The funeral ceremony, procession, and burial

The morning of the funeral

The family arrives early, dressed in mourning clothes, and takes its place at the front of the chapel in order of seniority. Guests sign in and pay their respects at the altar as they did during the wake. Monks, a Taoist priest, or a pastor lead the opening rites according to the family's faith.

Family rites and public tribute

Traditionally the ceremony has two parts. The family rites (家祭) come first: the family bows, kneels, or offers incense before the casket in order of generation and seniority, led by the eldest son or the chief mourner. Then the public tribute (公祭): friends, colleagues, and community organizations pay their respects, and eulogies are read in Chinese, English, or both. The funeral director announces each group and guides them.

The final viewing and sealing the casket

Before the casket is closed, family and guests file past for a final look (瞻仰遺容), the family last. When the casket is sealed (封棺), custom holds that the family should not watch — relatives turn their backs or step aside, because seeing the lid close is thought to bring ill fortune or to bind the living to the dead. Our staff will tell the family when to turn and when it is done.

The procession

The casket is carried to the hearse by pallbearers, family or staff. In the traditional order, the eldest son or chief mourner walks ahead carrying the portrait (捧相) and sometimes the incense urn, and the family follows the hearse. At the start of the journey the procession may move slowly for a short distance on foot, then the family travels by car to the cemetery or crematory. Paper money is sometimes scattered along the way to pay the spirits of the road; if your family wishes to, tell us and we will arrange it appropriately.

At the cemetery or crematory

At the graveside, the clergy lead final prayers or chanting, and the casket is lowered. Family members may each place a handful of earth or a flower, and offerings, paper goods, and the remaining incense are burned. Some families choose the burial date and the orientation of the grave with the help of an almanac or a geomancer (風水師); we schedule and coordinate with the cemetery accordingly. At a crematory, the family may witness the casket entering the chamber, often while chanting, and collects the ashes on a later day.

Afterwards

Custom asks that mourners cleanse themselves before going home — washing hands with water in which pomelo leaves (柚葉) have been placed, or stepping over a small fire, depending on region. The family then hosts a meal for those who attended (in Cantonese custom, the 解穢酒 or “cleansing banquet”), which is quiet and simple, with an odd number of dishes and no celebratory foods. Guests are not expected to bring anything to the meal. The mourning observances that follow — 做七, 百日, 對年, and Qingming — are described in our guide to the days after the funeral.

Last reviewed October 2026 by Wah On Funeral Home.