News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-05-18
A MONGOLIAN FUNERAL.
Solemn and Prayerful Ceremonies at
the Burial of Chinaman-A Bud
dhist Ritual and a Fantastic Pro
cessiOn to the Grave.
From the New York Herald


The emaciated remains of Cha Afuch,
middle aged Ohinamap, lay in a simple
pine coffin Monday at his home in
Division street, and the friends of the
dead man had assem- bled to pay the last
tokens of respect to his memory and
perform the mortuary rights of the
Buddhist creed. Full twenty-five bare
headed and fearful Mongols sat in the
room in strangely embroidered "sues,"
black pantaloons and shoes of marvel
GUS design. At the foot of the coffin
roasted pig savored the air, and all
around it were strewn fragments of gold
and silver paper that reflected the
flames of a score of brightly burning wax
candles. A few 'joss'' sticks protruded
from among the Aimsy emblems of tenn
poral riches, and bright strips of colored
silk were pendant from the walls. In
the midst of all this lowly splendor lay
the dead Mongel, with CHASTITY, upturned
face and folded arms.
A few minutes of complete silence
passed and three Cinnamon entered the
room. They were assuming the duties
belonging to the Buddhist priests and
each wore soft black felt hat bound
with strip of white Grape. The CEN
trail one Of the three began to chant a
prayer in the gutteral Cantonese dialect
and at every pause he made his two
;~Lo BE- M
times they reverently kneeled, but they
stood during most OF the ceremony,
always facing the corpse. 1t was
strange sight, this Buddhist ritual in the
heart of Christian city, but never for
O moment did the prayerful voices flag
and never for moment did the mourn
ers remove their eyes from the face of
their departed comrade. There was,
perhaps, one of the assemblage who did
cast greedy eyes at the roasted pig, but
it is said he was converted to Christian
ity two years ago.
After the prayers to Joss had been
duly rendered and the prayer sticks
were lighted, the coffin was borne out of
the house and deposited in hearse,
The deceased was member of the Loon
Ye Tong, or United Chinese Brethren,
and the hearse was driven to the rooms
of the society at Is Mott street. Here
a German brass band was drawn up on
the sidewalk and as the little cortege
filed into the Chinese colony the must
clans played the dead march from
"Saul" Then the members OF the
Loon Ye Tong walked two and two
from the club rooms and formed in pro-
cession behind the hearse. Each one
was dressed in native costume and wore
white silk apron, upon which, in black
velvet, was worked a square and COM
pass-the symbol Of the order. The
first section of the mourners carried o
serge flag, trimmed with white, which
bore in white Chinese characters the
name, age, time of birth and time of
death of Cha Afuch. Behind there
came two black banners, on which were
embossed white hieroglyphics, which
freely translated were, "Rest in Peace"
and GO We Mourn Our Loss" The body
was preceded by line of policemen
and the noisy brass band. When the
march began there were fully thousand
persons attracted to the scene, and it
was with difficulty that the procession
could make any progress through the
crowd. The remains were taken to the
Grand street ferry and here the police
escort departed. When the funeral line
was formed in williamsburg number
Of rowdies created disgraceful clamor,
JlIg So. s.s--@is sas-zssi tszRss- .<2ve them
:. o,:. =, NO nears III Eemerery WITH
1t luther incidei1f The coffin was
then lowered into the grave, handful
of earth was thrown on the cover by
each mourner, the mound was quickly
raised and sodded, the company dis
persed and with three flags floating over
him and about twenty prayer sticks at
his head, Cha Afueh awaits the coming
of Buddha and the resurrection.