Buddhist and Taoist funerals in Singapore: what's different

Many Chinese families in Singapore describe their funeral as “Buddhist” or “Taoist”, but in practice the two traditions often sit side by side. The National Heritage Board notes that most Chinese death rituals here are shaped by both Buddhist and Taoist ideas, together with Confucian values of filial piety. A single family may invite monks for one night and Taoist priests for another, or follow customs that belong to neither religion but have simply been passed down.

This guide explains the differences you are likely to notice. Customs vary between dialect groups, temples and families, so treat what follows as common practice, not rules. Your funeral director or temple is the best person to ask.

What the two traditions share

Whichever tradition a family follows, a Chinese funeral in Singapore usually has the same broad shape:

• Preparing the body and the wake. The body is cleaned and dressed (and embalmed, if the length of the wake or a viewing calls for it), and the wake is set up at a void deck, a multipurpose hall or a funeral parlour.
• Keeping vigil. Family members stay with the deceased through the wake, offering food and drink and taking part in the rites.
• Paper offerings. Many families burn joss paper and paper models of houses, cars and clothes, believed to help the deceased in the afterlife.
• The final day. Relatives pay their last respects, then follow the hearse to the crematorium or cemetery.
• After the funeral. Many families keep a temporary altar at home for some weeks, offering food and incense.

Both traditions place weight on filial piety, and the scriptures chanted at the wake often carry lessons about a parent’s sacrifices.

Who leads the rites

This is usually the clearest difference.

Buddhist funerals

Buddhist rites are led by monks or nuns, who chant sutras at the wake. The chanting is intended to help the deceased on their journey towards a good rebirth or, ideally, liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Some paper offerings used at Buddhist funerals are printed with Buddhist scriptures for the same purpose.

The number and timing of chanting sessions vary between temples and families, so it is worth asking what your temple recommends.

Taoist funerals

Taoist rites are led by Taoist priests, often called nam mo lo in Cantonese. According to the National Heritage Board, the priest typically begins by performing a ritual to “open the road” to the netherworld, then carries out a series of rites over several days to guide the soul of the deceased to their ancestors. A chant on the first night is meant to help the deceased understand what has happened.

Many Taoist rites are performed in dialect, reflecting where early migrants came from. Some are elaborate, such as the “breaking of hell” ritual for people who died untimely deaths, though this is less common in Singapore today.

The altar

The altar at the front of the wake is the focus for prayers, incense and offerings. What is placed on it depends on the rites the family has chosen, and on the monks, nuns or priests leading them. Because many families mix practices, an altar may combine elements of both traditions. Your funeral director and religious practitioners will usually arrange it together, so tell them early which rites you plan to hold.

How long the wake lasts

The National Heritage Board describes a typical Chinese wake as lasting three to seven days. The National Library Board notes that it is a long-standing Chinese custom to hold the wake for an odd number of days, such as three, five or seven, partly out of superstition and partly to give relatives time to travel.

If the wake will go on for more than seven days after the death, NEA requires prior written permission.

Attire and mourning

Mourning clothes are worn by the family from the start of the funeral. The National Heritage Board notes that, by tradition, descendants do not remove them until the deceased has been buried or cremated. The exact colours and any markers worn on the sleeve differ between families and dialect groups, so ask an elder or your funeral director what is expected.

Visitors generally dress simply, in plain dark or muted colours.

Many families also believe the soul of the deceased returns home on the seventh day after death, and prepare a meal for that night. Cantonese families may calculate the day differently. Remembrance continues through the year, particularly at Qing Ming and during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

The final day and procession

On the last day, relatives and friends gather for final respects before the casket is placed in the hearse. Descendants then follow the hearse, usually lined up by gender and rank in the family.

Some customs differ by tradition or dialect group:

• Hearse decorations. On traditional hearses, a lion signals that the deceased was a man and a crane a woman. For Buddhist funerals, a lotus flower may be used for anyone.
• The son-in-law banner. Most dialect groups, except the Teochews, raise a long red banner carried by the son-in-law at the head of the procession.
• Music. Some Taoist funerals include a brass and drum band, such as the Teochew lor kor.

Practical questions to ask

Before the wake begins, it helps to agree on a few points with your funeral director and religious practitioners:

1. Will the rites be Buddhist, Taoist or a mix, and who will lead each part?
2. How many chanting or prayer sessions are planned, and on which nights?
3. How many days will the wake last, and does the timing suit relatives travelling from overseas?
4. Which dialect-group customs matter to the family?
5. What offerings and mourning clothes will be provided?

Many families now include members of different faiths and choose simpler arrangements. There is no single right way to hold a Buddhist or Taoist funeral.

You can browse Buddhist funeral directors and Taoist funeral directors in our directory.