Taoist Funeral
Taoist Funeral
In Singapore, Taoist funeral services differ according to the dialect group of the dearly departed. The funeral rituals and arrangements vary amongst the different dialect groups (Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, Hainan, etc.). It then goes without saying that the logistics required would be different as well. Harmony Funeral Care helps to arrange the entire Taoist Funeral Service by arranging for the Priest and by sorting out the logistics needed so that you can focus your limited energy on coping with the death itself during this tough period. A Taoist Funeral Service typically last for an odd number of days – 3, 5 or 7 days.
Elements Of A Taoist Funeral
In general, these elements would be observed at a Taoist Funeral Service:
- Encoffining Ceremony conducted by a Priest (Usually 1,3,5 or 7 priest)
- Final night prayer service where paper products would be burnt as offerings for the deceased
- Final Day send off
Additional items like the modern live band, traditional music band, big-headed dolls and the traditional metal hearse are also commonplace on the final day of a Taoist Funeral Service.
Taoist Funeral Services often have food and fruit offerings to the deceased. Candles, lamps, tea, rice and water are also common items seen at Taoist Funeral Services. Each item carries a symbolic meaning and oftentimes, the rituals performed in a Taoist Funeral are meant to ensure that the soul of the deceased has a smooth journey in the afterlife.
For the Hokkien Taoist, a bag of rice is placed on top of the coffin. Money will be collected from the bereaved families and placed in this bag of rice. After the funeral has concluded, bereaved family members would take the money back and split the rice for consumption. Eating the rice is believed to bring good luck for the future descendants.
Taoist Afterlife Beliefs
Before bringing the body into the wake venue during the encoffining ceremony, bereaved families will be guided to 买水 (purchase water) from the water deity. Tea leaves, sweets, two red candles, a small red pail and a face towel would be used for this ceremony. After purchasing the water from the deity, bereaved family can then use the water to clean the decedent. Cleaning of the deceased happens symbolically. No actual physical cleaning happens since the body is often already embalmed and done up nicely.
Special clothes termed 寿衣 (Shou Yi) are also usually worn by those who passed on at a certain age and is thought to be blessed to have such a long life, with many offspring. This particular attire has seven layers and is made of supreme quality, usually for the deceased to stay warm even in the afterlife.
天地被 (Sky-Earth Blanket) which is red in color is often used to cover the body of the deceased.
After the body is brought back to the wake venue, there will a 招魂 (Calling of the Soul) ritual to call the deceased's soul back to the wake venue. It is believed that for Taoists, the souls do not know that they have passed on and hence this ritual is required. A couplet will be thrown and if they both face the same side, the soul is said to still be wandering. It is only when the couplet is thrown and the sides are opposite that the soul is believed to be back. Once the soul is back, then the official rites and rituals will be conducted.
In certain cases, a pearl is placed in the deceased's mouth. The pearl, with its shiny properties is said to protect the body of the deceased and is a enabling element in Hell. For Cantonese Taoist, a coin will be placed in the deceased's mouth instead of a pearl but the symbolic meaning is similar.
Paper products are integral for the procession of a Taoist Funeral in Singapore. Paper products here include money, houses, mountains, maids, electronic products and modes of transportation. In fact, whatever that we need in this current life on Earth, it is thought that we would also need them in the afterlife.
As it is believed that there would be many "hungry souls" and "evil spirits" in Hell, money would be needed for bribery to court officials so as to get through the different levels of hell safely. This is why descendants of the deceased have to burn the paper money continuously at the area where the deceased's legs are. This is termed at 脚尾钱 (Jiao Wei Qian) which is used to pave the way for the deceased in the afterlife.
Auspicious phrases are usually used for the rituals involved in a Taoist funeral in Singapore. These auspicious words are meant to bless future descendants and to ward off any inauspicious auras associated to the funeral itself.
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