Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/360

332 COREAN SOCIAL CUSTOMS. weeping and wailing is continued every morning by all under the Shangjoo, — ^the older sitting, the younger standing. And the morning food is daily offered to the dead just at sunrise, — when also the servants place a bason of water and a comb beside the coffin. The things used in the evening sacrifice are to be removed, especially in summer, for fear of smell, but spirits and indestructibles may remain. Offerings. The man in charge takes the Hwuribua (Title-banner) and places it beside the coffin. He also places several plates of meat, of food, of fruit, of soup, on the table, which is always before the coffin, and there is chanting (as above). He then washes his hands, burns incense, pours out spirits on the fire, and all the mourners below Shangjoo kneel down, to bow the head to the ground and to weep bitterly. At meal times some food is placed before the body, the Title-banner, which was meantime removed, being again produced outside. The bearer of the Title-banner advances forward one step, and offers food to deceased ; and there is chanting, washing of hands, burning of incense, and pouring a libation as before. A spoon is placed in the food (rice &c.), the handle pointing west, and chopsticks beside the meat ; and the mourners, under the Shangjoo, bow down twice and mourn. The things are then removed ; and during the removal, the Shangjoo, leaning on his staff, weeps bitterly because his father cannot eat In the evening offering of food, all the meats &c. used in the morning are removed. The Title-banner is again produced, and placed on the left of the body ; plates of various food — fruit, meat, and soup — are again placed before the body ; there is chanting and washing of hands ; incense is burnt, and a libation poured out; and all below the Shangjoo again twice bow down and mourn. At the Evening Weeping the Title-banner is taken inside and placed on the bed. All below the Shangjoo enter and take up their proper places, and weep and wail. This weeping is not restricted to any particular length of time.