A funeral is a ritual to mourn and see off the deceased. This ritual usually includes various forms of mourning, such as paying homage and remembering the deceased. At the funeral, relatives and friends will gather together to mourn the deceased and express their thoughts and reluctance.
The form and scale of funerals vary depending on cultural, religious, and regional differences. In some cultures, funerals may be accompanied by specific religious rituals or traditional customs that help relatives and friends better cope with death and see off the deceased.
In addition, the funeral is also a kind of respect and remembrance of the deceased. It reminds us to cherish life and be grateful for what we have. At the same time, funeral is also a time for family and friends to unite and face grief together, which helps us to heal the wounds of our hearts and get out of the shadow of grief.
At funerals, people usually follow certain etiquette and regulations to show respect and respect for the deceased. These etiquettes and rules may include wearing certain clothing, staying quiet, avoiding laughter, etc. At the same time, it is also important to respect the beliefs and customs of the deceased and not to behave inappropriately at the funeral.
Traditional Chinese funeral ceremonies are rich and colorful, reflecting not only respect for the deceased, but also the nostalgia and mourning of the living for the deceased. Here are some of the main traditional funeral rituals:
Mortuary ritualsWhen a patient is dying, relatives will put on new clothes in advance and move them to the coffin bed in the main chamber before they can take their last breath, which is called "mourning", in order to protect them through the last moments of life.
Funeral ceremonies: After the funeral is stopped, a day will be chosen to report the funeral and relatives, friends and villagers will be notified to attend the funeral. The way to report a funeral varies from region to region, and some places will use specific items or behaviors to imply, such as the use of umbrellas in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces to report funerals.
With filial piety and unloading filial piety: Before returning to the soul, the filial son and filial woman will wear ** as a filial piety dress. After returning to the spirit, the whole family will take off the **, the filial son hangs a sackcloth hand ring or a black cloth hand ring on his right arm, and the filial woman puts a white flower on her head. Filial piety is to remove all the signs of filial piety on the body at the end of the funeral.
Burial ceremonyBefore entering the coffin, the family will perform a series of rituals, such as buying water (to make an offering to parents for the last time to repay the kindness of parenting) and filling the coffin (the coffin should be filled with daily necessities such as paper, hand towels, fans, etc.). At the time of burial, the family will crawl around the coffin for a week, called "climbing the coffin", to say goodbye.
In addition, there are other rituals such as feng shui (used to choose the location of the cemetery or hall), wakes (waiting by the coffin or urn of the deceased), funeral (sending the body or ashes of the deceased to the cemetery for burial), etc. These ceremonies are not only a way to respect and remember the deceased, but also a way for the living to face death and seek solace for their souls.
According to the Regulations on the Administration of Funerals and Funerals and relevant regulations, the permitted funeral methods stipulated by the state mainly include the following:
Cremation: Cremation should be practiced in densely populated areas, with less arable land and convenient transportation. This method is conducive to saving land resources and reducing environmental pollution. After cremation, the ashes can be disposed of in a variety of ways, such as ashes storage, columbarium storage, etc., which can not only meet the emotional needs of the deceased's family, but also save land.
Burial: Burial is allowed in areas where cremation is not available for the time being. Most of these places are remote or inaccessible rural areas. However, even in the case of burial, it is also recommended to bury the burial method on flat ground and without leaving a grave to save land resources.
Other ways: For example, tree burial, sea burial and other ways that do not occupy or occupy less land. These methods are not only in line with the concept of environmental protection, but also vigorously advocated and advocated by the state.
In addition, the State also emphasizes respect for the funeral customs of ethnic minorities and the prohibition of interference with those who voluntarily reform their funeral customs.
It is important to note that the specific funeral method may vary depending on the region, ethnicity, religion and other factors. In practice, local funeral management regulations should be observed to ensure the smooth conduct of funeral activities. At the same time, civilized and environmentally friendly funeral methods should also be advocated to promote funeral reform and social progress.