure
the body in safety for the future resurrec-
tiop. A wealthy man condemned to death
will arrange with his jailor to buy him
substitute for certain sum OF money,
to be spent upon the poor wretch's utter
mcpt and preservation Of his body. Should
he have parents, so much is usually paid
them in compensation for their sons life.
Cinnamon invariably help to support their
narents filial respect and devotion is the
great Chinese virtue and religious precept,
in which they rarely fail. Regarding death
as inevitable. he makes the best Of bad bar
pain. and cunningly and comically gets paid
for diving, The wholesale destruction OF life
in this country is greatly the result of indif.
ference. Hence the massacre Of Europeans, go
terrible to US, seems to them matter OF little
moment, and they cannot comprehend why
we should make fuss about it. They re-.
card our indignant protestation very much
as we might treat our neighbor whose dog
we had shot. "WeI, we'll, be pacifed; if
IL was such favorte, am sorry; pat IL IS
only dog, and there are plenty more. how
much do YOU want to be paid for it p "lou
English think so much of a life" argue the
Chinese: "haye you not plenty OF peo'
nle at home ?" Death in China is award
ed as the punishment for the most trlV.
ial offences, and frequently for none at
all. except being in somebody's way.
story was told to me as fact that our
ing the visit of one OF our royal princes,
a theft was committed of chain or watch
belonging to the royal guest. The unfortu-
nate attendant was caught with the property
upon him. and without further ceremony his
head was chopped of. The mandarin IN at
tendance Immediately announced the tldlngs
to the prince as delicate attention, showing
how devoted he was in his service. 10 his
establishment, the prince expressed great re-
gret that the mans head had been taken of.
3Your highness," cried the obsequious
mandarin, bowling to the ground, cit
shall Immediately be put on again !" so
little. did he understand that the regret
was for the life taken, and not the severed
head. In times or insurrectton or famine
the moving down of human life Is like corn
stalks at harvest time, appalling to European
ideas. I must confess TO q nervous shud-
dering when stood upon the execution ion
ground at Canton-a narrow lane or fot-
ters tield-Where SO many hundreds had
been butchered per diem during weeks to-
gether, the executioner requiring the aid
Of TWO smiths to sharpen his swords; for
MANY of the wretched victims were not de.
stroyed at one fell swoop, but sentenced
to be sshacked to pieces" by twenty to htty
blows. 1 was informed by European who
had travelled mueh and seen most o, the
frightful sides Of life that witnessing chi
nese executions was more than bis iron
nerves could stand, and in some Of the dc
tails Which he was narrating I was obliged tc
beg him to deslst. And yet he said there lta,.
Wsa nothing solemn aopus - y. ,s sa the horri
/ bic bic and the grotesque combined Tempe y
i Bar. ......