The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-04

To treat at length of the funeral customs
and ceremonies of the Chinese would re-
quire volume. No other people approach
the celestials in the elaborate ceremonies
and extraordinary attentions bestowed upon
the dead, particularly dead parent The
period of mourning lasts three years, and
during all that time various rites and cere-
monies are performed every few days
At the hour of death all the descendants
of the dying man muster around his couch
to bid him farewell. This they do by weep
ing aud lamenting aloud, turning the sick
room into bedlam of grief AS the spirit
departs to the ''land of shadows candles
are Immediately lighted and incense burnt
to guide his footsteps through the darkness.
The filial piety of his children pursues the
dead celestial far into the shadows of the
spirit land. guiding his way with candles,
feeding him with rice and delicacies, pay
ing his ferriage across the river Styx,
employing guides for HIM, coolies and a
palanQuin to carry him when weary. Re-
gard the Chinese character as grotesque and
heathenish if you will, yet there is some
thing sublime in this idea CT the children
following the deceased parent so far into
the realms of the great unknown with null
tiform ceremonies to minister to his wants.
After the candles are lit the eldest son
kneels before the corpse and with chopsticks
and a bowl of rice presents food to the
mouth, and also cup of samshoo. During
this ceremony of feeding the dead, the rest
of the family are weeping and waillng
about the floor.
Money is now placed in the flowing
sleeves of the dead mans clothes. Then
some one shakes Hle sleeves and the money
drols to the for. 1t is case Of heads or
tails" a suhIritute for speech by which
meanx, and 4 certain code, the dead man is
supposed tt make known various wants. A
miniatuNe palanquin and doll coolies for
carving it are now brought in, and sam
shoe and little cakes set out for their
refreshment on the journey. The palanquin
and coolies are consumed with fire, process
that transfers them TO the spirit world to
wait on the departed.
After this, the corpse is clothed for his
long Journey. Etiquette requires that six
or seven suits shall be put on one over
another, after the manner of the living
Culnaman in cold weather. To enable
poor people to do this, special grave-clothes
are made of paper, in imitation of silk but
a wealthy Chinese family spends large
sums in bundling corpse up in the richest
silks and satins. large bulky coffin is
rendered air-tight, after the corpse has cen
boxed UP, by several coats Of porcele i'll
varrish. The hermetical sealing is very
necessary, as the body is not taken to its
final resting place for months, or even
years, except in the case of very poor
people who cannot afford to keep UP the
ceremonies OF respect.
The sons Of the dead man usually sieep
beside the coffin night afte" night for some
time. to emphasize that fllial pisty to which
all China bows the knee. Hot water is
placed before the coffin every morning for
the departed 10 perform his additions. Food
is presented regularly al meal times, and at
night the female members of the family
gather about the coffin to make known their
intention of retiring, and to bid the de-
ceased husband and father good night.
Imitation money is burned to pay the ex-
penses of guide, ferriage and various
other things which he is supposed to re-
quire.
On the forty-ninth, sixtieth, or one hum
dreth day, grand farewell banquet Is
provided, embracing all the delicacies OF
the season. The appearance OF these at the
coffin is supposed TO be a gentle hint to the
departed that he has now been In the spirit
land long enough TO provide for himself.
As parting gift large quantities of mock
money are burned.
All these ceremonies are preliminary to
the funeral The funeral itself is quite an