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Formerly funeral ceremonies went as following: the body was
washed and dressed; then a le ngam ham, or
chopstick, was laid between the teeth and a pinch of rice
and three coins were dropped in the mouth. Then the body was
put on a grass mat laid on the ground according to the
saying “being born from the earth, one must return back to
the earth.” The dead body was enveloped with white cloth,
le kham liem, and put into the coffin,
le nhap quan. Finally, the funeral ceremony, le
thanh phuc, was officially performed.
The deceased person’s sons,
daughters, and daughters-in-law had to wear coarse gauze
turbans and tunics, and hats made of straw or of dry banana
fiber. The deceased person’s grandchildren and relatives
also had to wear mourning turbans. During the days when the
dead were still laid out at home, the mourning went on with
worshipping meals and mourning music. Relatives, neighbours,
and friends came to offer their condolences.
The date and time for the funeral procession, le
dua tang, must be carefully selected. Relatives,
friends, and descendants take part in the funeral procession
to accompany the dead along the way to the burial ground.
Votive papers were dropped along the way. At the grave site,
the coffin is buried and covered. After three days of
mourning, the family visits the tomb again, le mo
cua ma or worship the opening the grave; after 49 days,
le chung that, the family stops bringing rice
for the dead to the altar. And finally, after 100 days, the
family celebrates tot khoc, or the end of the
tears. After one year is the ceremony of the first
anniversary of the relative’s death and after two years is
the ceremony of the end of mourning.
Nowadays, mourning ceremonies
follow new rituals which are simplified; they consist of
covering and putting the dead body into the coffin, the
funeral procession, the burial of the coffin into the grave,
and the visits to the tomb. The deceased person’s family
members wear a white turban or a black mourning band. |
