My first experience with death in Taiwan was early one Saturday morning in Taichung. I was woken by what on first impression sounded like an old radio in the distance.

As the noise got closer it reached unbearable levels and took on the audible characteristics of a temple on wheels.

Eventually it passed and faded into the distance. Shutting my eyes it wasn’t long before the beating of a drum and some other unrecognisable instruments began to shatter my ear drums again.

‘What on earth is going on?! This is ridiculous.’ I rolled over and asked.

‘Relax. It’s Taiwanese funeral. Happen all the time, go back to sleep!’ she replied.

‘No offense but you guys are kinda nuts. It’s like Saturday morning, don’t they have anything better to do then wake everyone up with crappy music?!’

She didn’t answer.

I did learn an important lesson that morning though. Criticising someone’s culture early on a Saturday morning is a surefire way to talk yourself out of morning sex.

Dotted across the mountains of Taiwan are the equivalent of western graveyards. Taiwanese graveyards however are much more grandiose and the Taiwanese not only visit them but also care for them.

With 70% or so of Taiwan covered in mountains there’s no shortage of sites to build graveyards. From my limited experience they seem to usually be placed out of the way from cities and nearby villages.

They’re kind of hard to miss given they look like little hobbit houses dotted on a hillside. Everytime I see one I have to resist the urge to find some fireworks, a horse and cart and pretend I am Gandalf coming home for the summer.

Size wise the graves (or tombs) range from tiny little square plaques to tributes that stand as buildings in their own right.

Seriously some of the tombs are so large and maintained they look like mini golf courses.

The lead up to a funeral is long and full of traditions and customs. I haven’t gone through one yet but I’ve had my fair share of peering curiously at the big tents temporarily set up outside a house when someone dies.

The following excerpt from Kurtdhis provides a little more insight into the graveyards;

Chinese cemeteries are generally located on hillsides as this is thought to improve the feng shui. The further up the hill the grave is, the better its situation is thought to be.

When the procession arrives at the graveside it is taken down from the hearse and, again, all present turn away from the coffin, and also turn away when it is lowered into the grave. Family members and other relatives throw a handful of earth into the grave before it is filled.

After the funeral, all clothes worn by the mourners will be burned in order to avoid the bad luck associated with death.

After the coffin is buried, the keeper of the cemetery will also offer prayers for the deceased. Family members and relatives are presented with a red packet (a sign of gratitude from the deceased family, and the money contained in it must be spent) and a white towel, also as a sign of gratitude but also for funeral guests to wipe off perspiration.

The eldest son of the deceased will retrieve some earth from the grave to be placed in an incense holder, and the deceased will be worshipped by the family at home using an ancestral tablet.


The rest of Kurtdhis’ article is definitely worth a read if you want to know more. I was just doing some research on Taiwanese graveyards but found it quite interesting.

Inevitably one day I’m sure I’ll find myself attending a Taiwanese funeral and I’ll be sure to write about it when I do. Meanwhile I’m not too sure how I’d go burning all my clothes!

…they want me to wear my Sunday best and burn them afterwards?

Hmm. I wonder what the protocol is for rocking up to a Taiwanese funeral in a hessian sack?


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