Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-25
of the Imperial Palace During the
Illness
Type Who Will Conduct the Funeral cere-

terasu. the sun goddess, the ancestress
Of the heaven-descended line OF mikados.
OF all the features attending the burial
Of Mutsohito. the strangest. perhaps, Will
be the costuming Of the 'gravediggers: who
will be attired to represent black-winged
birds The idea Is that birds, being
creatures devoid of understanding. COM
init no sacrilege In perching on his
majesty's tomb. The interment Is only the
last scene in a long series OF mortuary
functions. which may be said to have
begun Immediately after the soul Of the
late emperor left his body. These func-
lions. which though private are very elab-
crate, occupy about six weeks.
"a
Meanwhile the body of the emperor
lies in a quadruple coffin. the inner
most Of four rectangular boxes of white
wood. the outer one being nine feet long
and four feet wide. This casket, which
has a roof-shaped top, stands on a dais
in the middle Of chamber in the i'm
perial palace. 1t Is covered with a white
cloth-white being the mourning color in
Japan.
Soon after death the body was washed
and ROBBED in white. 1t was then pre-
beautiful scarlet pigment derived from
cinnabar, the ore Of the mercury. This
is a kind Of embalming understood only
by the high priests Of the Shinto rel1-
gion. who handed 1t down from genera
ton generation as q pious secret.
While awaiting burial the remains OF
the emperor are watched night and day
by his successor and the new empress
by the dowager empress and by the I'M
perial princes and princesses, who take
turns at the melancholy vigil. All OF
Toxic IL in the depths of mourning, and
not a flag or lantern Is to be seen. MUSIC
Of whatever kind Is forbidden:
Meantime two tablets of polished wood
with gilt letters have been prepared bear
ing the inscriptions relating to the de-
funct potentate. These are called
.ifays." and one of them will be placed
in the tomb later, while the other mas
been set up in a chamber specially as
meats fruit and tea are placed before
Il. and food Is regularly offered three
times day, as If to living person
The 'ifay'' is indescribably precious. 1t
ia supposed to represent the departed
monarch After the burial 1t will be put
into a box and transferred to an apart
ment of the palace which contains the
"ifays,' Of all the ancestors of the fam
ily. Every morning 1t will be taken out
and incense will be burned before it. But
this is only the beginning. for every
month, on the day of the death. for 100
years to come, food will be set before
the tablet.
An the arrangements for the funeral are
under the charge of Prince Fushini. The
public services. conforming TO the Shinto
ritual, will begin early in the morning
OF September 13. when, at an appointed
hour. the foreign representatives, includ-
ing our own special Ambassador Knox
and his aids. will assemble in the princi-
pal audience chamber Of the imperial pal
ace, meeting there the elder statesmen.
the members OF the house Of peers and
all the high officials Of the government.
The palace In which the emperor died
and wherein his remains now lie in state
is structure very different from any
building occupied for residential pur-
poses by potentates Of the western world.
1t is an immense. rambling edifice Of one
story. built OF wood. with a tile roof. The
interior is thoroughly Japanese. 1t is
surrounded by a deep moat and by high
stone wall nearly four miles in circuit,
which incloses extensive gardens. But
perhaps the most interesting single fact
about the palace is that it is earthquake
proof japan is a country OF frequent