About the funeral rituals in southern Fujian

Lisheng: refers to the master of ceremonies, the host of the ceremony. The Lisheng will preside over the memorial ceremony, playing mournful music, offering incense, offering honors, sacrificing animals, bringing in food, kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times, reading out the sacrificial text, etc.

·Watching the corpse·?

After bathing the corpse and changing clothes, a mourning hall is set up to keep a vigil, commonly known as a shoupu. The filial family members guard the body day and night to show their filial piety. The annals say: "After the burial, a place for the spirit is set up, and the worthy gentry of the city are asked to write a memorial, which is called an inscription. A lamp is burned next to the spirit, which shines brightly day and night, called the Netherworld Lamp. A filial son watches over the spirit day and night, and serves food at three o'clock. . "The mourning hall is based on solemnity, with green and black filial piety curtains, spiritual tablets and main tablets. The Shenzhu tablet is also called the "Wooden Master" and was called "奔" or "祧" in ancient times. It is one foot and two inches long and three inches wide. It has two corners cut off at the top and is in the shape of a semicircle. There is a base at the bottom with the name, trade name, and birthplace of the deceased written on it. Year of death, etc. In the old days, those who were officials had to write down their official title and title. There are certain rules for the number of words on the God's Lord Card, which vary from place to place. The Xinghua area is calculated based on the three words "prosperity, prosperity and decline", and the cycle goes back and forth. The last word cannot be applied to the word "decline". Quanzhou is calculated based on the four characters of "prosperity, prosperity, decline, and decline". It is better to include "prosperity and prosperity", otherwise it will be a taboo. In Yong'an, it is calculated based on the five characters of "birth, old age, illness, death, and suffering". It is better to put the character "老" on the last character, which is commonly known as "合老". The "lord" of the god is temporarily written as the word "king". After the dragon returns, a famous person will be asked to add a dot with a red pen to form the word "lord", which is commonly known as "dianzhu". In Zhangping, there is no god, but a spiritual seat made of plain silk or white cloth, commonly known as "soul cloth", on which the surname and name of the deceased are written. In cities and towns, portraits of deceased persons are enshrined in mourning halls. On both sides of the portraits are written testaments or words of filial piety in memory of the deceased, and elegiac couplets, elegy curtains, etc. are hung, making it appear more solemn and solemn. ?

An incense table is set up in the mourning hall to offer fruits, incense candles, etc. During the Qing Dynasty, men did not shave their heads and women did not comb their hair. They slept on a thatch pillow and sipped porridge and ate vegetarian food to express their deep condolences. In modern times, most people build another bed in front of the funeral bed, or spread some straw on the ground, and sleep there for protection. Nowadays, it is common for filial family members to take turns sitting beside the body to guard it. There are two responsibilities of the wake-up call: one is to ensure that the foot and tail lamps (eternal lamps) remain on and the incense continues. In Fuzhou, when the "foot-end candle" is half lit, it must be blown out and replaced with another one. The remaining half of the candle is distributed to the children during the funeral, which symbolizes the endless succession of descendants. The second is to prevent cats and mice from approaching the corpse. It is believed that if a cat (especially a white-hoofed cat and a short-tailed cat) jumps over the corpse, the corpse will turn into a zombie and leap up at people. Only by throwing objects to the zombies can they escape. It is also said in the Xiapu area that the deceased who were born in the Year of the Rat will jump up and catch people when they hear the meow of a cat, so they often place a broom or a bundle of grass next to the corpse to prevent accidents. The purpose of this legend is to ask filial family members to guard the body at all times to show their last filial piety. ?

·Crying and mourning·?

When a relative dies, filial piety and family members grieve and express their condolences by crying, which is called mourning. Crying in mourning usually involves telling the deceased’s achievements and nostalgia for the deceased while crying. In some places, mourning has a certain tone and content. The melody is low, and there are often drawl rhymes and decorative sounds at the end of the sentence. Many women, especially rural women over the age of forty or fifty, can compose lyrics and sing casually according to this mode. Either to express one's grief, to tell one's life experience, or to vent one's inner anger. ?

In Fuzhou, there are popular folk songs such as "Ten Complaints of Misery", "Song of Filial Piety in December", "Song of Pity", etc., all of which are very touching. The content of crying varies depending on the target. For example, for a person who has passed away, he often cries and sings: "Oh, my mother (or Lang, in Fuzhou dialect, mother is my mother and Lang is my father), you have been working hard all your life." He is frugal, has never taken supplements, and has never lived a good life. How can he go away as soon as he gets sick, leaving boys and girls so miserable..." If the "young man dies", the cry is even more sad: "The life is short." , You went away as soon as you got sick, and you missed the third and fourth classes. You ignored your parents' age, and your young mother's care. You ignored your youth..." The daughter cried and sang to her father: "The ten flights of stairs are just firewood. Oh, my dear, you have worked hard to plant trees and build ladders with your own hands, just like you have worked hard to raise your children, and you have been buried in the fields without any leisure. , Poor man and woman, you miss me so much. You don't show up when you see my husband building a ladder..." The child bride cried and sang to her mother-in-law: "Oh, my mother-in-law, back then. Under your hands, your heart and liver are made of firewood, and the five internal organs are made of iron. No matter the wind, frost, rain or snow, no matter whether it is cold or hot, I only want to make cows and horses..." When serving rice and soup in the morning, he sang: "I get up in the morning and think about my dear nurse (or Lang). Stop), serve the soup, it’s so sad and desolate...

"The cries and songs to pay homage to the souls of the deceased before the funeral are mostly complimentary: "My father is like the green pines and cypresses in the southern mountains, which provide evergreen shade to future generations all year round. So that the boys can be more successful, and the girls can be rich and prosperous... ” or “Milk is like day lilies and evergreen grass, which provides shade for future generations. So that the family can grow and prosper, so that the children and grandchildren can enjoy peace... "In southern Fujian, after receiving the obituary notice, a married daughter will cry along the way and call her "crying on the road". After her family members enter the hall, they cry even more miserably: "My father (mother) has nothing to eat." If you live an extra ten or eight years, you can become a son or a son, my father (mother)... "In the eastern Fujian area, there is "Forty-nine Songs of Filial Piety", which is sung day and night every day during the wake. In some places, you cannot wipe your nose when mourning, and let it drag to the ground, which makes it even more sad. In the old days, people were hired to mourn in southern Fujian. In recent years, people in Fuzhou have used tape recorders to record the process of mourning so that it can be played along the funeral procession?

Weeping and mourning have been a custom since ancient times. In the Book of Rites, there is a saying: "Women cannot wait to see off guests." It is recorded that "men don't cry when they go to the hall, and men don't cry when they go out to see people". In most places in Fujian, there are also sayings such as "Don't laugh when you are in mourning", "Don't sing when you look at the coffin", etc. It is taboo that tears dripping on the corpse will wear out the longevity. Don’t cry when serving, don’t cry when the coffin is covered with nails, don’t cry late at night, etc. ?

·Big coffin·?

Putting the body into the coffin is called a big coffin, also known as a big coffin. The burial ceremony is usually held on the third day after death. In some places, it depends on the season: "Spring on the third day, summer on the first day, autumn on the fifth day, and winter on the seventh day." "? Before the burial, a farewell ceremony to the body must be held, and customs vary from place to place. In southern Fujian, the custom of "farewell" is generally popular, that is, a confession table must be set up before the burial, and 12 bowls of dishes must be served, and the Taoist priests will offer bowls to the deceased one by one. Various auspicious words are recited. In eastern Fujian, the sacrifices are prepared by the married women, mainly including pig heads, chickens, ducks, meat swallows, cuttlefish, etc., or 7 or 9 bowls. They can only be in an odd number, and the mourning family members offer sacrifices first. , and then relatives and friends take turns to worship. In places such as Fuzhou, a Taishi chair is placed in the back hall before burial, and a "good fortune person" (an old man with a wife and children who is happy in his old age) is first asked to sit for a while, and then the body is carried. After sitting on the Taishi chair for a while, which is commonly known as "sitting on the table", the deceased is symbolically fed with noodles, and a boiled egg is sealed on the mouth and bandaged. In many places, the deceased is buried before burial. To enjoy music, a wizard called Nanmoxian is often invited to make a ritual ceremony, offering roosters and rice cups, and lighting a "seven-star lantern" (49 lanterns on a tree), commonly known as "lighting a rice cup"?

Before the funeral, in many places there is a custom of "letting go of the remaining money". When the principal lets go of the remaining money, he recites an auspicious saying: "If you have a pound of rice, you will buy a field if you have tens of millions of dollars; if you let go of the remaining money, your descendants will have something." (family property). Or read: "Let go of the remaining money, and your descendants will be rich for thousands of years." "The filial piety attaches great importance to the money at the end of the hand. During the funeral, the money at the end of the hand is tied on the hand (a white belt for filial men and a green belt for filial women). In Xiapu and other places, "water quilts" or cut on the sleeves of the longevity clothes are worn. The next small piece is distributed to the filial piety, which is commonly known as "parting gift", which means the same as "parting money"?

The coffin is usually prepared in advance, usually for people over 50 years old. Qualifications for prefabricated coffins. The best material for coffins is nanmu, followed by fir, and then pine. Most coffins are made of fir. The coffins are generally about 8 feet long, 1.6 feet wide (cover width 1.8 feet), and 1.05 feet high. The ruler made of four wooden boards is called "Sijia", the one made of six boards is called "Liujia", and the one made of "eight boards" is called "Bajia". "The second is "Eight A", and the more wooden boards used to make it, the better it is. Making coffins is usually done in leap years, "which means increasing the sun and the moon." "The labor for making the coffin is mostly borne by the son-in-law. When the coffin is ready, the married daughter must prepare sacrifices to congratulate her. Most of the coffins are painted vermilion, especially in ancient times when coffins were left waiting for burial. The coffins had to be painted many times, even if The body will not leak out even if it rots, so it is commonly known as "gold lacquer coffin". For the poor, the word "Fu" or "Longevity" should be written on the coffin head. The word "Fu" is written on the coffin for men, and "Fu" is written on the coffin for women. "Shou". The finished coffin is then erected in the front hall or at home, and is pasted with red paper or covered with red cloth. It is commonly known as "Shu Shou" or "Shu Xi Shou". The coffin for men is erected on the left side, and the coffin for women is erected on the left side. The coffin should be erected on the right side and cannot be turned upside down. After that, it cannot be moved at will, nor can it be opened. When placing the coffin, people who have prepared the coffin must sprinkle it with salt and rice to prevent "evil". In some places, coffins are purchased temporarily. After the death of a loved one, someone is sent to the coffin shop immediately to buy it, which is commonly known as "buying a big house". When crossing a bridge or crossroads along the way, some paper money or a piece of red cloth must be placed, which is commonly known as "buying a coffin". "Put paper". The bereaved family must burn paper money at the entrance of the village or alley, and kneel down to welcome the coffin into the house.

When encoffining, the coffin is usually placed with some water-absorbing materials such as plant ash or silver, shredded paper, charcoal, etc., and then covered with straw mats or sheets. In southern Fujian, there are customs of "begging for fire ashes" and "putting up seven-star boards". "Begging for fire ashes" means begging for wood ashes from neighbors. Filial family members welcomed the ashes into the house at the door and spread them on the bottom of the coffin. The chief recited auspicious words: "One bucket becomes ten buckets, one stone turns into ten stones. Once you have wealth, your descendants will be able to eat it." The seven-star board is a piece about 1 meter long. , a thin plate about 0.2 meters wide, with the Big Dipper carved on it, and the seven stars are inlaid with silver coins or copper plates. It is commonly known as "an ancient copper, the descendants of generations will be the number one scholar", and "an seven stars, the descendants will be rich and prosperous for thousands of years." In the old days, wealthy families would put a seven-star board at the bottom of their coffin. In southern Fujian, there is also the custom of "collecting coffins" (also known as collecting misfortune) in front of the coffin. That is, the Taoist priest holds peach branches, dips them in "dharma water" and sprinkles them indoors and outdoors. At the same time, he spreads salt and rice, and cuts the threshold with a kitchen knife. This is commonly known as this It can drive away bad luck and ensure the safety of the whole family. In Xiamen, the person in charge carries a small incense burner and circles the body to purify the body to drive away devils and purify the soul of the dead. Then he carried the incense burner and circled it around the coffin several times to show that he was purifying the odor in the coffin. He also recited auspicious words: "The descendants of the purified body will become rich in gold, and the descendants of the purified house will be prosperous and prosperous."?

Move When the corpse is put into the coffin, the eldest son usually holds the head, and the second son and son-in-law hold the waist and feet in turn and gently put the corpse into the coffin. In some places, the corpse is put into the coffin with a hemp rope. When moving the corpse into the coffin, the head of the corpse must be covered with rain gear such as an umbrella or bamboo hat. It is said that if the deceased sees the light of day, he will be haunted in the future. It is taboo for filial family members to drop their tears on the body. There are also rules for the position of the body in the coffin. As the saying goes: "Men hold up to the sky, women stand on the ground." That is, the head of a male corpse should be pressed against the upper end of the coffin, while the feet of a female corpse should be pressed against the lower end of the coffin. After the body is placed, the body is covered with a water quilt and the face is covered with a white cloth. It is said that this custom originated in the early Qing Dynasty, indicating that as a survivor of the Ming Dynasty, the ancestors could not see the face of Jiuquan. In Zhangping, the "quilts" sent by relatives and friends to express their condolences must be covered one by one on the body. The person in charge should sing to the deceased that a certain "quilt" was given by someone. When singing about someone, he should not sing his name, only his title. It is a common belief that if you chant your name, the soul of the deceased will be taken away and taken to the underworld as a companion. ? There are often some funerary objects in the coffin, such as handkerchiefs, hair combs, jade articles, paper money, paper-made golden boys and girls, etc., as well as small items that the deceased loved during his lifetime. Customs vary greatly from place to place. In Songxi, in addition to paper money, a fire cage filled with charcoal, a little salt, and a broom are also placed in the coffin. In the field, fans, peach branches, etc. are placed. In Wuping, funerary objects usually include fried rice, wheat, beans, chipped clay pots and pots, and chopsticks chopped into small pieces. ?

In southern Fujian, a "cutting lot" ceremony is held before the coffin is closed, that is, one end of the hemp thread or white yarn is tied to the hand of the deceased, and the other end is held by the filial family members, relatives and friends. A paragraph, and then the person in charge muttered something: "The living will live on, and the dead will go away. The different paths of life and death will be cut off from now on." At the same time, cut off the hemp strands or white threads one by one, and each person will then cut off the hemp strands in their hands. Or wrap the white yarn with paper money and then incinerate it. It is believed that this way you can cut off contact with the soul of the deceased and avoid being disturbed. If one of the couple dies first and the other intends to remarry or remarry, they must hold an umbrella and carry a baggage, jump over the coffin, and say: "Jump over the coffin and walk through the coffin." According to legend, this custom originated from For the overseas Chinese who have traveled across the ocean and died in a foreign country, they miss their homeland when they are dying, and ask their relatives to attract the souls of the dead back to "Tangshan", indicating that they will never see each other again, thinking that this way the souls of the dead will not come back to haunt them, and they can continue their relationship with peace of mind. Or marry again. ? In Tong'an, when the corpse is carried into the coffin, the filial family members kneel under the coffin (the coffin is placed on two benches), and three straw mats are placed in front of the hall. After being placed in the coffin. The filial family members kneel down on the first straw mat seven times, stand up and lift the water quilt, then hold the incense stick, pour a glass of wine into the mouth of the deceased, and cry three times to indicate that the person has indeed passed away. Then they retreated to the second and third straw mats and knelt down one after another. Then other relatives knelt down and worshiped in turn. This custom is similar to the ancient "genu". There is a custom of "leaving the coffin" in eastern Fujian, that is, after receiving the coffin, the filial son puts a little rock sugar (or licorice soup) into the mouth of the deceased, and then pours a little wine into it, which means wishing the deceased a sweet life in the underworld and praying for the blessing of the deceased soul. The living live happily. In Fuzhou, the same number of sacrifices and chopsticks as the number of descendants of the deceased should be placed on a rice sieve. A filial son and grandson should be filial to the deceased as if they were eating, which is commonly known as "eating dry rice." Before closing the coffin, the custom of "circling the coffin" is popular in many places, that is, the filial family members are arranged according to relatives, holding incense and paper money, and circle the coffin several times to pay respects to the remains. The coffin is usually circled three times counterclockwise and then three times clockwise. In some places, there is only one round in front and back (Gutian), in some places there are more than a hundred rounds of coffin inspections (108 times in Yongchun and 120 times in Anxi). In some places, the coffin inspection is done after the coffin is covered. Coffin (Longyan).

In Xiapu, a torch is lit at each end of the coffin, which is lifted by two people. The filial son walks around the coffin from one end to the other on his knees, and cannot go around the head of the coffin. In Zhangping, a "departure memorial ceremony" is held before the coffin is closed, and the memorial text is read out. ? The time for closing the coffin is mostly decided by the wizard. In some coastal places, it is customary to close the coffin at high tide. Covering the coffin may be the responsibility of a respected gentleman in the countryside, or a person who specializes in funerals (commonly known as earthworkers). When the coffin is being closed, family members and onlookers should stay away from the coffin, and it is taboo to avoid reflection of human figures into the coffin. It is believed that if the shadow of a living person is reflected in a coffin, the soul will be taken away by the dead person, leading to insanity in the future. Those whose zodiac sign conflicts with that of the deceased cannot be present. ?

After the coffin is closed, the nails are placed. In southern Fujian, a filial son holds a wooden plate with an ax on it and kneels in front of the person who is setting the nails. First, the uncle symbolically placed a nail in each of the four corners of the coffin, and then the nail installer nailed it, while singing a few auspicious verses; "A little bit of Eastern wood of A and Yi, descendants will have good fortune from generation to generation; two points of southern fire of Bing and Ding, descendants of descendants will be blessed." With three points of Gengxin gold in the west, descendants will receive ten thousand gold from generation to generation; with four points of Rengui water in the north, descendants will be rich and wealthy from generation to generation; with five points of Wu in the center, descendants will live as long as Peng Zu. "Leave one loose at the end. The filial son or filial grandson pulls out the nails with their mouths and spits them into a bucket containing wooden sticks, grains, copper coins, and incense, which means "coming out of Ding" ("nail" has the same pronunciation as "ding"). In Zhangping, if the mother dies, the nails must be installed by the maternal grandfather's family. The filial son holds a plate with a hammer, four nails, a pair of candles, and a red envelope in front of the elders of the maternal grandfather's family. After he picked up the red envelope and touched the hammer and coffin lid with his hand, he could close the coffin and install the nails. In Gutian, after the coffin is covered and the nails are installed, the squire is asked to read out the memorial text. The text reads: "Weeping Jing's blood, he said: The evil accumulated in the job has caused misfortune to my father (mother). A sudden illness and sudden death, nine springs cannot rise." It’s time to close the coffin, and it’s been a long time. Father (mother) is the heaven and earth, so why do you do this? Oh, how sad, thank you!"?

After the coffin is closed and the nails are installed, the filial family members collect the daily necessities of the deceased. (Such as straw mats, bed headboards, foot lamps, old clothes) thrown into the wild, commonly known as "giving away feet" or "giving away grass". ? In the old days, when a man passed away, he had to ask the patriarch to bury him; when a woman died, she had to ask her maternal ancestors to bury her. Otherwise, they will not be able to be buried. As the saying goes, "A man is afraid of his uncle (uncle) when he dies, and a woman is afraid of her maternal uncle (grandfather) when she dies." In particular, it is indispensable to carry out the burial at the maternal grandfather's home, and the slang goes: "The dead father will carry him away for burial, and the deceased mother will wait for someone else to come." Therefore, the custom of "receiving the maternal grandfather" is common in Fujian, and it is very respectful, especially in southern Fujian. While reporting the funeral to the maternal grandfather’s home, an incense burner should be set up at the door of the deceased’s home to prepare for the reception of the maternal grandfather. When someone comes to the maternal uncle's house (mostly maternal uncle), the filial family members, wearing sackcloth and mourning, kneel on the ground to greet them. After the maternal grandfather's family found out the cause of death, if it was a normal death, they would lift a corner of the red cloth covering the incense table, hold the incense and worship, then turn around to help the filial man and daughter, and go to the deceased's bed to mourn together. If the maternal grandfather's family thought that the filial man was not filial, they would scold him angrily, or use fists and kicks at worst, and make the filial man kneel there until he thought the punishment was enough. If the death was violent (such as hanging, taking poison, etc.), the maternal grandfather's family would often call in a group of people to come and cause trouble. The furniture and utensils would be smashed, and the roof would be ripped off, and the body would not even be allowed to be encoffined or buried until the body became rotten. , commonly known as "eating human life". This custom is rare nowadays, but it is still necessary to receive ancestors. If the deceased has no relatives in his natal family, a sugarcane garden outside the village will be used as a surrogate, that is, a piece of sugarcane head will be dug to represent the ancestor, commonly known as the "cane head ancestor". In Zhenghe, when the mourners came to the maternal grandfather's house, the filial family members wearing sackcloth and wearing mourning must kneel down in front of the incense table. When mourners enter the village, they must write a poem, which begins with: "The bronze drum has passed through Shandong in a round way, and today I came to pick up my ancestors. After picking up my ancestors' fortunes for thousands of years, they will be blessed for thousands of years and prosper for thousands of years." Each of the following paragraphs has four sentences, one for candles, one for incense, one for artillery, and one for dragon umbrella. The last paragraph is: "A filial son and a filial grandson are truly filial. They kneel on the roadside to pick up their relatives. Dutiful sons and filial grandsons get up together. They go home to be blessed and prosperous. "If a filial man is unfilial, he will be punished in various ways, such as being forced to kneel, asking for meritorious deeds, etc., and intentionally causing him to lose face and spend money. ?

·Condolence·?

A condolence is to express condolences for the deceased, and a condolence is to express condolences to the family of the deceased. The custom of condolence has been popular in Fujian since ancient times. Longyan, Datian and other places call it "visiting the deceased", Chong'an and other counties call it "visiting the funeral", Shanghang County calls it "visiting the funeral", and southern Fujian also calls it "visiting the funeral". In Fuzhou and other places, condolences usually send elegiac couplets, incense candles, sheets, cloth, blankets and other items, commonly known as "sending axes". There are also people who give money, commonly known as "paying homage". The bereaved family hangs the sheets, blankets and other things given by relatives and friends around the mourning hall, and writes notes such as "so-and-so through the ages" and "so-and-so's condolences" on white paper on each "shaft". The position of the "axis" depends on the relationship between relatives. Generally, the "axis" of the in-laws or close relatives is hung in the middle or at the highest point of the mourning hall.

In Xinghua, a married woman must prepare a load of sacrifices, such as pig heads, rice noodles, daylilies and other delicacies, commonly known as "Pan Dan" to hold sacrifices. Gifts given for condolences and memorials in various places must be delivered before the funeral. Gifts cannot be sent after the time. It is believed that another person will die if they are sent later, which is very taboo. In cities and towns, it is also common to send wreaths and elegiac couplets during condolences. ?

In the old days, there was a bad custom of leaving the coffin waiting for burial, so condolences can be expressed within forty-nine days from the time of mourning. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1796), the condolence time was shortened in some places. According to the feudal etiquette, whenever a person came to pay his respects, the filial son would prostrate himself beside him. "Bite your head off". If elders come to express their condolences, in some places, drums and music will be played to greet them. After the Republic of China, condolences were held in advance after the coffin. Generally, relatives and friends took off their hats and bowed three times when expressing condolences.

·Funeral·?

Funeral is commonly known as "going out" and "burying". It means taking the coffin containing the deceased to a pre-selected cemetery for burial. In ancient times, there were also "send death" and "fazhen". and other different names. Fujian has a long-standing custom of generous burials, and pays special attention to funerals. It is not only regarded as the mourning of the deceased, but also as the glory of the living. Therefore, in the old days, rich people did not hesitate to spend a lot of material and financial resources to compete with each other and increase their wealth; the poor also had to try their best to imitate, and even went bankrupt as a result. According to convention, funeral ceremonies are generally divided into procedures such as mourning, launching the spirit, carrying the coffin, and roadside sacrifices. ?

Before the funeral, a memorial ceremony must be held, that is, the funeral ceremony. In southern Fujian, it is called "coffin sacrifice" or "firewood sacrifice". The annals say: "During the funeral, gifts are offered to the coffin, which are called firewood." Immediately, the coffin is carried to an open area at the entrance of the village, and an incense case is set up for three animals and other sacrifices. Two blue paper lanterns are placed side by side, and the surname of the deceased is written on it. The head of the coffin faces the offering table and the tail faces toward the funeral. The filial man will preside over the memorial ceremony, so it is also called the "filial filial son sacrifice". In Fuzhou, a memorial ceremony is held in a hall the night before the funeral, which is commonly known as "Jia Tang" or "Crying Sacrifice". Many relatives come to pay homage, and filial relatives mourn around the coffin. Some families also invite bands to play mourning music. In Changle, the mourning ceremony is presided over by Xiaonan, and a sacrificial hall is set up in the hall. Xiaonan kneels down 10 bowls of offerings one by one in front of the memorial tablet, with relatives on the left and relatives on the right. In Pingtan, at the time of mourning, relatives come one after another to burn paper money, which is commonly known as "giving away money." In places such as Xiapu in eastern Fujian, Ciling is commonly known as "Qima Festival". The annals say: "On the morning of the funeral, the coffin was moved outside the gate, covered with a red satin curtain, decorated with eight immortals embroidered with gold, and a paper fairy boy straddling a crane on the top. The mat was filled with sacrifices, and the dutiful man and his family members kowtowed. Afterwards, the mourners perform rituals in sequence, which is commonly known as Qi Ma Sacrifice. In places such as Shunchang, the mourning family offers sacrifices first, followed by the maternal ancestor’s family, and other relatives and friends pay tribute in sequence according to their relationship. In Changting, before the funeral, trumpeters led the way, and the filial family members filed into the ancestral hall to offer sacrifices, holding cloth strips sent by relatives and friends to write sacrificial inscriptions. In Zhangping, a coffin tour is held before the funeral. The ceremony is similar to that in southern Fujian. The difference is that the filial family holds incense in one hand and a pine torch in the other. In Sanming, the mourning ceremony is also quite grand. The Lisheng presides over the memorial ceremony, plays mourning music, burns incense, offers honors, sacrifices, eats, kneels three times and kowtows nine times, and reads out the sacrificial text. The memorial text expresses praise for the deceased's merits and virtues according to the different names of the relatives, and prays to his spirit in heaven to protect the prosperity of the family, and advises the deceased not to worry or complain, and to rest in peace forever. In Longyan, there are also private posthumous titles after Ci Ling. Men are mostly given posthumous titles by their clan chiefs, and women are mostly given posthumous titles by their maternal ancestors. The completion of the Ci Ling is the enlightenment of the Ling. The coffin is usually carried by people, with a small number of 4 people, usually 8 people, and a large number of 16 or 32 people. In some places where transportation is convenient, the coffin is placed on the car and held by relatives and friends. The coffin bearers, commonly known as coffin bearers, are mostly men who have been married in the village. The bereaved family must distribute a red envelope to each person as a reward. Only those who have both parents and children alive can serve as coffin bearers in Fuzhou. The coffin bearers in Datian are taken turns by young men of the same clan. In Putian and Xianyou, whoever the bereaved family gives straw sandals and a pack of cigarettes is the coffin bearer and is not allowed to caress. In Quanzhou, coffin bearers are given a banquet before a funeral, and dutiful men have to kneel down and kowtow to express their thanks in the coffin bearers' banquet room. In Zhenghe, when a person died, no one was required to carry the coffin during the funeral. Instead, filial sons, filial grandsons, and sons-in-law carried the coffin on their shoulders to show respect. ? There are many rules during spiritual enlightenment. In areas such as Xiamen and Tong'an, large ropes are used to fix the coffin under the "Dulong Carrying Spring" and covered with an exquisite coffin cover, commonly known as "dragon". When lifting the coffin, the coffin bearer should use the coffin rope to swing the coffin three times. As the saying goes, it tells the deceased that the spirit is about to be awakened. In fact, it is to remind the grieving relatives not to hold on to the coffin. During the ceremony, except for a few places, the head of the coffin faces the direction of the funeral. In Anxi, after Lisheng grabbed a handful of salt and rice and sprinkled it on the coffin, the coffin bearers shouted "get up" before lifting the coffin.

When the coffin is carried out of the hall in Xiapu, Anxi and other places, the coffin is not allowed to touch the door wall or other objects. It is said that it will be haunted. The coffin bearer must take off his straw sandals and rub the places where the coffin has touched to avoid them. ?

In most places, funeral processions are quite grand, and the order of the procession is also very particular. There are differences not only in different dialect areas, but also in different counties, cities, and even different villages in the same dialect area. There are some differences. ?In the suburbs of Fuzhou, when funerals are held, cannons must be fired to see off the deceased, flags and banners must be used to guide the way, and gongs must be sounded to clear the way. There is a paper-made road-opening god in front, and a photo or portrait of the deceased is placed in the longevity pavilion. If there is no photo, a paper-made image will be used instead. Flags and banners refer to colorful flags and white banners. Colored flags are divided into three colors: white, blue and red. The number of white flags is equal to the number of filial sons and filial grandchildren, the number of blue flags is equal to the number of filial daughters and filial granddaughters, and the number of red flags is equal to the number of daughter-in-laws and married daughters. of equal numbers. In some places, two "Gaozhao" and two statues of gods are used as the precursor. "Gaozhao" is a large lantern, with words such as the last name of the deceased and the five generations living under the same roof. The statue of the god is made of paper and is several feet high. It is commonly known as the "god that opens the way". This was followed by a band and a team holding "birth flags" embroidered with animals such as tigers, leopards, lions and elephants, followed by a coffin carried by two children, with portraits or memorial tablets and soul silks inside. There is a small band accompanying the coffin on the left and right sides, and the mournful tunes are endless. After the sedan chair, there are the funeral guests, the coffin, the mourning band, the twenty-four filial piety tablets, the filial piety family members, the clan members and relatives, and finally the people carrying rice and "hundreds of sons and thousands of grandchildren" lanterns. . There must also be someone in the funeral procession who scatters paper money and sets off firecrackers. The funeral ceremony in Changle County is relatively grand among the Fuzhou dialect areas. Then came the sedan chair, band, coffin, mourning family members and funeral guests, and finally came the crowd carrying rice, rice dumplings and other sacrifices. Poor people do not pay so much attention to ostentation. They bury the body in a thin coffin and then bury it, which is called "taking office immediately", and the funeral ceremony is simple. ?

In Quanzhou, southern Fujian, the funeral ceremony is preceded by the God who opened the way, followed by horizontal colors, one side red and white. When going out for a funeral, the white horizontal color is in front; when returning to Yu, the red horizontal color is in front, and a letter is written. "Someone's funeral ceremony" is supported by two bamboo poles. Then there are one filial piety lamp and one auspicious lamp each, with the words "third generation eldest father" and "third generation eldest mother". If there are great-grandchildren, it is "fifth generation eldest father" or "fifth generation eldest mother" (usually a false increase of one generation). During the funeral, the filial piety lamp is placed in front of the funeral. Next, there are the big drum band, the inscription flag (presented by the son-in-law and son-in-law, with the name of the deceased, official title, etc.), drum music, cymbals, and soul sedan (two flags, one for the portrait of the deceased, and one for the portrait of the deceased). The soul of the deceased), the funeral procession of relatives and friends, the coffin, filial piety and family members, and finally the drumbeating band. There is a coffin cover on the coffin. There is a paper faucet in front of the coffin cover. Two white cloth strips are pulled out from the faucet, commonly known as "dragon whiskers". Two elders of the filial family members each hold a piece of cloth, which is commonly known as "pulling the dragon's beard". In front of the "dragon's beard" are the niece and grandson-in-law, which is commonly known as "dragon eyes". There are also two long white cloth strips stretched behind the coffin, which are held by filial relatives, relatives and friends. This is commonly known as "retention" to express regret and sorrow. In Jinjiang, one person goes first with a zheng, another person presses paper money along the way, and another person sounds a zheng as the leader, followed by inscription flags, monks and Taoists to guide the soul, the god's main pavilion, the soul sedan, the coffin, the mourning family and the funeral guests and relatives. In the middle of the procession are rollers, wreaths, bands, stilts, lion dance teams, breast-beating teams, and in the old days there were circuses, costumes, etc. In Anxi, torches are used as the guide, and several filial men hold several fires, which means lighting the way to Jiuquan for the deceased. Afterwards, the monks and Taoists lead the soul, the coffin, the filial piety family members and the funeral guests, friends and relatives. Of course, the guard of honor includes the funeral sedan, the shaft and the band. In Zhao'an, Zhangzhou, the son-in-law carried a lantern, held an umbrella, and scattered paper money as the first step, followed by spiritual flags, colorful flags, gongs and drums, eight tones, elegiac couplets, inscription flags, soul sedans, coffins, filial piety family members, and funeral guests and relatives. ?

In Ninghua, western Fujian, the funeral ceremony is preceded by drum music and inscription flags, accompanied by paper sacrifices and physical sacrifice tables and coffin sedans. Relatives and friends are escorted in front of the procession, and the son-in-law and grandson each wear a white hat. , wearing yellow belts around their waists, and relatives wearing yellow hats and yellow belts around their waists, marching in order; behind them are the filial family members wearing hemp, wearing hemp ropes around their waists, wearing straw sandals, and supporting the coffin. In Taining, the funeral procession is blocked by two white cloths in the middle and moves slowly. In front of it is Bai Cai to clear the way, followed by Gao Zhao, inscribed flags, elegiac couplets, soul axes, soul sedans, coffins, filial relatives and funeral guests. friend. In Yong'an County, in the old days, funeral processions usually chose the east gate or west gate to enter and exit the city. It is said that "the east is rich and the west is rich, and the south is poor and the north is poor." There is also a so-called "taking up" rule in the local area, which means that when funerals are carried out, one should walk against the direction of the water flow. It is believed that this way the luck will not fade with the flowing water.

In Daejeon, the funeral procession is led by kerosene lamps. If the coffin is transported by car, relatives often shout "Father (mother), come with us!" when getting on and off the car. When arriving at the cemetery, they also shout: "Father" (Mother) is here!" In Liancheng, the funeral procession is led by lanterns and torches, followed by gongs and drums, deacon plaques, coffin, coffin, filial piety and funeral procession, etc. In Zhangping, those who scatter paper money and set off firecrackers come first, followed by white lanterns, soul pavilions and inscribed flags, followed by trumpeters and white tents (or wreaths), followed by filial relatives and funeral relatives and friends. ? In northern Fujian, funeral processions are also quite grand. In the Jianyang area, funeral processions are usually preceded by a high light, gongs are played to clear the way, and suonas follow. Next, there are the pathfinder, flags, banners, statues of golden boys and jade girls, the screen, the white curtain, the confession, the jade tripod, the flower pole, the incense pavilion, the coffin, the band, and finally the filial piety family members and mourning relatives and friends. In Shaowu, the filial grandson walks at the front of the procession carrying the portrait, followed by filial piety lanterns, soul-calling flags, drummers, elegiac couplets, inscription flags, incense pavilions, soul sedans, and coffins. After the filial son follows the coffin with the filial piety banner, the daughter-in-law follows in a bamboo sedan. ?

In eastern Fujian, funeral processions are also very extravagant. The annals say: "When wealthy people go out for funerals, they tie up a statue of the god with paper, about two or three feet high, with a gold face and red clothes and mysterious clothes. The hand seal is the precursor. It is commonly known as the God of the Way. It is also led by lanterns, umbrellas and colorful flags to pay for the ceremony. Those with professional titles are listed with title tablets, followed by Yanting, Xiangting, Gaofengting, large and small drums, foreign horns and drums, etc., with monks playing cymbals and cymbals. The walk followed for more than a few miles. At the end of the journey, the dutiful son carried the coffin, and dozens of female relatives rode in a plain sedan to see him off. It was commonly known as the white sedan chair. Although it was a huge expense, the customs did not mind it. "? Funerals in the Puxian area (especially in mountainous areas) are relatively simple, with neither firecrackers nor bands to perform. The funeral procession is led by a "grass dragon", which is made of straw tied into a dragon shape and its ends burned to make it smoke. Immediately afterwards, paper money, coffins, filial piety, family members, and relatives and friends were scattered along the way to see off silently without making any noise. The entire funeral was solemn and solemn. Very different from other counties and cities. ?

Many places in Fujian have the custom of "road sacrifices" (also known as half-way sacrifices and roadside sacrifices), that is, when relatives have passed away or have been favored by an old friend, incense offerings are offered on the way to the funeral in order to thank them for their kindness during their lifetime. Offer sacrifices. The annals say: "The relatives and guests set up a tent beside the outer road of Guo, and stopped at the coffin to pay tribute on the way." When the coffin arrives, they must stop and receive sacrifices. The filial family members kneel down to worship with the sacrifice, and give white cloths as thanks. In Fuzhou, road sacrifices are arranged in a fixed order, with sons-in-law first, then filial daughters, then relatives and old friends. The number of road sacrifices can only be an odd number. In Shaowu, road sacrifices are held on the way back to the dragon after the burial. ? During the funeral, the coffin cannot be placed on the ground. If the coffin bearer wants to rest or when there is a roadside memorial service, he can only place the coffin on two benches or use a wooden stick with a hook on the top to support it. The coffin bearer should not say it is very heavy. Otherwise, the popular belief will become more and more serious. Even if the funeral procession takes the wrong road, it cannot turn back. It is forbidden to repeat the route and can only take a long detour. In some places, when the coffin passes through certain villages on a small road, the drums and music must be stopped, and the filial family members must take off their filial hats and salute everyone. ? Most of the guests, friends and clan members in the funeral procession were only sent to the entrance of the village and then returned. The bereaved family should give each mourner a small gift, such as a few coins wrapped in red paper, red ribbon, handkerchiefs, etc., to seek good luck. The bereaved female relatives did not go up the mountain and turned back halfway. Relatives and guests who are buried on the mountain will also give "red envelopes" and other gifts. Everyone in Zhenghe will be given matches (some can also be divided into sugar and light cakes), which means "prosperity" ("fa" and "draw" have the same pronunciation).

There are too many customs to describe. Please see the following link-------

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