holy papers pasted to the coffin. Protection from malign spirits.
Be a volunteer to carry the coffin to its resting place. A blessing bestowed by deceased to pallbearer.
Be attentive. The long lit joss stick that symbolises the soul of the deceased … sometimes the wind will extinguish its orange flame. Be sure to relight it immediately.
Be attentive. The paper models of cars, houses, ships, that are carried to symbolise the wealth of the deceased’s family, sometimes the wind will blow them away. Be sure to retrieve them from the ground and place them back into the hands of the family members.
Be attentive. If the procession needs to cross water, the deceased must be informed. Not to speak of this will cause the soul of the dead to be left behind on the other side of the river.
Feng shui demands that the cemetery be located on a hill. Your plot should be high. As close to the peak as finances allow. As the coffin is lowered into the grave, all faces must be turned away, or ill fortune will surely follow. Ill fortune will also follow if all items of clothing that have been worn for the funeral are not burnt.
Red packets are distributed to relatives. Inside, money, a sign of gratitude. Money that must be spent, not saved. Also distributed, towels. White towels. Another sign of gratitude. But also to wipe away the sweat, the dirt from hands that have been used to help fill the grave.
Be sure to mourn your loved one for 100 days. Be sure to wear the appropriate piece of coloured cloth on the sleeve of your jacket to signify this mourning. Black for the deceased’s children. Blue for the grandchildren. Green for the great-grandchildren. For up to 3 years you will wear these pieces of cloth.
If a child should die, do not mourn. If your wife should die, do not mourn. Wait for the seventh day. On the seventh day the soul of your departed one will return to your home. You will place a red plaque with a suitable inscription outside the house. The souls of the dead are easily lost. On the seventh day all family members shall remain in their rooms. Give yourself comfort on this day. Dust the floor of your home with talcum powder. Dust the floor of your home with flour. After the seventh day, when your room is left behind, witness the visitation of your loved one’s soul on a field of white.
So serious, death. Treat it as you would a ripe peach. A peach, yes. Treat death as a very delicate peach.
Chapter 9
SOONG CHING-LING MAUSOLEUM, THE HONGQIAO ROAD.
White, the colour of death .
Dove-white clad mourners moving across delineations of brown. Earth scratched to darker earth. And smells that graveyards have, of rust, dripping out its iron life, and freshly dug sods with worms wriggling.
A view over shoulders, of shoulders. The urn, interned, bricked up. A plaque fixed in place. A chiselled name with the year of birth and of death. Stone letters carved in stone. A darker grey set in grey. Generous, the PSB. Looking after its own and meeting all of the substantial costs.
Through the graveyard, back to the house, the walk colder than when coming. Funerals, always colder on the walk back.
“This investigation, you do not have to …”
Ahead, Di’s widow. Hands, knuckle white in the clasp of her children’s hands.
“Don’t worry, Boss, I’m in. What the fuck, I’m not going to wait around to get what Di got.”
Ahead, tears and comforting words. Prayers and cold feet.
Piao, hand to pocket, passing a note. The Big Man unfolding it. Reading.
“Zoul agreed to help …”
“Shit, he said he’d give you all these American dollars?”
Reading.
“5,000 Panda Brand. 2,000 Marlboro. 20 bottles of Southern Comfort. 20 bottles of Teacher’s whisky.”
“ Guan-xi . We will need to grease a few palms.”
“And a few throats, eh Boss?”
“They will know our Shanghai Sedan. We will need the use of another vehicle.”
“Difficult, but leave it to me, Boss. Nothing that a handful of those dollars and a few
Be a volunteer to carry the coffin to its resting place. A blessing bestowed by deceased to pallbearer.
Be attentive. The long lit joss stick that symbolises the soul of the deceased … sometimes the wind will extinguish its orange flame. Be sure to relight it immediately.
Be attentive. The paper models of cars, houses, ships, that are carried to symbolise the wealth of the deceased’s family, sometimes the wind will blow them away. Be sure to retrieve them from the ground and place them back into the hands of the family members.
Be attentive. If the procession needs to cross water, the deceased must be informed. Not to speak of this will cause the soul of the dead to be left behind on the other side of the river.
Feng shui demands that the cemetery be located on a hill. Your plot should be high. As close to the peak as finances allow. As the coffin is lowered into the grave, all faces must be turned away, or ill fortune will surely follow. Ill fortune will also follow if all items of clothing that have been worn for the funeral are not burnt.
Red packets are distributed to relatives. Inside, money, a sign of gratitude. Money that must be spent, not saved. Also distributed, towels. White towels. Another sign of gratitude. But also to wipe away the sweat, the dirt from hands that have been used to help fill the grave.
Be sure to mourn your loved one for 100 days. Be sure to wear the appropriate piece of coloured cloth on the sleeve of your jacket to signify this mourning. Black for the deceased’s children. Blue for the grandchildren. Green for the great-grandchildren. For up to 3 years you will wear these pieces of cloth.
If a child should die, do not mourn. If your wife should die, do not mourn. Wait for the seventh day. On the seventh day the soul of your departed one will return to your home. You will place a red plaque with a suitable inscription outside the house. The souls of the dead are easily lost. On the seventh day all family members shall remain in their rooms. Give yourself comfort on this day. Dust the floor of your home with talcum powder. Dust the floor of your home with flour. After the seventh day, when your room is left behind, witness the visitation of your loved one’s soul on a field of white.
So serious, death. Treat it as you would a ripe peach. A peach, yes. Treat death as a very delicate peach.
Chapter 9
SOONG CHING-LING MAUSOLEUM, THE HONGQIAO ROAD.
White, the colour of death .
Dove-white clad mourners moving across delineations of brown. Earth scratched to darker earth. And smells that graveyards have, of rust, dripping out its iron life, and freshly dug sods with worms wriggling.
A view over shoulders, of shoulders. The urn, interned, bricked up. A plaque fixed in place. A chiselled name with the year of birth and of death. Stone letters carved in stone. A darker grey set in grey. Generous, the PSB. Looking after its own and meeting all of the substantial costs.
Through the graveyard, back to the house, the walk colder than when coming. Funerals, always colder on the walk back.
“This investigation, you do not have to …”
Ahead, Di’s widow. Hands, knuckle white in the clasp of her children’s hands.
“Don’t worry, Boss, I’m in. What the fuck, I’m not going to wait around to get what Di got.”
Ahead, tears and comforting words. Prayers and cold feet.
Piao, hand to pocket, passing a note. The Big Man unfolding it. Reading.
“Zoul agreed to help …”
“Shit, he said he’d give you all these American dollars?”
Reading.
“5,000 Panda Brand. 2,000 Marlboro. 20 bottles of Southern Comfort. 20 bottles of Teacher’s whisky.”
“ Guan-xi . We will need to grease a few palms.”
“And a few throats, eh Boss?”
“They will know our Shanghai Sedan. We will need the use of another vehicle.”
“Difficult, but leave it to me, Boss. Nothing that a handful of those dollars and a few
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