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

Commercial strees was the scene of
strange ceremonials .scently, the occasion
being the funeral rites OF Wrong Hip On,
the senior member of tha firm of Low
Sing & Co., doing business in Sacramento
street. Owing to the wealth of the de-
censed, tho fiil ceremonies attending the
Chinese mode of burial waa indulged in
by the sorGowing relatives and friends. !
Early In the morning an awning, about
twenty eetlpng was erected on the open
street, and under 1t was placed rude
tablecoyeFed with gay red cloth. Upon
I. stood an elegant brazier filed with
incense. Around tho elge OF the tnble
half dozen fancy candles were burning.
Occasionally an attendant threw Incense
into the flames oftho candles, thus making
the air around fragrant with the burning
leaves. Near the table we're the remains,
enclosed in metal coffin. which was COW
cred by acarlet pail richly era brnidered.
Yellow etraamers hrttared in tina wind. /
on them being written in Chinese figures
various lines from Confucins' writings.
yellow being one of the mourning coIoFs
of the Chinese, the body was clothed in
q rich yellow silk robe. On the head
was placed o gilt crown. The queue was
wolnd rothd the neck, and the face was
well painted. Twelve -atiendants, with
white robes, aud white streamers wound
around theiS liatsA kept the crowd from
upsettingathe tahle and .cotfiu.
On the sidewalk, bent double aud
bonpd in sacks and white cloth, were the
| wife, sister and daughter of the deceased
moaning and cryitigg AfbEnd them stood
Q number Of old women, stOiraliy entinR;
sweetmeats hqpded around ia q box by5-- +,
young girl !, and taking 10 heed og the
| women at their feet; but instead talking
| % ShsnkeI yea and .al llbtsing no male to
i, - :; 7 IN their circle The reaSon for
lspartorming the ceremony Ia the open air,
! was TO ALLOW ali NhiuAmans who desired,
TO gaze for the last Time npon the features
OF the departed, and since che relentless
Joss hoyersover the Sleeeaa tho eTep;air
10 chosen to give sha god more room. Chi
namen do not heiieYea teir onlsentes tka
buried in the land Of thstr birth, y he
soul fehtaips around tho body until IL has
boon buried In native coil. Then, IL Josa
is willing, and proper atbQsnensl has
been roado By the deceased 3 friends 30 the
kdape Of bc;I,is lasss ey, presents. food
Co. TO cOnciliate the igale god, the soul
| ii allowed ofenteg the celestial igates.
1n0 UnEuese wcrBniP jJs5, IiiU - STVssisy.
theeyil god, which they account for By
paying that the true God is too mercifnl to
hurt his children. bnt he has placed over
I,theaa tho wicked jose, who cannot harm
them unless they have done evil. The
| priest officiating was dressed Ia a black
stole and cap epfneShAt resembling the
gaSnlenta worn by Catholic priesfs on
funeral occasions.
"A heaTsA with four horses, followed by
twenty carriag SEP, with the usual accom-
paniuient OF tom toms mud fddIes. cor.
sveyed the remains to the Chinese cefae.
tsfy, where they win bs kept until tue
bones are bleached and ready to be ahipp.
ed to China. Tho laat GufT:TiiiSS5TiYF n y .T7i,s
that of placing eggs and biscuit II. the
/ vault where the dead are kept. The
zriends then returned TO the house Of the
deceased, feasted on rice and CONNECTIONS
and teturned,to their various homes. :.
SSss1e fsanciseo 6gS1oaitSSss