The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-05-05
MUST HAVE A GOOD COFFIN.
Strange Burial Costumes of the Heathen
Chinese.


Chinese.
The drst ambition OF every China
man is 10 have splendid coffin. A
poor Chinaman will half starve him
self and his family for years that he
may daily hoard few 'cash" toward
the sum needed for the purchase OF
the coveted caskct When the coilin
is really bought IL Is brought home
with great ceremony 1t is given
the place OF honor in the house and
is regarded as the most valuable
pie OF furniture in the establish
mcnt- Among the poorer classes it
Is customary TO buy very thick
coffin. No self.respecting Chinese
family-and the Chinese are the
most self.respecting OF all the ma
tions-will bury a parent until they
can do IL with more or less Mongo-
lian magniflccncc. Hence, in China,
death by no means implies immedi-
ate burial When Chanaman dies
the ne ghbors come In and help the
women Of the family TO make the
shroud. The body is put in its
coi,in. Then the funeral ceremonies
begin, IL there is money enough. Ii
there Is not, the coffin Is put back In
its place II honor until the family
finances look up
The day OF death, or the day after,
the relatives not living In the house
and the friends come To pay the last
duties OF respect u the deceased.
When the .sitors arrive, they are
shown into room In which are all
the women and children OF the es.
tablishmcnt These latter set up
dismal howl, In which the visitors
join, or TO which they listen sympa.
thetically. When the tympanum OF
even Chinese ear begins TO ache,
the guests are ushcred into another
apartment, where the men of tho
house give them ten and refresh
ment The refreshmcnt varies ac-
cording to the means OF the family.
In the house OF the rich IL Is dinner.
After the visitors have drunk and
eaten, they are bowed out by one OF
the kinsmen or the dead.
A well conducted Chinese funeral
Is the most gorgeous sight In Asia.
At the front OF the funeral process.
sion walk tho noisy musicless mus
clans Then come men (they may
be friends, they may be coolics) bear
ing the insignia Of the dignity OF the
dead, II he had any. Next walk
more men carrying tlgures OF animals,
idols, umbrellas, and blue and white
strcamers After them come men
carrying pans OF perfume Just be-
fore the coiiin walk BONES, Chinese
priests over the coilin canopy Is
usually carried. The casket Is borne
by about score OF men Immedi-
ately behind the coffin walk the chill
drcn OF the deceased. The eldest son
comes first lie is dressed In canvas,
and leans heavily upon a stout stick.
He Is supposed To be too exhausted by
grief and fasting To walk without the
aid OF this stan. The other children
and relatives follow this chief
mourner. They are clothed In white
linen garments. White Is the mourn
ing color OF the Danes, OF the Bur
mesc, and OF the Chinese Two
women are carried In chairs In the
Chinese funeral procession. They
sob and wall at intervals and in uni
son.
When the burying place is reached,
the BONES begin chanting mass
for the dead, and the co.. lin Is put
into the tomb. When tho coffin Is
laid I'm It's final position, large OBJ
long white marble table Is placed be-
fore the tomb. On the middle OF 10
IL set ccnser ana two vases and two
candlcsticks, all OF as exquisite work
manshi y "a possible Then they have
a paper cremation! Paper figures OF
men, horses, garments. and score OF
other things are burned. They are
supposed To undergo material res
direction, and TO be useful 10 the
dead In the Chinese heaven The
tomb Is sealed up or closed, and an
entertainment concludes the ccrc-
money at the grave.