Funerals Xixiang people attach great importance to filial piety and family ties. "Funerals" are often more grand than "weddings". After the death of an old man, his children and grandchildren must wear mourning clothes, burn incense and paper, kowtow and kneel to the family, neighbors, relatives and friends to "report the death", and prepare coffins and shrouds. Elderly people over 70 years old have already prepared "shrouds" and "shrouds". After they die, they will "clean their bodies", "wear shrouds", and "put on coffins". The "dead souls" will be placed in the middle of the main hall, and incense, candles, paper, and offerings will be burned. Generally, people go to the mountains three days after the death, "the dead have no worries, and it is the most peaceful to be buried in the ground". "Burning paper and burning incense" seven days after the burial, once every seven days, after seven times, and then "burning a hundred periods" on the hundredth day, the first anniversary of the grave, and the grave will be visited and built until the third anniversary, and the whole procedure is over. The most prominent funerals in mountainous areas are: one is "crying for the dead", the second is "talking", and the third is "singing filial songs". "Crying at the funeral" After the death of an old man, the children are very sad and express their grief by crying. Generally, male filial sons have tears but no sound, while female filial sons cry around the "coffin" from "entering the coffin", "keeping vigil", "departure", and "entering the ground", telling the sufferings of the old man and the kindness and nurturing left to his descendants. Those who can't cry will be ridiculed. Therefore, the more daughters the old man has, the louder the crying is, and the more touching it is, and the people who persuade him to cry often can't help crying. There are no descendants "crying" or few people "crying", and the funeral seems very cold. Of course, daughters and nieces cry sincerely and sadly, but generally daughters-in-law cry out of form and cope with the occasion, and it is difficult to distinguish between true and false. Female filial sons cannot sleep for days and nights, keeping vigil and crying, and their voices are "hoarse" when the funeral is over. "Crying" expresses nostalgia and filial piety for the old. "Talking" is called "building a long mat" in some places and "talking" in others. "Men have their clans and women have their mothers' homes." When a man dies, the elders of the same clan are often invited. When a woman dies, the wise men of her natal family often come forward to ask the filial son, "Did you see a doctor when the old man was sick? How did you take care of him? Did you fulfill your filial piety?" How will the coffin, shroud, and nightclub be prepared after death? Where will the cemetery be chosen? The filial son kneels on the ground to answer one by one. Especially when the natal family deliberately finds faults and asks difficult questions, the filial son is not allowed to argue, but kowtows and kneels. The relatives and friends criticize and educate him, and then the general manager or the prestigious "elder" comes forward to plead for mercy, and then the funeral can end. People in the mountainous areas call the evening of the funeral "nightclub", and the participants are called "sitting all night" and cannot sleep all night. The filial son stays up all night to "cry for the dead", and singing filial songs is the main part of the nightclub. Outsiders say: "Hanzhong people are so happy, they still sing after their parents die." Singing filial songs is the best way for Xixiang people to remember their deceased. People in Xixiang do not hold "dojos" or chant sutras. Instead, they invite talented and eloquent "singers" to sing traditional "filial songs", such as "Twenty-one Filial Piety" and "Twelve Sages". There are also lyrics that are emotional, and there are also lyrics that rebuke the filial sons' mistakes. When singing filial songs, they are accompanied by gongs, drums, and suona. The singing is sad and desolate, which makes people cry, and triggers the tears and grief of the filial sons and their relatives and friends. The filial sons hold incense and turn the "spirits", and the female filial sons "cry for the funeral" to accompany them. The lights are on all night, the singing is continuous, and the crying is desolate. All the old and young in the village come to help serve tea and water, light the fire and add charcoal, chop wood and carry water, and the big and small kitchens are very lively. At night, they all come to listen to the filial songs, keep vigil and sing with the spirits, and cannot close their eyes all night, so it is also called "sitting at night". It lasts until the next day when the "funeral" is sent up the hill. It is convenient to hold a "night show" and hold a funeral by singing filial songs, which is grand and solemn. This custom has a long history and is widely spread, and is deeply accepted by the people in mountainous areas. (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)