Traditional Chinese Funeral Arrangements On the passing away of
the father, the eldest son becomes the head of the family. If
the eldest son passes away, his second brother does not assume
leadership of the family. Leadership passes to the eldest son of
the eldest son or the grandson of the father. He must assume the
responsibilities and duties to the ancestors on behalf of the
family. Form of the Funeral Ceremony There are two main
traditions that are observed: 1. The funeral ceremony, which
traditionally lasts over 49 days, the first seven days being the
most important. Prayers are said every seven days for 49 days if
the family can afford it. If the family is in poor
circumstances, the period may be shortened to from 3 to 7 days.
Usually, it is the responsibility of the daughters to bear the
funeral expenses. The head of the family should be present for,
at least the first and, possibly the second, prayer ceremony.
The number of ceremonies conducted is dependent on the financial
situation of the family. Th