The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-04-10

hnce' iheir lives ahu properties are at
his disposal day and 'aight; but he has now
favor to ask which no violence could
secure, and pleads thus that his mothers
body may be carried gently, without jar or
conclusion of any kind. He win have her
laid by the side Of his father, in coffin
which costs perhaps two hundred taels, and
repair thither periodically to appease her
departed spirit with yotiye offerings of
fruit, vegetables, and pork.
Immediately after the decease Of a
parent, the children and other near rela-
tives communicate the news to friends
living farther off by what is called. an
announcement Of death" which merely
states that the father or mother, as the
c sc may be, has died, and that they, the
survivors, are entirely to blame. With
this is sent "sad report or, in other
words, dstailco account of deceased s
last illness, how it originated, what medi.
cine was prescribed and taken, and sundry
other interesting particulars. These friends
reply by sending present Of money to
help defray funeral expenses, present of
food or joss-stick, or even detachment Of
priests to read the prescribed liturgies
over the dead. Sometimes large scroll
is written and forwarded, inscribed with a
few such appropriate words as, "a hero
has gonel' When all these have been
received, the members of the bereayed
family issue printed form Of thanks, one
copy being left at the house of each con.
tributor, and worded thus :--"This is to
express the thanks Of, the orphaned
son, who weeps tears of blood and bows
his head; Of, the mourning brother,
who woeps and bows his head; Of, the
mourning nephew, who wipes away his
tears and bows his head"
1t is well known that all old and oven
middle-agcd people in China like having
their coffin prepared ready for use. A
dutiful son will see that his parents are
thus provided, sometimes many years
before their death, and the old people will
invite relatives or friends to examine and
admire both the materials and workman
ship, as if it were some beautiful picture
or statue of which they had just cause to
be proud. Upon the coffin is carved an
inscription with the name and titles of its
occupant; if woman, the name of her hus-
band At the foot Of the coffin are buried
two stone tablets, face to face; one bears
the name and titles of the deceased, and
the other short account Of his life, what
year he was born in, what were his achieve
ments as scholar, and how many child
ren were borne to him. Periods of mourn
ing are regulated by the degrees Of
relationship to the dead. A son wears
his white clothes for three years-actually,
for twcnty-cight months; and wife mourns
her husband for the same period. The
death of wife, however, calls for only
single year of grief; for, as the sacred
edict points out, if your wife dies you can
marry another. The same time suiiices
for brother, sister, or child. Marriages
contracted during these days Of mourning
are not only invalid, but the offending
parties are punished with q greater or less
number of blows, according to the gravity
of the offence Innumerable other petty
restrictions arc imposed by national or
local custom, which are observed with a
certain amount of fidelity, though instances
are not wanting where the whole thing is
shirkod as inconvenient and bore.
Cremation, once the prevailing fashion
in China, is now reserved for the priest of
Buddha alone-that selfmade outcast
from society, whose parting soul relies on
no fond breast, who has no kith or kin to
shed "some pious drops the closins eye
requires" but who, seated in an iron chair
beneath the miniature pagoda erected in
most large temples for that purpose, passes
away in fire and smoke from this vale of
tears and sin, to be absorbed in the bliss
ful Inconsistencies of an eternal Niryana.