What To Say In Funeral When You Receive Money In Chinese

In the by 1 year, I take attended two funerals for the father of a very dear friend and the in-police force of a close family member.

On both occasions, I said adieu, or "再见" to the bereaved family unit after each visit. And on both occasions, we received "visitors" in the form of rather large moths in our home at the end of the twenty-four hour period after each wake.

If yous are Chinese and superstitious, you may believe that the moths were the transmutated spirits of the deceased whom y'all have but gone to pay respects to at their corresponding wakes. They had, at my request, come to "visit" me at my home. "再见", translated into English, also means "See yous again".

Protocols for visitors to Chinese wakes in Singapore (Obits.sg)

I did not know this until my friend's family told me I should not say adieu. They were very jokey when they lightly chided me near my unintentional blunder, just they actually weren't kidding around.

Alternatively, if yous do not want to be inadvertently inviting any spirits into your abode – nonetheless beneficial they may exist, you lot would leave a wake quietly without saying goodbye to the bereaved family.

Here are some other rules of etiquette you may be interested to read well-nigh if yous ever happen to find yourself visiting a wake or a funeral.

• Paying respects to the deceased

Visitors will be led by the bereaved family to pay their respects to the deceased when they visit the wake. This involves stopping at an altar before the coffin and offering joss sticks to the deceased and/or bowing three times. Today, with Singapore being a multi-religious and multi-cultural order, many more grieving families are tolerant if a visitor declines to offer joss sticks. However, bowing or a bowed head accompanied by a minute of silence is a basic class of respect.

• Spending time with the family

A funeral is an occasion for family and friends to assemble as they call up the person who has passed on. Although this is not part of tradition, visitors can limited sympathy to the family for their loss if they don't know the deceased well during the visit. If the deceased is familiar to them, it will be comforting for the family unit if visitors recall proficient memories and positive attributes of the person.

• Visitation

In traditional Chinese wakes, family members would go on all-dark vigils past the coffin, and visitors could play mahjong with the family to go on themselves occupied. Today, funeral parlours offer lock-up security, and families do non see the need to engage in this practice strictly. It is a good idea to call the family and check what are the visiting hours before popping by as well tardily or too early.

• Before you leave

Visitors will be offered footling carmine packets containing coins and a piece of cherry-red thread when they exit. Visitors bring these with them every bit they leave the funeral, only are expected to spend the money and throw the string away for a condom journey home. Today, some wakes exercise not offer coins in carmine packets, but only the cherry threads. The intention is notwithstanding the same.

• Attire

Sombre colours such as white, black or dark blue are appropriate shades for wake visitors. However, attention the funeral of an elderly person who has children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, is less sombre as the deceased is considered to have led a good life. Generally, a wake is notwithstanding a solemn affair and bright hues should be avoided.

• Numbers and figures

In Chinese beliefs, fifty-fifty numbers are associated with auspicious events and items. Every bit funeral is non considered an auspicious event, a wake is held over an odd number of days, such equally 3, 5 or 7. Condolence donations, commonly known as pek kim, or bai jin, are likewise given in odd configurations. A minimum sum of $30 is quite normally the minimum amount to be offered in Singapore. More can be donated depending on a visitor's financial situation and degree of closeness to the family. These donations are called bai jin because they are offered to the family in white envelopes and are typically used to assist the family offset funereal expenses as these diplomacy are costly.

• Announcements and condolence wreaths

Information technology was previously customary for bereaved families to take out death announcements in the newspapers, but this has slowly been on the decline since the advent of smartphones and social media. Today, more families spread the news in their family unit chat groups informally, and print obituaries are going the fashion of public birth and wedding announcements – out of favour. But some families nonetheless see the need for this customary rite and make the announcement with an obituary every bit information technology is a way to testify their respect and sorrow for the deceased. More than besides opt for online memorialisations and digital means to keep their loved 1's memories alive.

Visitors would too send floral wreaths and blankets to the bereaved family every bit an expression of their condolences, but more families today opt for visitors to donate to charities in lieu of these wreaths as a way of doing expert on the deceased's behalf.

For more details nearly Chinese funeral rituals, yous can visit these sites:

• Chinese death rituals

• Funeral rituals

Source: https://blog.obits.sg/2019/03/25/protocols-for-attending-a-funeral-in-singapore/

Posted by: rodriguezmorbigh1992.blogspot.com

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