Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-02-04

Description Of the Ceremony rs Con
Quoted I'm the F1owery Kingdom.

oacttN IN inc At1NrfI hluEuOms
We are In the Chinese quarter Of
San Francisco. Here Is house where
death has occurred. A Chinese
friend procures admittance for us, so
that we may see Something of Chi
nese funeral customs. AS soon as
the breath has left the body profess
sional mourners are called in, who
deck 1t with all the finery possible.
II 1t is a female that has died her
cheeks are heavily rouged, and If the
deceased In life was not the owner of
sufficient jewelry to decorate the re-
mains with, friends and relatives are
called upon to furnish the desired
amount.
If the weather is favorable the
street or alley adjoining the late
residence of the deceased, but COW
cred from sight with large white
cloth. Next to the table holding the
deceased is another table covered with
meat, candies, preserved cocoanut,
and ginger, together with a liberal
supply of Chinese wine and brandy.
Among the funeral meats will always
be found pig or hog roasted whole,
the size OF the porcine Offering being
graded according to the age Of the
deceased.
AS soon as the body and feast are
laid out in state the serious work Of
the professional mourners commences.
The number Of m0urners varies ac-
cording to the social standing Of the
deceased in life-from six to ten being
the average for an adult. The mourn
ers are dressed from head to foot in
white, the face and head being hid
from sight by sort of hood, so that
one cannot tell whether the mourners
are male or female.
The first move Is to gather round
the bier and chant a mournful dirge,
not forgetting to eXtol the many vir-
tues of the departed. During this
time they are constantly moving
around in circle to prevent any evil
spirit from creeping in and so getting
possession of the body.
AS soon as the dirge is over the mu-
sicians commence beating the gongS,
cymbals, and m-toms, the mourners
at the same time giving vent to
grOans, speeches, and bowls, varying
the proceedings by beating themselves
and others with clenched fists, pull
ing their hair and knocking their
heads against the adjoining building.
They keep this up until they work
themselves into a perfect state Of
frenzy, and together with the mu-
sicians make such an uproar that one
would think that pandemonium had
broken loose. The object Of beating
the gongS, ETC., is to frighten the
devils away. In the meantime, every
two or three minutes, handfuls Of
small pieces of paper are thrown in
the air, over the body Of the de-
ceased, so that if by any chance some
of the devils should get by the mu-
sicians and mourners they would be
frightened by the pieces Of paper, as
they are supposed to represent so
many good spirits. Then joss-sticks,
punk and incense are kept burning.
The mourning and racket last for at
least twenty-four hours.
The morning of the funeral the
body is taken from the bier, and
after being stripped Of the ornaments
and other finery is placed in a coffin.
A piece Of money is placed in the
hands Of the deceased, a written
prayer or charm is put in the mouth,
and a bottle of wine or brandy, to-
gether with liberal allowance Of
food, is also inclOsed in the coffin.
Then an express wagon is obtained,
and the food and liquor are placed in
the wagon, and two or more men are
continually throwing joss papers in
the air until their burying ground is
reached. Second in the line of the
procession is wagon filled with the
hired mourners, then the relatives
and friends follow, the deceased
bringing up the rear, with the excep-
tion Of two men who are detailed to
follow behind and scatter joss pa
pers.
When the grave is reached the real
agony begins. The mourners redouble
| their efforts and the 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 coffin, and
the grave filed up. The money is for
the purpose of paying the god of wa
tiers for rowing the deceased across
the dark waters. 1t is supposed that
the god of waters will be satisfied by
merely seeing the money in the hands
of the deceased.
The money on top of the coffin is
for the benefit Of the evil spirits.
After the grave is filled, the eatables,
sweetmeats, and liquor are placed
over it, as the mere sight of the food
will appease the hunger of the gods.
The food does 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
Hearth and Hall.
n Had Nottcad