Tujia funeral

Funeral custom is in Wulingyuan area. When a person dies, it is called "coming back to life for a hundred years". This is a happy event, so the people have the name of "white happy event". However, due to the grief of their loved ones, people held various forms of mourning activities. For example, after death, Taoist priests should be asked to "clear the way", and after death, the deceased should be covered with a red "birthday quilt", and relatives and friends should send incense paper and sacrificial accounts to bid farewell to the body. Those with better economic background should do three to five days' paradise, and those with poor family background should sing "funeral songs" (also called "birthday songs"), mainly about the life story of the deceased and "twenty-four filial piety" and so on. When buried, the children should hold the spirit tablet, wrap themselves in Dai Xiao, and relatives and friends should be sent to the mountain to mourn until the burial is finished. After seven days, the Taoist priest will be invited to "seal seven" for the dead, once every seven days, and it will take three to five times to end.

Declare sb. dead

When the old man dies, the dutiful son will send someone to his relatives and friends' home to "report the funeral". The custom of Miao people's funeral service is to report outside the house, but not inside. The master knew that he had come to offer funeral service and agreed to enter the house, so the mourners could enter the house. The obituary is generally: "(title: uncle or uncle) you went to find the dragon (or returned to the official)." The listener will naturally understand. The funeral form of Tujia nationality is similar to that of Miao nationality, but the obituary is slightly different: "Title: Uncle or Uncle, your so-and-so is old." The listener speaks for himself. In the old society, Tujia people knelt in front of their relatives to express their condolences.

Cry at a funeral

The old man died, and the whole family, relatives and friends of the dutiful son cried for it. When the old man dies, there is a custom of "mourning" among the people. In addition to mourning relatives and friends, they burn all their money. In the family, there are mainly filial daughters, daughters-in-law, nephews and daughters-in-law, grandnephews and daughters-in-law. The content of crying is mostly about the kindness of the deceased to himself, the words and deeds of the deceased, the praise of the deceased, and the deep regret and disappointment of the deceased. There were cries from time to time during the mourning period, especially at night. Tujia people think that the harder they cry, the more polite they are, the more they can get praise from the villagers, and the filial son grows sturdily.

grieved

That is, carrying the coffin up the mountain. No matter how far away the cemetery is, Tujia people can't stay in their coffins, because there are as many as thirty or forty people in undertaker, so they can change people halfway and take turns to rest. When carrying a funeral, a long and thick rope is tied to each end of the coffin in a difficult place on the mountain road. Hundreds of people, including adults and children, dragged the coffin up, and undertaker only needed to carry the coffin with him. Wherever the coffin passes, no matter the rice field crops, you can go straight and trample the crops without compensation. The mourning of Miao nationality is unique. Undertaker often asks his filial son or husband for drinks and food, and often stops halfway. If they don't answer, they put the coffin on the road and people will disperse. In order to comfort the deceased, filial sons and husbands often prepare some drinks and food first. When they need drinks and food, they will give undertaker enough to eat, so as not to miss the good opportunity to be buried under the coffin. This custom of the Miao family is mainly that the death of the old man is a happy event, so there is no need to be too sad, so add some episodes to make the atmosphere more lively.

Send light

Send the lamp right away. After the death of the old man in Tujia area, on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, the dutiful son went to the grave to offer sacrifices and incense paper candles, and lit cigarette butts and incense paper when offering sacrifices. When you go home, you should also call on the deceased to go home with you for the New Year. In the old Tujia area, the filial son didn't shave his head for three months, and Dai Xiao's three-year mourning period was the mourning period. Old customs have been abolished.