The Study of Incense Burner Reunion Ceremonies in Taiwanese Funerary Customs

• Main Authors: Man-hwa Yeh, 葉曼華
• Other Authors: Wen-Feng Tai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/50538657753970865786

碩士 === 國立臺南大學 === 台灣文化研究所教學碩士班 === 98 === This paper discusses the incense burner reunion ceremony (spiritual reunion) in funerary customs. The theological concept holds that when people pass away they become ghosts who will still hold on to their belongings. Those who cannot find their belongings will become evil ghosts. After a ritual process, the ghosts eventually become ancestors. The ritual in either the traditional funeral customs of the Han people or the Taiwanese have lasted over a long time and still considered very important. This book consists of five chapters: Chapter 1 describes research motives and purposes. Chapter 2 illustrates funeral customs in Taiwan. It is difficult to observe ancient rituals in modern society, but we cannot deny that although traditional funeral customs now are simplified they are likely to resist most changes. After comparing field study and personal experience as well as literature review, this study finds that the “incense burner reunion ceremony” plays the role of a spiritual reunion ritual in funeral customs in which a memorial tablet of the dead and the ancestors. This also signifies the end of funeral customs and the return to normal life. Chapter 3 defines the “incense burner reunion ceremony” as a part of traditional funeral customs that normally include “ritual,” “article,” and “instrument.” This study on traditional Chinese funeral customs indicates that the “incense burner reunion ceremony” represents the cultural tradition of “reuniting with the ancestors.” Article and instrument evidence also shows the same reunion meaning in the funeral customs of the Han people. The transition of the memorial tablet during the period of Japanese rule transformed this part of the Min and Yue tradition into a local characteristic “life ritual” of Taiwan. Chapter 4 clearly states the important role of the “incense burner reunion ceremony” in funeral customs by punctuating the importance of this ceremony to maintain ancestor worshiping customs and the return to normal life after a funeral. If this ceremony can help us to understand the purpose of funerals and understand an alternative ritual for extending life, an in-depth study on this extraordinary teaching material should be encouraged. Chapter 5 concludes the important points and makes suggestions based on the research results.