Introduction
I was in China for the first time, and I was determined to see as much of it as possible. My guidebook told me that I’d be able to witness a Buddhist funeral procession if I went to this monastery on one particular day. At first, it didn’t sound like anything special: monks chanting prayers while carrying their dead master’s ashes through town. But when we got there and saw how beautiful everything looked—with incense smoke rising into the air and monks dressed in gorgeous robes—I realized what an honor it would be to witness this tradition firsthand.
The monk opens his eyes and begins to speak.
The monk opens his eyes and begins to speak. His voice is weak, but he can be heard. He tells the monks kneeling in front of him that they must continue their work. He says that it is important for them to do so because there will be many more people who need help in the future.
The monks are very happy that their leader has returned from death and they thank him for saving them so many times before. They promise him that they will continue doing good things with their lives until they die as well!
The monk lights a stick of incense, then hands the incense stick to each person in the room.
The monk lights a stick of incense, then hands the incense stick to each person in the room. The monks chant prayers while they wait for the incense to burn. They all wear white robes and are men, as is customary among Buddhist monks.
The funeral procession begins with an elaborate procession through town where thousands will line up on either side of the street to watch as their beloved master’s body is carried past them by his disciples (other monks).
One by one, the monks chant prayers for their dead master’s soul.
The monks chant prayers for their dead master’s soul in Mandarin, then Cantonese. The crowd follows along as best they can.
One by one, the monks chant prayers for their dead master’s soul.
A Buddhist funeral procession from the monastery to the cremation grounds begins at 4 p.m.
A Buddhist funeral procession from the monastery to the cremation grounds begins at 4 p.m., led by Buddhist monks who chant prayers for the deceased’s soul. The monks are followed by a large crowd of mourners, who carry offerings of food and flowers for their loved ones’ afterlife.
At the front of the procession is an ornate wooden coffin containing your grandfather’s body inside. As you walk behind him through this final journey, you can feel his presence all around you: in every step taken along this path; in every flower plucked from its stem; in every word spoken over your shoulder during prayer time; in every tear shed by those who have come here today…
The monks place the remains of their dead master in an urn and set it on his funeral pyre.
The monks place the remains of their dead master in an urn and set it on his funeral pyre.
They light another stick of incense and wait until it burns through completely before they continue on their way.
They light another stick of incense and wait until it burns through completely before they continue on their way.
As you approach, you see that the monks are very quiet. They do not talk to each other and they do not laugh. They are respectful of their surroundings, walking with their heads down and eyes focused on their steps. You also notice that they are careful with their movements, making sure not to disturb anything around them as they walk through the streets of Beijing.
Finally, you notice how patient these men seem: they wait until an incense stick burns all the way through before moving on; when someone passes by them in a hurry (and sometimes even bumps into one), they simply smile and go back to meditating or chanting quietly under their breath; and even though it has been hours since we’ve left home now–and more than seven hours since we left for this trip–they haven’t complained once!
Even though I don’t believe in any gods or religions, it was an amazing experience
Even though I don’t believe in any gods or religions, it was an amazing experience. The monks were very welcoming and friendly, they made me feel like part of their community.
I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in experiencing something different from the city life.
Conclusion
Even though I don’t believe in any gods or religions, it was an amazing experience. There is something very special about watching people who do believe in their faith so passionately, and it was amazing to see how much they care about each other and their community.
