Page:History of Corea, ancient and modern; with description of manners and customs, language and geography (1879).djvu/352

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

324? COREAN SOCIAL CUSTOMS. The serving man provides a second board, lays it outside the screen^ but close to the first, which is inside on the other side of the screen. This board has, like the first, a mat, a pillow, and a coverlid. All the garments to be used in dressing the body are placed on the board, which is then moved inside the screen. All buttons must be on the right * side of the garment The body is then put on the second board and dressed. The feet are first covered, and the head last of alL The stockings are wadded, and the shoes are of black silk, stiffened with paper ; those of women being such, however, as they had always used. The Dcmgwa is a wadded garment to cover the loins, and is next the skin. The Ifansan or shirt, over this, may be of cotton or silk. Outside the Hanscm is the long outer robe, which may be a court + dress, or one in imitation thereof, or the collar may be straight up. There is no difference between that for a man and that for a woman. Outside is a wider robe, which is wadded ; but for women, that part of it is alone wadded which is below the breast. A large girdle is provided, and a sash of red satin, if the dead had been an official ; of silk or other material of a blue colour, if he was not a magistrate ; but it is always red for women. After the body is covered, the serving man, with cleanly washed hands, takes the table of sacrifice or offering, puts on it a piece of meat and some soup, as also a paper containing a list of all the troubles and trials the deceased had to endure during the life now ended, — the more doleful this list is the better, as it tends to deepen sorrow. He then takes some spirits in a measure, which he pours out on the east side of and close to the body ; after which he covers up all the sacrificial offerings with a towel. If this offering is made at night, a candle must be lit to reveal the things offered to the dead; and when the offering is completed, the candle is put out, and the things are covered to prevent the flies settling on them. The mouth of the dead has now to be filled with boiled "whangmi, a small glutinous pannicum ; three holeless pearls^

  • Inverting the practice of the living. f See above, verbal description, p. 318.