Special funeral customs in mountain villages in Anhui

The

is located in a remote mountain village in southern Anhui, Anhui Province. There is a custom that has lasted for many years in the village. After the old people die, they do not bury them directly. Instead, they find a place on the roadside to place them for 3-7 years, waiting for their wives to die and be buried together together. Therefore, we can see red coffins parked on the roadside everywhere here.

If your wife has not passed away for more than 7 years, choose a suitable day to bury him, which is called a burial grave locally. Family members need to arrange their sacrificial items before they can go on the road.

Burial days are usually selected in advance, and they are all at night. Tie a rooster to the longevity materials, and the dutiful son must shout loudly and beat the rooster with a stick to make it crow.

It is said that roosters can lead souls on the road, and the souls of the dead can attach them, leading the dead to a paradise without becoming lonely souls and wild ghosts. The summoning chickens with souls attached will be released and will not be slaughtered.

Before burial, charcoal and lime were applied to the bottom of the pit, sesame, soybean and rice straw were spread, and then ignited and burned to ashes. It was commonly known locally as warm pit.

When the time is up, place the packed coffin on top of the burned grass ash.

The local craftsman used a compass to measure the direction of the longevity wood, and pulled up a specially prepared red-headed rope tied with copper coins to mark the direction. This is particularly important in local burials. The people in the village are more fascinated by the saying that it is related to the fate of future generations, and wait for filling the soil after it is ready.

After a busy night, it was dawn. The monument was erected, and the relatives of the deceased once again set up sacrificial items and burned paper and money to pay homage to the deceased.​​​​​​​​