The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-01-31
MangOlIln Coins.

The heaviest wooden elfips used in
the world are those OF ths Chinese, aud
coffumaking Is one OF the leading indus
tries in every Chinese city. Cofins cost all
the way from IS to S55 600. and your
rich. Mandarin will have his burial
casKet lacquered inside and out, and
his funeral will cost small fortune.
IT he is over sixty he will keep his cofIiu
on hand, so as to have it ready ia case
of his death and If he has a dutiful
son this cefilu may possibly be birth.
day gift from the boy. Many an old
Chinaman keeps bis cciIin in his parlor.
The wood OF the Chinese cofIin is from
four 70 six inches thick, ard coffin
weighs hundreds Of pounds. 1t is usual
ly carried on u sort OF frame work of
poles TO the grave, and It is accompa-
MED by band Of music and p ofessior.
al mourners. The man is laid at full
length within l. and lot OF stuff is
buried with IT, Each OF his nearest
relatives is supposed 10 bring silk COW
erlet TO put over the body, and a dozen
silk quilts are sometimes packed in
above the corpse. The thing that the
corpse liked most in life is buried with
hIm, and many ChinameL save the par
lngs of their nails AID the combings of
their hair in order that they may be put
at their feet when they lie in their cof-
fins. In the mouth OF the body piece
of gold or silver o. copper Is placed.
1t is dressed IN silk and is often decked
with jewels.
Grave robbiug is so severely punished
IN China that there is little danger OF
the coffin being disturbed. In case the
family is zoo poor TO own a burial
mound or TO stand the expenses OF the
funeral, the cofIil is kept in the house
until they can raise money enough to
put it urder the ground In good style.
y tutor employed at the American le-
cation in Psking has had the cofiu con
tanning his fathers body in his house
for at least two years, and he has not
yet been able 10 raise enough meney to
bury II. Bsfore he picks out burial
spot ne will, ike all Chiuamen, get q
fortuEe.telier 80 choose lucky place
for him. and he will go periodically 10
the grave and burn some paper money
over it and some suits OF paper Clothes
10 keep the spirit Of his father warm,
aud wi! place some food before il that
his father may have ghOstly feast dur
ing the night. japanese cotlils are Of
ten made OF burnt clay in the shape
OF large jars. The body is all doubled
up when IL Is squeezed into the coffin,
and II is buried in a sitting posture.
The c"ti,0s of Japanese babies are little
pine boxes, and IN the case OF the poorer
classes II is not uncommon 70 pack them
full OF lime in order that the bodies
may decay more quickly. Sometimes
tubs Of pine hooped with bamboo are
used for coffiCs, and the cofius are
broken with tue spade Of the undertaken
as he puts them In the earth. The Bur-
mese ccfiin is tiimsy affair made of the
lightest wood nailed roughly together.
In the case OF the richer dead It is COW
cred with gilt paper, and /, is carried
20 the grave with fantastic dances and
doletul music. TIE fuUeTal ceremonies
are much the same as ths Chinese, and
for seven day after the burial the fam
lily sit on tha ground and sleep upon
mats. All over the East this same
modification OF the flesh is practlced by
the relations Of the dead, and grie for
departed frieuds is fully as bitter In
Asia as in the United States.