The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-12
CHINATOWN AT FUNERAL
CELESTIAL CUSTOMS PRETlLI At
THE GRAVE OF N $40.

.u,r Rand, n Chinese Orchestra, ana
,,u, Coaches ContaininE Raourners Fellsw
,h. welt street Merchant to tho Cemetery.
ithaca vas an elaborate Chinese funeral from
"a Mott sirect.yosterday. ing Sic, q merchant,
.,monv years known and respected in tho Chi
20. colony, died on Wednesday night, and
r,Inatoyn paid all honor to his memory yes
terdaJ.
rirst in tho funeral procession came the Ber-
,.o,,eri. or Italian infantry band. They wore
"a coats and plum.colored trousers, omblaz-
or.d with gilt braid. They attracted hearers
:. rho run clear from Rivington street, three
s,ocrs away. They were playing tho 'Eterno
p,.r,o" or Endless Lamentation" march.
Thrc, carriages behind the band camo the
h.ors, 1t was drawn by four black horses,
soovilv dreped with black rope netting. On the
an. beside the driver sat q young Chinaman
-;,h n white cloth tied about his head. The
,ooss ends fell down over his gray coat. The
10th. hound casket was covered with flowers.
Irs, behind the hearse came n carriage con-
,o,pinp A woman, two girls. and a boy. The
hov had a white mourning bandage about his
Mad. The woman had the slant eyes and stub
nose OF the Chinese. but her lips and general cx-
rr.ssion we're those of the negro. She was
ting Sizes wife.
There we're fifty carriages in all. Pasted on
aha window of each ono was q bit of white pa.
. ma big rs a mans hand. with Chinese char
,cters written on it in black. These were the
names Of the head of the family which occupied
the carriage.
Inst of all came the Chinese band in an open
carriage. There were four In this company.
One footed a dolorous horn. another made q
reedy futo squawk most piteously. another
sawed on an ear-piercing fiddle. and yet an
other banged a great brass gong. A great mob
Of curious white folks followed.
II took two ferry boats to carry the procession
oyer the river. The Italian band was left on
this side. The procession had started at noon.
7, was after 3 o'clock when 1t reached the Chi
nese plot at the back of.Evcrgreens Cemetery.
Out OF the first carriages came six mon lin sky
Niue robes with white sashes and black satin
caps. out of the other carriages came more
Chinese. Some were dressed in the, familiar
dull. hlue coats with rahbit,skin collars and
deliberately embroidered satin coats and red
buttoncd caps. They ranged in double rank
Closing the Chinese graves. Then, while one or
two planted red candies and joss sticks before
The big stone in the centre of the inclosure, they
ali clasped their hands. In front of their chins
and bowed in short; jcrky bows .
ing sic's grave is the FIRST one outside Of
ioe i the eofln on lt their irH sh U,aHeGst and 9s carried i
TO the grave. 1t was 10 Eered into the grave.
while, with a great bustle,. punches OF loss
nlCKS were z u buIhlllk al aDOuI lue JOOL VI
The grave and:a forest Of red candles in long
rattan standards were planted among them.
The mourners marched down from the gate
and stood solemnly viewing tho filling Of tho
RraTe. The horn player and flute player
mounted a pile of stone twenty PAGES away and
The grave was filled and the mound hcaped up
the Joss sticks and candles were planted on the
mound. At the head Of the grave were placed
with the inscription Rest" Around the
foot, among the joss sticks and the candles, q
dozen tiny bowls Of boiled dle rice were set out:
chickens boiled with their heads on. q bottle
OF wine, and twenty or more cups, each hold
Ing a thimbleful OF sdkf, tho terrific Chinese
While the others brothers of the dead man
we're busy with these pious tasks. Ung Wah;
baskets in which the viands were brought,
and, heaping them together. set fro to them.
with a bit Of silver foil gummed to its centre.
were opened and scattered into the fire: They
were very, light and many Of them. flaming,
rose In the air and hoated away among the
Two by two. Cinnamon in the procession ad:
Tanced to the =, DO clasp ped, their bands and
came ting Wan. leading ing siic's little son.
closely. initiated tho action. The widow,
with a number Of Chinese women, most Of
whom were dressed in American garb. stood
took no part in the ceremonies. ing ,Wah
slipped the mourning bandage from his head.
The child did likewise. The pallbearers took
Of their blue robes and rolled them up and
s%cuttleds for the carriages. THE funeral Of
Ung Sic was over. Before half tho carriages
had started away three laborers advanced on
the grave with a big hamper and piled chick
ems; rice. cups. wine, and all else ruthlessly to-
gether to cart 1t away.
At the cemetery gate Foo XII. the partner Of
the dead man, with two of the brothers, stopped
each carriage in turn. Naughton. tho under
taker. stood by to open the carriage doors for
them. One OF thc-brothers handed a cigar to
each occupant Of the carriage and to the driver.
Another handed In an opened package of maple
sugar and The mourners helped themselves.
Zoo, had q hatful Of bits of folded red paper.
he handed one to each person in the carriages,
and 1t was observed that while each one
munched his maple sugar and lighted his cigar
at once, the little paper was carefully tucked
away. Two Of the brothers climbed into the
last carriage and drove to the head of the pro-
sssssion. They stopped it at the first saloon on
Myrtle avenue and every man mourner was
9lmmoned In to take a drink. But Foo and
ing Wah had yet one moro duty. They went
e the nearest tombstone cutter and ordered
him to cut and chisel a shaft which should
httingly mark and glorify the grave of Ung Sic,
learned Mason, honest merchant, deVout wor-
shipper OF his, ancestors. May his posterity
equal him in piety!