RSSAn Insight Into Bereavement Within China
Dec 21
China China, chinese burial, death, funeral directors, funeral services, funerals, religion No Comments
As in many cultures, burials are taken very seriously in Chinese society. The rituals of Confucius Chinese tradition support prolonged mourning and to this day improper funeral arrangements are perceived to wreak ill fortune and disaster on the deceased’s family.
After death, the corpse is cleaned and dressed in his/her best clothes, although never in red, which is the colour of happiness. All other clothing of the deceased is burned and before being placed in the coffin the face and body are covered with cloth, in preparation for the start of the funeral ceremony.
The Chinese funeral ceremony traditionally lasts over 49 days, with prayer services held every seven or ten days until the final burial. Family members and close friends will be expected to attend each and every one of those services.
At the final burial, mourners surround the coffin, with their exact position being dependent on their rank in the family. Children and daughters-in-law wear black, as they are considered to grieve the most, whilst grandchildren wear blue and great-grandchildren light blue. It is also customary for blood relatives and daughters-in-law to wail and cry as a sign of respect for the deceased. Any late arrivals must crawl towards the coffin.
The next step if for the coffin to be nailed shut. ‘Holy’ paper will then be pasted on to the coffin so as to protect the deceased from malignant spirits. The coffin is then placed in a hearse, which will drive it very slowly to the site where it will be placed in the ground.
The wake must last at least one day to allow for the offering of prayers, and a monk chants at night to ease the passage of the deceased’s soul into heaven. After the funeral all clothes worn by the mourners are burned to avoid bad luck associated with the death. The mourning period, symbolised by a piece of colored cloth worn on the sleeve, continues for a further 100 days.
How the Chinese deal with large scale losses of life is also different to how it is probably dealt with in your own country. A very deep and intense approach is taken, with the events following the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan being a good example.
Families, friends and neighbours stood motionless for the nationwide silence, while in Beijing air-raid sirens wailed and the stock exchange ceased trading for three minutes. Flags flew at half-mast and people placed flowers alongside burning candles, with thousands holding photos of their dead children or burning paper money as an offering. All public entertainment was cancelled, presenters on state television wore black and the Olympic torch relay was suspended.
With origins dating back to 1853, E.F. Box are one of the oldest funeral directors within the UK. They offer a range of funeral services across a variety of faiths, beliefs and ways of celebrating life.
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