Why do the dead wear shrouds? The order and rules of wearing shrouds

Since ancient times, Chinese people have attached great importance to funeral customs and etiquette. People believe that the soul is immortal after death and will continue to reincarnate. Why do the dead wear shrouds? The order and etiquette of wearing funeral clothes.

Why do the dead wear shrouds?

▶It is to show respect for the dead . In ancient times, people believed that the dead also needed to be decent. In ancient times, not everyone was qualified to wear funeral clothes. Only those high-ranking officials were qualified to wear them. So now when someone in the family dies, the family members will hope that the deceased can be a blessed person in the next life, and can also live in fine clothes and delicious food, and become rich and powerful. Therefore, they will put funeral clothes on the deceased, which will appear decent.
▶ It is a folk custom . In fact, there was a very popular saying in ancient times that only by dressing the dead neatly can the deceased rest in peace. Therefore, now anyone who has passed away must be carefully dressed up before being cremated. After the death of a loved one, the burial clothes prepared must be in an odd number, and all belongings of the deceased must be in an odd number. Even numbers are extremely unlucky for funerals and may very likely bring disaster to future generations.
▶It is to absorb corpse water <br/>In fact, in ancient times, people could not be buried immediately after death. Sometimes they had to be kept at home for several months. However, by then, the body would surely have retained corpse water and become smelly. Some wood ash will be put in the shroud to absorb the corpse water when it flows out and maintain the dignity of the deceased.

The order and etiquette of wearing funeral clothes

【 Etiquette for wearing funeral clothes 】
Time to wear funeral clothes : Generally speaking, the best time to wear funeral clothes is immediately after the deceased has passed away. It is believed that the funeral clothes worn in this way can be taken away intact by the elderly.
Who wears the burial clothes for the deceased : Usually, if the deceased is a male, his son or daughter will wear his burial clothes; if the deceased is a female, his daughter or daughter-in-law will wear his burial clothes.
[ Order of wearing shrouds ]
When dressing the deceased in shrouds, most people do it from inside to outside and from bottom to top. For convenience, some people often put their outer garments together first and then put them on together. The specific order is as follows:
First, put on your pants first, then your underpants, cotton pants, and overpants.
Secondly, then come the tops, shirts, padded jackets, cotton-padded coats, and overalls.
Third, put on shoes and socks, jewelry, and finally a hat. You can also put on layers of shrouds in advance to make it easier for the elderly to wear them.
Fourth, wear leg bands and waist belts to prevent the bumpy transportation from affecting the elderly’s appearance.
Fifth, the face cloth. The face cloth has two functions. One is that the face looks dark and ugly before putting on makeup, and the other is the need for hygiene.
Sixth, the Seven-Star Copper Coin, also called the Back-carrying Copper Coin, means that the Seven Stars lead the way, the soul returns to the Big Dipper, and the descendants carry it to make fortune.
Seventh, gold and silver rings, and mouth bells. A gold ring on the left hand, a silver ring on the right hand, and a mouth bell in the mouth. According to custom, the deceased’s mouth cannot be empty.
Eighth, gold and silver ingots, handkerchiefs. You can hold gold and silver ingots, handkerchiefs and other things, but you cannot hold your hands empty-handed.
Finally, the bedding is laid out, the appearance is tidied, and after everything is dressed, it is time to get into the coffin.