Mortuary Practices and Funeral Rites Mortuary Practices and Funeral Rites Buddhist monks provided funerary Buddhist monks provided funerary

services:services:– Buddhist Services:Buddhist Services:– A way to help the dead through these A way to help the dead through these

passages by transferring merit to them.passages by transferring merit to them.– The services were held in the home of the The services were held in the home of the

deceased or in a templedeceased or in a temple– Monks chanted sutras when performing Monks chanted sutras when performing

servicesservices– The most elaborate service: Great Ceremony The most elaborate service: Great Ceremony

of Land and Water of Land and Water

Mortuary Function of Buddhist Mortuary Function of Buddhist InstitutionInstitution

Buddhist temples were places to store Buddhist temples were places to store coffins until burial could be arrangedcoffins until burial could be arranged

Buddhist clergy led funeral processionBuddhist clergy led funeral procession Buddhist temples often aided the Buddhist temples often aided the

practice of cremation, providing practice of cremation, providing crematories, storing ashes…crematories, storing ashes…

Buddhism and GeomancyBuddhism and Geomancy

Geomancers and Buddhist temples Geomancers and Buddhist temples worked together in the provision for worked together in the provision for funerary servicesfunerary services– Buddhists handled the ceremonies that Buddhists handled the ceremonies that

focused on the rebirth of the soulfocused on the rebirth of the soul– Geomancers handled the burial of the Geomancers handled the burial of the

bodybody Geomancers were not always “rustic Geomancers were not always “rustic

masters and vulgar shamans”masters and vulgar shamans”– Some of them were prominent Confucian Some of them were prominent Confucian

scholarsscholars

State Responses to Cults and SpiritsState Responses to Cults and Spirits

To cultsTo cults– Outlaw practicesOutlaw practices– Regulate practicesRegulate practices– Define and codifyDefine and codify– Use power of exampleUse power of example

Promoted charitable graveyardPromoted charitable graveyard

To spiritsTo spirits– Outlaw their shrinesOutlaw their shrines– Recognition and rewardRecognition and reward– AppeasementAppeasement– Exorcism Exorcism

Thunder ritesThunder rites