Page:The passing of Korea.djvu/552

 commences. During this process, which is audible at some distance, the sentiments given expression to are almost all in commiseration of the dead. He is pitied for having died. His virtues are not commonly recited on such occasions, nor is reference made to his survivors, though there is no rule that would forbid this. In the wailing no subjective element appears. The wailers do not complain that they are bereft, nor wonder how they are to get along without the departed father or husband. After an hour of wailing some near relative, not a member of the household, or an intimate friend of the family remains to watch the body, and all others leave the room.

One of the trusted servants of the house, or some friendly neighbour, not of the upper class, takes in his hands an inner coat of the dead man, mounts to the roof of the house and takes his stand directly over where the body lies; This coat is of native cotton, never of silk or any imported goods, and has probably been kept in the family wardrobe for years for this special purpose. Standing thus, the man grasps the collar of the coat with his left hand and the hem at the bottom with his right and waves it three times toward the north. At the first shake he cries aloud the full name of the deceased, at the second shake the name of the highest rank that he ever attained^ and at the third he announces that the man is dead. The reason for shaking the garment is that, being something intimately associated with the person of the man, it forms the credentials of the one who is announcing the demise, as much as to say, " Here, behold the inner coat of such and such a man of such and such a rank; him I announce to be dead." The reason for shaking it toward the north is because shadows fall to the north. It is the direction of the shades, its colour being black.

This is done not only to announce the death to other living people, but also that the spirit of the dead man may hear, and so be sure that the momentous event has been properly published. The reason for shaking the garment three times is because of the dead man's in, eui, and ye, which may be