Confucianism And Death

Chinese religion and strict cultural beliefs are inseparable from the death rites performed. Many different names for death are scattered throughout Chinese history, including an ideogram that depicts a person kneeling in front of their ancestor's bones 1. In Chinese culture, death rites are intricate and well thought out works on preparing one for the afterlife and rebirth. Chinese funeral rites have strict guidelines as to where the rites are to be performed, how the rites are performed (ritual bathing of the corpse), the dress of the attendees and the dead, the transfer of material goods on Earth to the dead, acknowledgement of the deceased and the actual burial of the body. All these sacred rites are performed by specialists (usually

At some point in our lives, we all come to realize that death is a part of life. Cultural diversity provides a wide variety of lifestyles and traditions for each of the unique groups of people in our world. Within these different cultures, the rituals associated with death and burial can also be uniquely diverse. Many consider ritualistic traditions that differ from their own to be somewhat strange and often perceive them as unnatural. A prime example would be the burial rituals of the Native American people.

This book is a written reflection of ongoing death studies. Each chapter has been designed to show the latest research, practices and ideas of each topic. Each chapter in this book also gives cultural and ethnic tradition in shaping relationships with death in diverse societies. The theme of the book boils down to two things: death and the dying process. These two concepts are heavily highlighted by examples, practices and ideas.

The United States has come a long way from the mandatory draft preceding 1973. The abolishment of the military draft efficiently resulted in a volunteer based enlistment. The U.S. has had no problem recruiting enlistees in past years (Thompson), yet confidence in our government and the unity of their democracy is at an all time low. The people do not feel like recognized members of the political unit, and this undermines the basic principles of maintaining a republic (Stengel). For a republic to work, it requires active participation of the citizens, in mind and body. Americans must take involvement in said government to remain free and have a voice in the matter (Kinley). If all participation is left solely to the bureaucracy, that constitutes

Firstly, on the day a Hindu Indian dies, the dead Hindu is brought home or right outside the home by friends and family members, and the dead is laid on a floor covered in cow feces because cow feces are seen as a sacred purifying agent. Secondly, one designated family member will sprinkle the dead body with water and cover the body with new clothes. Thirdly, the dead body is placed on a rope bed and carried by loved ones to the burial site. Yet, only the men are allowed to go to the burial site, and the women stay home to mourn. Fourthly, crying is not allowed at the burial site because it believed that the dead will accidentally take in the tears and mucus from the mourners, and that can have corrupting effects on the dead. Fifthly, the body will usually then be cremated, and while the body burns, the lead mourner will smash the skull of the dead. Opening of the head will release the soul and allow it to go to its new residence (Bregman, 2009). These are the main events that happen in a traditional Hindu Indian

It considers the rituals surrounding death death and the rituals associated with it the differing concepts of life after death. And the aspect of death in life was

Death is perhaps the most difficult aspect of life humans are forced to deal with. In order to help us cope, we have implemented the grieving process--a series of events with the purpose of making death easier to deal with--into our lives. Not everyone handles death in the same fashion, and each culture has rituals characteristic to itself that may differ greatly from another culture's rituals. Christianity and Buddhism are two religions that have completely different grieving processes, and in a conversation with Ms. Sit-Sen Wong, a Buddhist from Malaysia, this idea was confirmed as a fact. Through life, Buddhists constantly prepare for death and the afterlife,

In the funeral world there are a lot of different styles of funerals. For example, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic funerals. Both very different, but at the same time they have several things in common. In funerals there is an abundance of things to compare and contrast. We will be looking at different ways the notification of death is handled in both of these religions, removal, embalming, dressing/casketing, visitation requirements/rituals, and interment or cremation.

Hinduism’s samsaric view of life and Judaism’s contrasting belief in one life on Earth before resurrection of the body with the coming of the Messiah, leads to many differences in their funeral and mourning customs and practices. For example the dissimilarity in the way in which the corpse is to be treated and the funeral ceremony itself due to opposing ideas of mortality. However despite the vast difference between traditions, there are still parallels to be noted such as directions for the location and direction of the ceremony and the restrictive nature of the mourning

When a loved one dies, it is common for the mourners to immerse themselves in their particular religious traditions. From Buddhism to Christianity to Hinduism, dealing with death and the existence or nonexistence of an afterlife is a fundamental issue that ties people to their faiths. Often the rituals and traditions surrounding death offer insight into other parts of the religion. Blu Greenberg writes in How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household, "No matter what, each one of us will die, and just as there is a way to live as a Jew, there is a way to die and be buried as a Jew." (287) The custom of sitting Shiva is one part of dying and being buried as a Jew.

These rituals involve caring for the body, dealing with placement of the deceased body, a ceremony or ritual and some type of commemoration. Every culture has its own unique way, often based on religious or spiritual beliefs, of either celebrating a loved one’s life or mourning their passing when they die. These customs vary widely based on one’s culture, values and beliefs. As a cultural anthropologist one might study the death rituals looking for meaning and also to determine how the patterns in the rituals might help to understand the culture of the people. For example: beliefs in being connected to spirits of ancestors who have died and either good fortune or

Abstract It’s not a subject we like to talk about but death is something that we are accustomed to. The funeral is a practice that most have witnessed at some point in their life. In fact, every single culture throughout history and the world have some sort of funeral rite or ritualistic way of handling the disposition of the deceased. The way we cared for our departed, the rituals and procedures have gone through drastic changes over the centuries while some have stayed the same.

Judaism: Ritual of death Death is the cycle of life. Each cultural and religion has there own way of comprehending a loss of a loved one. Certain communities believe in reincarnation, while others believe in eternal heaven or hell. With each belief, each community has their own ritual and traditions.

Confucianism was, and still is, a philosophy that is relevant and deeply embedded in the cultural aspects of people throughout the world. Although it challenged many of the beliefs at the time, it advocated the importance of family values, humanism, and a better education system that could aid the people. Started by one man with ideas that in his time were simply viewed as radical, Confucius, also known as KongFuzi (Master Kong) in Chinese, left one of the most impactful and unforgettable legacies behind. Through his studies, China and the entire world was socially, economically, and even politically transformed.

Most ancient philosophical ideas developed in the ancient Chinese empires are believed to have their roots from Confucius. Confucianism was a simple way of life propagated by Confucius around the fifth and sixth century BC. Often perceived as a religion and other times as philosophy, it is conceivably best unspoken as a comprehensive humanism that neither slights nor denies heaven. The Chinese populaces have devotedly observed Confucianism for nearly two millennia. It has become an implicit part of their culture. However, there seem to be a cod division among its proponents holding contrasting perspectives and understanding with respect to it. The central focus of this presentation is to address the questions whether Confucianism is a religion or a philosophy or it encompasses both.