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Chinese funeral rituals comprise a set of traditions broadly associated with Chinese folk religion, with different rites depending on the age of the deceased, the cause of death, and the deceased's marital and social statuses.[1] Different rituals are carried out in different parts of China and many contemporary Chinese people carry out funerals according to various religious faiths such as Buddhism or Christianity. However, in general, the funeral ceremony itself is carried out over seven days, and mourners wear funerary dress according to their relationship to the deceased.[2] Traditionally, white clothing is symbolic of the dead, while red is not usually worn, as it is traditionally the symbolic colour of happiness worn at Chinese weddings.[3] The number three is significant, with many customary gestures being carried out three times.
While burial was favoured traditionally, in the present day, the dead are often cremated rather than buried, particularly in large cities in China.[4][5]
- ^ "Chinese funeral". traditionscustoms.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "Funeral Customs". traditions.cultural-china.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
laurenmackwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Hays, Jeffrey. "FUNERALS IN CHINA". factsanddetails.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "Chinese Cremation: The Intriguing History of a Tradition". www.memorialize.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.