The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-06-04
CURIOUS BURIAL CUSTOMS.
ODD BURIAL METHODS OF THE
CHINESE AND OTHER RACES.
Chinese Mourners Dress In White
Bodies Sometimes Kept in the
House for Years.


burying the dead among various people.
Among some the dead are buried fing,
among others sitting-as is the case with
several of the Indian tribes, among whom,
it is related, warriors or leaders in the
nations have been buried upon their IA
vorite war-horses. There is a remarkable
genetsl agreement of custom, however,
in the practice of placing the body to lie
east or west.
1t is held by some writers that this Gus
tom is due to solar symbolism, and the
head is placed to the east or west, accord
ing as the dead are thought of in connec-
ton with the sunrise, the reputed home
of the Deity, or the sunset, the reputed
home of the dead. There are, however,
some tribes that }sy their dead north and
south, and othei bury men with the face
to the north ani women with the face to
the south.
The burial customs Of the Chinese are
peculiar. Immediately upon the decease
of person in China a priest is called
whose prayers are supposed to free the
departed spirit from the necessity of
going to hades and to secure his admit
tance to Paradise.
The body is arrayed in the most costly
garments that the family can afford. In
one hand is placed fan and in the other
a prayer written on a piece of paper,
which is letter of recommendation to
open the gates of heaven. The coffin is
very solid, substantial case. The
corpse, when put into it, is laid in bed
of lime or cotton, or is covered with
quicklime, and the edges of the lid are
closed with mortar in the groove so that
no odor can escape.
The nature of tine site for burial is re-
garded as having an important influence
upon the prosperity of the living, the
people fearing ill-luck, disease and acci-
dent if the dead are not satisfied with
the site of their graves. The selection
of propitious sites is made by geomancers,
class of quacks who pretend to super
natural wisdom.
When the day of burial arrives, which
is if a satisfactory place for the tomb
has been found-the nearest lucky day
to the third seventh day after death, the
friends assemble at the house, and an Of
fering of cooked provisions is laid out
near the coffin. This is intended to oc-
cupy the attention of the spirit Of the
dead, which is supposed to linger near
thAbody, or any other vagrant spirits
that may be lowering around, to keep
them from doing any mischief or harm
to the living.
All the mourners are dressed entirely
in white, and they assemble about the
coffin and in turn PROSTATE themselves
before it, band of music playing mean
while.
The procession is then formed, the
coffin going first, born on an unwieldy
bier carried by large number of mep.
A man goes before the procession and
scatters paper money, to buy the good
will of any stray, tricky spirits that may
be prowling about. Immediately afte
the coffin, in separate sedan, is born
the ancestral tablet of the deceased wit
the offering of food. Different figures
banners aud tablets are also carried, &C
cording to the means and rank of tn,
| family
When the grave is reached the coffin
is let down, and lime is abundantly mixed
with the earth thrown in upon it. Crack
ers are then fired, ibations are poured
out, prayers are recited and finally paper
molds of houses, clothes, horses, money
and everything that the dead man can
| possibly want in the land of shadows are
burned. The origin of this latter Gus
tom is unquestionably the idea that
everything that had been enjoyed or used
in this life would be desired in the other.
| The ancient custom was to burn a man s
household belongings, to kill upon his
grave his favorite horse, hound or bird,
and sometimes his chosen servant, that
their shadows might go with him into
the life beyond. After the funeral the
elaborate dishes that have been borne to
! the grave are carried back, and the
mourners feast upon them. Bodies are
in some instances kept in or about the
house for many years, and incense is
burned before them morning and even
ing. They are kept on trestles in the en-
trance hall, or sometimes in chamber
set apart This occurs when the family
cannot afford funeral xpenses-which
are considerable-or when a lucky place
of burial cannot be found.
From the earliest times the manner Of
expressing grief at death has differed in
different countries. The Hebrew period
of mourning was usually seven days, but
in some instances, as at the death of
Moses and Aaron, it was extended to
thirty days. The mourners tore their
clothing, cut off their hair and beard
strewed ashes on their heads and cast
themselves on the ground, weeping and
shifting their breasts.
The Greeks mourned .hirty days, ex-
cept in Sparta-where the mourning
| period was limited TO ten days-and
wore coarse black garments, cut off their
hair and secluded themselves from the
| public gaze. In the event of the death
of a great General the soldiers of the
whole army cut off their hair and also
the names Of their horses. The Roman
mourning period lasted only few days,
but if the death was that of some great
ruler or General, all business was stopped
and the forum and the schools were
| closed.
Among the Fiji Islanders the women
are required to burn their bodies on the
death of Chief, and in the Sandwich
Islands the people go into mourning by
knocking out their front teeth and by
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