As in many cultures, burials are taken very seriously in Chinese society. The prolonged mournings that arose from Confucius Chinese tradition are still the norm today, and those that do not follow that tradition, along with various other ones, as part of funeral proceedings are said to be risking the fortune and fate of the whole of 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. They are quiet affairs, in which those in attendance give thanks for the contributions made by the deceased, and ask for forgiveness and mercy for any of the deceased s misgivings.
Mourners are positioned around the coffin according to 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. Relatives 2ill follow with their heads touching the hearse, or with a white piece of cloth linking them to it
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.
The way that the Chinese deal with large scale death is also worth noting. As a land prone to considerable seismic activity, China is no stranger to bereavement affecting it on a national scale. In 2008 over 70,000 people died in the massive earthquake that shook Sichuan and the surrounding provinces and China saw an unprecedented level of mourning, lasting three days.
Families, friends and neighbors stood motionless for the nationwide silence, while in Beijing air raid sirens wailed and the stock exchange ceased trading for three minutes. Thousands of people walked the streets holding photos of the deceased in the air, whilst others burnt money as an offering. All public entertainment was cancelled, presenters on state television wore black and the Olympic torch relay was suspended.
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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 - http://www.efbox.co.uk/os-other-cultures.htm
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