Rites Performed Before The Funeral
An altar is set at the feet of the deceased. Incense sticks and an oil lamp must be lighted and placed on the altar for the whole period when the corpse is in the house. A bowl of cooked rice together with a boiled egg and blanched whole Chinese spinach are placed on the altar. At meal times, food is offered at the altar and the deceased is called to eat.
The corpse is kept in the home for an odd number of days. In many cases, especially if the deceased died outside the home, the body is usually kept in a temple. Every evening, monks are invited to chant their prayers and to give sermons and blessings to the living. The main theme for the sermons given at a funeral is that death is inevitable. Sometimes, monks are invited to pray in the morning and the noon meal is offered to them. It