Funeral Customs
4 min readSince cremation is traditionally uncommon，the burial of the dead is a matter taken yery seriously in Chinese society.It is believed that improper funeral arrangements might wreak ill fortune and disaster on the family of the deceased.
Chinese funeral rites and burial customs are largely determined by the age of the deceased，cause of death，status and position in society，and marital status.Funeral rites for an elder must follow a socialy recognized form even if this means the family of the deceased may go into debt.
According to Chinese custom，an elder should avoid showing respect to someone younger.So，if the deceased is a young bachelor，for example，his body cannot be brought home and must remain at the funeral parlor.His parents cannot offer prayers to their son，either.Since he is unmarried，he does not have any children to whom he can perform these same rites.If an infant or child dies，no funeral rites are performed either since respect cannot be shown to a younger person.The child is thus buried in silence.
At death，the relatives cry out aloud to inform the neighbors.The family starts mourning and puts on white clothes made of a coarse material.
A typical traditional Chinese funeral is complicated and lengthy.It may go through the following procedures.
（1）The Wake
Before being placed in the coffin，the，corpse is cleaned and dressed in his/her best clothes.The corpse is never dressed in red clothing because this will turn the corpse into a ghost.White，black，brown or blue are the usual colors for this occasion.The coffin is placed on its own stand either in the house（if the person died at home）or in the courtyard（if the person died away from home）and the head of the deceased faces the inside of the house，resting at about one foot from the ground on two stools；wreaths，gifts and a portrait or photograph of the deceased are placed at the head of the coffin.
The coffin is not sealed during the wake.Food is placed in front of the coffin as an offering to the deceased.
It is a custom that blood relatives and daughters-in-law should wail and cry during mourning to show their respect and loyalty to the deceased.
The length of the wake depends on the financial resources of the family，although it should be at least one day long to allow for the offering of prayers.While the coffin is in the house（or compound）a monk will chant verses from Buddhist or Taoist scriptures at night.It is believed that the souls of the dead will encounter many obstacles and even undertake torment and torture for the sins they have committed alive before they enter the afterlife.Prayers，chanting and rituals offered by the monks help ease the passage of the deceased’s soul into heaven.？These prayers are accompanied by music played on the gong，flute and trumpet.
（2）Length of the Funeral Ceremony
The funeral ceremony traditionally lasts over 49 days-the first seven being the most important.Prayers are said every seven days for 49 days if the family can afford it.Otherwise，the period can be shortened by three to seven days.
（3）Funeral Ceremony and Procession
When the prayer ceremonies are over，the wailing of the mourners gradually increases and the coffin is nailed shut；this process represents the separation of the dead from the living.Then yellow and white“holy”paper is pasted on the coffin to protect the body from evil spirits.The coffin is then carried away from the house using a piece of wood tied over the coffin，with the head of the deceased facing forward.
The coffin is not carried directly to the cemetery but is first placed on the side of the road outside the house where more prayers are offered and holy paper is scattered.The coffin is then taken to the cemetery.
（4）The Burial
Chinese cemeteries are generally located on hillsides since this is thought to improve geomantic omen. The higher a grave is located，the better.At the graveside，when the coffin is lowered into the ground，all present must turn away for it is believed that the deceased will live forever in the heart of its family members if they do not see the body buried.Family members and other relatives then throw a handful of earth into the grave before it is filled.After the funeral，all of the clothes worn by the mourners are burned to avoid bad luck associated with death.
（5）Mourning
Although the funeral rites are over，the period of mourning by the family continues for another 100 days.A piece of colored cloth is worn on the sleeve of each of the family members for 100 days in token of mourning and grief.Strictly，black is worn by the deceased’s children，blue by the grandchildren and green by the great grandchildren.But nowadays the mourners usually wear a black mourning badge.
