Chinese Funeral Tradition in San Francisco

San Francisco Chinatown has a very unique ritual that is a result of the commingling of Chinese and European tradition that is found in no other Chinatown in North America.. It may be a quiet morning on stockton avenue when you first hear the music of a brass band. You look up to see a large portrait framed with flowers propped up on the slow moving black convertible as it follows the marching band. You may notice some in the procession scattering "spirit money" about to distract the Devil so he won't snatch the soul of the departed. The procession will more then likely lead to the Green Street mortuary. In San Francisco this is the only full service mortuary that serves the North Beach Chinatown neighborhoods. The ethnic Chinese are about 95% of the Green Street mortuary's clientle.

The Green Street mortuary caters to It's clientele by providing many of the items that are unique to the Ethnic Chinese customs such as Spirit money, casket blankets, and incense. Most of the mortuary staff are bilingual.Open caskets are customary at the wake and the funeral. A silver coin is world gaurdian and "hell notes or"devil money' is placed in the coffin so the deceased will have it to spend in the afterlife.
The family may place personal items such as jewelry. Money and clothing in the coffin they also bring papermodels or pictures of of cars, houses paper clothes ect to be burned at the grave side service.
In about 80% of Green Street Mortuary's Chinese funerals the hearse stops at the home or business of the deceased . So the spirit of thedeceased can make a final visit. Sometimes family and friends are waiting there with food offerings, candles and incense,

As the procession proceeds The marching band will play several tunes depending on the length of the procession. At the cemetery bouquets and wreaths are arrainged at the head of the grave. The pallbearers carry the casket to the grave site. The minister or officiant will say a few word and a prayer, then the pallbearers lower the casket into the grave.The oldest son of the decedent places a large stick of incencse at the head of the grave.

Folowing the burial, the family and friends will go to a restaurant in Chinatowm for a communal meal. This meal is often called a "longevity banquet. These funeral traditions are part of the adhesive that holds the Chinatown community so clse together. Tradition is important to the co-cohesiveness of this and every other community, Families with rich tradition have strong bonds and fare better during the storms of life.