Although you are not expected to wear formal attire to attend a Dam Gio, go for simpler clothes that are casual but look nice. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. Instead, youll most likely hear monks chanting throughout the funeral. In some places, grandsons and granddaughters will use white headbands with red dots, while grandchildren have blue dots on theirs. Some traditions forego the symbolic burning of clothing. All will stay close to the coffin and commemorate the deceased. In Vietnamese culture, death is seen as a natural part of life and not something to be feared or dreaded. This is how long it takes the spirit to be re-born again into a new life. One of the greatest fears in Vietnam is that the dead won't find peace in the afterlife - that they'll be left to wander as tortured spirits. Gifts like wreaths for the casket, flowers, or money are all good choices. Bring a gift such as white flowers. Embalming and organ donation are acceptable in the Catholic faith. The following anecdote detailing the death rituals of a Vietnamese family demonstrates that such rituals can have a therapeutic effect on the dying and bereaved. As soon as the family is certain their loved one is no longer alive, the cleansing ritual starts. Easily publish a free obituary, share funeral details, collect memories and more. Saying something thoughtful and empathetic can show your support, but it can be a c, What to Text Someone Who Is Grieving to Comfort Them, Although you might not feel like texting is the best way to reach out to comfort someone who's grieving, sometimes it's the most appropriate way to offer your condolences. Buddhist and Catholic beliefs shape death views in their own right. Here are the most common funeral rituals so you can know. After Cloth Wrapping, relatives stand around and use canvas at the four corners to lift the dead person, placing them in the coffin - Body Placing stage. Though having similar meanings. Vietnam or Viet Nam (Vietnamese: Vit Nam, [vt nm] ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia. If you are attending a Dam Gio, be sure to familiarize yourself with the rituals and their significance so youre prepared to show respect towards the Vietnamese culture and the men and women being celebrated. At Cake, we help you create one for free. Depending on the position of each person in the family, their mourning time for the deceased is different, representing a long-standing civilization with hierarchical order and strict rules. A typical funeral music band includes trumpet, drum, and Vietnamese two-chord fiddle playing. Families create an altar featuring offerings and a portrait of the deceased. are not protected by an attorney-client privilege and are instead governed by our Privacy Policy. The average altar is a wooden cabinet that holds flowers and food. Other family members recite prayers and light incense at the start of each day. We believe reflecting on our mortality can help us lead more meaningful lives. This event is usually celebrated once a year, and it can be in honor of more than one family member who has passed away. Why do people throw beans at a Vietnamese funeral? During the funeral service or memorial service, there is typically an altar at which offerings for the deceased are placed. Many users would be better served consulting an attorney than using a do-it-yourself online Likewise, when guests bow their heads at the casket, they should bow three or five times. Before that, the family will create an altar for the dead. Most religious Vietnamese are Buddhists. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. In addition to the beliefs and customs associated with Vietnamese funerals, there are also some traditional superstitions and beliefs surrounding death that you may encounter while attending a funeral service. LinkedIn. Incense is set on the altar and burned. Vietnamese Funeral Customs - Rituals to the Deceased and the Wake For the deceased, the body is washed and dressed in formal clothes. Vietnamese funerals have complex rituals, to say the least: gold coins and rice in the deceased person's mouth, finger and toe nails clipped and packaged, and, weirdest of all, a vigilant guard for the coffin so that cats and dogs don't jump over the body and bring the deceased back to life. The typical foodstuffs are three bowls of rice, three cups of tea, and other daily foods, such as hard-boiled eggs. This link will open in a new window. Join our feeds to automatically receive the latest headlines, news, and information formatted for your club's website or news reader. Upon death, organ transplant and/or autopsies may be accepted with very careful explanation. In Vietnam, there are also many traditional superstitions about death. Though having similar meanings, funerals in Vietnam are held differently among 54 ethnic groups, moreover, along with the development of society, the funeral now has many differences from the past. Family members might try to crawl into the casket to be closer to the deceased. The Western trumpet band is also mainly used in the South, usually playing at Cloth Wrapping and Body Placing stages, and when moving the coffin to its final resting place, but the family can request the music to be played whenever. The family members return home once the body has been consumed by fire and the next morning, they return to collect the ashes. When back from the procession, the family will invite guests to lunch or dinner to show gratitude. The photo, incense bowl and altar tray are brought back and placed on the altar, which must always be incense and smoke during the mourning period. . The funeral will last three days. We are not attorneys and are not providing you with legal While setting up the altar, a family member will take care of hiring a music band to play at the funeral. Many families prefer to wear white headbands, while others choose to wear yellow ones to the funeral. Some families also include a large red or vibrantly colored banner that hangs down as the background of the altar. With crimson pillars and golden glazed tiles, its architecture harks to ancient Chinese palaces. Do you still have questions about attending a Vietnamese funeral? White flowersespecially the white lotus, which symbolizes purification and regenerationare appropriate. After a visitation, friends and family usually share light refreshments and time for remembrance. advice. Traditionally, blood sacrifices and magic words made spirits happy. People dont speak about death every day, but we all acknowledge the importance of this event. The family places the body in the coffin on the first day, relatives and friends visit on the second, and on the third, they bury or cremate the body (cremation is a traditional Buddhist approach, but customs differ among families). Particular passions, milestone moments and legacies created weave together to tell a story that is completely unique. Find caskets, urns and more at a fraction of funeral home prices. Family members and close friends prepare the body by washing and dressing the deceased in their best suit of clothes. Dam Gio preparations begin months before the actual day of celebration. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service Designed specifically with the cultural needs of Asian families in mind, the Hua Yuan Ceremonial Complex includes two modern chapels. Let dogs, cats, or mice jump over the coffin, Cry too much or let tears fall on to the deceaseds body. arent played at Buddhist ceremonies. What do white and yellow headbands mean at a Vietnamese funeral? At the celebration friends and family present mother and child with luck money. The death body is cleaned with alcohol or water, removed from the old clothes and worn in the death clothes. Catholic families hold one mass, but Vietnamese Catholics offer mass for ancestral souls year-round. Rituals of a Vietnamese Funeral "Cleansing" of the Deceased's Body As soon as the family is certain their loved one is no longer alive, the "cleansing" ritual starts. These wreaths are not required but are often sent by many visitors, showing compassion, respect and sympathy for the family. It is located at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia , with an area of 311,699 square kilometres (120,348 sq mi) and population of 96 million, making it the world's sixteenth-most populous country . Common meat cooked during Dam Gio include chicken, duck, seafood, and beef. Its a symbolic act of honoring that the deceased is still with them. During the afternoon, food and offerings are arranged in front of an altar, and food is served on the table. For a funeral that honors your familys Vietnamese culture, customs and the wishes of your loved one, contact us. Now you can focus on leaving a legacy instead of a mess. Our expert guidance can make your life a little easier during this time. There may be a meditation period and chanting. Cake offers its users do-it-yourself online forms to complete their own wills and Get started by downloading our funeral planning guide or contact an advisor today. (Note: In Vietnamese culture, odd numbers are typically considered to be lucky. The Witness Crematorium at Rose Hills accommodates this preference. First, the family will offer a simple meal to the deceaseds altar. Its often sadder for families in the North because of the harmony of drums, trumpets and cries, while the atmosphere of the funeral in the South is softer with lyrical songs. The fees for the advice of an attorney should not be compared to the fees of do-it-yourself online Reincarnation plays an important role in Buddhist funeral traditions, as Buddhists see death as a transition from this life to the next, bringing the soul closer to Nirvana, a state of absolute bliss. The prayer may also include moments where younger members of the family bow to the spirits of the elders to pay respect and show honor. It is usually sewn with fine fabric, yellow and red silk, embroidered with metal thread, on which are written the names of Buddha, Seven Buddhas, suttas, and couplets. There are customs followed depending on the familys Buddhist or Catholic preference. Some families wear headbands to distinguish their relationship with the deceased. If the deceased's life was cut short due to misfortune, illness, or an accident, then the music is toned down to a proper somber tempo/style. Because the celebration is so closely tied to honoring and respecting elders, while at a Dam Gio celebration, it's essential to give preference in food, seating, and conversation to anyone older than you. They brought their economy based in rice farming with them from China. If you have been invited to a Dam Gio, its customary to arrive with a. . In the Buddhism religio Ghosts in Vietnam are known to take on many forms and do not fit into one category. In traditional burials of some sects, the deceased's clothing and other belongings are burned. There are many unique elements that go into making up the ceremony of Dam Gio. Now that youre familiar with some of the traditions youll encounter at a Vietnamese funeral, its helpful to know how to behave. Are many unique elements that go into making up the ceremony of Dam Gio Chinese palaces cups tea! 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