A CHINESE FUNERAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4233, 14 October 1874, Page 2

A CHINESE FUNERAL.

(From the Ota-yo DaihJ Times, October 3.)

A Chinese funeral is not an every-day occurrence here. The Chinaman who died suddenly on Wednesday was buried on Thursday in the Southern General Cemetery. Previous to the funeral procession moving, an express was sent from the residence of the 'deceased to the cemetery. The express contained a Chinaman, who was in charge of a stock of eatables and drinkables. Another Celestial strewed pieces of flimsy paper, which were punctured (stencil plate fashion) with Chinese characters, on the road to the cemetery. On the funeral reaching the cemetery, those who attended (they came in five cabs) walked to the grave. After they had drawn up near the grave, the coffin was brought from the hearse by cemetery officials and cabmen, preceded by a Chinaman bearing a hoard, on which were written the name and virtues of .the deceased, and which afterwards served as a headstone. On tile coffin being lowered, and the grave filled up, the ceremonies commenced. The basket of victuals was brought from the- house in the cemetery. The basket contained a boiled fowl, three or four pounds of boiled pork, three bowls of cooked rice, a teapot containing tea, oranges, a paper of lollies, and other luxuries.; also, a bottle of grog and cigars; These finings were spread out on a cloth near the foot of the grave. A fire was lighted, and a quantity of fancy paper was burned. This, we believe, represents money to aid the deceased in his pecuniary affairs beyond the grave. A Chinaman, having clasped his hands, faced the grave, and madd several bows, and thereupon gave utterance to some words—apparently a form of prayer in Chinese. Then the rice was emptied out of the throe bowls on the foot of the grave ; tea was poured out of the teapot into several little cups, which were emptied; and grog was poured into them and emptied likewise. Then cigars were handed round and smoked, grog was offered, hut none would accept of it save a European who took the bottle full, the oranges and lollies were distributed among the little boys present, and the fowl and pork were given to the man who dug the grave. The ceremony over, a Chinaman stood at the cemetery gate and" distributed silver to those going out, and the funeral party then returned home.