University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

Page 31 text:

.. f ' D IDE LIGHTS if, .fl 4'1,.ff' 'ffffaf v, Ag? fn ,lm Q -L1 I Lv 1 SXJZZIVI 'gl 'ln QQe5gglltg'- CHI ESE wg A 'E J Q M I E I SENDING MONEY T0 THE DEAD BOUT ten 0'elock one evening we were returning to our home outside the city of Chinkiang. Our narrow rocky road lay between low hills covered with graves. The eoflins had been placed on top of the gI'0und, or in a sl1allow trench, and then covered with earth, leaving little mounds, as if the land were infested with gigantic pocket gophers. The sky-line on either side of us was an undulating series of graves where those fallen seemed to crowd each other in death even more than they had in life. We wondered whether we could make our way through the crowd, if all the graves on the hill could suddenly be opened and their occupants resurrected. Perhaps it was because graveyards are supposed to be gruesome that S01nething within us wanted to be afraid g perhaps it was because the little road seemed so uncertain, or because of the cold wind and inlay darkness. Then far up the road we spied a little light, flaring up for a minute and then dying away. We wondered if some beggfll' might be trying to keep Warm over a little blaze of dried weeds, or whether the fire had been Started by Hreverackers exploded at a funeral. App1'0aCl1il1g, we heard a low wailing, as of someone in severe pain. PPGSCIWIY: when tl10 fitful little fire burned more brightly, we saw a crouching form bending over the flame, and partly silhouetted by it. The moans and cries became more distinct, and seemed to take the form of a weird Chant, punctuated by half-choked Sobs. The mourner, who was H .Young Woman Of P0l'h3JpS twenty years, was burning paper money before tllf' SWVG at H10 1'0adSifle. 4 29 9

Page 30 text:

l QE K vu I ?h1Q r ig' 'Cru .JM ,M fflfi f fi.w4af7f,4 -M -4 157 .uf A 54 Ungflhifn 4 , 1' JF . 55p1U.Zr K ' ,, C289

Page 32 text:

30 SIDE LIGHTS ON THE CHINESE Our presence seem- ed not to deter her in the least, but as she swayed to and fro she softly continued her chanting and weeping. When- ever one piece of the brown, blot- ting- paper-like mo- ney had nearly burned out, the dying embers lighted another. Evidently the pa- per was made to burn easily, for from 'the merest 'suggestion of heat it caught, and flared up like celluloid. One of our party tried to learn more of the young wo- man's grief. For ,e , , he whom do you YVorship for the Dead Weep? H She asked kindly. But this patron of the dead gave no heed to curious foreigners, mere passersby who were altogether too inquisitive. Was your relative buried yesterday, or perhaps today?l' For reply the little black figure mechgmjcgilly lighted her paper, and chanted the low, minor dirge. We began talking among ourselves. We did not mention her igno- rance, but spoke of her sorrow. We forgot her queer custom, and thought of the utter devotion to her inbred rites. We did not scorn nor condemng we could only pity or sympathize.