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174 CHINESE DEATH CUSTOMS book iii
ought to show sufficiently that in these matters the work of the devil is manifested.
As
there are many Chinese at Batavia, I shall give here an "account of a
custom which I have observed among these idolaters. When a Chinaman is
at the point of death, all the relatives and friends crowd about him,
and ask him, with tears, where he wishes to go, that if he wants
anything he has only to say so and they will give it to him, be it
gold, silver, or women.1 When death occurs many ceremonies
are performed at their funerals; these consist principally in displays
of fireworks, in which the Chinese excel all the other nations of the
world, for a man must be very poor if something is not expended on them
at his death. Moreover, some silver is placed in a small box, which is
buried near the deceased, and a quantity of food is placed near the
grave in the belief that he will come to eat it. As some soldiers of
the garrison are sent out of Batavia every evening to make the circuit
of the town during the night, on one occasion they took it into their
heads to go to the graves, and ate up that which had been left; this
they continued to do for some nights in succession. When the Chinese
were aware of this, in order to deter them from returning, on three or
four occasions they poisoned the food which they placed on the graves
of their dead; this caused a great disturbance in Batavia. The Chinese
occupy a leading position in commerce, and are more cunning than the
Dutch, but as they are not liked by the people of the town, the latter
took the part of the soldiers, and accused the Chinese of having
poisoned
'
This is apparently a version of the custom of placing with the dead
artieles for their use in the next world. The exact custom in the text
has not been traced. See J. J. M. de Groot, Religious Systems of China, i. 3 ff. ; J. M. Gray, China, i. 278 S. ' The
Burials of the Chineses are perform'd with great Ceremony. When a sick
Person is at the point of Death, all his Friends and Relations gather
about him, and ask him frankly whither he is going, and why he will
leave them ? Questions very edifying and much to the purpose ! They
tell him he need only acquaint them what he wants, and assure him very
obligingly he shall immediately have all he can ask' {The Voyage of Francois Leguat, Hakluyt Society, ii. 254 f.). Leguat, who speaks contemptuously of Tavernier, may have borrowed this passage from him.
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