We carefully select and curate our Teochew Funeral package to include:
Administration
- Assistance in Death Certificate Reporting & Transfer service
- Services Team for Teochew Funeral Procession (1 Team)
- Pre-brief by Funeral director
- Setup of tentage
- Donation collection box
Casket Services
- 4-sided casket (Crematable)
- Embalming & Make-up for Taoist funeral
Transportation
- Toyota Glass Hearse Rental (1 Trip for Taoist funeral)
- Rental of 40 seater Coach
HDB tentage
- Carpet Tiles & Curtains for Casket Area
- 1 Set of Teochew Funeral Front Arch (一幅三门四桩)
- Teochew Priest Services: Encoffinment (1 Priest) , Final Night ( Xiao tan) (3 Priest) , Funeral Procession (1 Priest)
- Teochew Shan Tang
- Photo Enlargement and Framing
- Floral Photo Wreath
- Setup and rental of Tentage
- U Shape Tentage & 1 Canvas Set, 3 Canvas Pieces
- 10 Round Tables + 100 Chairs
- 15 Square Tables
- 6 Fans
- Wiring and Lighting Services and Rental
Funeral home
- Kong Meng San memorial – excluded
Offerings
- Fruits & Vegetarian Food Offerings
- Taoist Funeral Large Lanterns (2 Pairs)
- Taoist Funeral Golden Boys and Jade Maidens
- 6ft Paper House
- Burning tray
- Metal Cage for Paper House
- Taoist Funeral Altar Flowers
- Heaven & Earth blankets
- Incense sticks
- Paper offerings
Mobile toilet
- Porta John – excluded
Food
- Buffet catering
- Snacks and drinks
- Chef + Cooking space setup – excluded
Cremation
- Mandai Cremation (Location changes subjected to Extra charges)
- Ash collection
Items are customisable based on specific requirements of our clients for our Teochew funeral packages. We designed our Teochew funeral service adequately to fulfill the needs of most clients.
How are Teochew Funerals carried out in Singapore?
Teochew funeral services often share some similarities to an ordinary Chinese funeral.
The focus of a Chinese funeral will also be to ensure the deceased will rest in peace and the living will be blessed by the deceased’s passing.
As the ultimate act to symbolise filial piety, these funeral rites must be observed on a funeral day so that the spirit of the deceased can move on to the next stage of life peacefully and not become a homeless wanderer.
It is also a sign of respect to hiring experienced funeral directors for the funeral service.
A good funeral parlour will be able to lighten the load of those directly affected by the death whilst making sure Taoist funeral customs are done in accordance with cultural practices.
What to do before the wake for Teochew funerals?
Teochews generally follow Taoist funeral traditions for their funerals.
Taoist funeral rituals differ from Buddhist funeral services as Taoist priests have different chants for the deceased.
Before the body is placed in the coffin, it is ceremonially cleansed, embalmed, and dressed in a favorite piece of clothing but it cannot be the wedding suit, white, or anything with the color red on it.
Family and friends are not allowed to witness the body being placed in the coffin as it may bring bad luck and during the funeral procession, they must avoid looking directly at the coffin.
A portrait photograph with a floral wreath will be placed on the reception table, along with food offerings, an incense pot for offering joss sticks, joss paper, and white candles.
The funeral begins in the casket area where mirrors are removed so that mourners cannot see the reflection of the coffin. Seeing the reflection may bring bad luck and cause another death in their own family.
On the reception table, the red cloth will represent the deities’ court. Banners carry a picture of the phoenix if the deceased is a female or the dragon in the case of a male.
It is also common to hire more than one Taoist priest. This is because Taoist priest’ rites can go on for the days to ensure the dead are guided in the afterlife.
What to do during the Taoist funeral service?
Similar to a Chinese funeral, Teochew funeral services require direct descendants of the deceased to take turns kneeling at the foot of the coffin, and walk around the coffin as directed by the Taoist priest during rites.
A minimum of one day is accorded to the wake so that family and friends can mourn and funeral arrangements can be completed.
Family members and close relatives in mourning do not wear jewelry and are required to dress in white, black, dark blue, or blue attire.
You will find traditional funeral services where the sons and daughters are dressed in sackcloth and the others will wear a square piece of cloth on the sleeve as a sign of respect for the deceased and to indicate the relationship to the deceased.
Everyone paying their last respects can donate money to help cover funeral expenses and they will also receive a short length of red thread or a small coin wrapped in dark red stained paper.
They are asked to wind the thread around their forefinger and as they move off without turning around or saying goodbye, they are to inconspicuously dispose of the thread and not bring it home.
However, the red-stained coin is to be tucked and hidden in the bag or pocket and brought home. The money is to be spent the very next day. Though this ritual is rarely practiced.
There must also be at least one family member by the side of the coffin at all times as it is their duty to make sure that joss sticks are continuously lit at the foot of the deceased.
The funeral director will help ensure that family members continually adhere to the traditions of the funeral.
Pets found in the funeral service are also chased away as they may cause the dead to arise.
It is believed that loud cries will help the dead find their way to the afterlife quickly and appease the Gods. Therefore, professional mourners may be hired at funeral services.
On the final night, final prayers are offered with more paper offerings such as paper cars, houses, clothes, and modern amenities to ensure a comfortable afterlife.
Pallbearer services can be offered by funeral directors but male relatives and close friends can also carry the casket to the hearse to be nailed shut.
The hearse then moves slowly along a short distance, the last journey from home and on earth, while the mourners follow by foot in order of seniority right behind it.
It is symbolic for the eldest son to carry the photograph and ceremonial items behind the hearse as it signifies him taking over as the head of the household.
At the burial grounds
On reaching the burial grounds of the crematorium, prayers are said for the last time and everyone present can take a last look at the coffin before it is lowered into the ground.
If the body is to be cremated, each family member will participate in the ash collection of the dead and place it into the urn.
More prayers are said as the urn is placed in the crematorium, urn house or the family ancestral hall at home. Similarly, ancestral tablets are also added to monasteries like Kong Meng San.
The incense pot which is used during the wake is placed at home to help the spirit identify the home.
Other Funerary Rites
For a detailed overview of Chinese funerary practices, click on our Taoist funeral services page to find out more.
You can also take a look at our Buddhist funeral services page as well.
