Chinese American death rituals

About this book

"Death is a topic that has fascinated people for centuries. However, the rituals associated with the death and remembrance of a loved one can be very different from culture to culture. Chinese American Death Rituals examines Chinese American funerary rituals and cemeteries from the late nineteenth century to the present in order to understand the importance of Chinese funerary rites and their transformation through time. The authors in this multidisciplinary volume discuss the meaning of funerary rituals and their normative dimension as well as social practices that have been influenced by tradition. Chinese Americans have had to resolve the tension between assimilation into the American mainstream culture and their strong Chinese heritage. They have looked to individual beliefs, customs, religion, and environment for this resolution. This volume expertly describes and analyzes cultural retention and transformation in the after-death rituals of Chinese American communities."--Jacket.