Funeral Rites of Japan, I

FUNERAL RITES OF JAPAN, TWO PARTS—PART ONE. BY ALMA 0. TAYLOR, OF THE-JAPANESE MISSION. Many of the prominent cities in western America have from fifty, or a hundred, to a few thousand Chinese inhabitants, and it is not uncommon to see their funeral processions pass along the streets, but which, because of the substitution of occidental methods, are robbed of their native significance and pompous oriental dis- play. There is, however, sufficient oddity about them to attract the attention of adults, and, circus-like, draw after them the small boys, who seem as much amused as when the clowns and elephants are in town. With slight changes and various modifications, the funeral rites, like nearly everything else in Japan, have been adopted from China. This is quite natural, for burial ceremony is closely allied to religious worship, and, with the advent of Confucianism and Buddhism into this land, came the foreign system of caring for and disposing of the dead. Inhumation, as far as history records, has been practiced from the earliest period, but there are certain traditions that say the dead were simply taken to uninhabited parts, and there left upon the ground to be dissolved by the elements. This, though dis- credited in the beginning, was actually introduced and practiced extensively under Buddhist direction in the eighth century A. D. Anciently, temporary mourning-houses were erected over the graves of the deceased. Here the bodies lay, ofttimes for more than a year before they were finally interred in the ground. After the simple grave came the tumulus, which, in the early part of the Christian Era, grew to massive proportions. At first, it was sim-

296 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ply a mound of earth used to cover up the wooden coffin, which had been placed in a shallow grave, but in the last years B. C, the substitution of stone for wood, in the manufacture of burial cases, was introduced by the emperor, and the building of sarcophaga commenced, which continued for some centuries, and reached such a high degree of splendor that whole fortunes were spent in the erection of a single tumulus. At this early period, also, the practice of human sacrifice was observed, so that the departing spirits of the dead could have com- panions in their flight. This inhuman ceremony was thus per- formed: Around the outside of the tumulus, in the form of a cir- cle, human beings, generally servants of the deceased, were en- cased up to their necks in masonry, and left in this position till death relieved them. During the year 1 B. C, a certain nobleman died, and the "human hedge" around his mausoleum was so thick that the agonizing groans and shrieks of the dying victims were heard by the emperor, who, moved not alone with sympathy, but with horror, immediately called a council in which it was decided that images carved from stone should thereafter replace the hu- man sacrifices. But there was a patriotic sentiment in the hearts of the Japanese for their superiors, and in a later period- -during the flowery days of feudalism—the death of the master was the signal for all the servants to take their departure with him; and, voluntarily with their own swords, they spilled their bowels on the ground, proving by such acts their love for their master, and utter lack of fear for death. It required the most rigid laws to overcome this practice. Often men, in open rebellion to imperial decree that no more self-slaughter should be enacted, manifested their preference for the old custom by falling on their swords. Another destructive feature that arose after the suppression of this evil, was the placing of costly articles in the coffin with the corpse. This, together with the desire of the people to follow the example set at the funerals of the court, led to the introduction of such pomp and show that, in many cases, death in a family meant the reduction of the family to poverty. Seeing the banefulness of such extravagance, a rising emperor decreed that every man, be he prince or peasant, should celebrate the osequies of his dead in a manner proportionate to his rank and means. In consequence of

FUNERAL RITES OF JAPAN. 297 such edict, ruin ceased to follow upon the steps of death, and the whole burial system became more simple. It, however, required modification to be made, time and time again, to prevent return to the old excessive outlay. The funeral rites were greatly changed during the seventh and eighth centuries. It was at this time that Buddhism began to exert itself, and, by a series of shrewd moves, not only captured the nobility, but soon won the hearts and contributions of the plebeians. Among the many new doctrines taught by this sect, was the utter disregard for the body, which came to be looked upon with little more reverence than a piece of clay earth. According- ly, three Buddhist notions of burial were introduced—cremation, throwing the body into water, and "burying in the wilds." The first body to be cremated was that of a Buddhist priest, in the year 701; but ere a hundred years had passed, this means of disposing of the mortal remains had become exceedingly popu- lar among the upper classes. Two emperors of the ninth century, who had become over-zealous in their determination to show their contempt for human flesh, ordered that their bodies should not only be burned, but their ashes should be thrown upon, and scat- tered by, the wind. This reminds me of the story of Alaric who led his victorious forces from among the barbarous tribes, on the north, and spread bis conquests far into Italy. After sacking Rome, he died in the valley of the Po, but his grave was never found. Historians claim that his body was burned, and so that no one should ever find his tomb or know where the great conqueror fell, the waters of the river were turned out of their course by the army; Alaric's ashes were placed in the river bed; the waters were turned back again, and have, since then, flowed through the same channel for more than fourteen hundred years. Cremation was in direct conflict with the old Shinto mode of inhumation, and, although at first it was accepted by the people, yet, when the novelty of the new custom wore away, a desire to return to the old and less barbarous method entered the hearts of many. Religious sanction, however, prevented the rapid growth of this sentiment, and it was not till 1644 that the enemies of cre- mation were strong enough to demand an edict in their favor. The edict officer, who directed the construction of imperial crematoria,

298 IMPROVEMENT ERA. was made a personage of considerable dignity. (In 1873, crema- tion was entirely abolished by the government, but in 1875, the confused notions that brought about such prohibition, were dis- covered to be detrimental to the public health, and on account of sanitary measures, the law was repealed.) While cremation was gaining strength, the other Buddhistic forms of burial were also making slight advances. Clothed in an ordinary kimono, and with a large stone or other weight attached to the feet, many of the dead were cast into the sea and rivers. This practice evidently had only a short duration, for, in Japan, there are now no traces of it. All those who find watery graves do so on the up-to-date American plan—by disaster, accident or suicide. The terrible deaths by torture, which were enacted during what is called in history, "The period of the Spanish Inquisition," under the sanction of the dominant church in Europe, find not a similarity, but an equally appalling terror, in the results of the Buddhist burial system called "Burying in the Wilds," which sprung up contemporaneously with cremation. By this system, the dead were taken without the cities and villages to secluded parts, and left, often without clothing, lying upon the ground to be de- voured by birds and beasts, or to decay like the animals that die upon the range. Such disrespect for the bodies of the dead re- sulted in disrespect for the sick and dying; consequently in a few years, persons attacked with sickness, for lack of proper nursjng in the beginning, generally grew worse; then, when it was thought they could not recover, they were taken to the bone hills, and left wrapped in a quilt, to die, and make their own graves among the Weakened skulls and decaying carcasses of those who perhaps had shared like desertion years before. In 809 A. D., a fierce epidemic broke out in Kyoto, the then capital city of Japan, and the peo- ple died by thousands. The above method being a very handy one —one, indeed, less burdensome than the collection of garbage— the dead were piled up in heaps along the country roadsides. The stench and disease germs arising from the decomposing bodies filled the air, and were carried back to add to the distress of the polluted district. The former sad conditions and heart-rending scenes, occasioned by this practice, had failed to call forth from

FUNERAL RITES OF JAPAN. 299 the rulers the slightest condemnation of its barbaric features. This event, terrible as it was, seemed necessary to bring about the needed reform. An imperial edict was sent forth decreeing that "buryicg in the wilds" should cease, and officers were placed over every district throughout the land, to see that the sick and dying were properly cared for. Just prior to the Buddhist invasion, the old desire to have wooden coffins was awakened by the actions of a ruler who planted a certain kind of tree, the wood from which was to be used espe- cially for their manufacture. He was afterwards buried in a wooden case. These receptacles were at first beautifully lacquered, but as the workmanship continued to grow finer, and the ornaments be- came more and more numerous, the lacquer was done away with. It is not often that governmental enactments regulate the size of burial cases—this nowadays depends upon the proportions of the deceased —but at that time, a coffin must be six feet long, two feet high, and four feet wide, and the inside lined with pillows of vermillion and charcoal, to keep the corpse in position, and to pre- vent rapid putrefaction. The restoration of the wooden case did not do away with the sarcophaqa. Manv of those which contain both coffin and corpse still stand, bearing the marks of antiquity. The manner of conveying the corpse to the tomb has been on the decline. Formerly the coffin was placed in what would be called in modern parlance a funeral car drawn by animals; oxen being usually employed for this purpose. These cars were elabor- ately ornamented, and draped with costly tapestries. In the year 823, at the death of the emperor, the royal family conceived that it would be showing greater honor to the imperial head, if the funeral car were drawn by men. From this time on, the use of animals became unfashionable; and, finally, the bier replaced the car, and was carried on the shoulders of coolies. With bamboo staff in hand, and the sharp edges of the bier resting on the oppo- site shoulder, these pall-bearers are now seen daily conveying t:e dead through the streets. Having become hardened to such work, these men, without particular exertion, walk for more than a mile before taking a rest, or changing the burden from one shoulder to the other. Special places for burial were not set apart before 695 A. D.

300 IMPR0 VEMENT ERA. The hill sides were the favorite sites, during the tumulus building period. Later, the low or high level plaies were considered more suitable, while in the time of the "moya," ("moya" is pronounced mo-ya; o as in old; a as in all) or mourning houses, the grave was not infrequently made on the spot where death took place. Today, the old cemeteries are found in the centre of large cities, in the parks, through the rice fields, on the hill tops, and in the ravines, and a few single mounds are occasionally seen by the traveler. In the eighth century, the emperor, desiring to do honor to a faithful soldier, caused a headstone to be erected upon his grave. From this, monuments and grave stones became customary. Tab- lets containing passages from Buddhist scripture, written in San- skrit, were also erected, with the thought that they would be efficacious in expediting the passage of the spirit to its destina- tion. The tombstones of today are not unlike the early ones. The front bears the name and age of the deceased; on the back is in- scribed the parents' names and scriptural selections. For ten hundred years Shinto struggled in vain against the superior strength of the western religion. But as the civilization of the Occident began to penetrate the East, the Japanese began to search the history of their own land, which resulted in the de- sire of the best educated to return to the worship of their fathers. The efforts of these men were rewarded, in 1871, when Buddhism was disestablished as the religion of the realm, and Shinto priests were admitted into the court of the present emperor. Therefore, during the last thirty-one years, the imperial funeral rites have been according to Shinto customs. Among the lower classes, how- ever, Buddhism still holds almost complete sway; consequently, in Japan there are at the present time two distinct burial ceremonies. Before the revival of Shintoism, even the funerals of the Shinto priests were in the hands of the Buddhist hierachy. In order to give an idea of the character of the funeral rites belonging to each sect, it will be necessary to describe the scenes accompany- ing the demise of persons of some prominence. The rites are greatly augmented on occasions of imperial funerals, and very meager at the obsequies of the poor. Buddhist iftfes;—Buddhist funerals are directed sometimes by priests alone, other times by secular organizations, the church

FUNERAL RITES OF JAPAN. 301 officiating in the religious ceremony only. The householders of every town form a co-operation known as kogumi (pronounced ko-gu-mi; o long as in owe; u as in bugle; i as e in eat) for the purpose of mutual help. When a person dies, the fact is notified to the priest of the district temple. On receipt of tidings, he, accompanied by one or two acolytes, repairs to the bereaved house, and completes the necessary arrangements for the religious ser- vices. The kogumi is also immediately informed. An officer and other witnesses are then sent to examine and report upon the con- dition of the body. While Christianity was struggling to get a foothold here, the natives suspected that many of the deaths were caused by some violent influence, wielded by the foreign mission- aries, and every corpse was observed with the closest scrutiny, to see if there were present any marks of detested religion. The results of these suspicious investigations were always reported to the mayor. The kogumi takes upon itself the responsibility of making arrangements for the funeral, thus relieving the bereaved of all care and anxiety. The first move is to call in the under- taker who takes the measurement of the corpse, receives the order for the flowers, is instructed concerning the grave, and the special kind of coffin that will be required. He has nothing whatever to do with caring for the remains. This work is all done by the rel- atives, or by servants whom they may choose to do it. A few hours, generally twenty-four after death, the body is divested of its clothing, washed with warm water, and wrapped in a white linen cloth. The body is always laid with its head to the north, in which position it is leit till the arrival of the coffin. The Bud- dhist burial receptacle is generally small and square, made of white wood, and finished without the slightest stain. Occasionally, the inside is lined with bags of vermilion, (among the poor, pillows of tea are substituted) but as a general rule, nothing at all is done for the preservation of the body. When introduced into the coffin, the corpse is placed in a sitting posture with the head bent to the knees; this position being derived, some say, from the habit of de- votees who sit wrapped in religious meditation, while others dis- cover it to be a symbolical representation. The remains having been properly fitted into place, a white linen cloth is spread over the top, and the lid securely fastened. Such doubling up of the

302 IMPROVEMENT ERA. body requires that rigor mortis must either have passed off or be broken up before it can be placed in the squatting position. While talking with a certain doctor, who resides in Yokohama, regarding the advanced methods employed in America for the preservation of the dead, I referred to the harden- ing effects of formaldehyde fluids so commonly used in America. He was astonished that we Yankees should be using materials to make the bodies rigid, a thing that all Buddhists dislike to see, but when I compared the natural and life-like appearance of our dead with the relaxed features of a body that is allowed to lie without attention till the eyes open, the jaw falls, and the limbs become like rags, he readily observed that even a stone-like corpse would be more pleasant to look at, and less liable to cause disease, than those uncared for ones that emit terrible odors, and are so limp that they are, as the Japanese themselves confess, not only dis- agreeable to handle, but repulsive to the eye. The custom of viewing the remains is, however, not practiced among the Japan- ese; the reason being apparent—they are not those things of beauty which are a joy forever. The old superstition about lucky and unlucky funeral days still exists among certain classes, and before deciding upon the day for the obsequies, geomancers are often consulted. Around the casket, which is placed in the best room in the house, the relatives, friends, and priests sit. At the head of the coffin stands a table containing plants, foods, and a metal or earth- en dish in which the priests and all the relatives of the deceased burn incense. The sermon is simply a short reading from Bud- dhist scrip'ure, after which all present pass by the coffin, pausing long enough to make a low bow. This completes the ceremony at the house. The procession is then formed. Fir-it come the attendants, walking in double file and carry- ing the floral offerings of friends. Following these come other attendants, carrying lanterns and flags. It seems that many of the ancient funerals were held at night, and the lanterns were originally used to illuminate the course of the procession, but to- day they are simply relics of past usefulness. Some flags contain re igious inscriptions, and, in clever, sentimental terms, the virtues of the deceased are inscribed on others. The bier sustaining the

FUNERAL RITES OF JAPAN. 303 coffin is carried on the shoulders of six or eight coolies, and comes in line after the flag-bearers. The bier is peculiar in shape. It looks much like a good sized dog-kennel set upon two planks, six or eight inches wide, two inches thick and ten or twelve feet long. The planks are fastened to the bottom on either side of the house- like structure that rides above, and serve as the part which rests upon the shoulders of the pall-bearers. The roof instead of com- ing to a gable poi.it, is rounded off into a convex shape, and pro- jects about a foot beyond the front and rear walls. The eaves project over the sides much like those seen on the ancient temples, and small shrines, erected in all parts of the land. Four supports bear up the roof, and curtains of white linen or silk, hanging loosely on all sides, serve to hide the coffin, which, when taken from the house, is placed in the bier for transportation to the grave or crematory. According to a custom that existed only a century ago, but which is now entirely lost, a person known as the "chief mourner" followed directly after the corpse. This person- age, judging from what is written, was the most interesting char- acter in the entire ceremony. He was not a relative or friend but a professional mourner, hired to manifest the intense grief felt by those bereft of their loved ones. This he did by dressing in hempen garments, wearing straw sandals, covered with white hempen cloth, and carrying a bamboo staff upon which he leaned, and by which he laboriously moved along, as though so sorrow- stricken and broken-hearted that, without support, it would be im- possible for him to stand. Next comes an attendant carrying a parchment, or stick, containing a new name that had, immediately after death, been applied to deceased by the chief pJest. Four or five priests, each having an attendant, come next, and then the relatives and friends—some in carriages drawn by horses, others in rikishas, the human vehicles of the Orient. Last of all come the servants who bring cakes and dumplings to give to the by- standers . Although many of the Buddhists are buried in the ground, yet cremation is the true Buddhistic method of disposing of the body. Upon arriving at the crematory, the remains are given into the charge of the crematory officials who issue a receipt for the body. The funeral cortege disbands, and the relatives and friends return