The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-23
CHINESE BURIAL CUSTOMS.
New York Tribune.


varied almost as the dialects OF the peoples.
but in no province are they more interest
ing than in Foo-Kien, and especially in
the neishborhood of Annoy, the city which
has just been brought prominently before
the world on account OF its occupation
by the Japanese troops. The picturesque
Hills which surround Annoy are dotted
with thousands of horseshoe shaped tombs
of glittering white, which produce a some
what uncanny effect.
But of all the odd graveyards near Annoy,
none is so strangely weird as the one de-
picted in the accompanying view. 1t is the
last resting place of about three thousand
Tartar soldiers who died OF disease or
were killed half century or more ago.
They lie there side by side. like the fur
rows OF a plowed field or the waves of
lazy sea; the men in positions correspond
ing to those which they would have held in
the rs nks, and the officers in advance OF
them they would have been on parade or
in action. These graves are the only ones
the writer ever saw in China that in shape
or aspect resembled those of Europeans
Each mound has beer carefully cemented
to insure preservation. and so we'll has
might be defed for centuries. With the
succeeding years these easements have
grown harder and harder. and although
little or no attention is ever paid TO the
strange graveyard it is wonderfully free
from the weeds that one would naturally
expect to find flourishing there. Each
grave bears the name of its occupant.
The little valley in which they lie is a
singularly beautiful spot. The granite
faced hills which lean back from it show
alternate patches of glittering rock and
clumps of the greenest vegetation. The
crowded city of the living, although only
a stones throw away, is hidden. So still
and serene are the immediate surroundings
that one might imagine ones self a thou
sand miles from the maddening crowd.
The ground was chosen for its propitious
''fung-shui." This extraordinary supersti-
ton is one Of the foundations of the Chi
nese social system, and could adequately
be described only in long article. Its chief
features. however. may be briefly told. To
the Chinese the whole face of nature is full
of signs and omens. The course of river,
the position of a pile of rock, and the like.
are replete with significance to those who
''fung-shui" may be translated as wind
and water rules" and the fung-shui doc
tors are the men who preserve what China
has of natural science and spiritualism.
The system is old. of course. Its present
form, indeed, has changed little since tho
twelfth century. Its application to burial
customs is its most important development.
Round the mystery of death revolves the
whole religious system of the Chinese. The
powers of nature are stern and relentless,
but they may be propitiated by the inter
cesson of the departed spirits who have
at heart the welfare Of the living. This is
the reason that the only form of religion
which appeals to the ordinary Chinese is
that of ancestor worship. a large staff of
ancestors, iattered by the careful descend
ant into continual intercession for his ma
terial prosperity, is obviously a valuable
asset. Therefore the comfort of the dead is
the first thought of the living, for, al
though the spirit of the dead is free, the
body must lie In its grave, and at ease, or
the spirit is annoyed. Exposure TO the ele-
ments the nature of the soil, the configu-
ration of the hills-all these affect the COM
fort of the occupant of the grave.
To avoid burying ones relatives in the
clutches of some earth dragon or .leaN-
ing them exposed TO some evil current OF
the air, it is necessary to call in the serv-
ices of fung-shui doctor. This doctor
will see that the man is buried IN such
fashion that he will bear no i'll viii to-
ward his descendant. Sometimes the corpse
will remain for years unburied, While the
family seeks for a spot full of lucky flung
shut or saves money 10 buy such a place
The two earth currents, those OF the dra-
gon and the tiger, must be on the right
and left of the grave The geOmancer ar
ranges these things by the direction of
streams, the position OF male and female
ground" the position of the stars and
the like. The whole system is one OF in
credible confusion and absurdity. but II
affords fine living to it's learned profess
sors.
The fung-shui is most 10 be considered
at burial but the observance OF many Gus
toms is entailed by the severe laws OF
precedent, which TO a great extent govern
Chinese life. Customs vary in the different
provinces. AT Annoy the breath Is no
sooner out of body than hole Is bored
through he roof to permit the escape or
the spirit Then piece OF silver Is put
into the mouth of the corpse, in the sup
position that a bride which so often
smoothed the path of life. Will not be less
potent after death among the officials of
Hades Papers having lucky figures on
them are burnt, together with paper money
The body lies in its best garments IN a
coffin which resembles in shape the trunk
of a tree Quicklme is put in and the cof-
fin is sealed with mortar. IL 1t Is not
hall of ancestors and incense is burned
before Ii day and night. In the SOUTH
around Annoy. a bare hillside Is a lucky
place for burial, because the white ants
will not then attack the coffin. n good
view. a clump of trees and valley are
all lucky spots and are bought at high
prices.