@MH.Yang what are the customs of Chinese funerals?
Different nationalities have different customs. The Custom of the Han nationality is to follow a seven-day cycle, and the first seven-day cycle is called “头七”. Man has three souls and seven forms. They are called:三魂七魄 . One form disappears every seven days after death. One soul disappears every year. After the first seven days, the dead would return home to confirm their death. So the family must keep the body for seven days. The white lantern is a guide for the dead. The family should avoid the dead, in case the dead miss the family and do not want to leave.
The body was buried seven days later,the family continues to commemorate 49 days. Three years is called the period of filial piety. The immediate children of the dead need to follow some rules. Such as no marriage, no politics, no excessive entertainment. The family wore white linen and white headscarves at the funeral. Others wear black.
If the dead is over 80, the theme of the funeral changes from sad to happy. To celebrate the longevity of the dead.
This is only a brief introduction. The whole ritual is so complicated that it may take several books to fully understand it. Modern Chinese use simple steps and omit most of the rules.
At the same time, you should also understand that the above rules depend on who you are. If you were just a poor man in ancient China, you wouldn't be able to do this. It's just a noble game. Noblemen had different funeral rites according to their rank. In ancient times, there were special government departments to manage these.
After 1949, the CPC wanted to eliminate this system which represented inequality. And reduce the cost of funerals. So, members of CPC have simplified funerals. Just cremate the body and have a memorial service with family and friends. Currently, Muslims in China are still allowed to have Muslim-style funerals, while ethnic groups with traditional Chinese culture, mainly Han, are cremated. In fact, Chinese culture is very peaceful about death. China has been an atheist country for thousands of years.
For example, the Chinese believe that the body should be sent home after death. But there is also a famous Chinese poem:青山处处埋忠骨,何必马革裹尸还。 All the mountains of my country can serve as the grave of a loyal soldier. There is no need to return home with my body wrapped in horse's skin.