Rites of passage

Traditionally, upon the death of a family member, a fung shui master will be consulted with regard to the most auspicious hour and day for the funeral or cremation and for the burial or interment of ashes.

Close family members are present when the body is placed in the coffin, which will be lined with paper, clothes or other materials, depending upon the wishes of the deceased. The lid is then nailed and sealed by a professional undertaker, who will utter blessings while doing so.

The coffin will be kept in the house or funeral parlour for a few days to enable friends and relatives to pay their respects. An altar for praying is set up in front of the coffin and decorated with wreaths of white or blue (never red) flowers. Buddhist and Taoist monks are employed to chant prayers at appointed times. Food is offered at the altar at meal times in accordance with filial piety rituals: the Chinese serve dead elders the same way they do the living.

When visitors come to pay their respects, the deceased's descendants kneel (males on one side, females on the other) to show their respect to the visitors.

A banquet may also be thrown for the mourners. Visitors bring gifts in the form of wreathes, cash in white envelopes and banners or scrolls with words of praise for the deceased that bear details of the giver.