Death and Funerals
The Mourning Ring
HAMLET: To be or not to be-that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
Life just like the train aiming to the grave which will not stop for anything or anyone. Everyone is afraid of death just like Hamlet in Shakespeare's theater, who is struggle on choosing live or death and revenge or not, showing the uncertainty of afterlife. Since nobody cannot predict death, people usually choose to prepare for their death and the "good" death will direct their soul to the heaven. Therefore, death rituals form and become more and more important since they related to the happiness for people after life. The funeral is also important since it provides opportunities for one's family and friends to mourn and remember his or her lifetime.
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In China, a country with 5000 years history, the death ritual is the representation of almost whole Asian tradition. Normally, Chinese people believe in "Reincarnation", which means one's soul will reborn as another new life after completely forget his or her memory in the previous life. Therefore, to make sure the process to be a new life, the death rituals form. When a person died, his body will be place in coffin for 7 days since people believe one will only know his own death after 7 days. During these days, there will be a lot of performance to remember the passing people like funeral dance and a person singing "death song" for 3 days without any interruption. Also, all of the relatives and friends of the dead will show come and show respect by kowtowing to dead. At the eat of 7 days, the body will be sent to cremation field and buried in the grave yard. In each Qingming Festival, dead's family will return to and clean the