Korean and Japanese Funerals: Though Different, Similar in Essence - Coursework Example

Korean and Japanese Funerals: Though Different, Similar in Essence Thesis Outline Thesis: Korean and Japanese funeral rites reveal how the members of the community or the society view death. Though funeral ceremonies of Japan and Korea have similarities, they differ from each other according to geo-religious conditions. The cores of funeral ceremonies of Korean society and Japanese society, as well as the Asian societies are almost same if religious beliefs and other influences are unwrapped. I. Introduction II. Influence of Religions in the Funeral Ceremonies A. Both of Korean and Japanese funerals ceremonies are deeply influenced by the existing religion of the two societies. B. The religion of the majority of Korean and Japanese society is Confucianism and Buddhism. III. Social Aspects and Significance of the Ceremonies A. The close family bond of an oriental family plays a significant role in determining the nature of the ceremony. B. Social norms of the two ceremonies are differents IV. Rituals in both Funeral Ceremonies V. Conclusion Korean and Japanese Funerals: Though Different, Similar in Essence Introduction Cultures and communities of the worlds hold a solemn and grave view for death. It is also true for the Korean and the Japanese societies. Fascinations for death become influenced either by religion or by some other traditional views of a society. Consequently these fascination and views of death determine after-death rites, rituals and ceremonies. Korean and Japanese funeral rites reveal how the members of the community or the society view death. Though funeral ceremonies of Japan and Korea have similarities, they differ from each other according to geo-religious conditions. The cores of funeral ceremonies of Korean society and Japanese society, as well as the Asian societies are almost same if religious beliefs and other influences are unwrapped. The close family bond of an oriental family plays a significant role in determining the nature of the ceremony. Influence of Religions in the Funeral Ceremonies Both of Korean and Japanese funerals ceremonies are deeply influenced by the existing religion of the two societies. The religion of the majority of Korean and Japanese society is Confucianism and Buddhism. Confucianism also has a firm hold on Korean society, though not directly. Christianity as a newly emerging religion exerts great influences on Korean society. Both Confucianism and Christianity have their separate influences on the outlines and the aspects of the Korean society. But in some cases the religious influences are intermingled if there is no strict restriction from either of the religions. It is the case for the South Korean society. But when the North Korean society is to be taken into account, the influence of Christianity is less discernible. After all, if the Korean society at present is taken into account as a whole, the traditional way of observing the funeral ceremonies is what Buddhism and some tenets of Confucianism determine. Whereas Confucianism overwhelmingly determines Korean funeral ceremonies, Buddhism influences Japanese funeral ceremonies. But there are some differences in the Japanese Funerals from the funeral in the past. The differences of Japanese funerals with the Korean funerals are that the bond with the deceased in the Japanese has been more mechanized and commercialized than the Korean. Social Aspects and Significance of the Ceremonies Both Korean and Japanese ceremonies are outlined by the social norms and values. These applications of norms and values in the delineation of the death rituals in Korean and Japanese societies suit best with the social structures. But the influence of the technological development is randomly visible in Japanese funerals. Social superstition is less discernible in the Japanese view of death. Consequently it influences the social rituals of Japanese funeral and it is not as flabby as the Korean funerals. Ghost is important determiner in Korean fascination for death. Though the belief is strong among the people in the rural areas of the country, it is less acceptable for the Christian Koreans and the Koreans from the urban areas. The common belief is that “if a person had succumbed to either illness or from natural causes outside the comforts of the home” (Asianinfo) the dead soul roams without any aim and turn into a ghost or, kaekkwi. Often it is believed that the ghost tries to do harm, and likes to tease people who are alone. As a result the family members manage to take precautions to prevent the dead from becoming a ghost. The last moments of the dying persons are very important for the Korean. They assist the person during his dying hours. As it is said in Asianinfo, “To ensure that their dead would not become wandering ghosts, family members took many precautions; among them, being present during the last moments of a dying relative was particularly important” (Asianinfo). Influences of Confucian values and norms are randomly observable in a Korean funeral ceremony. Normally Korean norms and values demarcate hierarchy between the male and the female members of the society. Both it is restricted for men and women to witness the death throes of their close relatives of opposite sex. Modern Japanese society does not show much of gender bias in their funerals. Wailing prevails both in Japanese and Korean funerals. But in Japanese society it is not as a pert of custom as it is in Korean funeral. It is more of emotional than ritual. Wailing in Korean funerals is customary for the family members who are present at the final of the departed one. Wailing has two-fold significance: to express sadness and sorrow, and to express the guilt of the mourners because of whose lack of religious actions has caused the death of the person. This ritual of wailing is called “kok”. Both in Japanese and Korean funeral people try to respect the sad and gloomy air of the funeral ceremony. As to the clothes, people wear something that is appropriate to the situation. They wear black garments or clothes according to their religious belief. Male mourners wear “sleeveless coat and the women, freed of all jewelry and accessories, refrained from combing their hair” (Asianinfo). Generally the Koreans observe a ritual called “Kobok” for the corpse. They lay the corpse with its hands and feet held tightly together. A close relative then take his or her coat to the roof and “called out his or her name three times. Then, the coat was taken back into the house and used as a cover for the corpse” (Asianinfo). This ritual was called chohon or kobok. Rituals in both Funeral Ceremonies In funerals of both countries normally within twenty-four hours relatives, friends and acquaintances of the deceased are informed of the death. The technique of sending obituary notice is as usual. But in Korean funerals it is somewhat different from the Korean. In the past the obituary notice is read aloud by hired messengers at the entrance of their houses because of people’s superstition of the obituary notice. In modern Korea the obituary notice is sent with the help of modern facility. Once obituary notice is sent, people take preparations to bury the corpse. These preparations include bathing and the dressing the dead body. In the past family members had to wash the dead body in Japanese culture. But in modern Japan, the corpse is left to the hospital for washing. Then the corpse is to be dressed in a suit if the deceased is a man, but in case of a woman, she is dressed in “Kimono”. “A cosmetics specialist from the mortuary will also put make-up on the body as necessary. The body is then taken to the place where the wake service is to be held” (Asianinfo). In Korean culture it is called “scup”. The corpse is bathed with perfumed water, dried and combed. “Finger and toe nails were carefully manicured. These clippings were also collected. The fallen hair and the clippings were then placed in five small pouches called, choballang. Later, choballang was placed in the coffin along with the corpse” (Asianinfo). The corpse is fed three spoonfuls of rice with a willow spoon. Then some metal coins are put with the corpse. It is thought that the rice and the metal coins will ease the journey of the deceased. In this regard Japanese funeral resembles Korean funeral. As Hammond describes, “After the body is placed in the casket, a traditional white kimono, leggings, sandals, paper money…and a white headband with a triangle in the center are put into… such as cigarettes, candy, etc… be placed in the casket.” (Hammond). After completing “sup” the process of “yom” is started. People wrap up the corpse into “yompo” and put it into the coffin. But the dead is dressed in a traditional death dress called “suui” that is made of silk or hemp cloth. Often the “suui” is prepared before the death. After placing the corpse in the coffin, “A makeshift shrine was then set up called pinso where pictures and written documents about the deceased were placed…. in the appropriate mourning attire, called sangbok” (Asianinfo) Then the mourning period begins. Its duration depends on the social status of the deceased. Often its duration is about three days. In the past the mourning period for scholar was over a month. It is called “yuwoljang”. During this mourning period the mourners including the “sangju” have to lead a very uncomfortable life. Here the Japanese funeral includes “The Wake Service”. The Buddhist priests lead this ritual. It is the recitation of the “sutra” by them. The priests read the sutra in front of the altar and when they give signal, the relatives and visitors in hierarchical order go near the altar and bow. When all finish their bow, the wake Service ends. “Depending on the Buddhist sect, everyone may chant the "mantra" of the Buddhist sect in unison at points during the service” (Hammond). In Korean Funeral, once the mourning period is over, briers carry the coffin to the grave. But before taking the coffin out of the house they have to “stop before the gate and lower the coffin three times as a form of ritual bowing to signal the deceaseds final departure…. at the back of the bier, family members, relatives and friends would follow” (Asianinfo). A shaman performs some religious rituals to expel the evil from the grave. Then the close relatives-usually father or son- of the deceased lowers the coffin in the grave with a deep bow. After lowering the coffin in the grave the chief mourner casts some soil upon the coffin. Then the other mourners follow him. Thus they bury the coffin. The soil over the grave is shaped into a mound. This process is called “dalgujil” that is “done with the accompaniment of music. It also had to be done in odd-number layers” (Asianinfo). A tombstone is put at the grave. After returning home the mourners place a photo at the front wall of the house. Japanese funeral system is not as lengthy as the Korean is. The main body of the funeral ceremony usually starts on the next day of the “wake up service”. People send the corpse to a temple. The dead body is put before the altar. Now a posthumous name inscribed on a wooden tablet is assigned to the deceased. Normally the name is inscribed by a priest. The priest recites verse, called sutra, from the holy book the sutra and gives “a signal to begin the offering of incense” (Hammond). It is compulsory for the family members to offer incense hierarchically. At Japanese funeral service, rosaries play a significant role. When bowing before the altar the family members and the visitors have to put their hands together with rosaries. Those who offer a pinch of incense have to bring the urn close to the forehead. “Some people repeat this process 3 times; others do it only once. The person stands at attention again (or bows while sitting Japanese style if the urn is on a low table on the floor), and again bows before returning to his or her seat” (Hammond). When the recitation of sutra is over, final-viewing is started. At the time of final viewing visitors generally offer flowers to the dead. If the deceased is of high status, telegrams and emails sent to him are read aloud by a person form the mortuary. Then people proceed to the crematorium with the dead body. At the crematorium the coffin, often meaning casket, is taken down and slid into the crematorium. Visitors and relatives are to watch the casket at the moment when it is slid. After cremation, the remains are handed over to the family members. Sometimes the key that is used to open the crematorium portal is given to the elderly member of the family. The Japanese believe that the soul of the dead follow them to the home. So they use different route from the one that they use to take the dead body to the crematorium. “When the urn.....has been filled, it is covered and wrapped in a white cloth. The urn may be taken home and kept there until after the 49th day memorial service, depending on the custom prevalent in the area and the religion” (Hammond). After bringing the urn, the family observes memorial services and grave visitation at the time prescribed by the priest. The visitation time varies from 7 to 49 days. Then memorial service is held every year “depending on the sect and the desires of the survivors up to the 50th year” (Hammond). Finally the funeral ceremonies in these two countries, Japan and Korea have similarity only in essence. But they are different from each other in rituals. Works Cited “Funeral Rites”. Asian Info. 2000. 26 Nov, 2008. Hammond, Billy. “Japanese Buddhist Funeral Customs” 20 Aug, 2001. 26 Nov, 2008. Read More