FILLING THE MOUTH. 325 and a piece of jade. It must on no account be left empty.* When these are to be put into the mouth the Shangjoo weeps, laying hold with his right hand of his left shoulder, which is bared, and the left side of his clothing he draws forcibly towards his right-f* He washes his hands before taking the box con- taining the pearls; and he is followed by the serving man carrying the vessel which holds the wharvgrai or millet The pillow is removed on which the head rested; and the chief mourner, from the east side of the body, facing west, puts some millet into the mouth. He then goes to the west side, facing east, and repeats the process; which he does a third time, standing right in front of the body.J His left shoulder is bared the while ; and when finished, he goes back to his own position, and the serving man puts everything into its proper place. The first face-covering is now taken away. To prevent those things in the mouth from falling out^ a piece of cotton, two feet square, called Ming-gin^ is provided. A muslin Wcrnggi/n (face napkin) covers the face ; and covering face and head is the Foogin (head napkin), of black silk, and slightly fringed. The Ming-moo (eye-cloth) is of black silk, to cover the eyes ; to each comer of which is attached a cord to tie round the head. The sash is then tied, its end passing below the head-napkin, to the end of which it is to be tied behind the neck. The ears are closed with fresh cotton wool, and the eye-cloth tied round the head. The shoes are put on, and the official robe buttoned. The back of the right hand is then covered with the end of the hand-napkin (of black silk) ; the other end of it is to be brought • This ensures the body from want of any kind ; and the pearls, if large, prevent the body from decay I— Vox populL flf he does not rend, this appears to be a reminiscence of "rending their garments" (see O. T.pauim), The official robe of Buddhist and Taoist priest passes under the left arm. And the Bev. John Macintyre, who has thoroughly mastered the ancient Chinese Ritual, informs me that, in that Bitual, the "baring'* of the left shoulder simply means that the ouler robe is made to pass untUr the left arm, like the official robe of the Buddhist priest
- The three pearls are doubtless put in similarly. It seems to imply compUUntu
from all directions; for the head is south and the spirit north.
