Death is something that all people will experience one day. The death of a friend, family member, or even an acquaintance will most likely affect one's life many times during a person's lifetime. But what if people weren't allowed to talk about death? In Chinese culture, mentioning death is a way to disrupt the inner harmony of life. This essay on the death of a loved one explores Chinese culture's unique approach to mourning and celebrating the deceased, including rituals such as cleansing the body and the space left behind, dressing the deceased in his or her best clothes, and even the placement of a mirror and a grain sack inside the coffin to ensure their well-being in the afterlife. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay When a person dies, funeral rituals are performed to restore balance, order, and harmony. When a person dies at home, it brings bad luck to the remaining family members. In Western culture, we typically cremate or embalm the deceased, all while mourning the loss of our loved one. In Chinese culture, the death of a loved one is perceived very differently. Instead of mourning the death of a loved one, Chinese culture celebrates the deceased person and performs multiple rituals on the deceased's body and the space left behind, in order to clear away any negative energy or bad luck left behind. Celebrating a person's life can be something extremely difficult to do, but when you have a strong support system and establish rituals that ensure the deceased is cared for, then it becomes a more honorable task. If a person dies at home, their family members remove all things that could be related to the deceased person. This includes opening windows, replacing beds and mattresses, sweeping and cleaning floors and walls, disposing of paintings, and even burning the deceased's clothing. This traditional ritual is supposed to clear away any negative energy that may be lingering around. Next, it is important to prepare the body of the deceased to ensure they have a positive afterlife. Rituals such as cleaning the body and coffin and dusting them with talcum powder and then dressing them in their finest clothes are an honorable way to prepare the deceased. Red is the only color that should be completely avoided when dressing the deceased, as it can lead to the person becoming a ghost. Men are often buried with coins, while women are often buried wearing jade, as a sign of respect. Inside the coffin, a mirror and a sack of grain are also sometimes placed along with the body of the deceased, to point the way and ensure that they are well nourished in the afterlife. When sealing the coffin, red paper is left in the cracks to keep evil spirits away from the body. Once in the hearse, a lion, if the deceased is male or a crane, if the deceased is female, is placed on top of the hearse to honor the male or female. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay In Chinese culture, colors are an important way to symbolize different events, traits, and spirits. When someone dies, a red or white banner is hung at the main entrance of the deceased's house to show that someone died inside the house. A red flag represents good luck and vitality. A white banner represents purity, courage and strength. People are expected to dress in.