The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-12-08
Manv Rites Connected With Last
Preparations. Strange Things
Are Put Into Collins for Use of
The Dead in That Land.

The Japanese people are ceremoni-
.., IN almost all occasions, and on
.,e more so than on the three great
o.,-birth, marriage and DEATH Japan
l,s been called the country of chill
l-sn because of the extreme consid-
cation the infant subjects receive
from everybody and which they re
Jaw with constant cheerfulness, as
China is the country OF the aged, to
,,bom particular veneration is paid.
PM ut Japan between China and Oc-
dent in more ways than geographic
,aI respects equally bothN young and
Id and observers with well regulated
r;,es the entry and exit OF souls into
and from. the world in which we live.
When fhe time to leave arrives, if
.,a summons is not too short, the
emily of the departing person is call
ID to his or her bedside, even from
70 be absent from a parents death
he'd if voluntary is unilial, if uninten-
tonal unfortunate.
' AS the end approaches wife and
.biIdren. assuming it is the head OF
tbe house who is dying, put their
youths close to his ear and speak his
name. =,
,.o;ces his are wet with drops of wa
ter the folding screen around the head
~ the bed is turned upside down, the
he'd IS replaced with mating and a
o1jlt is put over the body with the
ends reversed. A white cloth is laid
over the face.
Then a plain wildwood table is set
bv the head of the corpse, and on it
tablet. also of whitewood, bearing
fine Buddhist (posthumous) name OF
the deceased. This name is that by
which he will henceforth be called in
oravers at home and at the family
temple.
In front of the tablet are a vase con-
tanning a branch Of Chinese arise,
cuo OF water and lighted lamp.
All are unglazed pottery and are
o1aced in line; between them and the
dead is an earthenware censor in which
incense burns constantly, with a box
ri incense sticks beside it. A sword
or knife is placed on the floor beside
the BODY to avert the influence OF evil
spirits.
The front gate OF the house is clos
ed and on it is posted the notice OF
death and the date of the funeral.
The sad news is sent also to the
papers and to friends and relatives
and to the family temple, from which
comes priest to recite prayers be-
lore the tablet.
In the evening the body is washed,
bv near relatives, the head is shaved
and the grave garment is put or. his
garment is made by two women rela-
tives, sewing with a single thread III
opposite directions.
A small bag is suspended about the
neck OF the body with Buddhist
charms in it and small coin to pay
ferriage over the Japanese equivalent
OF the River Styx.
Adding a Rosary.
A rosary and bamboo staff are put
in the coffin and sometimes the hair
OF the widow, should she cut 1t OFT
Tor that purpose 10 SHOW III
ton never to remarry.
In Japan as in China it is consider
ed creditable to widows to avoid a
second marriage, though the japanese
are perhaps less orthodox in this re
spect than the Chinese, who erect
arches in honor of women who remain
faithful to their own deaths to the
memories of their deceased husbands
Ii the dead is child doll may
be put in the coffin to bear it company
on its lonely voyage to the upper air.
Finally the coffin is filled with incense
powder or dried anise leaves.
The body must be kept "a hours be-
fore burial. In great families where
the funerals are elaborate it may be
kept longer.
On the eve of the funeral a watch
is kept, during which friends and rel
atives burn incense before the coffin
and offer prayer. A priest from the
family temple also prays during the
night bv the body's side. A light re-