The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-29
A CHINESE FUNERAL.
Salem, September 26, 1876.

a UdlNhSh UNhhAI.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
A large concourse of our citizens gath
cred at the corner of Alder and Second
streets at an early hour on Sabbath
morning to witness another of those
to most of them, perhaps, unmeaning
pageants, a Chinese funeral. To give
full description of such spectacle
would require more ofyour valuable space
than you might wish to devote to such
a subject, and would certainly require
more graphic pen than mine, but for the
information of such of your readers as
are so unfortunately (?) located as to be
unable to witness such scenes, I will, |
with your permission, speak briefly of
the matter.
Under small cotton awning impro-
vised for the purpose, and directly in
the street, was placed costly casket
containing the mortal remains of Duck
Loung, a prominent Chinese merchant
of the city. At short distances on all
sides of the casket were placed tables
laden with all sorts of provisions and
many different kinds of fruits, and upon
which were kept burning scores of wax
tapers, representing all the eolors of the
rainbow. From 7:3O until about IL A.
NJ. the street for the distance of two
blocks was densely thronged with the
countrymen of the deceased, clothed in
the peculiar mourning costume of that
people, being robes and turbans of pure
white and sandals made from uncolOred
straw. Many of them bore aloft gaud
ily-painted transparencies and stream
ers bearing Inscriptions in Chinese char
acters, probably recounting the many
generous deeds the mOurned had per-
formed while in the flesh, while the
most hideous din continually cleft the
air from a score of tom-tOms, brass
trumpets, cows horns, and cymbals, in
tended probably to prOpitiate their
wooden god, or to earn for their depart
ed friend title to home of rest.
The procession at last moved, how
ever, headed by full brass band, to the
credit of whom, be it said, showed suffi-
cient respect for the day and occasion to
make appropriate selections of music.
They played neither "Pop Goes the
Weasel" nor ''The Girl 1 Left behind
Me,u as one of our city bands was said
to do quite recently on similar occa-
+ sion. Next following the band was the
r hearse, fianked by eight pail bearers
then came the son and wife Of deceased
, clothed in sack-cloth and without shoes
, and supported by a stalwart Mongoliar
on either side. They trudged along
| with bowed heads, venting their grie
, in the widest lamentations. Ther
came friends in white robes and turbans
y followed by a larger number in th'
= quaint everyday costume of that unpro
gressive people, with red or blue turban
= wound about their heads. These wer,
all on foot, and numbered, by actua
: count, nearly five hundred. The rear o
4 the procession, which was the longes
funeral procession that ever mover
: through the city, was brought up b.
= carriages.
Why, l do not know, but they did no
. direct their steps toward the cemeter.
= until they had spent nearly an hour per
h ambulating the principal streets of. th
# city with their unearthly clatter, to tn
II manifest annoyance of the several con
n gregations of Christian worshipers tina
,r were at their devotions at that hour, i
the churches by which this processio
70 filed. Doubtless most of those who wit
messed the pagan rites were attracte
J. principally by their mysterious charaC
r, ter, but to the student of ancient loI
s, they were deeply interesting. Such a
d, one might easily imagine himse
v, standing way back on the shore of dC
s, parted time fully four thousand veal
e, ago, and gazing upon a burial seen
r. amongst the ancient Egyptians, for s
n. stationary has the civilization and Ell
It, lightenment of the Chinese people bee
s. that they stand to-day just about whel
they and ancient Egypt did when prou
D. Pharaoh sought to hold the Hebre
,l- race in perpetual bondage. And
II, doubt not that the funeral corteges thi
IL followed the remains of the Rames
IL and the Pharaohs to their last resting
n, places were in all essential particula
is, like the one of which we write.
S. Let the idle and thoughtless the
er, make merry over these exhibitions
33. the customs of antiquity, but Il
e: thoughtful must look upon them wit
ell feelings akin to awe! A. F. J.
Portland, September %, 1876.
re: