Chinese Funerals Rites - USA Book

[helen]

A website a friend has passed on to me Interesting site, but pages missing

books.google.com.hk/books?id=WHU9VijrcagC&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=Why+are+Chinese+graves+shaped+like+the+Greek+letter+Omega&source=bl&ots=klg5U_tmlx&sig=N0AjcDNrakGeidda6UHu5UhnG9o&hl=zh-TW&ei=eP_9SpqHHqb66gO55qDyCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Why%20are%20Chinese%20graves%20shaped%20like%20the%20Greek%20letter%20Omega&f=false

www.amazon.com/Chinese-American-Death-Rituals-Respecting/dp/0759107343

[helen]

Can some one tell me the reason for the family to take the portrait of the deceased back home from the cemetery, straignt after the funeral? Is it so that the spirit can find its way home.

I know I did that for my Mother.

In NZ, they say that the Maori are actually Chinese. They have a ritual of kawa mate, in which whanau take the spirit from marae to marae so others are able to mourn the death.

[Henry]

Hi Helen,

My impression is that it was to return the spirit of that person back to their home. In my father's funeral, they had lit a rather long incense (punk) which was carried back lit to my house - a 4 hour drive.

Henry

[helen]

That's what my one of our family did recently - They had come to NZ from the village about 20 years ago. They had this really thick joss stick, and they travelled home immedately, before returning to the wake. Luckily only 30 minutes away. At the ceremony the elder son carried the photo, and walked in front of the pall bearers.

[Ah Gin]

Helen, Henry,

What you folks describe was also what we did when my parents passed away in Malaysia. Father passed away in West Malaysiaae and mother passed away in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. In both cases the chief mourner was my elder brother, who carried my father/mother's photo, and a thick big joss stick, ahead of the funeral procession. We are siyi folks.

When my parents-in-law passed away in Australia, we did likewise, ie, the photo and joss stick were carried by the eldest male. They were Hokkien folks.

So certainly for our family and extended family from two different provinces, we had the same rites.

regards, ah gin

[helen]

We have a female Chinese celebrant here, and she guides the people in the correct ways. She is used to Buddhist ceremonies, as well as Christian one. However, the majority of Chinese who use her services are not Christians.