TL;DR: When a family member passes away, the family typically carries out a sequence of rituals from the moment of death, nhập quan (placing the body in the coffin), thành phục (donning mourning attire), to the funeral procession and burial. This order varies by region, religion and circumstance, but the core includes bathing the body, dressing it, nhập quan, assuming mourning, cúng cơm (offering rice), the funeral procession and burial. The most important thing is to keep sincere respect and simplicity, avoiding elaborate and costly arrangements.
What Should Be Done First When a Loved One Dies?
When a person has just stopped breathing, the first task is to confirm that death has occurred, then the family assigns duties: one person notifies relatives, one handles the encoffining, one manages funeral arrangements. According to Do Lan Hien's 2013 article in the Journal of Religious Studies, traditional Vietnamese funerals are deeply influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism, with filial piety at the center. However, the author also notes that many elaborate customs have eroded the meaning of filial duty, making the living anxious about fate instead of focusing on sincere feeling.
As for paperwork, the family needs a death notice (giấy báo tử; issued by the hospital when death occurs there) and then registers the death. The 2014 Law on Civil Status (Article 33) makes relatives responsible for registering the death within 15 days of the date of death; the commune-level People's Committee can advise on the exact procedure.
What Are the Steps in the Traditional Funeral Sequence?
The traditional Vietnamese funeral sequence generally includes the main steps: the rite of encoffining, the rite of assuming mourning garments, the rite of offering rice, the funeral procession, the rite of lowering the coffin into the grave, and the burial rite. According to Duong Ba Trac's Gia le gian yeu (1932), after preparing the coffin and burial items, the family performs the encoffining rite, then prepares mourning garments for the household[1]. According to Pham Dinh Ho, the rite of assuming mourning is when the kin put on mourning clothes in order of the five grades, after encoffining[3]. One hour before the burial, the rite of carrying the coffin out is performed; after burial, on the third day the rite of ngu (an vi) is held[1].
The Rite of Encoffining
The rite of encoffining places the body into the coffin. Beforehand, the deceased is washed and dressed; the details vary with local custom. According to Duong Ba Trac, when a death occurs in the house, the family carefully prepares the coffin and burial items, then performs the encoffining rite[1].
The Rite of Assuming Mourning
After encoffining, the family performs the rite of assuming mourning, that is, putting on mourning clothes. According to Gia le gian yeu, for children, the attire is a coarse hemp hat, hemp garment, and banana-fiber belt; for grandchildren, a large cloth hat and large cloth garment; for siblings, a white cloth headband and white cloth garment[1]. The rite marks the household's formal entry into the mourning period according to rank.
The Rite of Offering Rice
During the funeral, the family performs the daily rite of offering rice. In the funeral in Tonkin that Edouard Diguet describes in Les Annamites: societe, coutumes, religions (1906), after the rite of assuming mourning, for three days the family performs twice a day the trieu tich dien rite, the morning and evening offering[2].
The Funeral Procession and Burial
In the funeral Diguet describes, the procession sets out for the burial place only after five or six days of offerings[2]. At the grave, the family offers incense, reads the eulogy, and performs the rite of lowering the coffin. According to Diguet, on a small altar before the grave, relatives light incense and candles, then one person reads a prayer asking permission to burn the items prepared for the deceased[2].
What Is Different About the Rites After Burial?
After burial, the family continues with rites such as the ngu (an vi) rite on the third day, the tot khoc rite after one hundred days, the tieu tuong rite after one year, the dai tuong rite after two years, and the tru phuc rite three months after dai tuong[1]. According to Duong Ba Trac, when one hundred days have passed since death, the tot khoc rite is held; on the first death anniversary, the tieu tuong rite; when the anniversary rites end, the dai tuong rite; and three months after the end of mourning rites, everyone in the house removes mourning garments and performs the tru phuc rite[1].
In addition, according to Pham Dinh Ho in Vu trung tuy but, rites such as the forty-nine-day cycle, the hundred-day cycle, along with the le cao he, dien he, tong he, and the Trung nguyen paper-burning rite, all originate from Buddhist rites and are not part of ancient Confucian rites[3]. This shows the interweaving of indigenous rites and Buddhism in Vietnamese funerals.
Cultural and Spiritual Elements in Funerals
Vietnamese funerals are not only legal procedures but also cultural and spiritual rites. According to Tran Dinh Hang's 2015 article in the Journal of Religious Studies, the widespread custom of burning paper soldiers and paper money stems from the belief in the afterlife as a realm similar to the living world[4]. Scattering paper money during the procession, offering food, cao dao lo, cao dao trung in funerals should also be viewed in this context[4].
What should be noted when organizing a funeral?
According to Do Lan Hien, many families, overly anxious about future fate, perform elaborate, costly, even superstitious rites. The author emphasizes that a funeral is an occasion to show filial respect, not to be bound by formality. The author argues that in Vietnam today the dead should be cremated because it suits economic conditions, land, population, and environmental hygiene, and notes that the State has campaigned for it for many years.
Some points to note:
- The funeral should be kept brief, avoiding prolonged arrangements that cause expense and exhaustion for the family.
- Offerings should focus on sincerity, not on outward form.
- Legal regulations on death registration and burial must be followed.
- If the family is able, they may consult elders in the clan to follow local customs correctly.
Summary Table of the Traditional Funeral Sequence
| Order | Rite | Timing | Main Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rite of encoffining | After washing and dressing | Placing the body in the coffin |
| 2 | Rite of assuming mourning | After encoffining | Donning mourning clothes by rank |
| 3 | Rite of offering rice | Daily during the funeral | Offering rice to the deceased |
| 4 | Funeral procession | On the chosen day (in the funeral Diguet describes: after 5-6 days of offerings) | Carrying the body to the burial place |
| 5 | Rite of lowering the coffin | At the grave | Placing the coffin into the grave |
| 6 | Rite of ngu (an vi) | Third day after burial | Establishing the spirit's place |
| 7 | Rite of tot khoc | After 100 days | Ending the period of lamentation |
| 8 | Rite of tieu tuong | After 1 year | Commemoration |
| 9 | Rite of dai tuong | After 2 years | Commemoration |
| 10 | Rite of tru phuc | Three months after dai tuong | Removing mourning garments |
Frequently Asked Questions
When a loved one dies, is it necessary to invite a ritual master?
It depends on local custom and religion. According to Do Lan Hien, following a "master" can lead to elaborate, costly rites. The family should stay clear-headed, performing only necessary rites suited to their circumstances and good traditions.
How long does a funeral last?
The elaborate funeral in early twentieth-century Tonkin that Edouard Diguet describes went through five or six days of offerings before the procession[2]. However, today the time may be shorter depending on circumstances. According to Duong Ba Trac, after burial there are many other rites such as ngu, tot khoc, tieu tuong, dai tuong, tru phuc[1].
Is cremation accepted?
According to Do Lan Hien, cremation is encouraged in Vietnam today because it suits economic conditions, land, population, and environmental hygiene. Ashes may be kept for worship at a cemetery or village pagoda.
