Page:The passing of Korea.djvu/558

 In the second place, serpents and other reptiles will never go near it. In the third place, the pine never rots at the core, leaving the trunk a mere shell. In the fourth place, pine wood, when placed in the ground, decays rapidly and evenly, which, singularly enough, is a prime qualification with the Korean. Anything that tends to retard the process of dissolution is considered very unpropitious. This is in striking contrast to the belief of the ancient Egyptians and of most ignorant and superstitious peoples.

The fourth day after the death of a Korean gentleman is called the day for putting on mourning. The only ones who wear full mourning are the wife, the sons, the daughters and the daughters-in-law of the deceased. For the sons this consists of a wide mourner's hat made of bamboo, a head-band of coarse linen, a coat of the same material, a waist-cord of hemp, leggings of coarse linen, straw shoes and a posun, or face screen, of linen attached to two sticks which are held in the hands. For women, mourning consists in wooden hairpins, clothes of coarse linen and straw shoes.

After mourning has been assumed, all the mourners assemble in the room adjoningadjoining [sic] that in which the body lies, and wail, the men facing the east and the women the west. Only those who are very old may sit. No conversation is allowed. From this day all the mourners may return to their usual diet.

The undertaker places the head-bands, combs and other toilet articles of the dead beside the casket, as if he would soon wake up and use them. Fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts and wine are offered, and then the mourners come in and bow and wail again. If the burial should be delayed for three months, as is often the case, the family must come in and bow before the body on the first and fifteenth of each month. Whenever fresh fruit comes into the market, some of it must be offered the dead before the family can taste of it.

The interment usually takes place on the fifth, seventh, or ninth day after death, but in the case of high officials or very