Memorial, Cooktown Cemetery

Memorial, Cooktown Cemetery

Image Courtesy of: CAHS

Middle: three large red characters are 敬如在 (Jìng rú zài).

They are written in seal script which is a highly stylised script used for religious and other formal purposes.

Translation

"Reverently [worship] as if [they] were present."

Right Side: 光緒十三年歲次丁亥十一月初四

"“In the 13th year of the Guangxu reign, cyclical year Dinghai, 4th day of the 11th month. [1887]"

Left Side: 谷當閣埠中華安公所

谷當閣 (Gu-dang-ge): This is the 19th-century Cantonese phonetic transliteration for Cooktown. 埠 = fu / port

中華安公所: The Chinese Peace Association (or Public Hall), the organization responsible for maintaining the cemetery and erecting the memorial.

Following on the left are the names of 12 local Cooktown community members ending with,

等 敬立

“[X] and others respectfully erected [this monument].”