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Japanese Rites

Japanese Rites image
Parent Issue
Day
15
Month
February
Year
1895
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Matiy of tbo sic); and wounded who I die aro creraatefl. ï . ir ishes are collected, placed in sruail square boxes, interred for a time ia the little cemetery ! outside the foreign settlement at I uiulpo, aud rtiter awhile exhumad and sent to Japan. The ceromony I behold in Chemnlpo aïter the fight at Yang was liet imprcssive or solemn, but áimply ourious. Eighty bodies had been cremated iu various parts of the country and f orwarded to the trenty port in small boxes. These v?ere placed in two large, black cases at the hospital, and preceded by a motley gronp of coolies, citizens and soldiers were carried to the burial plot. First camo coolies with branches of foliage aud white streamers in their hands. Then a few soldier, rnarching with revorsed arros. Inimediately preceding the black cases was a Shinto pi'iost in yellow kimono and a black gauze shako. Round Iris neck was a purple cord, at the end of which hung a fan. In his right hand was a fiuto, which trom time to time as the processiou wended its way he tooted on, prodncing au inharmonious sound which reininded me of my own attempts on that instrument wh en a bov. The coolies, the lowers and the lookers on seemed to troat the whole thing more as a good joke tbau a soleron funution and chatted and laughed totheir hearts' content. Airived at the cemetery, the procession halted before the altar, on which were pliiued bottles of saki, fruits, egg and birds of various kinds, including a livo roostor. Behind this hospit&ble board were placed the remains of tho 80 bodies. The Shinto priest, who stood alona boïore the edibles, stretched out his hands and made soveral passes with his fan in the directiou of the rooster, groaned aload, then clapped his hand thrce times, ;ifíer which he iudulged a little on the ilute. Then he groaned agaiu, straightened himself, retired a few paces, took several paces to the leit and right, theii advanced agaiu, groaned and tooted. He then reqnested by a sign ono of tho mournors to advance and take his place. He then haided ouo of the branches of foliage to tbe gentleman and retired. Tbe mouruer prooeeded to lay the branoh on a srnall table in front of the altar, tben saluted and moved away to a!loV another niourner to take his place. When all the branches were piled oji tbe table, the black cases were opened and the small square boxes taken out by the coolios aud carefully interred. Tho Shiutopriest retired to the bosom of bis family, vith the saki bottle, tbe live rooster and the rest of tbe chow. In lieu cf tombstoiïcs, the Japs use, -when campaigning, t-mall wooden posts to mark

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News