NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM 39 



and for that reason her coffin had been prepared. On inquiry, I was 

 told that her main trouble was that she was not eating or drinking. 

 Doubting that she had any fatal disease, I suggested that if she would 

 eat food and drink tea or water she would probably get well. I 

 gave her several cans of milk, recommending that she drink it grad- 

 ually, eat some boiled rice, and later add other food. The last news 

 I had of Mrs. Chang was that she was alive and well. 



An old man or woman who expects to die soon may put on his or 

 her best clothing and sit in a chair, awaiting the end. This is believed 

 to be a more dignified way to die than lying in bed (ibid., p. 19). 



Coffins and grave clothes are often prepared for old people by their 

 descendants long before they die. This pleases the old people, for 

 then they can be sure that they have a good coffin and good clothing 

 when they are burled. 



Soon after a person dies, the body is bathed and dressed in the best 

 clothes. Generally there are several layers of clothes, in some cases as 

 many as 9 or 11. It must be an odd number, because an even number 

 is unlucky. There must be no metal of any kind in the coffin, lest it 

 drag the soul downward and prevent its upward flight after death 

 (ibid., pp. 18-19). 



When the deceased is encoffined (usually on the day of his death), 

 an old custom is to place a willow stick in his right hand and a loaf of 

 bread in his left to keep off the spirit dogs. If the bread is insufficient 

 or ineffective, the stick can be used (ibid.). 



Soon after death, firecrackers are set off to frighten away demons, 

 and spirit money is burned to be used as travel money by the de- 

 ceased on the way to Hades. On at least some of the packages of 

 spirit money that are burned, are written the name of the deceased, 

 the date and place of his birth, how long and where he has lived, and 

 the date and place of his death. There is also a request that at the 

 barriers the deceased be allowed to pass. A road guide is provided 

 to be used by the soul of the deceased in finding his way to Hades. 



The coffin is placed in the parlor or guest room. If the deceased is 

 an official, or one of his sons has official rank, the coffin is painted 

 red. Otherwise it is painted black. A paper spirit tablet and a 

 streamer are generally placed on a table near the coffin. During every 

 meal, food and sometimes wine are offered to the deceased. 



A Buddhist or Taoist priest or a iuan kung is invited to come and 

 close the coffin. First the lid is taken off so that everybody can see 

 the corpse. At this time there is much weeping and wailing. The 

 coffin is searched to make sure that enemies have not thrown in any 



