A coffin is typically ordered before the individual passes on and will be kept in the house. Traditionally, bodies are buried in special rectangular coffins with three humps, although recently, many people choose to be buried in Western style coffins. All statues within the families’ homes must have their faces covered in red paper. A white cloth is then placed over the doorway of the house, and a gong is placed to the left of the door for women and to the right for men. Prior to burial, the individual is cleaned with a damp towel and talcum powder and then dressed in that person’s best clothing. Usually muted colors such as white, black, brown or blue are used. The face is covered in a yellow cloth and the body is covered in a blue one before placing the deceased in their coffin.
The funeral begins with the priest chanting Taoist scripture. During the funeral, mourners are expected to grieve as loudly as possible, becoming loudest as the coffin is nailed shut by the eldest son. However, mourners must turn away from the coffin as it is taboo to watch it being sealed. Yellow and white paper is affixed onto the surface of the coffin, and then it is placed outside while more prayers are said. Once the individual is loaded into the hearse, a procession forms behind the hearse in order of status. Mourners must once again turn away as the body is lowered into the ground.
After the burial, tradition states that the family must have a feast for the guests who attended the funeral. Some families choose to restrict the number of courses in this meal to the lucky number seven. Afterwards, guests are presented with a red packet filled with money, and everyone must burn the clothes they wore to the funeral. The funeral does not mark the end of the rituals, as relatives are expected to mourn for a period of 49 days with prayers occurring every seven days.
- Wide range of caskets
- Wide range of Urns
- Cold room facilities
- Inward and outward repatriation of human remains
- Planning of funeral arrangement
- Obtaining burial permit and death certificate
- Securing release of remains
- Burial plot arrangement
- Cremation arrangement
- Qualified arterial embalming/dry ice
- Make up services
- Shroud western suit, Chinese traditional clothing and mourning clothing
- Funeral parlour arrangement
- Enlargement of photograph
- Canopy set-up
- Prayer materials
- Professional Music band
- Luxurious Mercedes hearse
- Obituary in newspaper
- Bus transportation