China is home to many different religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity and Islam. These beliefs can inform death rituals for Chinese people, but there can also be elements of spiritualism and Chinese folk religion.
Chinese funerals tend to be carried out over seven days. During this period, people may dress in subdued colours, including white, which is associated with death (a white banner may be hung above the door of the bereaved family's house). Red symbolises happiness and weddings, so would usually be regarded as inappropriate. If someone dies over the age of 80, mourners might wear pink.
The number three is important in Chinese culture. "Three" is pronounced "san", which sounds similar to the word for birth, and it's considered a lucky number. For this reason, some actions at a Chinese funeral might be carried out three times.
Before the funeral ceremony
It's traditional in Chinese culture to practise different rites depending on circ*mstances – like the dead person's age, status, and the cause of death. So a funeral for a child can be very different to a funeral for a great grandparent.
Before the funeral service, the grieving family might carry out shou ling, the practice of keeping watch over the dead person. Loved ones will take turns to sit with the body at the family home, temple or funeral parlour, while mourners may bring offerings of things like incense or food. This can last up to seven days.
During this period, it's traditional for mourners to offer money as a donation to the soul of the dead person. The money is offered in white envelopes, and helps the family pay for the funeral. Joss money, or incense paper, may also be burned to help provide for the spirit in the afterlife.
The ceremony
Then a ceremony is held, where a eulogy is given and prayers recited.
Prayers would never usually be spoken by anyone older than the dead person, so a funeral for a child could be silent. Guests may be given a red envelope with a coin inside to give them safe passage home, along with a red thread to tie to the door to ward off evil spirits.
The funeral procession will then travel to the crematorium or cemetery. Sometimes this is led by a band that plays music to keep bad spirits away, with the hearse often bearing a picture of the dead person.
The importance of feng shui
Derived from an ancient poem about human life and its connection to the environment, feng shui translates as "wind water". You might have heard of feng shui in the context of how homes and spaces are planned and arranged.
Chinese burials can also be carefully planned to take feng shui into account, with the family of the dead wanting to ensure that energy is balanced with nature. This can make choosing the exact location of a grave a very important decision, because it can affect the chi – or universal energy – of their family.
Enough time to be reborn
In Chinese culture, a mourning period can last for 100 days, which is the length of time it may take for someone's soul to be reborn as another person. During that period, bereaved people might continue to wear grieving colours, and might feel it inappropriate to go to celebratory occasions, like weddings.
At the end of the 100 days, a prayer ceremony is held to mark the dead person's passing into their new life.
Remembering the dead in years to come
Ching Ming is a traditional Chinese festival in early April, where people clean the graves of their ancestors as a sign of reverence. Families might also pray and make offerings – for example, joss paper might be burned again, and food might be offered.
The festival has been observed for over 2500 years, and, in mainland China, it's a public holiday.
