The Penn's Grove record., 1891-03-13
suRYINa A cHINAMAN,
How the Dead Monsollans Dis
posed of.

We are in the Chinese quarter OF
San Francisco. Here Is a house where
a death has occured. y Chinese friend
! procures aGE iJtance for US, SO that we
may see something Of Chinese funeral
customs. As soon as breath has ltlt
the body professional mOurners are
called in, who deck IL with all tile
fineTy possible. If it is a female that
has died her cheeks are heavily rouged,
and, if the deceased in life was not tie
owner of sufficient Jewelry TO decorate
her remains with, friends and relatives
are called upon to furnish the desired
amount.
If the weather Is favorable the Idy
is laid out ON u table that Is placed In a
street or alley adjoining the late resi-
dence Of the deceased, but covered
from sight with a large white cloth:
Next to the table holding the deceased
Is another table covered with meat,
candies, preserved cocanut and gjngeTs,
together with a literal supply Of
Chinese wine and brandy.
Among the funeral meats will always
be found u pig or hog roasted whole,
the size Of the porcline offering being
graded according to the age Of the de-
ceased.
AS o as the body ana east are
laid out in state the serious work OF the
professional mourners commences.
Tie number of mourners according TO
the social standing Of TIE deceased In
life-from six 10 ten being the average
Tor an adult.
The mourners are dressed from head
to foot in white, the face and head be-
ing hid from sight by a sort Of a hooi.
70 that one cannot tell whether the
mourners are male or female.
The first move Is to gather around the
bier and chant a mornful dirge, not
for getting to extol the many virtues OF
the departed. During this time they
are constantly moving around in a
circle TO prevent any evil spirit from
creeping in and so getting possession OF
the body.
AS soon as the dlrge Is over the mu.
sicians commence beating the gongs,
cymbals and tomtoms, the mourners at
the same time giving vent to groans,
speeches and bowls, varying the pro-
ceilings by beating themselves and
others with clenched fists, pulling their
hair and knocking their hea is against
the adjoining building. They keep this
up until they work themselves into a
perfect state Of frenzy aud together
with the musicians make such an up
roar that one would think that pande-
monium had broken loose.
Tho nhtant NJ haatipU tba n0nra ofr
Is to frighten the devils away. In the
meantime, every two or tbs g minutes,
hanlfuls of small pleees of paper are
thrown in the air, over the body Uf the
deceased, SO that if by any Chance any
Of the devils should get by the mu-
siciaus and mournels they would he
frightened by the pieces of paper, as
they are supposed TO represent 20 many
good spirits.
Then JOSS sticks, punk and incense
are kept burning. The mourning and
racket last for at Least LWeuty-four
hours. I
The morning of the funeral tie body
is taken from the bier, and after being
stripped OF the ornaments aud other
inery is placed il Il coffin. A piece OF
money is placed III the hands OF the de-
ceased, IA written prayer or charm is
put Ill the mouth ami IL bottle of wine
or brandy, toge her with a liberal al
Of food, is iHciosed IN tie cof-
lin.
Then an express wagon is obtained
and the food AMI liquor are placed In
.he wagon, aud two Or more men are
continually throwing joss palers In the
air until tLeir &urying gf0Ini is
Second in the line If the pro-
son is a wagon filed with the hired
Iuourners, then the relatives AID fllenls
the deceased bringing up the
rear, with tine exception OF two men
who are detailed TO follow behind aud
joss papers.
When the grave is reached tina rea.
agony begins. The mourners redouble
their efforts and tile musicians beat
their gongs, etc., with all the power
possible. The coffin is lowered into the
grave. another piece of money is placed
upon the top OF the coffiu and the grave
filled up. The money Is for the pur-
pose OF paying the god Of waters for
the deceased across the dark
1t Is supposed hat the god Of
waters will be satisfied by merely seeing
the money In the hands Of the deceased. ,
The money on top Of the GOTTA Is for
the benefit Of the evil spirits. After
the grave is filled the e.tables, sweet.
meats and liquor are placed oYtr 1t, as
the mere sight of the food will appease
the hunger of the gods.
The food does not remain at the
grave very long. The morning after
any one is allowed to take it away, as
the spirits are supposed to have salts.
fed their hunger during the night, so at
sunrise tbs next morning they are gen.
orally plenty of impecunlous Chinese
who ars glad to avail themselves OF the
food Of the gods. Us they Call it.