AN INTERACTIVE BAI FUNERAL

By: Vincent Chang

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT

I am part of a group of 16 students from Shanghai American School who have come to Xizhou and stayed here for a month. We each chose our own Inquiry Topic in which we would research and create a final product. I chose to do Bai Funerals and this PowerPoint is my Final Product where I will share all the information that I have gathered. You can find more at sasmicrocampus.org.

INSTRUCTIONS

You will be presented with a slide which has a question and two or more answers on it, or a slide with a comment/remark and only one option.

Please select an answer/option which will lead you down a path.

Any answer is OK, there are no wrong answers (sort of), and you can always start again to explore a new path.

PART ONE: THE CASKET

This is where your road will split, choose wisely (even though it does not matter). Have fun!

Start

QUESTION ONE

Has your relative, friend, whoever this “funeral” is for passed away yet?

Yes No

QUESTION TWO

How old is your friend, relative, whoever?

Younger than 80 80 or

older

STILL SO YOUNG

Well, your friend, relative, whoever this is for, is still young and doesn’t need a casket yet. Wait another few years or until they pass away.After a

few years…

QUESTION THREE

Has your friend, relative, whoever bought a casket?

Yes No

BUY A CASKET

They should have bought a casket.

Click here to go buy a casket

QUESTION TWO

What age were they upon death?

Younger than

8080 or older

BUY A CASKET

Go buy a casket for them (if someone has not done so yet).

Click here to go buy a casket

QUESTION THREE

What color is the casket painted?

Red BlackOthe

r

WHY RED?

A red casket is only bought by people who pass away at an age of 80 or greater.

Go back and buy a different colored

one.

WHAT IS OTHER?

The Bai Minority only have red and black caskets. They do not have any other colors

Go back and buy a different colored

one.

QUESTION THREE

What color is the casket painted?

Black

Other

QUESTION THREE

What color is the casket painted?

Black

Red

CHECK-POINT ONE

Good job! In the Bai Minority anyone who passes away at an age under 80 is given a black casket because they did not live a long life. Those who pass away at an age of 80 or above are considered lucky for living a long life and are allowed to have a red casket (red is a lucky color in China). You have the basic preparations done. You can now proceed with the planning of the funeral.

Click Here to ProceedClick Here to Start Again

QUESTION FOUR

What color is the casket painted?

Red BlackOthe

r

WHY BLACK?

A black casket is bought when the deceased person is younger than 80 when they die. Your friend, relative, whoever was 80 or older when they passed away, they can get a different colored casket.

Go back and buy a different colored

one.

WHAT IS OTHER?

The Bai Minority only have red and black caskets. They do not have any other colors.

Go back and buy a different colored

one.

Other

QUESTION FOUR

What color is the casket?

Red

QUESTION FOUR

What color is the casket?

Red Black

CHECK-POINT ONEGood job! In the Bai Minority (at least) anyone who passes away at the age of around 80 or above is considered to be lucky because they lived a long life, therefore they are allowed to have a red casket instead of a black one (red is a lucky color in China). Caskets should be bought before death and made in the house by a casket maker. You have the basic preparations done. You can now proceed with the planning of the funeral.Click Here to Proceed

Click Here to Start Again

PART TWO: THE HOUSE

Congratulations, you have made it through Part 1! Now you are entering Part 2, where we will assume your relative, friend, or whoever has passed away a day ago. Take a moment to stretch, then get going.

Moving on…

QUESTION ONE

What will you put on the doors?

Nothing

Couplet ( 对联 )*Pictu

re*An antithetical couplet written on red scrolls. It consists of two lines in which each character or phrase corresponds with the same one in the other line.

MOURN THE LOSS

You need to mourn the loss of this friend, relative, or whoever.

Go back and put something on your door

QUESTION ONE

What will you put on the doors?

Couplet ( 对联 )*

Picture *An antithetical couplet written

on red scrolls. It consists of two lines in which each character or phrase corresponds with the same one in the other line.

NOT A BAD IDEA

I can see why you would want to put a picture of the deceased on the door, but that is not the tradition for the Bai minority. I have to say, they do keep a picture of the deceased in the 灵堂 * (mourning hall) that is in the house.Go back and

try something else

*Pinyin is líng táng

QUESTION ONE

What will you put on the doors?

Nothing

Couplet ( 对联 )**An antithetical couplet written on red scrolls. It consists of two lines in which each character or phrase corresponds with the same one in the other line.

WOOHOO, YOU GOT IT

You were right, they do use 对联 , but do you know what color?

Red

WhiteBla

ck

WELL, SORT OF…

For the Bai Minority, white is the color of 对联 normally, but because this relative, friend, whoever was over 80 when he/she passed away, that is not the case.

You probably know the answer, but choose again

WOOHOO, YOU GOT IT

You were right, they do use 对联 , but do you know what color?

Red

Black

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE

We are thinking tradition here, I do not think many cultures had ink that would show up on black. I understand how black is a symbol of death, especially in Western countries, but white is more the color of death in China than black.Sorry, but you need to choose again

WOOHOO, YOU GOT IT

You were right, they do use 对联 , but do you know what color?

Red

White

PART TWO: THE HOUSE

Congratulations, you have made it through Part 1! Now you are entering Part 2, where we will assume your relative, friend, whoever has passed away a day ago. Take a moment to stretch, then get going.

Moving on…

QUESTION ONE

What will you put on the doors?

Nothing

Couplet ( 对联 )*Pictu

re*An antithetical couplet written on red scrolls. It consists of two lines in which each character or phrase corresponds with the same one in the other line.

MOURN THE LOSS

You need to mourn the loss of this friend, relative, whoever.

Go back and put something on your door

QUESTION ONE

What will you put on the doors?

Couplet ( 对联 )*

Picture *An antithetical couplet written

on red scrolls. It consists of two lines in which each character or phrase corresponds with the same one in the other line.

NOT A BAD IDEA

I can see why you would want to put a picture of the deceased on the door, but that is not the tradition for the Bai minority. I have to say, they do keep a picture of the deceased in the 灵堂 (mourning hall) that is in the house.Go back and

try something else

*Pinyin is líng táng

QUESTION ONE

What will you put on the doors?

Nothing

Couplet ( 对联 )**An antithetical couplet written on red scrolls. It consists of two lines in which each character or phrase corresponds with the same one in the other line.

WOOHOO, YOU GOT IT

You were right, the Bai Minority does use 对联 , but do you know what color?

Red

WhiteBla

ck

WELL, SORT OF…

For the Bai Minority, red is the color of 对联 when someone is older than 80, but because this relative, friend, whoever was under 80 when he/she passed away, that is not the case.

You probably know the answer, but choose again

WOOHOO, YOU GOT IT

You were right, they do use 对联 , but do you know what color?

Black

White

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE

I do not think there is any ink that would show up on black but black is the color of death in many countries. But that is not the case for the Bai Minority.

Sorry, but you need to choose a different color

WOOHOO, YOU GOT IT

You were right, they do use 对联 , but do you know what color?

Red

White

NEXT, WHAT TO WEARYou got the doors finished, those who die before 80 use white 对联 , and red ones if the deceased passed away at an age of 80 or older. Now you need to move onto clothing. What do you think the mourners wear?

Click here to go back to the beginning to restart your path and see the differences when passing away at different ages

White ClothingBlack ClothingNormal Clothing

WHY ALWAYS BLACK

If you chose black, you must not have read the slide earlier on. Long story short, in China, black is not the color of death, white is. You should go back to check other paths and learn some more after you finish your path.

Before you do that, go back and choose again

NEXT, WHAT TO WEAR

You got the doors finished, now you need to move onto clothing. What do you think they wear?

White ClothingNormal Clothing

IT DEPENDS

White is the color of death/mourning in China, so it is a possibility. But as the title says, it depends. So, what is your relationship with the deceased?

Stranger Relative Friend

WHITE DOES NOT FIT YOU

Traditions have changed a little, but strangers and friends do not wear white, only relatives do. Sometimes distant relatives do not wear white either.

Go back into the closet and change your clothing

WHITE IS RIGHTWhite is the color relatives wear in a funeral. This comes in the form of a 孝布 (xiào bù) and white clothing. The 孝布 is a white cloth that is wrapped around the head and it “keeps” the spirit of the deceased inside. Friends and strangers who attend the funeral wear normal clothing and sometimes a white pin shaped like a flower if they were close with the deceased.

Continuing on...

NEXT, WHAT TO WEAR

You got the doors finished, now you need to move onto clothing. What do you think they wear?

White ClothingBlack ClothingNormal Clothing

IT DEPENDS

Wearing normal to a funeral is a possibility, but according to this slide’s title, it depends. So, what is your relationship with the deceased?

Stranger Relative Friend

BE UNIQUE

You should not wear normal clothing to the funeral of your relative.

Go back into the closet and change your clothing

BE NORMAL

As a stranger or friend, you do not need to wear white to the funeral. If you are a close friend, you could have a white flower shaped pin to pin to your clothing, otherwise, there is not much else you need. Relatives on the other hand need a lot more.

You can see what relatives wear if you click on this string of textContinuing on...

CHECK-POINT TWO

Congratulations, you have finished Part 2. I hope you have invited all friends and family, and hired a Dong Jing music band and a person to read the scriptures. If you have not, please do so now, I may be attending the funeral as a stranger and see exactly how much you learned.Moving on to Part 3

PART THREE: THE PROCESSION

Congratulations for completing Part 2! You are now moving on to Part 3. Stand up and jog in place for a while if you start feeling tired. Once ready, get started.

When Ready…

GETTING A MOVE ON

Before the procession starts, the family of the deceased need to prepare a big meal outside or in their courtyard for anyone who cares to join. The scripture reader reads the proper scripture and the casket is placed into a carrier. The procession starts from the houseStart the Procession

WHERE WILL YOU GO

Once the procession starts, where will you go?

The Big Tree

Si Fang Jie (Town Square)Burial Grounds

WRONG ORDER

You do have to go to the Big Tree in the procession, but not first.

Go somewhere else first, you can go to the Big Tree next

WHERE WILL YOU GO

Once the procession starts, where will you go?

Si Fang Jie (Village Square)Burial Grounds

REALLY WRONG ORDER

You do not go to the gravesite at the beginning of the procession, you go there at the end and bury the casket there.

Go there at the end, for now, go somewhere else

WHERE WILL YOU GO

Once the procession starts, where will you go?

The Big TreeSi Fang Jie (Village Square)

AT THE FIRST STOP

You have made it to Si Fang Jie, your first stop. What do you want to do now.

Keep on goingAttract attention

Weep and cry loudly

YOU WANT ATTENTION

Why would you keep on going? You want everyone to know about the death.

Go do something before leaving Si Fang Jie

AT THE FIRST STOP

You have made it to Si Fang Jie, your first stop. What do you want to do now.

Attract attention

Weep and cry loudly

THAT’S NOT ALL

In the Bai Minority, the wife, daughters, sisters are expected to weep uncontrollably, especially the wife while walking behind the casket. But not everyone is expected to.

Choose something else to do

AT THE FIRST STOP

You have made it to Si Fang Jie, your first stop. What do you want to do now.

Keep on goingAttract attention

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Correct, at Si Fang Jie, you attract attention by setting off firecrackers, playing loud music, weeping/mourning loudly etc. It is also a sign of respect to the deceased. Now you will continue on past Si Fang Jie.Continue walking past Si Fang Jie

CROSSING RIVERS

On the way to your next destination, the Big Tree, you find yourself at the bank of the river at one end of a bridge, how will you cross?

Backwards NormallyWalk over the sons lying on the bridge

FACE FORWARDS

I do not see why you would choose to cross the bridge walking backwards.

Turn around and walk facing forwards

CROSSING RIVERS

On the way to your next destination the Big Tree, you find yourself at the bank of the river at one end of a bridge, how will you cross?

NormallyWalk over the sons lying on the bridge

TRADITION

The Bai Minority believe that the deceased are unable to cross rivers or bridges. In other words, you cannot walk normally.

Try crossing in a different way

CROSSING RIVERS

On the way to your next destination, the Big Tree, you find yourself at the bank of the river at one end of a bridge, how will you cross?

BackwardsWalk over the sons lying on the bridge

OVER THE SONS

Because the Bai Minority believes that the deceased cannot cross rivers or bridges, the sons of the deceased must lie down on the bridge and have the casket brought over them. In this way, the deceased is able to cross the river.

Head on to the big tree

THE BIG TREE

You have almost made it to the end of the procession! But before moving on, what will you do at the big tree?

Walk around it Burn items

All of the above

HALF RIGHT

You are half right, go try again

Choose something else to do

THE BIG TREE

You have almost made it to the end of the procession! But before moving on, what will you do at the big tree?

Walk around it Burn items

All of the above

HALF RIGHT

You are half right, go try again

Choose something else to do

THE BIG TREE

You have almost made it to the end of the procession! But before moving on, what will you do at the big tree?

Walk around it Burn items

All of the above

PAST THE BIG TREEAt the Big Tree, you must walk around it three times, symbolizing the soul of the deceased going up into heaven. You then burn clothe, blankets, and items the deceased frequently used so that they may use it before re-incarnating. You have gone past the big tree and are on your way to the grave site. But before you leave, do you know where to bury the casket?

On the mountainBy Lake Er HaiAt a graveyard in Dali

IT IS POSSIBLE

It is possible to bury the body next to Lake Er Hai, but that is only the case for those who have drowned in Er Hai; otherwise, the deceased is buried somewhere else.

Go bury the casket somewhere else

PAST THE BIG TREEAt the Big Tree, you must walk around it three times, symbolizing the soul of the deceased going up into heaven. You then burn clothing, blankets, and items the deceased frequently used so that they may use it before re-incarnating. You have gone past the big tree and are on your way to the grave site. But before you leave, do you know where to bury the casket?

On the mountainAt a graveyard in Dali

NO PLACE TO BURY

The deceased are not buried in a grave yard in Dali.

Go find somewhere else

PAST THE BIG TREEAt the Big Tree, you must walk around it three times, symbolizing the soul of the deceased going up into heaven. You then burn clothing, blankets, and items the deceased frequently used so that they may use it before re-incarnating. You have gone past the big tree and are on your way to the grave site. But before you leave, do you know where to bury the casket?

On the mountainBy Er Hai Lake

CHECK-POINT THREE

You have made it to the burial grounds! Give yourself a pat on the back and take a nap. You will be moving onto planning in the future. Get your minds ready and start planning ahead.

Planning the future

PART FOUR: THE FUTURE

You have buried the casket and are planning your calendar for the next few years. You need to include some special days and items to use.

Let’s get started

THE NEAREST DATE

You start with the days closest to now. When will you have your first date that is funeral related?

In a month In a yearFirst Chinese New Year

A LITTLE TO LONG

One year is a little too long, you need to plan earlier.

Click here to choose a different date

THE NEAREST DATE

You start with the days closest to now. When will you have your first date that is funeral related?

In a monthFirst Chinese New Year

NOT THE FIRST STEP

Chinese New Year should not be your first date.

Click here to choose a different date

THE NEAREST DATE

You start with the days closest to now. When will you have your first date that is funeral related?

In a month In a year

HELP THE SOULS

After a month, you have 五七 (five seven) where you help the soul 超度 . 超度 is to help the soul re-incarnate as soon as possible. It gets it’s name because five times seven is 35, which is the actual number of days after burial that you need to wait.Moving on to

the second date

THE SECOND DATE

After 五七 you need remember something special for Chinese New Year. What is the special thing?

Couplet( 对联 )Firecrackers

Clothing

NO EXPLOSION CHANGE

Firecrackers do not change during first Chinese New Year after burying the deceased.

Try finding something else

THE SECOND DATE

After 五七 you need remember something special for Chinese New Year. What is the special thing?

Couplet( 对联 )

Clothing

NO NEED TO CHANGE

You do not wear special clothing for the first Chinese New Year after the funeral.

Go choose something else to be special

THE SECOND DATE

After 五七 you need remember something special for Chinese New Year. What is the special thing?

Couplet( 对联 )

Firecrackers

COLOR CHANGE

The Bai Minority are not allowed to use red 对联 for a certain number of years after someone has passed away. They change the color instead. But how long are they not allowed to use red ones?One year Two years

Three years

ONE IS TOO SHORT

One year is too short, you need to repay all the work your parents have done for you.

Go wait another year or two

COLOR CHANGEThe Bai Minority are not allowed to use red 对联 for a certain number of years after someone has passed away. They change the color instead. Purple for the first year, and green for the second. But how long are they not allowed to use red ones?

One year Two yearsThree years

IT DEPENDS

How many years depends on the gender of the deceased. What is the gender of the deceased?

Male Female

INCORRECT GENDER

You do not wait two years before being allowed to use red 对联 if the deceased was female.

Click here to change the time

COLOR CHANGEThe Bai Minority are not allowed to use red 对联 for a certain number of years after someone has passed away. They change the color instead. Purple for the first year, and green for the second. But how long are they not allowed to use red ones?

One year Two yearsThree years

IT DEPENDS

How many years depends on the gender of the deceased. What is the gender of the deceased?

Male Female

INCORRECT GENDER

You do not wait three years before being allowed to use red 对联 if the deceased was male.

Click here to choose a different time

THIS IS 戴孝戴孝 (dài xiào) is keeping the soul of the deceased with the family for two or three years depending on gender before the soul reincarnates. The Bai Minority believe that females have done much more for you in raising you up, which is why three years is the time for 戴孝 for females, and only two for males. Almost done

THE FINAL STEP

脱孝 (tuó xiào) is the final step. This is when the family hires another scripture reader to read scriptures and the family takes the 孝布 (xiào bù, a white cloth) off and releases the soul which allows it to re-incarnate. The 孝布 is not worn everyday, only on the funeral related days.

Continue

CONGRATULATIONS

You have finished the whole process of a Bai Minority Funeral. You can start again.

Start Again Finish

THANKS FOR VIEWING

Sources

SOURCES1: http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=178&catid=32: http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/nationality/bai.htm3: http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/deity-and-death/1-what%E2%80%99s-funeral-korean-american-mormon-and-jewish-rites-compared4: http://www.amiwa-trek.com/htm/index_nature.htm5: Mr. Zhao (Guard in YZR) 4/24/136: Mrs. Yan (Works in YZR and the Linden Center) 4/25/137: Antique store owners near SiFangJie 4/25/138: http://www.nianw.com/zt/2011-9-21/ZT_679.htm (Chinese)9: http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/319339237.html (Chinese)10: Xiao Tang11: Mr. T12: http://www.ynws.gov.cn/Detail.aspx?ID=11233 (Chinese)13: Mr. Yang the Casket Maker14: Owner of Noodle and Dumpling Shop in SFJ15: Mrs. Hong16: Mr. and Mrs. Yin near the East Gate17: Mrs. Yang from the Linden Center18: Mr. Yang owner of the Golden Flower (did not want to talk about the topic)19: Funeral of Mr. Yang (looking around)20: Colton/Ying Yang (went to a funeral feast thing)21: Mr. Duan22: Mr. Zhao, the younger guard