Page 61 - Malayan Story
P. 61
MALAYAN STORY
The clothes, bedding and utensils used by the deceased are all burned outside to go with him to the
spirit world, and everything he might need to use is made of paper and burned also. There could be
paper houses, boats, cars, servants and many other things as well as paper money. Black clothes are
worn as a sign of mourning for three years, or some may simply wear a black arm band. Parents
never attend the funeral of a daughter, but when a parent dies the eldest son walks in front of the
coffin wearing white clothes tied at the waist with hemp.
One day, as I sat in the car outside a Chinese shop, my eye caught a movement at an upstairs
window on the opposite side of the street. A man was standing inside the window with his gaze
fixed intently on the sun. As I watched, he lifted his hands in the attitude of prayer and his lips
moved in worship. He was a sun worshipper and it was the dead look in his eyes and the complete
lack of animation so typical of those who worship false gods that touched my heart.
According to the Chinese way of thinking, one of the most important but unpredictable factors
affecting their every day lives is just “luck”. To avoid bad luck they wear all sorts of charms, or
take some action which will appease the evil spirits. A rabbit’s foot is often worn by quite young
children to bring good luck and to ward off illness. Or it may be an old coin with a hole in the
centre, hung on a red cord round the neck or wrist or ankle to fasten them securely to this life and
keep them from being dragged away by evil spirits.
In the house, lucky Chinese characters written on strips of red paper are pasted along each side of
the door of the house and above it. These are usually changed at New Year and are supposed to
bring good luck right through the year. The paper kitchen god which is pasted on the kitchen wall is
also made much of at the New Year. Before it is burned and sent up to the spirit world, its lips are
smeared with honey to make sure it will only report nice things of the family it has been watching
all through the year.
In Bentong in Pahang a temple holds an annual feast for a full week called the Feast of the Devils.
The god known as the “king of devils” was specially invited to come and supervise all the devils
which were invited. It was believed that this would satisfy the devils and people would then have
no trouble from the through the year. In Kota Bahra, fishermen hold a special four day ceremony at
New Year to make offerings t the ancient spirits of the sea. This would ensure a good year for
fishing. In each village the main temple would hold a special festival during the year when
Buddhists and Taoists would keep the birthday of the monkey god. When one of the missionaries
commented on the value of the offerings being made by a very poor family to the monkey god, the
response was simply “nothing is too good for the god.”
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61
The clothes, bedding and utensils used by the deceased are all burned outside to go with him to the
spirit world, and everything he might need to use is made of paper and burned also. There could be
paper houses, boats, cars, servants and many other things as well as paper money. Black clothes are
worn as a sign of mourning for three years, or some may simply wear a black arm band. Parents
never attend the funeral of a daughter, but when a parent dies the eldest son walks in front of the
coffin wearing white clothes tied at the waist with hemp.
One day, as I sat in the car outside a Chinese shop, my eye caught a movement at an upstairs
window on the opposite side of the street. A man was standing inside the window with his gaze
fixed intently on the sun. As I watched, he lifted his hands in the attitude of prayer and his lips
moved in worship. He was a sun worshipper and it was the dead look in his eyes and the complete
lack of animation so typical of those who worship false gods that touched my heart.
According to the Chinese way of thinking, one of the most important but unpredictable factors
affecting their every day lives is just “luck”. To avoid bad luck they wear all sorts of charms, or
take some action which will appease the evil spirits. A rabbit’s foot is often worn by quite young
children to bring good luck and to ward off illness. Or it may be an old coin with a hole in the
centre, hung on a red cord round the neck or wrist or ankle to fasten them securely to this life and
keep them from being dragged away by evil spirits.
In the house, lucky Chinese characters written on strips of red paper are pasted along each side of
the door of the house and above it. These are usually changed at New Year and are supposed to
bring good luck right through the year. The paper kitchen god which is pasted on the kitchen wall is
also made much of at the New Year. Before it is burned and sent up to the spirit world, its lips are
smeared with honey to make sure it will only report nice things of the family it has been watching
all through the year.
In Bentong in Pahang a temple holds an annual feast for a full week called the Feast of the Devils.
The god known as the “king of devils” was specially invited to come and supervise all the devils
which were invited. It was believed that this would satisfy the devils and people would then have
no trouble from the through the year. In Kota Bahra, fishermen hold a special four day ceremony at
New Year to make offerings t the ancient spirits of the sea. This would ensure a good year for
fishing. In each village the main temple would hold a special festival during the year when
Buddhists and Taoists would keep the birthday of the monkey god. When one of the missionaries
commented on the value of the offerings being made by a very poor family to the monkey god, the
response was simply “nothing is too good for the god.”
Return to Table of Contents
61
