The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26


 two died the board of rites, one of the departments of the government sent out the witch doctors to select lucky loca- tions. They were told to pick out sites where the evil spirits could not attack the dead, and where no star on high, nor dragon below. could disturb their repose. These were found between the two cur rents, which, according to the old Chinese belief, are supposed to run here and there through the earth These currents are along the tra cks of the dragon and the tiger, and a lucky grave should have the dragon on its right and the tiger on Its left. It takes a scientist to tell just that spot, and hence grave-finding in China is a we'll paid profession. The geomancers pretend to calculate the stars, and they go forth with books and diagrams. They also carry forked sticks, and try to hunt the spots much as our people hunt places to dig wells. The search begins with prayer and it is sometimes hours and days before an suspicious location is found. M
 The Imperial Funeraie.
 But let me tell you about the imperial funerals. That of the Empress Dowager has not yet occurred. It will be beyond description grand and will probably cost ten times as much as has that of the late Emperor. Her lamented majesty reveled in pomp, and she decreed that everything concerning her interment should be of the most lavish description Her mausoleurn will cost high into the millions, and her burial march, which will last something like week or more, will be the most gor- geous ever witnessed in China.
 The last funeral procession of the Elm peror required five days. The coffin was carried on the shoulders of men to a dis tance of 80 miles from Pekin, and an army of officials and other mourners ac- companed it. Rest houses were erected along the way; thousands had to be en- tertained and the expenses were enor nous.
 The ceremonies at the funeral were about the same,> although not sd great as those observed when his majesty's body was taken out of the palace and car ried to the vault in Coal Hill, where 1t lay until May I happened to be there at that time, and was lone of the few for tunate foreigners who witnessed the pro cession. On the day of that funeral the line of march was cleared by the soldiers. It was guarded by policemen armed with black clubs as thick as broomstick and almost as long, and also by native sol diers who carried Mauser rifles, to which shining bayonets were affixed. In addi- tion there were Manchu warriors of the old style who had scimitars in their hands. and palace officials with long spears. At every cross street blue cur tain was put up to prevent ordinary mor- tals from seeing the procession, and the foreigners were warned that they must not come out of their houses.
 Notwithstanding this I decided to see what I could. l rode in a jinriltisha to the gate of the imperial city, and then walked in the broad avenue which leads to the pink forbidden city where the Em- peror's s body was lying. was stopped. at the gate out of which the procession was to come, and made my way over the road built for the funeral This led from the gate. of the forbidden city, outside its walls, to Coal Hill at the back. The road was about 30 feet wide and mile or so long. It was IS inches high. made of dirt carted in from the country and so packed that it was as smooth as floor. This road was already crowded. There were soldiers and imperial servants of differ ent kinds, hundreds of Manchus wearing gowns of white lambslSin and also the eunuchs of the baby Emperor clad in red silk with red tassels upon the crowns of their hats.
 As I walked through the crowd the po- lice looked aslkance at me and the Man chus evidently disliked my presence. I picked out several spots which seemed good places to view the procession but whenever I stopped Manchu .pointed to me, and moment later one of the black clad policemen waved his club at me and told me to move. I at first pretended that I could not understand. but as the policeman approached went.
 All this time the crowd was growing thicker and thicker and the high officials more numerous The policemen became ardent in their attentions to me, and -Anally one of them gently laid hold of my arm and led me off into one of the side streets and placed me behind the blue curtain which crossed it. The cur tain sagged and I found that I could. by standing on my toes, see over it. A little later his was observed and a policeman was told to tighten the curtain and shut off my view. I tben thought of cutting peephole in the same, when observed that there was ledge> along the side of the house nearest me upon which could climb. did so. and, standing there with my back to the wall. was easily able to see all who passed.
 The Imperial Procession.
 wish could describe the funeral as 1t moved slowly by he. It was like noth-