"Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides." - Lao Tzu
There are different customs and traditions in countries around the globe but some occasions or situations are the same. In case of death for example, there is a set of rules or rites to follow, which are different for various communities of the world. Proper funeral etiquette specifies the code of conduct to be followed at the ceremony of a deceased person. In this article, learn about the proper Chinese funeral etiquette, which is followed during a traditional Chinese funeral ceremony.
Chinese Funeral Etiquette
♦ The ceremony or customs that have to be carried out at a Chinese funeral are very important. According to Chinese customs and beliefs, if a person is not buried with the proper respect and traditions at his/hers funeral, then the family of the deceased will be cursed with bad luck and further tragedy.
♦ A traditional Chinese funeral has a duration of 49 days. But considering the financial condition of the family, the ceremony can be shortened to a period of 3 days. The first 7 days of the funeral ceremony are considered the most important, with the first day being the most religiously significant. There are prayer ceremonies held every 10 days from the date of the death. The head of the family should be present for the burial or cremating ceremony. At the different prayer ceremonies, he should at least appear for the first and possibly the second.
♦ The traditions or rite to be followed depend on certain factors like:
* Age of the deceased
* How did he/she die?
* Whether he/she was single or married?
* What was his/hers standing in society?
♦ Out of these, age is a key factor. The young should show respect to the old, not the other way around. So even at a funeral, if the deceased is younger than those who will come to his funeral, how can they show him respect? Keeping this rule in mind, if the deceased is a child or infant, then no funeral rites are performed, as no elders can show respect to him. The child is buried in silence. For young adults who are single and have no children, his body must remain at the funeral home and even his parents cannot perform any rites for him, as he is younger than them. When the individual is gravely ill or on his deathbed, his family starts the funeral preparation with the ordering of a traditional wooden coffin.
Chinese Funeral Traditions
♦ Different customs and rules are followed in different areas and among different ethnic groups of China. The body can be cremated or placed directly in a coffin. In rural areas or places where a particular community has settled, then burial is the norm. In towns and cities, cremation is more common. If cremated, then the ashes are stored in an ash box or a gu hui xiang, a small wooden box with a matching pedestal to hold it. Until the date for burial is chosen, the gu hui xiang should remain in the funeral home.
♦ The funeral ceremony is called zang li. The house must be prepared first, prior to the actual ceremony. All statues or physical representations of Chinese gods and holy objects, must be covered with red paper. This is so that they do not "see" the body or the coffin. Also any mirrors in the house are removed for the duration of the entire ceremony. It is believed that he who sees the reflection of a coffin in a mirror will soon lose someone in his family. The household main entrance or doorway is covered with a white cloth. Based on gender of the deceased, a gong is hung over the entrance. If the deceased is a man, the gong is on the left of the doorway. For a woman, the gong is hung on the right.
♦ Then the body of the deceased is prepared for the funeral. A damp cloth, lightly dusted with talcum powder is used to clean the corpse and he/she is dressed in good clothes and shoes. White, brown, blue or black are permitted clothing colors. Red is completely taboo as it is believed, a corpse in red clothing will turn into a ghost. The face is covered with a yellow cloth, the body with a light blue cloth and it is placed in the coffin.
♦ The coffin is placed in the courtyard on 2 small stools, if the person died outside of his/hers home. Otherwise it is placed in the house. The deceased photograph is placed at the head of the coffin, a wreath is also placed on the coffin. Any gifts to the deceased family must be placed on the coffin. Guests at such ceremonies can present wreaths as offerings of condolence to the family.
♦ Chinese funeral attire rules dictate that during this part of the funeral or the wake, the family must not wear jewelery or the color red. An ancient custom is that for the next 49 days, no children or grandchildren of the deceased should cut their hair. The immediate family must position themselves around the coffin according to their familial rank. There is even a specific color for each member. Children and daughters-in-law should wear black and must wear a sackcloth hood as well, grandchildren and great grandchildren blue clothing. Sons-in-law must wear bright colors like white. Relatives who come later and are not immediate, must crawl on their knees towards the coffin.
♦ An altar is made at the foot of the coffin, where incense is burnt and a white candle is lit. Guests must light incense at this altar and make a small bow to the family as a sign of respect. A donation box is also placed here, where money should be offered as a sign of respect. Throughout the wake, joss paper and paper money are burnt, so the deceased will have some money in his afterlife. The blood relatives and daughters-in-law must wail and cry as a sign of their grief and loyalty to the deceased. Monks will chant prayers at night to ease the passage of the dead into the afterlife. Music is played on the gong or flute in the background.
♦ When the prayers are done, the wake is over and the coffin is sealed shut. The family sticks yellow and white paper over the coffin to protect it from evil spirits. The coffin is carried outside the house, onto the road by using a piece of wood tied over the coffin. The family and funeral guests then make their way to the mu chang or graveyard for the burial.
That was an extensive look at traditional Chinese funeral etiquette that is followed during a burial ceremony.
There are different customs and traditions in countries around the globe but some occasions or situations are the same. In case of death for example, there is a set of rules or rites to follow, which are different for various communities of the world. Proper funeral etiquette specifies the code of conduct to be followed at the ceremony of a deceased person. In this article, learn about the proper Chinese funeral etiquette, which is followed during a traditional Chinese funeral ceremony.
Chinese Funeral Etiquette
♦ The ceremony or customs that have to be carried out at a Chinese funeral are very important. According to Chinese customs and beliefs, if a person is not buried with the proper respect and traditions at his/hers funeral, then the family of the deceased will be cursed with bad luck and further tragedy.
♦ A traditional Chinese funeral has a duration of 49 days. But considering the financial condition of the family, the ceremony can be shortened to a period of 3 days. The first 7 days of the funeral ceremony are considered the most important, with the first day being the most religiously significant. There are prayer ceremonies held every 10 days from the date of the death. The head of the family should be present for the burial or cremating ceremony. At the different prayer ceremonies, he should at least appear for the first and possibly the second.
♦ The traditions or rite to be followed depend on certain factors like:
* Age of the deceased
* How did he/she die?
* Whether he/she was single or married?
* What was his/hers standing in society?
♦ Out of these, age is a key factor. The young should show respect to the old, not the other way around. So even at a funeral, if the deceased is younger than those who will come to his funeral, how can they show him respect? Keeping this rule in mind, if the deceased is a child or infant, then no funeral rites are performed, as no elders can show respect to him. The child is buried in silence. For young adults who are single and have no children, his body must remain at the funeral home and even his parents cannot perform any rites for him, as he is younger than them. When the individual is gravely ill or on his deathbed, his family starts the funeral preparation with the ordering of a traditional wooden coffin.
Chinese Funeral Traditions
♦ Different customs and rules are followed in different areas and among different ethnic groups of China. The body can be cremated or placed directly in a coffin. In rural areas or places where a particular community has settled, then burial is the norm. In towns and cities, cremation is more common. If cremated, then the ashes are stored in an ash box or a gu hui xiang, a small wooden box with a matching pedestal to hold it. Until the date for burial is chosen, the gu hui xiang should remain in the funeral home.
♦ The funeral ceremony is called zang li. The house must be prepared first, prior to the actual ceremony. All statues or physical representations of Chinese gods and holy objects, must be covered with red paper. This is so that they do not "see" the body or the coffin. Also any mirrors in the house are removed for the duration of the entire ceremony. It is believed that he who sees the reflection of a coffin in a mirror will soon lose someone in his family. The household main entrance or doorway is covered with a white cloth. Based on gender of the deceased, a gong is hung over the entrance. If the deceased is a man, the gong is on the left of the doorway. For a woman, the gong is hung on the right.
♦ Then the body of the deceased is prepared for the funeral. A damp cloth, lightly dusted with talcum powder is used to clean the corpse and he/she is dressed in good clothes and shoes. White, brown, blue or black are permitted clothing colors. Red is completely taboo as it is believed, a corpse in red clothing will turn into a ghost. The face is covered with a yellow cloth, the body with a light blue cloth and it is placed in the coffin.
♦ The coffin is placed in the courtyard on 2 small stools, if the person died outside of his/hers home. Otherwise it is placed in the house. The deceased photograph is placed at the head of the coffin, a wreath is also placed on the coffin. Any gifts to the deceased family must be placed on the coffin. Guests at such ceremonies can present wreaths as offerings of condolence to the family.
♦ Chinese funeral attire rules dictate that during this part of the funeral or the wake, the family must not wear jewelery or the color red. An ancient custom is that for the next 49 days, no children or grandchildren of the deceased should cut their hair. The immediate family must position themselves around the coffin according to their familial rank. There is even a specific color for each member. Children and daughters-in-law should wear black and must wear a sackcloth hood as well, grandchildren and great grandchildren blue clothing. Sons-in-law must wear bright colors like white. Relatives who come later and are not immediate, must crawl on their knees towards the coffin.
♦ An altar is made at the foot of the coffin, where incense is burnt and a white candle is lit. Guests must light incense at this altar and make a small bow to the family as a sign of respect. A donation box is also placed here, where money should be offered as a sign of respect. Throughout the wake, joss paper and paper money are burnt, so the deceased will have some money in his afterlife. The blood relatives and daughters-in-law must wail and cry as a sign of their grief and loyalty to the deceased. Monks will chant prayers at night to ease the passage of the dead into the afterlife. Music is played on the gong or flute in the background.
♦ When the prayers are done, the wake is over and the coffin is sealed shut. The family sticks yellow and white paper over the coffin to protect it from evil spirits. The coffin is carried outside the house, onto the road by using a piece of wood tied over the coffin. The family and funeral guests then make their way to the mu chang or graveyard for the burial.
That was an extensive look at traditional Chinese funeral etiquette that is followed during a burial ceremony.
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