Chinese cemeteries are generally located on hillsides as this is thought to improve the The further up the hill the grave is,the better its situation is thought to be.When the procession arrives at the graveside,it is taken down from the hearse and,again,all present turn away from the coffin,and also turns away when it is lowered into the grave.Family members and other relatives throw a handful of earth into the grave before it is filled.After the funeral,all clothes worn by the mourner will be burnt in order to avoid the bad luck associated with death.After the coffin is buried,the keeper of the cemetery will also offer prayers for the deceased.Family members and relatives are presented with a red packet (a sign of gratitude from the deceased family,and the money contained in it must be spent) and a white towel,also as a sign of gratitude but also for funeral guests to wipe off perspiration.
The eldest son of the deceased will retrieve some earth from the grave to be placed in an incense holder,and the deceased will be worshipped by the family at home using an ancestral tablet.
Although the funeral rites are now over,the period of mourning by the family continues for a hundred days.A piece of colored cloth is worn on the sleeve of each of the family members for the hundred days to signify mourning:black by the deceaseds children,blue by the grandchildren and green by the greatgrandchildren.More traditional families will wear these cloths for up to 3 years.A period of mourning is not expected if children die,and a husband is not compelled to mourn the passing of his wife.
Chinese belief holds that seven days after the death of a family member the soul of the departed will return to his/her home.A red plaque with suitable inscription may be placed outside the house at this time to ensure the soul does not become lost.On the day of the return of the soul,family members are expected to remain in their rooms.Flour or talcum powder may be dusted on the floor of the entrance hall of the home to detect the visit of the deceased.(733)
crescendon聲音漸增
malignv誹謗
pallbearern護柩者
bestowv給予；安放
cemeteryn墓地；公墓
hearsen靈車
windshieldn擋風玻璃
perspirationn排汗
joss stickn焚香
teasen戲弄；逗弄
retrievev重新找回
plaquen裝在牆上作裝飾或紀念用的薄金屬板或瓷片
inscriptionn題字；碑銘
ⅠAnswer the questions.
1What does the nailed coffin represent?
2Why are yellow and white “holy” papers pasted on the coffin?
3Why all present turn away from the coffin?
4Why are many people willing to be the pallbearer?
5What do relatives of dead people do,if the procession needs to cross water? And why?
ⅡDecide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F).
1Yellow and red “holy” papers are pasted on the coffin to protect the body being disturbed by malign spirits.
2The coffin is carried directly to the cemetery but is first placed on the side of the road outside the house.
3Chinese cemeteries are generally located on hillsides as this is thought to improve the
4The youngest son of the deceased will retrieve some earth from the grave to be placed in an incense holder,and the deceased will be worshipped by the family at home using an ancestral tablet.
5Chinese belief holds that five days after the death of a family member the soul of the departed will return to his/her home.
China is a country with 56 nationalities,among which Han nationality takes more than 91.5% of Chinas total population.The other national minorities together comprise the rest 8.5%.They mainly live in the southwestern regions,Inner Mongolia,Ningxia and Xinjiang Autonomous Regions and southeastern coastal regions.Traveling to such areas may help visitors get to know the colorful and unique customs of people living there.
Yunnan,Guizhou,Guangxi,Sichuan and Tibet are provinces and regions in southwestern China which are inhabited by more than 30 different minorities,wellknown for their simple but unique cultures in agriculture,nomadism,festivals,costumes,food,marriage and funeral customs,architecture,languages and religious beliefs.In addition,the marvelous natural scenery of these areas adds extra color to tours.
Yunnan has the highest number of ethnic groups among all provinces and autonomous regions in China.Among the countrys 56 ethnic groups,26 are found in Yunnan.Some 38.07 percent of the provinces population is members of minorities including the Yi,Bai,Hani,Zhuang,Dai,Miao,and so on.Yunnan province has 128 cities and counties,among which there are 29 ethnic minority autonomous counties.
The diversity of the minorities and their customs in costume,marriage,etiquette and dance always hold great attraction to tourists.
For example,the Yi people follow the “Hierarchical Clan Blood Relationship Marriage System”.Their Wedding ceremonies such as “Sprinkling Water to Welcome Bride and Groom” are still being carried on as before in spite of some transmutation in their marriage customs.The Bai people are well known for their fine stone and marble work and woodcarving.The Hani really excel in magnificent jewelry,particularly earring.The Dai people are well presented by their unique costumes,textiles,and musical instruments.The musical instrument Lu Sheng played by the Miao is really wonderful.Naxi people in Western Lijiang believe in the Protection God called Sanduo and observe the celebrations such as “Sanduo Festival”,“Offering Sacrifices to Heaven”,and “Offering Sacrifices to Ancestors”.The Mosuo people in the East worship the Goddess of Gunma and carry on the matriarchal marriage system called “Axia”.