Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-07-17
FEAST OF BONG.
CURIOUS MEMORIAL SERVICES
OF THE JAPANESE
Religious Rites Lasting Several
Days and NiEhts-Orations and
Decorations = Addressing
the Dead-Fireworks.

The japanese Feast of Bong, says .
contributor to the New York O5seroer,
occurs during the month of August. par
taking of the character of national holi.
lay, and is similar, in many respects, to
to- Chinese Feast of Lanterns. The
ceremonies continue through succession
If days and nights, and are participated
in by the masses, seemingly engaging
the interest of rich and poor alike, in the
remembrance of their dead, to whom the
occasion is dedicated. Religious rites
are performed by priests in the temples,
where thousands of people flock on the
drst day, after which the cemeteries are
visited. For weeks before the event
preparations for it begin, and it is in
augurated with the decoration of dwell
'ngs throughout the city with flags and
'trangely-wrought devices, symbolic and
legendary, displayed at every point.
AS the feast day advances, the temples
are filled with devotees, who listen to the
''Bouses" in flowing robes, as they chant
their litanies before their triune gods.
Then the pilgrimages to the tombs fol
low, and it is apparent to the unaccus.
toned eye that preparations have been
made to prolong their sojourn at the
graves of friends beyond the present
day, for an abundance of food and other
essentials are among the articles con.
veyed thither.
Arriving at one of the cemeteries, we
End the approaches to the same-the
roads and by-ways adjacent-bearing
the appearance of holiday preparations,
reminding one of an American village
fair. Gay colors prevail, noticeable ID
the flags and lanterns, as we'll as varie.
gated dress of the people, which mingle
with the bright hues of profusion Of
/ aowers-all together dispelling any pos
sibility of gloom associated with the oc.
rasion. Booths for the sale of articles
of food and variety of bon-bons, which
find ready purchasers, are seen here and
there near the gates of the cemetery.
Many pilgrims are thus tempted to en-
large their supplies of eatables and
knick-knacks, which are abundantly dis
pensed as offerings to the dead, being
placed upon their graves by endearing
hands.
Groups of people of all ages assembl.
at the tombs of relatives, where they re-
main during the day, and with the requi.
sites for camping, or more properly
bivouacing, with nothing above them
but the starry heavens, they continue
their visit until two or three days and
nights have passed Protected from the
suns rays by day, by their sun-shades,
the day passes with the preparation and
eating of the food brought, and the dec
grafton of the hundreds of graves with
flowers and the offerings literally dis.
pensed. While thus assembled, the
throngs are addressed by stately per.
sonage, who officiates as a kind of re,
corder and historian. who moves about
among the people reading from a book
he bears an endless dissertation on the
affairs of the country, recounting publ,
occurrences of interest which have trans.
pired during the preceding year. Thus
are the dead supposed to be informed
concerning every topic of interest, as it il
to the departed that this address is mad,
in grave and impressive accents by the
stately sage, whose prerogative it is to en-
Tighten those whose lives are cut off from
things earthly.
The younger portion of the assembled
gathering are similarly instructed by an
other dignitary, who receives the pro
found respect of all, and who in turn re
counts the legends and native lore of this
land to listening crowds. Thus are tn,
the young, as well as their elders, in
structed in much that other peoples
gather from popular literature concern
ing the history of their country and their
rulers of by-gone periods, the achieve
ments of armies in battle and the coun
ellis of the nation.
When at the close of the day the
darkness gathers, fires are lighted in the
midst of each family group, and the
evening meal of rice and fish is pre-
pared over kind of furnace called he.
baches. Hours are spent in slipping tel
from tiny porcelain cups, and during al
these ceremonies the dead is invoked tc
share with the living every luxury, henc,
plates of rice and fish, with delicate por
celain cups containing tea, are invaria bl.
distributed among the graves, where
these portions of the dead participants
are left mingling with flowers and shrub
berry.
The night scene at the cemeteries 10
even more striking to the visitor thar
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