Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-09-27
A CHINESE FESTIVAE.
Ducks and WatermelIons Offered on the
Tablets of Deceased MISUNDERSTANDING
Daughters Duty as Parents.

DUCKS and WatermelIons Offered the |
Tablets of Deceased Observation-Disclosures
DauShtnrs' Duty as Parents.
From the New York Times.
The Chinese residents of New York,
who within a few years have consider
ably increased in numbers, are now en-
gagged In the observance of the peculiar
customs of their native country which
take place yearly when the DAYS and
nights become perceptibly cooler. The
Mongolians in our midst, unlike the
coolies in California and Australia. do
not all sport the lengthy, plated Queue
from the back of their heads, nor fol-
low in Middle Kingdom fashions in
respect to wearing apparel; but with re-
gard to religious usages they, as far as
circumstances permit, strictly conform
to the prescribed ceremonies Of Bud
dhism. The poorest tenement in the
Sixth Ward inhabited by Chinese has it's
ancestral tablet, and when the establish
ed seasons arrive all unite to do honor
to the memory of dead relatives. The
early days of Seppiety, as it is called, is
the Keystone to all the teachings of
Confucius. A reporter visited several
celestial dwellings and learned that the
present was considered an excellent
time tor parties to make inquiries of
soOthsayers as to whether they may
or may not be engaged in mar
rage, and also to make selections of
lucky days to engage in business enter.
prises, or as to the proper hour for
funerals to start for graveyards, when
occasion calls, in specified individual
cases for such journeys. s8
| The festival now in course of OBJ
servance has principal reference to the
happiness and comfort Of the dead.
The professed object is to furnish food,
clothing and other necessaries for de-
funct ancestors. To obtain this result
the tablets above mentioned are brought
forward, with burning incense and
lighted candles in front. 1t is indispens-
ible that there should be among the ed
ibles three certain articles-one duck,
one watermelon and dish of vermi-
cell. The duck before being offered
is broiled Besides these, different va
rieties of meat, fruit, fish and spirits
are on hand. All are placed before the
tablets, where they remain while the
customary worship of the dead is per-
formed by kneeling and bowling. Some
Cinnamon have Caucasian wives, but
the latter pay no attention to these OBJ
servances. They look upon them as
amusing, and as their husbands seem
to be uninf1uenced by any religious or
even serious impressions while they
continue the women attend to their
business as if nothing unusual was in
progress.
The Chinese are firm believers in the
separate existence of the soul after
death, but they believe also, that every
one has three souls. At the moment
of dissolution one, they say, goes to
judgment In the unseen world, one
becomes an occupant Of the tablet
erected to the memory of the departed
in one Of the receses Of the house, and
the third goes with the corpse into the
grave. They believe that the unseen
world is an exact counterpart, only
spiritualized, of things visible, and that
the ghosts of the departed are in need
of the same support as they received
while living. Food, raiment and other
necessaries are required by them, re-
quired, however, to state where they
may be available by the disembodied
spirits. The world materials are &C
cordingly brought to this condition by
the process of burning. The Chinese,
however, are too prudent to carry this
extravaganza to excess. Having to
provide not only on the day Of the
funeral, but in every September there
after for the comfort of the departed,
and having to assist in the support not
of one alone, but of 2 long line Of an
cestors, the Chinese take care that the
clothing furnished, and which must be
burned to be realized by the spirit,
shall be as inexpensive as possible.
They therefore manufacture limitations
of these necessaries in paper, the pa
per merely being covered with tin or
gilt foil The food for the spirits is
managed more simply still, the feast is
spread out and steaming, and this
steam, with the fumes arising, forms
the repast of the spirits. The substan-
tial food is consumed by the survivors.
1t is not denied by the parties concern
ed that this sensible course is to be
pursued by the New York Mongolians
who have, according to their means.
purchased during the past few days
supplies of meat, poultry, fruit and
confectionery for the comfort of their
deceased ancestors.
There is a curious custom, in which
married daughter has an important
part connected with this festival in case
one or both of her parents are dead,
and if she has borne a son. She is ex-
pecte'. r present q trunk made in the
shape of d wardl ODE material gauze or
paper some five or six feet high and
three or four feet wide, with shelves in
it. It is furnished with miniature house
hold utensils, as bedsteads, chairs lam
terms, plates. and paper images of SER
wants. These are to be burned on the
premesis.. She is also required to make
present of food, which must include
duck. In this manner the married
daughter is required to give yearly
proofof her filial affection to Ter de-
ceased parents. Being designed for
the benefit Of those who are already
dead it would it would be considered
unbecoming indeed to present them to
those who are yet alive, and if prof
fered would be regarded as a very I'm.
dutiful act and as intimating her wish
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