The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between January 21 and February 20. The seventh month of the lunar calendar is known as Ghost Month, per Chinese tradition. Some Chinese may avoid funerals or visits to a cemetery during those periods, so as not to attract spirits. If a loved one dies around the Chinese New The family plays a key role in organizing the funeral. They may enlist the help of a monk, priest or another clergy member who reflects the family’s religious traditions. The traditional mourning period, called 守喪 (shǒusāng) is one year, and for the first-born son up to three years, though modern Chinese families observe a period of 49 If a death occurs around major celebrations like Chinese New Year, funerals are postponed. Based on Chinese funeral superstitions, having a funeral during this time is seen as incredibly unlucky. People avoid visiting homes that are holding funerals to prevent bad luck from spreading. Traditional Chinese Funeral Customs Modern Chinese Funeral Customs; Elaborate funeral ceremonies with lavish arrangements: Streamlined funeral arrangements with the assistance of professional services: Lengthy mourning period of one year or more: Shorter mourning period of around 49 days: Emphasis on ancestor worship and rituals There are certain funeral etiquette protocols that should be followed for a Chinese funeral. These include: The color of clothes that are worn by family. Wearing black symbolizes the strongest sadness and should be worn by the spouse, children, and daughters-in-law. They are to wear a sackcloth hood as well. Sons-in-law wear white or something Staying away from customary celebrations of the Chinese New Year within a year of experiencing a death in the family is usually observed too. The family in mourning should not visit other friends’ houses, but there is no restriction on them receiving visitors. Other information resources that were used as references: Guide to Chinese funeral A Chinese wake can last between five to seven days and depends on the age and social influence of the deceased. Some funerals can last up to 45 days. Chinese Funeral Etiquette The Chinese government recognizes five major religions, Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, and Protestantism. The practice of any other faith is strictly prohibited in China. Chinese funeral traditions. Traditional Chinese funerals stem from Confucianism and Taoism, two Chinese religions that heavily influence the culture. Funerals are seen as very important in Chinese society; they are a way of honoring the deceased and showing respect to their ancestors. What to expect before the funeral. In preparation for a The colour red is never worn for funerals, as it symbolises happiness and good fortune in Chinese culture (which is why it is the traditional colour of Chinese New Year and of Chinese weddings). Read about the traditional Chinese festival of Qingming dedicated to honouring ancestors in our Death Around the World series. Chinese traditional funeral customs have been passed down for thousands of years, and they combine the ideologies of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. With the change of times and the popularity of cremation, funeral procedures have been simplified, and there are various funeral customs of different ethnic groups. However, many places still follow some of the traditional funeral rituals from The ceremony was described as a “funeral of smiles” (笑喪) in Chinese because it is considered a blessing to live past 80 years. In such cases, traditional rules on the 100-day mourning period, such as abstaining from weddings and birthday parties, are relaxed. My grandmother passed away in July last year, and my grandfather wants to know what he can and cannot do during Chinese New Year, as well as what prayers he has to do and what to avoid. My grandmother was given a Taoist funeral, so we had a 100 day mourning period for her (which is already over). Taking naps, especially on the first day of the Chinese New Year, represents laziness. In Chinese culture, taking naps on the first day of the new year will affect your luck and career for the rest of the year. 9. Avoid breaking things in your home Visitations to your relatives’ houses during the Chinese New Year period is also not recommended. On the 1 st year death anniversary, the family will wear red after the “combination prayers”, to mark the end of the mourning period. Some of those Chinese New Year taboos will only sustain for first few days of the festival, while others may be kept till the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, or even for a whole month. Hereunder are 16 things you should never do during the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Years Eve: 春节: Chūnjié: Chinese New Year; Spring Festival: 春节快乐! Chūnjié kuàilè! Happy Spring Festival! 新年快乐! Xīnnián kuàilè! Happy New Year! 大吉大利! dàjídàlì! Wishing you great prosperity! 恭喜发财: gōngxǐ fācái: May you have a prosperous new year: 鼠年大吉: shǔnián dàjí Killing should be avoided from the 1st to 15th of the Lunar New Year as blood is considered an ill omen, which will cause misfortunes such as a knife wound, or a bloody disaster. People usually kill chickens, ducks, pigs, and fish before Chinese New Year or on Chinese New Year's Eve. Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for As the first day of the lunar year, Chinese New Year's Day has more taboos, such as pouring water out, sweeping, dumping, getting in by the back door, using knife, scissor or needle, washing clothes, breaking utensils, lending to others, punishing children, taking a snap, and washing hair. Included in the map package is a $10,000 Joss Paper heaven bank note. My plan is to gift these maps to guests at a Chinese New Year dinner I am hosting in a Chinese restaurant. The guests are non Chinese or mixed race like myself. When I was in my early 20’s, I hosted another Chinese New Year dinner in a NYC Chinatown restaurant.
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