Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1899-11-17

Mournine and Great Number of Sac
r,fces Made-The Interment Itself,
Etiquette is the Chinese religion.
The center Of ritualism is the Emperor,
alive or dead. NJ. Oh de Harlez of
tbe 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 713 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 plumes,
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 bouquet nor any music.
After various prostrations, lamenta-
tons, 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 a 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-
lude to the imperial cremation, or,
rather, burnt offerings, for during
these almost endless obsequies more
than 100000 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 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 may not take place for year
or more, five delegates of the EN-
per0r announce 1T to heaven and earth
and the genii and ancestors. On the
eve OF the transporting of the body Of
terlngs of nine sheep, fifteen bottles of
Wine, and 100000 pieces of paper
money are brought, prayer is read,
and libatiOn made. On the day itself
hve 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 libations of
wlne and the Dowager Empress does
he same. The coffin is brought out,
paced ON the bier while the Emperor
stands to the left An officer pours
out the wine, and the coffin is carried
forward, followed by the Emperor,
Hmpresses, ETC., with their eyes Liked
On the bier. The coffin is borne
through all of the palace gates, the
emperor mounts his chariot and the
iahdarins mount their horses. At
statlon on the road offerings Of fruits
ana wine are again made. Arrived at
the cemetery, the Emperor hastens to
make his prostrations before the tombs
vi MS ancestors. When the funeral
ualn reaches the bridge over the
sream around the cemetery the coffin
~ carried through the south gate and
paced in the large hall, where the EN-
peror makes the usual offerings. Dele
ea'es are sent to all the tombs to an
aounce the new arrival. On the next
uay seven sheep, fifteen bottles Of wine
anu $4,000 pieces of paper money are
onered. Then are brought sacrifices
Vi appeasement and repose to calm
'ne spirit Of the deceased, till then
wandering about, restless, not know
,ng Where to go; for cessation of tears;
LUZ association of the deceased with
nlS dead ancestors. On the day Of the
nrst of these the Emperor kneels down
outside of the cemetery, while the
eolnn Is carried in by officers, preced-
eu oy torch bearers. The wangs and
O'ner dignitaries follow. 1t Is placed
W bed Of precious stones; the tablet
ullu seal are Dlacpd tO right and left