Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective 1

Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective

Jonathan Cabusao

Chabot Community College

 Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective 2

Abstract

Death, Dying, and Bereavement in Chinese Culture is explored in this article. With China’s rich
background, their behavior, views, and spirituality are closely linked together. In the following, ancestor
worshipped is the primary theme among the most philosophies in China. The major philosophies or
religion prevalent in China includes Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Each perspective has its own
distinct way of living life since each deed and action they take has its consequences. Therefore, one who
practices any of these must look closely to their familial bonds, moral and social conduct, and spiritual
affinity. The connection of each belief system with the spirits is emphasized in the following article, and
why certain superstitious have an elaborate meaning. Not only that, but also how the dying is taken care
of is influenced by the religion or philosophy they follow. Especially their view of what happens to the
living when they die.

Keywords: Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Ancestor Worship, Death, Dying, Bereavement

 Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective 3

Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective

Death is seen as many different things due to the various cultures and religions

throughout the whole world. Among the many perspectives, the Chinese perspective has an

interesting uptake on bereavement not because of how much they talk about their views on death,

but the actual lack of conversation about it. Chinese men and women do not speak of death, and

their reasons stem from their rich history and diverse philosophical and religious background.

Each action and demonstration, rituals, lifestyles, and behaviors, concerning the dead and dying

carries deep rooted meanings.

In Chinese culture around the world, the top three philosophies or religions practiced are

Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Within each belief system lays the anchor principle of

ancestor worship. Ancestor worship considers “that the family is the most basic unit of worship,

economic activity, emotional support, and prestige” (Hsiu). Despite this deep code among the

three, their differences prove their significance: (1) Taoism emphasizes the autonomy of each

person and their natural affinity to life. (2)Confucianism guides their followers with strict values

related to the morality of their actions. (3)Buddhism takes the spiritual approach, elaborating the

blueprint of spiritual life. Due to all 3 belief system’s strong views that humans and spirits

interact, they disallow the topic of death and dying. All 3 see it as an insult to the spirits, which

will communicate their displeasure in the form of misfortune.

For Taoists, they see death as part of the natural way of life, yet urge that it should be

avoided. Death is not seen as the last achievement of human life, and as a result, self-cultivation

techniques such as Feng Shui and Tai-Chi Quan to prolong their life. Feng Shui is the practice of

harmonizing the energies in one’s dwelling or ancestor’s tomb. It is believed if the Feng Shui is
 Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective 4

good, or in accord, the residence of the dwelling or the descendants of the ancestor’s tomb will

receive good health, fortune, and success. However, if the energies are in discord, the spirits

become angry and send their feelings with pain and suffering to their living relatives. Tai-Chi

Quan is a form of meditation performed while moving. This meditation is executed with the goal

to acquire freedom by freeing the mind and the body of all the things that limited their potential.

As Taoists, they seek to become enlightened and reach a state of full potentiality. It is then that

Reversion, or the changed to one’s original state free of the mundane world, is finally achieved

and the Taoists have reached immortality. So when they die, their achievement as an immortal

Taoists will bring good will to the family when they die and become a spirit.

On the other hand, Confucianism believers follow the development of superior moral

perspective and interaction to achieve immortality. The Confucians must synchronize with the

“li”, “Hsiao”, “I”, and “jen”. “Li” is propriety, the ability to respect parents and elders, love

siblings, trust friends, and honor family. “Hsiao” means filial piety, or the children’s obedience

and responsibility to their parents. “I” refers to manners and behaviors that must be proper,

appropriate, and correct. “Jen” is derived from “Hsiao”, stressing to act humanely and human

loving when interacting from person to person. Once all four are attained, self-cultivation has

been achieved and the Confucian is now entitled as a “chün-tzu”. As a “chün-tzu”, they must

apply it to other humans for betterment, and extend to spirits, by utilizing the same respects of

the 4 virtues to them, as well to avoid bad luck. Considering death, the “chün-tzu” must improve

the quality of the care of the dying by providing them the utmost physical, emotional, and

spiritual security. If their nutrition is maintained (physical), their desires recognized (emotional),

and their death guaranteed peaceful without fear (spiritual) by the family, then they would

transcend successfully into the other world.

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Lastly, Buddhism practiced with the perspective that man could escape the suffering of

reincarnation and reach eternal bliss. Samsara, Nirvana, and Karma are the pillars of this

religion. Samsara means “Wheel of Life” or better known as reincarnation, that they’re in an

endless cycle of birth-death-rebirth. Furthermore, their existence is divided into two classes, with

3 groups accompanying each. The upper existence consists of devas (gods), asuras (jealous

gods), and humans, while the lower existence includes animals, pretas (hungry ghosts), and hell.

This coincides with karma, which are the consequences of deeds and actions taken in one’s life.

If good deeds are made, then the next existence will be higher than last, while evil deeds will

lower it. Self-cultivation is achieved when Nirvana, escaping from the endless cycle, is

conquered, but only in the existence of humans. Additionally, Buddhists goes through a process

of internalizing the Four Noble Truths and Bodhi, or awakening. The Four Noble Truths are as

stated: (1) life is painful; (2) pain originates from desire; (3) for pain to end desire must end as

well; and (4) the path to end of pain is righteous living (Yick, Alice G., Gupta, and Rashimi).

With those in mind, Bodhi comes to play, applying wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental

discipline. It is only then the soul is released from the shackles.

In Chinese culture, the social status of the family is reflected by how much detail is

elaborated in the funeral, and how much the family mourns for their deceased family member.

To depict mourning, family members are expected to wear black bands of cloth on their sleeves,

while women are supposed to wear a simple flower made out of wool in their hair. Some families

consult fortune tellers for the best time and date for burial. At the actual gravesite, family

members on the 3rd, 21st, 35th, and 49th day, money and food are burned to complete the transition

from human to spirit. These were measurements taken, due to their beliefs, that spirits are not

angered. Taoists would seek Tao-Shih, researcher of Tao, to find the origin of the displeasure,
 Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective 6

while Confucians are mandated to host an appropriate ceremony, and Buddhists recite the Sutra

over the dead – all in an effort to avoid ill fortune. “In traditional China, the idea that personal

continuance after death could be found in the lives of one's descendants has been closely linked

to practices rooted in mutual obligations between the living and the dead: those who had moved

on to the ancestral state of existence” (Chinese Beliefs). This meant that as a family member

died, their descendants honored the dead, believing that they’re being watched over by them.

Because of this long tradition , family members, especially the descendants of the deceased,

uphold a good relationship with their dead ancestors. As a result, their family will be given the

blessings from the spiritual world.

Discussion

Based on each philosophy, Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism share the similarity

that they seek salvation by practicing self-cultivation. These life prolonging techniques are

greatly influenced by the connection with ancestral worship since these philosophies produce a

relationship between the living and the deceased. Therefore, if the Taoists reach their full

capacity, Confucians achieve the title of “chün-tzu”, or the Buddhists acquire Nirvana, not only

are they developing morally distinct way of living, they are also improving the bonds that

connects them to the spirits. As a result, when they transcend themselves into the spiritual world,

it would be secure and living as a haunting spirit to their own families would be prevented. Their

ascension, in Chinese perspective, isn’t the end, but a second life. Their ancestors now watch

over them, and guide them through blessings and curses.

Unfortunately, seeing death and dying as bad luck when mentioned prevents coping

mechanisms to work properly. Those who follow these tradition avoid the topic altogether, and

even speaking of an ailment of a family member is taboo. Moreover, the Chinese have a saying
 Death, Dying, and Bereavement: The Chinese Perspective 7

that’s roughly translated as "white hair does not send dark hair away” (Yick, et al). This means

that the Chinese believe that it is only natural for old people to die, and not children. When

children die, it is seen as a sign that the family is condemned to damnation for living immorally,

like they have done something wrong. So parents immediately turn to tradition Chinese medicine

to cure sick children, to avoid death and its spiritual repercussions.

In conclusion, Chinese philosophies, Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, is their way

of living life. They don’t see death as the end but as a transition to another life. Each action

produces a consequence that affects their change when they die. They seek to be saved by

practicing moral, ethical, and spiritual way of life, and avert damnation into the spirit world. As

Taoists, they seek to fully reach their unchained latent abilities, while Confucians wish to be the

well respected and entitled person of virtue, and Buddhists wants to be free from the pain of

reincarnation. To reinforce betterment of life of the living, they establish a good connection with

the dead, their ancestors. They do this by maintaining the tombs of their dead relatives, and

living a good and moral life. That way, living relatives can see that despite death being a taboo

subject, there are still other ways to recognize them as part of their lives, past and present.

Afterall, it is because of their rich and diverse background that makes their views on death as

elaborate as their history.

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Bibliography

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Hsu, Chiung-Yin, Margaret O'Connor, and Susan Lee. "Understandings of Death and Dying for People of Chinese Origin." Death

Studies 33, no. 2 (February 2009): 153-174. Academic Search Elite, EBSCOhost(accessed October 27, 2010)

Jochim, Christian. “Chinese Beliefs” Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. DeathReference.com. 26 Oct,

2010 http://www.deathreference.com/Ce-Da/Chinese-Beliefs.html