The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-09-14
|SOLEMN RITES MARK
| FUNERAL OF MUTSUH|T0
Services at Aoyama Parade
Ground Last From 10 O'clock
to \. NJ.
THOUSANDS IN PROCESSION
Utter Silence I'm Great Throng
That Lines Route From
Palace.
.spectoi cabb Despatch 10 TIVE SrH,

TOXIC. Sept it--Iapan furnished the
world yesterday with remarkable In
stance OF revcrcnt adherence to old GUS
toms. notwithstanding its amazing as
similaticn OF Western civilization. With
simple yet imposing Shinto rites the
funeral ceremonies for Emperor Nut
suhito wcro snlemnizcd on the Aoyama
parade ground in tho presence OF ST.
lent. sorroving multitude.
The ancient rites although strange to
Western eyes, we'll emphasized the deep
religious character Of tho dead sovereign
and appealed to the oriental love of
mystery. or lavish pomp and pagan
erotesqucry thcI was none. Tho spirit
Of tho occasion can best be appreciated
by bearing in mind the Shinto faith In
the deity of the Emperor the imperial
spirit being now entitled to worship and
believed to be capable of bestowing ben.
ediction upon those who call upon him.
This faith unouestionably added i'm
mensely to the sense of awe and devo-
ton that possessed the surrounding
multitude.
The funeral services OF the late
Mkado began AT 10 o'clock last
night Gapanese time within the
huge spaces of the Aoyama parade
ground. AS the multitude looked on in
silence the Shinto priests, chanting
slowly. walked to the coffin and before
Il laid many colored silks and brocadcs,
the holy offerings.
The Shinto burial service was then
read by the grand master Of ceremony.
and leaving their attendants. tho Em-
peror. the Empress and the Empress
Dowager moved to the foot OF tho cof-
fin one by one and offered prayer.
When t,>ey were done there came the
princes and princcsses OF the blood.
Their prayers ended, the whole body OF
royalty retired.
The long funeral service and the
wesrisomc rcpetitivc chanting of the
priests ended at o'clock this morning
ana then the funeral party took the
train TO kioto. where they arrive this
evening. The burial will take place at
Momoyama. near kioto.
The parade from the imperial palace
to the Aoyama parade ground began
al $50 o'clock and for more than an
hour the msrchers. lighted by the fare
Of torches, were treading slowly through
the streets
On each side OF the funeral car walked
a group of the highest military and naval
officers in Japan. There were so many
that il was impossible to include a Il in the
procession. Those who could not march
with 1t lined the streets through which
the car and its escort passed
The car itself gorgeous with decors-
tions and drawn by the sacred bullocks
always used at such ceremonies. weighted
600 kwamme. or 10000 pounds. In view
of its weight portions of streets through
which it was drawn had to be rebuilt.
The procession passed through the
streets in almost complete silence eave
| for the steady tramp OF tine soldiers feet
and the peculiar hysterical, though not
| loud sobbing characteristic OF the people
| Of the Fast
The portion OF the parade Wound
chosen for the services was enclosed by
| a high bamboo fence, within which was
accommodation for about 4o,oo0 persons
The scene was weird in the extreme
II is the imperial custom to hold tn e
funerals Of all japanese rulers or mem
bers of their family at night-the time OF
rest and peace. Under the nickerinl
lights the Sh,nto priests mo we'd about
like ghosts. Tho air was filed with the
monotonous throb of Japanese music
and the sound of the burial chants in the
ancient language of Nippon the Latin
OF Japan,
More than 100000 people saw the
last public honors paid 10 the japanese
Emperor who saw his country emerge
from semi ba rbarism to become one OF
the lcadinG Powers OF the world
Massed by hundreds of thousands they
stood as the splendid cortcse wound
through the capital city.
Promptly at o'clock tho whole I'm
pcrlal Guards division, 10000 strong
paradcd IN front Of the imperial palace
At o'clock the signal was given for
he departure Of thc imperial coffin
and Instantly the whole hody OF trum.
pctrrs of tho guards blew the hymn OF
national mourning in low and mclan-
Choy tone.
Immediately the coffin enclosing the
remains OF the dead Mlkado was brought
forth and placed upon the funeral car
gorgeous with decoration and in front
Of which blazcd the imperial crest OF
tho chrysanthemuJn. IIarnesscd to the
funeral car were the four mandarl
ushi, or sacred bullocks, especially Sc
lectcd according TO immcmorial custom
for the obsequies OF the ruler who IL
half Gsd. The first OK was black from
nose ~ tip OF tall the second all black
save for white stripe on the fore
head, the third all brown except for a
black line from nose 10 tall and the
fourth black with white markings
nearly a picbald
As soon az tho body Of the dead
ruler rested upon It's bier a sharp order
detached about 1000 of the Imperial
Guards who. At slow march. passcd
out of the palace grounds into the
jammed hut silent streets. Behind
them fell in the bands Of Shinto priests
| always attendant on the Mikado and
certain other functionarics bearing
sloft white and yellow flags, bows and
arrows. shields. halbcrds. sakaki
| Csprigs of the god tree) and the i'm
pcrial bands Then came the court Of
f,ccrs headed by the master of the I'm
pcrial household and then the Empcr-
or's coffin.
The coffin was attended by slS
| chamberlains and twenty army anc
navy officers as pallbearcrs; the Crane
| Chamberlain and idc-dc-camps to his
Majesty: Prince Kanin and Princess
Kanin. who represented the Emperor
Yoshhito, and the Princess lligashi'
| fuShi,oi who reDreaented the EmDros,