Funeral Practices in China and the West

By: Mahmoud Al-Disi

Haneen Sawalha

Outline

• A Comparison of Chinese and Western Religion• Chinese Funeral Customs• Preparation for The Chinese Wake• The Chinese Wake• The Western Funeral Customs• The Western Wake• Chinese Burial• Western Burial• Chinese Mourning• Western Mourning

A Comparison of Chinese and Western Religion

• Chinese– A combination of Confucianism and

Buddhism

• Western– Christianity

Chinese Funeral Customs

Basic Information

• Chinese funeral rites and customs is based on the deceased age, gender and martial status

• An elder should never show respect to someone younger (no prayers and cant be brought home)

• If infant or child dies no rites are performed and is buried in silence

• Funeral rites must be performed for elders even if family goes into debt

Preparation for The Chinese Wake

• All religious statues are covered with red paper so it wont be exposed to coffin

• All mirrors are removed or covered (one who sees his reflection will have death in his family)

• A white cloth is hung over the doorway of the house

• Corpse is cleaned with a damp towel dusted with powder

• Dressed in his best clothes (including footwear)

• All other clothes are burned

• Never dressed in red (turns corpse into ghost)

The Chinese Wake

• Coffin is placed in the house if person died at home or in the courtyard if person died outside.

• Coffin is not sealed during the wake

• Gift and photos of deceased placed at head of coffin

• Food is placed in front of the coffin

• Family does not wear jewelry or red.• Tradition for blood relatives to wail and cry as a

sign of respect and loyalty to the deceased• The cries are loud if the deceased left has left a

large fortune• Relatives outside of immediate family crawl on

their knees towards the coffin upon arrival

• Deceased’s comb is broken into two, one part in coffin, other is kept with family

• “Prayer money” is burned so it can provide the deceased with income in the afterlife.

• A monk will chant verses from Buddhist scriptures at night

• Card games and gambling is played in the home’s court yard (the body needs to be guarded and by them gambling it can help comfort them while keeping them alert and awake )

• Funeral guests are required to bow as a sign of respect to the family

The Western Traditions

Basic Information

• When someone dies, they are judged by God.

• The good goes to Heaven and sinners go to Hell.

• When a person dies, it is seen as the end of his life on Earth.

• Funeral is held for friends and family to grieve for the person who has died and give thanks for their life

The Western Wake

• Wake will take place in a funeral home, or in church

• Held the evening before the day of funeral or immediately before the funeral services

• Guests pay their respects at the home of the family members

• Guest book that which signed by everyone who attends the wake

• Have a choice whether to view the body in the coffin or keep it closed.

• Wearing colorful clothes is inappropriate and people often wear dark colors such as black.

• Friend and family members of the deceased send flowers and cards to the funeral home.

• Friends can stand and speak about the deceased as a way of honoring him

• a prayer and a lecture are usually given by the funeral service director or another invited guest

• Near the end of wake, guests are invited to view body and say a farewell.

Chinese Burial

• Family will turn their heads as its considered bad luck to watch the coffin getting buried.

• Paper money will be burnt and ashes are often collected and scattered in the family’s home.

• After funeral, all clothes worn by mourners are burned to avoid bad luck.

Western Burial

• is the final moment to say a final farewell before laying the body of the deceased to rest.

• The funeral march will travel from the site of the memorial service to the burial site.

• The casket remains closed during the burial ceremony

• Morticians will typically ensure that all jewelry worn by the deceased are in the casket before it is buried

• a meal or other gathering follows the burial service

Mourning

• The period of mourning by the family continues for 100 days

• piece of colored cloth is worn on the sleeve of each of the family members for 100 days to signify mourning

Chinese

West• In the Western funeral traditions they morn

by wearing black for 40 days it is a sign of respect towards the dead

• ANY QUESTIONS?