Korean Funerals

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Confucian funeral tradition in Korea is complex and requires many stages as well as the participation of several degrees of the extended family. The author points out that the deceased, who becomes an ancestor-god at the moment of death, is honored for the next several years with several 'chesa' ceremonies or family ceremonies used to honor ancestor-gods. The paper relates that, often today, Koreans live in large cities where a truck is used to transport the body instead of a hand-carried platform or bier accompanied by chanting bearers.

From the Paper:

"Burial usually takes place on the third day. The family mourners dress in special tan clothes made of hemp. The oldest son is the chief mourner, and he demonstrates his grief openly, crying out. Other family members join in the open displays of grief. Friends of the family express their sympathies and offer money to help pay for the funeral. They join the family for meals and to help make all the funeral arrangements. So, while the family has great responsibilities toward the new ancestral god, the funeral is a community affair."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Clark, Donald N. Culture and Customs of Korea. Greenwood Press, 2000.
• Clark, Donald N., and MacDonald, Donald Stone. The Koreans: Contemporary Politics and Society. Westview Press, 1996.
• "Funeral Rituals," in unnamed Web site. Accessed via the Internet 3/23/06. <http://www.ye365.or.kr/eng/Funeral.html>

More papers on Korean Funerals:

• Essay # 24156 : "Korean Americans And American Society"
• Essay # 138075 : "The Implications of Shamanism in Korean Culture."
• Essay # 137566 : "Korean Shamanism and Korean Christianity"

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