Tujia Funeral Customs in Zhangjiajie
In the Zhangjiajie area, death is called "a hundred years of fulfilled life." It is treated as a joyous occasion, hence the folk term "white happy event." But because of the grief of relatives, various forms of mourning are held. For example, after death, a Taoist priest is invited to "open the way"; after encoffining, the deceased is covered with a red "longevity quilt"; relatives and friends send incense, paper, and funeral banners.
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
In the Zhangjiajie area, when a person dies it is called "a hundred years of fulfilled longevity." This is treated as a joyful occasion, hence the folk term "white happy event." However, because of the grief of the bereaved, various forms of mourning activities are held. For example: after a person dies, a Daoist priest is invited to "open the road"; after encoffining, a red "longevity quilt" is placed over the deceased; relatives and friends bring incense, paper, and funeral banners, and come to the mourning hall to bid farewell to the body. Those with better means may hold a "Daoist rite" for three to five days; those who are poorer and cannot afford the rite hire people to sing "mourning songs" (also called "longevity songs"), whose content mainly recounts the life deeds of the deceased and the "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars," etc. At the burial, the children hold the spirit tablet and wear hemp mourning garments; relatives and friends escort the deceased up the mountain and only return after the burial is complete. Seven days after death, a Daoist priest is invited to perform the "seventh-day seal" for the deceased, once every seven days, to be done three to five times before completion.
Announcing the Death
When an elderly person passes away, the filial son sends people to the homes of relatives and friends to "announce the death." The Miao custom of announcing a death is to do so outside the house, not inside; only after the householder knows someone has come to report a death and agrees to let them enter may the messenger go inside. The words of the announcement are generally: "(Title: Uncle or Elder Uncle,) your so-and-so has gone to find the dragon (or returned to the officials)." The listener naturally understands. The Tujia form of announcing a death is similar to the Miao, only the words differ slightly: "(Title: Uncle or Elder Uncle,) your so-and-so has grown old." The listener understands. In olden times, Tujia people also had to kneel before the relative's house to announce the death.
Wailing in Mourning
When an elderly person dies, the filial son's entire family as well as relatives and friends weep bitterly. When an elderly person dies, besides customs such as announcing the death to relatives and friends and burning "departing-breath money," there is also the folk custom of "wailing in mourning." Within the clan, it is mainly the filial daughters, daughters-in-law, nieces-in-law, grandnieces-in-law, and others who wail. The content of their lamentations mostly recounts the deceased's kindness and teachings toward them, the words and deeds and virtues of the deceased's entire life, highly praising the deceased, and expressing deep sorrow and reluctance at the deceased's departure. Throughout the mourning period, sounds of wailing arise from time to time, especially at night. The Tujia people believe that the more bitterly one wails, the more the wailer is considered to know propriety, the more praise they receive from villagers, and the more the filial son's family will prosper and thrive.
Carrying the Coffin
This means carrying the coffin up the mountain. When Tujia people carry a coffin, no matter how far the burial site, the coffin cannot stop, because the coffin-carrying team may number thirty to forty people, who can swap out mid-way and take turns resting. When carrying the coffin, at places where the mountain path is difficult, a long thick rope is tied to each end of the coffin, and a dragging team of over a hundred people made up of adults and children drags the coffin up, while the coffin bearers need only carry the coffin on their shoulders and follow along. Wherever the coffin passes, whether paddy fields or crops, it may go in a straight line; trampled crops require no compensation. Miao coffin-carrying has its own distinctive features: the bearers frequently demand food and drink from the filial son or filial son-in-law, and often stop along the way. If their demands are not met, they set the coffin down on the road and the crowd disperses. To ensure the deceased's peace, the filial son and son-in-law often prepare food and drink in advance, and when it is needed, they feed the coffin bearers their fill, so as not to miss the auspicious hour for lowering the coffin into the grave. This Miao custom is mainly based on the belief that an elderly person's death is a joyful occasion and one need not grieve excessively, so they add interludes to make the atmosphere more lively.
Sending Light
This means sending lamps. After an elderly person passes away in Tujia areas, on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month of that year, the filial son brings offerings, incense, paper, and candles to the grave to pay respects. During the ritual, he lights torches and burns incense and paper. On the way home, he must also call out to the deceased to come home with him to reunite for the New Year. In olden times in Tujia areas, the filial son did not cut his hair for three months, and wore a mourning turban for three years as the mourning period; this old custom is now abolished.