The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-04-25
An Extraordinary Chinese Funeral.

The most extraordinary Chinese fun
eral ever seen in America took place IN
San Francisco recently. The deceased
was Loo Muck. a Chinese merchant. who
thirty-five years ago founded the Gsee
Kung Tong Lodge of Free Ma.ons in
that city. The general impression among
the thousands of American people who
gazed wouderingly at the funeral process
sion was that it was pageant of one OF
the powerful societies of highbinders.
American Free Masons who witnessed
the ceremonies. however, recognized IN
the display formal funeral of brother
Mason.
Masonry has spread among the Chinese
so that there are now, it appears, 1S, 900
members in California. Delegations had
come from all parts of the Pacific coast
to attend the funeral. The procession
took an hour and half to pass. A band
OF Chinese Masons in long blue gowns
with long black swords in their hands
and bands of red, white and blue rib.
bons tied across their forchcads and
streaming down their backs led the way.
Then came 4 company of several hundred
Chinese soldiers in bright blue tuuics
and carrying short broadswords and
highly ornamcnted shields.
A band of cavalry in red, green and
orange uniforms, with quivers of arrows
and long le-edged swords slung
across their backs, followed. Then came
in long array some foot soldiers, spears
men, and warriors with broad battle
axes. warriors on foot, mounted warri-
ors riding with short stirrup-leathers,
numerous bands of terrible Chinese
music in hacks, and finally the hearse
drawn by four black horses. On top of
the hcarse was a gorgeous catafalque OF
paper and tinsel in the Chinese style.
The coffin bore upon its sides the square
and compass, with the letter "G" in the
centre. The standard-bearer who pre-
ceded the hearse carried the Masonic
emblem. :.
The preliminary ceremonies were all
Masonic. Precisely as the bell oa St.
Marv's Cathedral contiguous to China
town, had announced midday the Deputy
Grand Master gave the word that the
hour of high II had arrived. Cn this
the officers of the grand lodge lifted the
casket. The display of corn, oil, and
the pot of incense, with other signs only
known to the craft, were fully under
stood by American Masons in the great
crowd of spectators. The blowing OF
the trumpet by the high priest and the
incantat ons, with certain signs we'll
known in the higher degrees of Free
masonry, showed that the Chine have
knowledge of craft that would gain
them admission to an American lodge if
they only understood our language.
The display astonished American Ma
sons, many of whom followed the strange
procession to the cemetery, where the
dead master was inferred in the ortho-
dox Mongolian style, the banners and
Eadges of the mourners being burned in
a great bonfire at the gates, while a
liberal feast of roast pork, poultry and
drinkables Of many kinds was spread
before the tomb for the spirit of the de-
parted to entertain his friends. AS each
carriage load OF lnourneis passed out
from the cemetery, Chinese stationed at
the gates handed them money, while
dimes and nickels were flung into the
fire to establish the financial credit of
the departed in the other world. Alto
grther the pageant was indescrlbably
strange. Chicag0 Tribune.