Jiuquan Funeral Folklore

Mourning: In the old days, after the death of a parent in a rural home, the son, dressed in mourning clothes, was guided by a neighbor to the family and friends of the household to inform of the funeral, which was called mourning. Every place, the son kneeling outside the door to kowtow, accompanied by people to inform the deceased of the time of death, and then left, until the report is complete. Filial piety in the trip, such as strangers and horses and cars, should also kneel and kowtow, the so-called filial piety of the head of the most worthless. This custom still exists in remote areas, should be broken.

Rolling grass and fire: In the past in the vast areas of China after the death of more earth burial. But many places, the child died young is rolled to grass mat or loaded into the grass basket sent to the wilderness, so that wolves, dogs, eagles, crows pecking, commonly known as the roll grass handle. This custom is similar to the Tibetan area of sky burial, but the harm is very great, one is polluting the air, the second is infectious diseases. Today there are remote rural areas are still in use, should be completely changed.

In addition, in the old days, teenage unmarried girls died young, generally have to be burned with firewood. The reason is that the woman will become a ghost of the spirit of harm, in order to incinerate the body as well. This move is similar to cremation, but the pure system of superstitious thinking, but also another manifestation of patriarchal thinking. This is another manifestation of patriarchal thinking.

Reclining grass: in the old days after the death of the old man at home, the coffin parked in the hall (on the room), during the mourning period, women at home (wives, daughters-in-law, married daughters) are kneeling in front of the spirit of the wheat grass on the weeping. The mourners came to cry more than, crying intermittently, until the guest away until, the name is lying grass, also known as kneeling grass. This custom is still practiced in remote areas of rural areas, should also be broken.