1910s Chinese Funeral

Postcard of a Chinese Funeral showing next door, the Criterion Hotel at 98-100 Queen's Road Central. The name of the proprietor can be seen on the signboard. The photographer took a couple of photographs of the same scene which later were turned into postcards.

The caption reads: A Chinese Funeral - The coffin is seen at the left side. On the steps can be seen two Chineses (sic) supporting a relative of the deceased. A mourner is not allowed to look towards the sky. The Chinese tradition says that a chinaman is not allowed to be carried down the steps he last came up from, so that bamboo steps have to be constructed, outside the house. These steps are built and pulled down in one day.