2. In Singapore most of the funerals are done in chinese custom. In Singapore most people hold funeral wakes in a parlour or at the void deck of a HDB block (the block of the deceased or his immediate family members). There aren’t that many funeral parlours in Singapore despite the greying population so wakes are commonly held at void decks. Chinese traditional funeral customs have been eventually simplified over the years due to the complexity of the rules and ceremony. Many modern people would not follow the exact customs anymore as it is too hassle and time consuming, let alone the humongous expenses for the ceremony. Nonetheless, its spiritual rituals and ceremony shouldn’t be forgotten and neglected.

4. The funeral ceremony, which traditionally lasts over 49 days, the first seven days being the most important. Prayers are said every seven days for 49 days if the family can afford it. If the family is in poor circumstances, the period may be shortened to from 3 to 7 days. Most of the funeral ceremony in Singapore last for only 3 days, as mentioned earlier it was too hassle and time consuming. After several meetings among all the uncles of the family, they decided to hold the ceremony in Xiao En Centre

5. Taoists believe that death is not the end of life. When death occurs, it is treated as the continuation of life into another phase, the phase of the soul. That is why Taoists perform rituals for the dead. It is to guide the wandering soul to its new home. It is obligatory for the descendants to offer prayers and acts of penance for the dead. The living believe that the ancestor’s soul is always watching over them. Offerings to the gods are placed on the table. The Taoist priest informs the gods of the afterworld about the good deeds of the deceased and asks for forgiveness for the wrongs committed by the deceased. Amidst the sounds of cymbals, the Taoist priest chants to enable the deceased to have a smooth journey to the afterworld. Special clothing is worn on this day: 1. Children and daughters-in-law wear Black with Sackcloth (signifying that they grieve the most) 2. Sons’ children wear Blue 3. Daughters’ children wear Light Blue 4. Sons-in-law wear White, since they are considered outsiders.

6. Sending a tribute of flowers is an appropriate way of expressing sympathy to a family who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Sympathy flowers express a feeling of life and beauty and offer much comfort to the family. Flowers provide a living memorial to the deceased as they bring hope to those who grieve. So the flowers were the only thing that cheered me up during the funeral. We were surrounded by all type of flowers. I spent most of my time taking pictures of the flowers and enjoying the creativity of the flowers arrangement.

7. During the wake, the family does not wear jewelry or red clothing (red is the color of happiness). Traditionally, children and grandchildren of the deceased did not cut their hair for 49 days after the death, but this custom is now usually only observed by older generations. It is customary for blood relatives and daughters- in-law to wail and cry during mourning as a sign of respect and loyalty to the deceased. The cries are particularly loud if the deceased has left a large fortune. At the wake, the family members of the deceased gather around the coffin positioned according to their rank in the family and special clothing is worn: Children and daughters-in-law wear black (signifying that they grieve the most); grandchildren, blue; and great grandchildren, light blue. Sons-in-law wear brighter colors, such as white, since they are considered outsiders. The children and daughters-in-law also wear a hood of sackcloth over their heads. The eldest son sits at the left shoulder of his parent and the deceased’s spouse on the right. Relatives arriving later must crawl on their knees towards the coffin

8. In the fourth day of the funeral, the families got ready for the cremation ritual. Taoist priests all are nicely dressed to show the respect to the ritual. The ceremony usually takes one hour. The famiyare told to march around the coffin while scattering the praying papers all over the floor. The members struggle to pull he hearse in which the dead lay.

9. After the procession, the buses take the family to the cremation center. Before cremation, all the guests are served with roast pigs and food for lunch. After lunch, the family prays before the cremation. The family burns the paper bridge so that the dead would cross the bridge smoothly into the spiritual world.