How do families honour ancestors at the Winter Solstice and Zhongyuan?
The Winter Solstice (冬至, Dong Zhi) and the Zhongyuan Festival (中元节, often called the Hungry Ghost Festival in English) are…
How do families mark Chinese New Year after a bereavement?
By Chinese tradition, when a family member has died within the past year, many families choose not to visit others…
When do families visit graves for Qingming? What does “ten days before and after” mean?
People often ask whether a Qingming grave visit has to take place on Qingming day itself. In practice, many Malaysian…
How Can You Talk to Your Parents About Their Final Wishes?
Many families find the gentlest way to talk with parents about shen hou shi (身后事, arrangements for after one passes)…
Burial or Cremation? Costs, Procedures and Family Considerations
Burial and cremation are both common and respected choices, and neither ranks above the other. Families who choose burial have…
What does feng shui traditionally consider when choosing a grave or columbarium niche?
In traditional feng shui (风水), the heart of choosing a grave site is cang feng ju qi (藏风聚气), "sheltering from…
Double or Family Grave? How Kuantan Families Decide
A double grave (双人墓, shuang ren mu) is a plot for two people, usually a married couple who wish to…
What is zhong sheng ji (种生基)? Meaning, process and common questions
Zhong sheng ji (种生基), literally "planting a living foundation", is a long-standing feng shui folk custom. A living person's own…
First Steps When a Family Member Dies at Home or in Hospital
According to the Malaysian government portal (MyGovernment), when a family member dies in hospital, a medical officer confirms the death…
How Do Chinese Dialect Groups Arrange Funerals? Hakka, Teochew, Cantonese, Hokkien, Henghua and Foochow Practices
Most Chinese funerals in Malaysia blend Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist traditions with folk belief, and the basic sequence is similar…