Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-12
Y. WHITMORE.
Publisher and Proprietor,
A Chinese FunOral in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Times.l


A ChIneEe FunOraI I'm Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Times
Lee Chung Pock, a young China
man who labored at ironing shirts
for E. Hop, in a little room in Lo-
Gust street, below Ninth, died of
consumption a day or two since.
The deceased Mongolian was only
nineteen years Of age, and had been
in this country about six years,
four Of which we're spent in Cali
fornia, where first he planted his
feet on American soil. AS Lee
Chung Pock was alone in the city,
without a brother or relative of any
kind, the funeral arrangements fell
upon E. Hop and the deceased
Chinaman's follow workmen, All
Sing, Chin Fun and Ah Charley.
A consultation was held, and it was
agreed that, as their accommoda-
tions for a large funeral were not
great, and the general depression
in business had emptied their
pockets, to spend much money in
laying out the corpse would be
unadvisable. The main rites of
the Chinese mode Of treating the
dead, however, were carried out. E.
Hop and the three workmen, after
the death of Pock, commenced
weeping and lamenting. Glover
and cassia and myrrh were sent for
and placed in a bowl, out of which,
no doubt, Lee Chung had often
eaten rice. Spices were placed over
a layar of ashes, and then set on
fire, and candles were lighted and
placed on a table beside the cot on
which Lee Chung lay. The proverb
of the Chinese is: "0ne living is
a man, but dead is a spirit" and
the spirit of Lee Chung was there
fore considered fit to receive the
odor of the incense; the light of
the candles is supposed to light the
spirit of the dead on its dark way.
What is called a "bridge ladder was
then prepared by All Charley. A
long pole was found in the cellar,
and on it Charley placed lot of
sticks, which diminished in size as
they neared the top Of the pole. 1t
is the Chinese custom for the
nearest relative Of the deceased to
take hold of the lowest stick and
turn the tree around, but as Lee
Chung had no relatives to perform
the sacred office i. Hop olficiated,
The idea of turning the bridge
ladder is to help the spirit on its
way up and the bridge part is to
aid in crossing the river. The little
devil, which the Chinese believe is
furnished by the kings of Hades
to conduct the dead man to
the internal regions, was not
supplied with money, as he
usually is. An ordinary coffin was
bought, aad it was 50 small it was
found impossible to put the five
coats and three pairs Of trowserS on
him ordinarily placed upon the
dead Chinese. =. Hop, All Sing,
Chin Fun and All Charley all got
together, and in loud cries informed
the ten kings Of hell that Leo
Chung was dead. Instead Of keep
ing the body the great length Of
time that the Chinese think neces.
sary, Lee Chung's body was put in
a carriage and taken to the Ropald-
son cemetery, at Ninth and Bainr
bridge, where number of China
men in this city own a lot.
A Times reporter who was pres
ent at the interment said to Chin
Fun: "Why don't you put some
food in the grave with the body, as
they do in China ?"
dNo makee suchee tingee in Mel
ica," said Chin "likee Mellican
nance"
"But the American don't put in
food" said the reporter.
" You no nnerslanee. You no
belongee here. Me oomee and put
tee Lee in grayee."
Lee was placed in the ground,
and the seven or eight Mongolians
who had come to the burial re.
turned in their carriages to the
house.
Lee Chung is the only Chinaman
who has died in this city within the
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