Funeral

A funeral is a ceremony marking a person's death. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from the funeral itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor. These customs vary widely between cultures, and between religious affiliations within cultures. In some cultures the dead are worshipped; this is commonly called ancestor worship. The word comes from the Latin funus, which had a variety of meanings, including the corpse and the funerary rites themselves.

Funerals in contemporary Japan

Main article: Japanese funeral

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Most funerals in contemporary Japan are conducted with Buddhist rites. Many feature a ritual that bestows a new name on the deceased; funerary names typically use obsolete or archaic kanji and words, to avoid the likelihood of the name being used in ordinary speech or writing. Most Japanese are cremated.

Related Topics:
Japan - Buddhist - Name - Archaic - Kanji

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In Oriental cultures, the wearing of white is symbolic to death. In these societies, white robes are worn over dark suits and dresses to symbolize that someone had died and can be seen worn among relatives of the deceased during a funeral ceremony. When the coffin is lowered into the ground the mourners will bow their heads and must not watch the coffin being lowered into the ground.

Related Topics:
Oriental - White

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A traditional chinese gift to the grieving is a white envelope usually containing money.

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