According to the belief in northern Vietnam, cremating bodies would cause their loved ones to feel “heat” in the afterlife, while temporary burial would allow their bodies to decompose coolly and naturally in a temporary house. After decomposition was complete through the period of 3 years, any remains of bodily flesh will be removed, and all the bones will be carefully collected. Then these bones will be reburial in the permanent houses nearby other family members. Thus, placing one’s ancestors bones together in one place insures that the larger family will be near each other in the afterlife.
The role of the oldest son with respect to reburial is curial. He is responsible for cleaning the skull of the deceased, considered the most valuable part of a skeleton. Younger brothers will be in charge of cleaning other parts of the skeleton. If the bones are damaged in any way, great misfortune is expected to befall the family.
Reburial Rituals 2013 – 2015
January 9, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam.
January 9, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cemetery worker takes a break while digging up the grave.
January 9, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam. A family member lights up the canddle to make the coffin-opening ceremony.
January 8, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam. People belive that by burning paper money and personal belongings, the dead one will be good in the afterlife.
January 8, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. An old woman sleeps on the way to the the permanent burial place which often is the dead one’s place of birth. December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. Family members helps each others wearing the white headband. The white headband show the bond between the dead one and his relatives.
January 8, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cemetery workers dig up the grave under the witness of the dead one's family members.
January 9, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cemetery worker wait for the right time to open the coffin. This time is strictly choosen by shamans or buddhist monks.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cemetery worker places bones into new coffin in a strict order that he has learnt from the feng shui.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. Family members prepare for the ceremony to introduce the dead one to the new house.
January 9, 2015. Hanoi, Vietnam. The oldest son asks the local gods to let his late father to enter their land.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. Men from the family carries the coffin to the new grave.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. People believe that the deeper the hole is, the longer the grave will last.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam. A family member prays in front of the dead one's new conffin before moving to a new permanent place.
December 13, 2013. Hanoi, Vietnam.
