The afterlife holds an important place in many Asian religions and societies. It is a fact that Taoism, a widely practised religion in Asia, places a premium on their respective funeral observances.

A Taoist funeral in Singapore varies greatly depending on the deceased’s spoken dialect, as with several other religious funeral rituals. It stands to reason that the work involved in arranging a funeral would differ depending on the language.

The departed deserve a respectful burial, so before you look for a Taoist funeral package in Singapore, find out what arrangements you need to make.

What Does A Taoist Funeral Mean?

The goal of a Taoist funeral in Singapore is to assist the departed get forgiveness from the gods by practising filial piety. All these rituals aim to help the left move on to the next world without any problems.

Family dialect groups organise Taoist funeral services in Singapore. Due to the diverse customs of Taoism in different nations and locations, cultural groups in Singapore who practise this religious belief have established their distinct form of funeral ceremonies. A typical duration might be three days, but five days a week or even longer.

What Happens In A Taoist Funeral Procession?

1.  Prepare the body

Once reaching the funeral home, a family member may choose to clean the body with a wet towel. Preparation, such as embalming and a mortician applying cosmetics, is typically part of any funeral services package in Singapore.

The second step is to get the person dressed in the clothes they like best or clothes they feel best in, whichever is more appropriate with colours ranging from black, brown, white, or blue. You could choose to dress the deceased in special garments called longevity suits if they are fortunate enough to live a long life and leave behind many offspring.

Next, the deceased gets placed in the casket. Yellow cloth covers the face, and the rest of the body is in a blue fabric. However, remember that wearing bright red is considered highly unlucky since traditions say it brings the deceased back as a vengeful spirit.

2.  Foundation of a sacred altar

Like a Buddhist funeral in Singapore, there will be an altar with a portrait of the deceased in front. All the loved ones will light joss sticks and candles to pray and pay their respects. It is common to see food and fruit presented as tributes to the departed.

You can also find the usual suspects, like candles, lights, tea, rice, and water. Symbolically, everything at a Taoist burial serves to ease the deceased’s soul on its trip into the afterlife.

3.  Rite of burial

A Taoist funeral is more about celebrating life than mourning death, with the primary purpose of the rituals being safeguarding the deceased’s spirit.

A priest leads the congregation in chanting sacred texts while others play the drums, symbols, and woodwind instruments. He will then perform a ritual. Ghost money, or joss paper, is burned by mourners at funerals to help release the deceased’s spirit from the afterlife. After that, people burn joss paper offerings to the dead in the form of homes, servants, clothing, and other necessities.

4.  Ceremonial service

The final day begins with reciting Taoist scriptures, and the mourners can express their sorrow as loudly as possible. Once everyone has paid their tributes, the coffin will be sealed and considered impolite to look at the body.

The Taoist funeral recession in Singapore would not be complete without using paper. All mourners are encouraged to bring a piece of yellow paper to the funeral in the hopes that it may ward off any evil spirits that may be present. Their name, birthday, and address are all printed on paper. Afterwards, they burn it in their doorway and walk over it while it burns to commemorate the deceased. It will ward off any ghosts that might otherwise accompany them into their house.

5.  Funeral gifts

It is customary to convey condolences to the relatives of the deceased by mailing them a check in plain white. However, one gift is sufficient, as two gifts would imply several deaths.

The traditional purpose of donations made in sympathy is to aid in expenses since the funeral cost in Singapore may depend.

6.  49 days

The mourning period follows the funeral for 49 days, during which the elderly conduct prayers weekly. Mourners insist that the deceased’s offspring not be permitted to have their hair trimmed during the 49-day time of mourning. It is still practised occasionally, although mainly by the elderly.

7.  After funeral

It is customary for mourners to discard their mourning garments and burn them once the burial service has concluded. After the funeral service, the family may often host a meal to show appreciation to those who have come to help them say goodbye to their loved one.

Do You Need Taoist Funeral Services?

Suppose you want a Taoist funeral but are unsure of the proper procedures. In that case, it’s best to consult a funeral parlour run that provides Taoist funeral services in Singapore that can help you with every step of the process.

Once you agree to a Taoist funeral package in Singapore, the director is in charge, from ensuring the deceased’s body is adequately prepared for burial to comforting the grieving members. They will also provide the standard funeral wake facilities and a trained team who will lead you through the process of paying your respects to the deceased.

Certain behaviours are accepted and discouraged in Taoist culture that is universal across all religions and cultures. To ensure that the departed have a respectful and meaningful farewell, they know how to provide individualised service. Having someone on hand who is familiar with Taoist funeral customs will make the procedure much more manageable, allowing you and your loved ones to focus on mourning and healing.

Honour your loved one’s with the funeral they deserve

Confidence Funeral Services offers Taoist funeral services in Singapore for your cherished ones. You may rest assured that they will treat your loved ones with the respect they deserve during the funeral process, thanks to their extensive knowledge of most funeral ceremonies based on the country’s varied religious practices. Contact them today.