The following story is as interesting for the expressed opinions on Chinese funeral rites as it is for the descriptions of those rites. The ingrained racism of the times should come as no surprise.
The circumstances attending the death of a Chinese addicted to opium smoking were detailed at a Coroner's enquiry held at the Ship Inn yesterday afternoon. The subject of the inquest was Mow Tai, a merchant and partner in the firm of Sun War On. He was last seen alive about 11 o'clock on Saturday night, and was found a corpse in his bed at 8 o'clock on the following morning. On a table near to where he was lying was a basin in which he had been making drink of opium, with which he is supposed to have poisoned himself. Deceased had been suffering for some time previous from dyspepsia, and was attended by Dr Alexander, having almost lost his eye-sight. The verdict of the jury was that "deceased had poisoned himself by drinking opium whilst in a temporary state of insanity."
We understand that a curious request was preferred to the Police by certain of the deceased's countrymen. They asked that they might be allowed to watch the body for seven days, as they allege that the cause of death being opium, they may succeed in restoring their friend to life within that period. This practice of watching the bodies of persons killed by opium, they say, prevails in China, but whether they know of instances of successful restoration to life, we have not heard. The authorities, we understand, do not object to the Chinamen carrying out this curious Custom. -Otago Daily Times, 23/11/1873.
A CHINESE FUNERAL.
It will be remembered that a China man named Mow Tai, a partner in the firm of Sun, War, On and Co., poisoned himself through taking a overdose of opium. After the inquest (at which a verdict was returned that deceased died through the effects of opium administered by himself while in a state of temporary insanity), the friends of the departed, who appear to have some curious notions on the subject, made an application to the authorities that they might be allowed to keep the body for a week before interment. This application they made, not from any superstitious motive, but from a possibility of restoring him to life or, in other words, they thought it possible that he might not be dead. They stated that they had known instances of Chinamen, both in China and Australia, who had been thrown into an apparent death through an overdose of opium, and who afterwards by proper treatment had been brought round. Some Chinamen dilute with vinegar, some with water, and it is said that those who only take the water mixture are often resuscitated while those who take vinegar are never brought round. The Chinaman in question had partaken of a mixture of opium and water, and for this reason it was thought possible that he might be restored to life. The proper remedy to administer in such cases is a dose or series ot doses, of duck's blood; and this appears to have been done in the present instance to the unfortunate Mow Tai, but without avail. So his friends at last gave it up for a bad job, and decided to bury him. — Otago 'Guardian.' -Mt Ida Chronicle, 5/12/1873.
A Chinese Funeral in Dunedin. — The Otago Daily Times says: — After “waking” Mow Tai for four days, Sun War On and his fellow-countrymen came to the conclusion that the overdose of opium had done its work effectually. The remains of Mow Tai were wrapped up in the finest of linen and silk, and instructions issued to Mr Geddes to furnish a hearse with nodding black plumes and a mourning coach lined with drab silk, so that the departed Celestial might be conveyed with all due ceremony to his last resting-place in the Southern cemetery. The hearse and mourning coach, accompanied by a couple of cabs and an express waggon, drew up in front of Sun War On’s establishment in Princes street yesterday afternoon, and were soon surrounded by a crowd of curious sight-seers. The express waggon was first filled with Mow Tai’s old clothes, a rough stretcher, and some baskets, containing a large quantity of paper, candles, biscuits, bottles of arrack, and a duck roasted whole. Four Chinese then brought out the corpse in a coffin, constructed after European fashion, and painted black, which was placed in the hearse. A plain bit of board, on which was written in Chinese characters the deceased's epitaph, was placed alongside the coffin in such a position that it might be read (by those who were able to read it) through the glass sides of the hearse. About a dozen Celestials, with white mourning bands round their hats, stepped into the coach and cabs, and the cortege moved at a solemn pace towards the Cemetery. On arriving there, the coffin was deposited in a grave at some distance from the spot where a number of Chinese are already buried, and all the deceased's wearing apparel, bedding, &c., with a new pair of Wellington boots, were tumbled on top of the coffin, and along with the white mourning bands, were covered up with earth. A mat was placed at the foot of the grave, and the roast duck, arrack, and some confectionery were spread as if for a feast. Mow Tai's fellow-countrymen and mourners then performed some devotional exercises, going one by one to the foot of the grave, clapping their hands, and bowing two or three times. Each one sprinkled the grave with arrack. A large heap of paper and a number of small wax candles were set on fire, and a businesslike Chinese, who appeared to act as master of ceremonies, scattered a quantity of sweet meats broadcast among a crowd of squalling larrikins, who paid little respect to the home of the dead. Thus ended the funeral obsequies of Mow Tai. -Lyttelton Times, 4/12/1873.
A Chinaman poisoned himself a few days since in Otago. After the inquest on the body a curious request was preferred to the police by several of the deceased's countrymen. They asked that they might be allowed to watch the body for seven days, as they allege that the cause of death being opium, they may succeed in restoring their friend to life within that period. This practice of watching the bodies of persons killed by opium, they say prevails in China, but whether they know of instances of successful restoration to life we have not heard. The authorities raised no objection to the Chinamen carrying out this curious custom. The following additional particulars are contained in the Otago Guardian: — The Chinaman in question had partaken of a mixture of opium and water, and for this reason it was thought possible that he might be restored to life. The proper remedy to administer in such cases is a dose or series of doses of duck's blood; and this appears to have been done in the present instance to the unfortunate Mow Tai, but without avail. So his friends at last gave it up for a bad job, and yesterday decided to bury him. The funeral cortege consisted of a hearse and mourning coach and two of the town buggies — the three latter being filled with the friends of the deceased, and the hearse containing the coffin, on which was a plate setting forth his age, his country, and the period of his death. An express had gone on in advance containing the deceased's clothes, bedding, &c., also a number of articles used in celebrating the Chinese funeral rites; likewise a roast duck and joint of salt pork; together with tea, brandy, and other refreshments that, according to Chinese notions, are good for the souls of the departed. The funeral took place in the Southern Cemetery. Arrived at the graveyard, the hearse was stopped, and the coffin borne to the grave by several of the deceased's comrades. It was at once lowered down without any further ceremony. The ropes having been raised, the Chinamen proceeded to throw in their white hat-bands on top of the coffin, after which the express cart was drawn up, and the departed's clothes, in the shape of his boots, pants, socks, and other aids to personal adornment, were "heft" down upon the coffin. His sheets and blankets — which would have been the better for a wash — followed, and then came his bed itself, and a number of other articles, sufficient to half fill up the grave, and give joy to the departed on a cold night, when bed-clothing shall be at a premium. The deceased's countrymen then passed the head of the grave one by one, and made their salaams, after which it was filled up. A bonfire, in which was much incense, was made on one part of the grave. On the other a clean mat was spread, and upon this was arranged the provender we have before referred to. Some half a dozen or so of small Chinese cups were filled with an infusion of the very best Chinese tea, while smaller cups still were filled with a lighter-looking liquid, which we heard on very good authority was pale brandy. The Chinamen again passed round, and each threw tea to his departed brother, and afterwards brandy. After about half-an-hour had been spent in this way, a general division of the cups, saucers, incense, wax candles, and other things made use of in the ceremony were indiscriminately distributed over the grave, and nearly every person succeeded in carrying off a relic of the Chinese funeral. The whole thing bore the appearance of a farce, and should hardly be tolerated in the centre of a burying-ground where Christians lie. -NZ Herald, 11/12/1873.
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