The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-01
Celestial Sorrow.

Commercial street was the scene of
strange ceremouials recently, the occasion
being the funeral rites of Wrong Hip On,
the senior member of the firm of Low
Sing & Co., doing business in Sacramento
street. Owing to the wealth of the de-
ceased, the full ceremonies attending the
Chinese mode of burial was INDUCED in
by the sorrowing relatives and friends.
Early in the morning an awning about
twenty feet long was erected on the open
street, and under it was placed rude
table covered with gay red cloth. Upon
it stood an elegant brazier filled with
incense. Around the edge of the table
half dozen fancy candles were burning.
Occasionally an attendant threw incense
into the flames ofthe candles, thus making
the air around fragrant with the burning
leaves. Near the table were the remains,
enclosed in metal coffin, which was COW
cred by a scarlet pail richly embroidered.
Yellow streamers huttered in the wind,
on them being written in Chinese figures
various lines from Confucius' writings.
Yellow being one of the mourning colors
of the Chinese, the body was clothed in
rich yellow silk robe. On the head
was placed gilt crown. The queue was
wound round the neck, and the face was
we'll painted. Twelve attendants, with
white robes, and white streamers wound
around their hats, kept the crowd from
upsetting the table and coffin.
On the sidewalk, bent double and
bound in sacks and white cloth, were the
wife, sister and daughter of the deceased
moaning and crying. around them stood
number of old women, stoically eating
sweetmeats handed around in box by q
young girl, and taking no heed of the
women at their feet. but instead talking
to themselves and allowing no male to
come within their circle. The reason for
performing the ceremony In the open air
was to allow all Chinamen who desired
to gaze for the last time upon the features
of the departed, and, since the relentless
joss hoyers over the deceased, the open air
is chosen to give the god more room. Chi
namen do not believe their souls enter the
Celestial Kingdom until their bones are
buried in the land of their birth. The
soul remains around the body until it ha.
been buried in native soil. Then, if Joss
is willing, and proper atonement has
been made by the deceased's friends in the
shape of bogus money, presents, food,
&C., to conciliate the irate god, the soul
is allowed to enter the celestial gates.
The Chinese worship Joss, who is really
the evil god, which they account for by
saying that the true God is too merciful to
hurt his children, but he has placed over
them the wicked Joss, who cannot harm
them unless they have done evil. The
priest officiating was dressed in q black
stole and cap somewhat resembling the
garments worn by Catholic priests on
funeral occasions.
A hearse with four horses, followed by
twenty carriages, with the usual accom-
paniment of tom.toms and fiddles, con.
veyed the remains to the Chinese ceme-
terry, where they will be kept until the
bones arc bIeached and ready to be shipp-
ed to China. The last ceremony was
that of placing eggs and biscuit in the
vault where the dead are kept. The
friends then returned to the house Of the
deceased, feasted on rice and CONNECTIONS
and returned to their various homes
San Francisco Chronicle.