The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-11
BURIED ALIVE.
a Matter of Course in China-The
Mournar at His Own Fun zral-A
Story Of Paris.

ing, or hurvinc alive. of a nun contained
in his recently published novel, Monte
yuma Daughter it viii doubtless sur
prise the dIsputauts to learn chat there is
al any rate one country in the world
where people are 70 this day buried alive
What is more. the victim is not only
conserving party 10 the deed, but even
takes part in the funeral as his own chief
moUUner. The country where this prac-
tlCe remains in existence is China ana
the people who are thus buried alive are
usually those who. either on account of
their incOrriEIble misconduct or lncuIa-
bic maladies. have come to be re-
garded as burdens TO their relatives and
as constituting not only nuisance, but
also a danger to the community 70 which
they belong. These IutermeutS OF living
men and women are generally the result
Of 4 decree of "a SORT Of family council
composed of all the principal relatives Of
the victim, add they are so far regarded
as legitimate that the local authorities
90 not hesitate TO attend the ODsequies
Sometimes, too, the decree is pronounced
by a vigilance committee, or "Achmge-
richt," an institution that hOurIsles
quite as extensively IN China at the pres
emit day as IL did in Germany Two and
thr5e centuries ago. The French mis-
siouaries established in the district OF
IChOug l-OK have on record case where
"a man had become such a slave to the
opium habit that he had not only disposed
of his business and of his entire property
10 procure spium, but had even with "a
similar object sold his children into slay-
cry. His neighbOrs ard relatives endured
this But when he began to re
move the tiles that rooted the temple
erected to the memory of his
ancestors, with the object Of converting
them into cash, the leading inhabitants
OF the place, Mortified by the spectacle Of,
to Chinese eyes, so horrible a salTilCge,
decided that it was necessary 10 put an
. end to the scandal, and that the only
. means of doing so would be 10 bury him
alive. Accordingly, a committee of i've
was delegated TO call upon him ana to in
form him of the determination of his fell
. low-CiJil ems. Not q word of protest did
he utter, not a complaint did he make,
but followed his visitors silently to a
neighbOring valley. whore he watched his
grave being dug. IhereupOn he, Of his
own accord. stretched himself at fun
length therein prolering only one last re-
quest, that his face should be covered
with a thick la err of fresh grass and
herbs before the earta was batJened
down over him.
Ordinarily, however, the obsequies Of
live persons are attended by much more
pomp and ceremony than this, especially
when it is not misconduct, but merely
N'A@'~tH'N
family and fellow citizens of the candi-
date for funeral donors to desire his
departure for another world. Everything
that is possible is done to smooth the
way and to cheer, if oGe may be allowed
to use the expression, his last moments.
Relatives and neighbors combine. to pur-
chase the most expensive coffin that they
can d ford, the prices ranging from $40 to
$500 and even 81 900. At the funeral re-
past that precedes the iuteunent he is the
guest of honor, and as soon as the feasting
has been brought TO a conclusion the pro-
cesslOn to the grave begins. 10 is led off
by the empty coffin, which in form resem-
bles the trunk OF a tree the boards being
three or four inches thick and rounded
outside. Immediately following the coffin
walks the 'moribund,' magnihCently ar
rayeu, generally in the superbly embrOi-
dered garments Of a mandarin, and bear
ing fan in one hand and prayer writ
ten on piece of paper in the other. Then
follow the members of the family, the
villaEeor town authorities and the neigh
boris. On reaching the border OF the
grave, the principal actor in this extra
ordinary performance takes a solemn
leave Of all those present, arranges his
garments in the most convenient and COM
Portable fashion, takes last big swallow
of opium, and thereupon assumes mis-
place in the coffin A piece Of silver hay
placed on the casket and is nailed down
by his sons and nearest relatives; the
Casket then being lowered into the grave
the earth is battened down and all is
over.
These statements may seem to be mere
travellers tales. some of these absurd eX-
aggeratiOns-em brOideries is. perhaps,
the most appropriate term-to which peo-
pie who have journeyed far are popularity
supposed TO be addicted But | have,
when IN China, frequently heard the
matter discussed by people who had actu-
ally witnessed ceremonies of this kind ;
ana further confirmation is Afforded by
duly authenticated instances described in
one of the recent numbers of the Austrian
Oriental Review, one of the most erudlte
and weighly of all publications dealing
with Asiatic affairs, beng edited under
the auspices Of the world-renOWned I'm
perial O:iental Academy at Vienna.
There can be no doubt as to the absolute
authenticity of the cases described in the
Review. one of which in particular took
place only three or four years ago
at place called Tchim Kong The
OBJECT IN burylng people alive
in this manner is TO get rid
of them in q manner calculated to free
those who have taken part in the .iair
FROM all responsibility in this world, and
at the same ire to save the victim from
, for, theoretically at any rate, the person
inferred is a conserving party thereto
and his relatives and neighbOrs are merely
; executing his last and therefore sacred
, wishes in mailing down his co75n and
, burYing him. Strictly speaking that is,
: from q Chinese point of view. here is
: no murder no execution and no suicide.
1t is merely a sort Of mutual arrangement
affair, satisfactory alike to all parties,
+ the occupant of the conn complying with
the desire of his relatives and neiqhbors
, for his departure for better world. and
they, on their side eudeayoring by every
means in their power 10 render this de-
} parture agreeable and easy.
China is ! believe, the only country
where this ancient custom of buryine
people alive sliil exists. That 1t used in
olden times to be practiced in many OF
g the countries Of Europe is an ackuowl-
! edged fact, the medieval suryivals OF
the custom taking the form of what MAY
be described as immmatiou, or the build
ing up in a wall of the victim A loaf OF
s bread and a jug of water were generals 4
& placed in the niche, and Rider Haggard
describes several ancient mouasteries anC
converts, notably one in Mexico and one
at Naltham, in England, where skeleton
and pitchers built into the walls were
. found by the workmon engaged in either
tearing down or repairing the building