Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-08-16
BURIAL OF A RULER.
HOW CHiNA's DEAD RULERS ARE
INFERRED.


Etiquette and Costly Ceremoniss At
tend the ObseQuies-Long Period Of
Mournins and Great Mum ber Of Sac
riAces Made-Ths Iatermsne Itself
etiquette is the Chinese religion.
The center of ritualism Is the Emperor,
alive or dead. Nj. Ch. de Harlez of
the French academy, one of the great
est authorities on China, drawing
from the hundreds of volumes filled
with . description Of Chinese rites, has
lately prepared a full account of all
the imperial ceremonies, developed
and added to from lib A. D. to the
present time, dwelling at length upon
the funeral Of the Emperor.
Immediately the Emperor dies his
successor. with the other members OF
the imperial family, removes caps.
head dresses, ornaments. and plumey,
and begins to sob and leap for sorrow
In this interval the corpse is dressed
and laid in state in the great hall of the
palace.
For 100 days the family live in a
plain house outside of the palace, wear
coarse garments, and leave the hair
uncombed. All Of the sacrifices cease,
save that to Heaven and Earth"
During the twenty-seven months fol-
lowing mourning is worn; there Is
never q bouquet nor any music.
After various prostrations, lamenta-
lions. tea drinking. waving of ban
ners, etc, the Emperor returns to his
mourning house. but etiquette COM
pels him to visit the corpse again and
again during the first day. each time
presenting the dead man with choice
viands and making libations Of wine.
Next morning, amid innumerable
small ceremonies, the will is brought
In by the supreme counselors and laid
upon yellow table, whereupOn the
new sovereign assumes his robes Of
state. and orders the tambour to be
| struck five times as notification that
sacrifices are in order. This is a pre-
Jude to the imperial cremation. or,
rather, burnt offerings. for during
these almost endless obsequies more
than 1,OOO.O0O pieces of paper money,
with thousands Of sheep, bottles Of
wine. and sacrificial meats, are offered,
accompanied by libations of tea on the
part Of the new Emperor or the priests
in attendance.
Day after day the weeping prostra-
tons and offerings, accompanied by
new prayers, take place, with the man.
darins and princesses In attendance.
Each one has a special function to per-
form, and no small detail Of tears, in
cense, or gloriously colored silk gar
ments are ever neglected or misplaced.
Three days before the interment.
which mff not take place for year
81 more. hve delesites or ne EN-
peror announce 1t to heaven and earth
and the genii and ancestors. On the
eve Of the transporting Of the body Of
ferings of nine sheep. fifteen bottles Of
wine, and 10000 pieces Of paper
money are brought, a prayer Is read.
and q libation made. On the day itself
I've rolls Of the tambour announce the
ceremony. The funeral cortege is
formed, and the bier is carried to the
mortuary hall. The Emperor comes
weeping. makes three Hbations Of
wine, and the Dowager Empress does
the same. The coffin Is brought out,
placed on the bier, while the Emperor
stands to the left. An officer pours
put the wine, and the coffin is carried
forward, followed by the Emperor,
Expresses, etc, with their eyes Liked
<v,A I'm ta
through all Of the palace gates. the
Emperor mounts his chariot and the
mandarins mount their horses. At a
station on the road offerings Of fruits
and wine are again made. Arrived at
the cemetery. the Emperor hastens to
make his prostrations before the tombs
Of his ancestors. When the funeral
train reaches the bridge over the
stream around the cemetery the coffin
ls carried through the south gate and
placed in the large hall, where the EN-
peror makes the usual offerings. Dele
gates are sent to all the tombs to an.
nounce the new arrival. On the next
day seven sheep, fifteen bottles Of wine
and $4,000 pieces of paper money are
offered. Then are brought sacrifices
Of appeasement and repose to calm
the spirit Of the deceased, till then
wandering about. restless, not know
Ing whore to 60; for cessation Of tears
for association Of the deceased with
his dead ancestors. On the day of the
FIRST Of these the Emperor kneels down
outside Of the cemetery. while tn.
coffin is carried in by officers, preced
ed by torch bearers. The wangs and
other dignitaries follow. 1t Is placet
on a bed Of precious stones; the table
and seal are placed to right and left
The body Is lowered into the tomb ant
the stone door closed and sealed. Tn,
funeral is over.