A Comparison between Modern China and America in Funeral Etiquette
2019-09-10张静如
张静如
Abstract:Afuneralceremonyisthelastceremonyofaperson'slife. Differentcountrieshavedifferentfuneralsbecauseofdifferentculturaltraditions, religiousbeliefs, socialpsychologyandnationalcustoms.Thisarticlewillbrieflyintroducethemeaninganddevelopmentoffuneralrites, andthenintroducetheimportanceandnecessityoffuneralrites.Finally, throughdetailedcomparisonbetweenAmericaandChinainformationmainfuneralmethodsandpostbereavementsacrificetoanalysethecauseanddevelopmenttrendoftheformationoffuneraldifferences.
Keywords:funeral;etiquette;;post;bereavement;sacrifice;;;between;modern;china;and;America;;
Introduction
1. 1.1TheConnotationofFuneralEtiquette
Thefuneralandburialetiquetteisthecollectionoftraditionalculture, whichoriginatedfromthesoulviewofancientsocietyandtheworldoutlookafterdeath. Itsculturalconnotationisextremelyrichandcomplete, anditssystemisquitelargeanddiverse.
1.2TheDevelopmentofFuneralEtiquette
Thetraditionalfuneraletiquette, withtheprogressofhumansociety, isundertheinfluenceofvariousreligionsandethicsinthecountryandatthesametimeabsorbstheprogressivedevelopmentoftheworldcivilization. Ithasgraduallyformedthemodernfuneralandburialetiquettefromthesimpletothecomplex
2. ConceptofFuneral
2.1DescriptionsofFuneralCultureinDifferentBooks
Dreamoftheredchambertheprocesshadnotadvancedveryfarwhenitbegantopassthedecorated“funeralbowers”andtablesofofferingsputupalongthesidesofthestreetbyfriendsandwellwishersofthefamily. Fromsomeofthemthestrainsoffuneralmusicstruckupasitapproached.
2.2TheImportanceofFuneralCulture
Ifthebirthofalifeislikenedtothebeginningofspring, thendeathisequivalenttotheendoftheyear. Justlikethefestivaloftheendoftheyear - asthemostsolemnfestivalinthefourseasons, theritualofdeathisthemostsolemnceremonyintheritualoflife. Therefore, itcanbesaidthatdeathisthegreatestfestivaloflife, andthefuneralistherepertoireofthefestival.
3.DetailsofEtiquetteinChinaandAmericaonFuneral
3.1FuneralEtiquetteinChina
3.1.1TheFormationofFuneralEtiquetteinChina
ThefuneralritualinChinaisroughlydividedintonineaspects:Mortuaryritual、announcesomeone'sdeath、Ariteofspiritandsoul、ceremonyof“seven”、Condolenceceremony、putacorpseinacoffin、Pickadayandchooseaday、Mourningceremony、Funeralceremony.
NeuralMethodsinChina
SincethefoundingofPeople'sRepublicofChina, cremationhasalwaysbeenadvocatedforprotectingfarmlandandsavinglandresources. theonlyexceptionwasthattheremainsofMaoZedonghadnotbeencremated, butwerepreservedandpreserved. InFebruary8, 1985, theStateCouncilpromulgatedtheInterimProvisionsonfuneralandintermentmanagement.Buttheimplementationisnotsmooth, especiallyintheruralareas.
3.1.3ThePostBereavementSacrificeinChina
AncestorworshipinChinaincludesancestorworshiponNewYear'sEve, ancestorworshipatTomb-sweepingDayandnewonlineancestorworship.
1.ancestorworshiponNewYear'sEve
2.ancestorworshipatTomb-sweepingDay
3.onlineancestorworship.
3.2FuneralEtiquetteinAmerica
3.2.1TheFormationofFuneralEtiquetteinAmerica
TheAmericanfuneralceremonyconsistsofthreeparts: keepvigilbesidethecoffin, thecemeteryandtheburial.
3.2.2TheMainFuneralMethodsinAmerica
1.Buyatomb
AccordingtotheregulationsoftheUnitedStates, noone, includinghisfamilymembers, shallbeallowedtomovethedeceasedwithoutdeath. SoAmericansoftenbuybasesbeforetheydie.
2.Buyacoffin
Americancemeteryalsosellscoffin. Somecoffinsamplesarelocatedinthecemeteryofficebuilding.
3.Condolencesandmourning
Afterthefuneral, theguestsofthedeceasedusuallyhaveadinnerwiththefamilymembersofthedeceasedandhaveamealtogether.
3.2.3ThePostBereavementSacrificeinAmerica
ThereisnoTomb-sweepingDayintheUnitedStates, butthereisafestivalsimilartotheTomb-sweepingDayFestival.Americanshavenofixeddatetomourntheirlovedones. ThecemeteryintheUnitedStatesmustnotburnthings.Themostcommonistobringflowersandmourn.
4.Conclusion
TherootofculturaldifferencesbetweenmodernChinaandAmericaisthatChineseculturehasnevergotridofthedependenceofmanonnaturebutAmericanculturehasgotridofit. Now, withtheblendingandcomplementationofChineseandWesterncultures, modernfuneraletiquettearegettingcloserandclosertoeachother.
Reference:
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