In our lives, we often see scenes where in a funeral home or crematorium, the face of the deceased is obscured by a piece of cloth.
Guys, do you know why?
Respect for the deceased is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.
In ancient times, it was believed that after death, the soul remained, and the face was the carrier of the soul.
Covering the face of the deceased with a cloth is not only a maintenance of the dignity of the deceased, but also a kind of respect for the deceased relatives. This approach can help families find some solace in their grief, while also making them feel less psychologically direct and impactful when dealing with the deceased's body.
In modern society, this custom of respecting the deceased has also been widely recognized and inherited.
In the last stages of life, due to the slowing of blood circulation, the face may appear discolored or oozing with fluid.
Not only can these changes affect the mood of the family, but they can also lead to an infection of the facial skin with bacteria or other microorganisms. Covering the face with a cloth can create a relatively closed environment, reducing the direct contact between external dirt and the face, thereby reducing the risk of facial infection.
This protection also prevents secondary injuries to the face caused by changes in the external environment (e.g., wind, dust, etc.).
When faced with the death of a loved one, family members often feel extreme grief and grief.
In traditional funeral rituals, seeing possible deformations or color changes in the deceased's face can exacerbate the emotional swings of the family. Covering the face with a cloth can reduce this intuitive visual impact and allow the family to have a slow process of accepting reality.
This cushioning effect helps the family to better adjust psychologically and avoid an emotional breakdown.
The custom of covering one's face with a cloth has a history of thousands of years on the mainland, and it is an important part of Chinese culture.
Ancient people believed that the soul of the deceased is immortal, and the face is the symbol of this soul. Maintaining the integrity of the deceased's face is also a sign of respect for the soul of the deceased. Over time, this custom has evolved into a cultural tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.
It is not only people's reverence for death, but also an expression of the feelings of the living.
Psychological research has found that people's visual perception is directly related to emotions.
When people see a sad or terrifying scene, the brain automatically generates an emotional response accordingly. In funeral rituals, family members may be confronted with the deceased's possible deformed or incomplete face, which may inspire negative emotions such as sadness and fear.
Covering the face with a cloth can reduce the intensity of this visual stimulus, thereby reducing the psychological pressure on the family. This kind of shielding can also be used as a psychological protection mechanism to help family members build a sense of security psychologically.
The custom of covering one's face with cloth not only reflects human respect for death, but also contains profound scientific truths. It is not only a part of cultural heritage, but also a manifestation of mental health and dignity of life.
On the edge of life, when the wheel of life stops turning, people often send the remains of the flesh to be cremated, thus ending the physical traces of a person in the world.
From time to time, there are some confusing and even creepy phenomena during the cremation process, such as strange cries. These voices often make those present feel uneasy, and even give rise to all kinds of superstitions and conjectures.
During cremation, the body is subjected to a high-temperature burning environment, and as the temperature rises, the gases and liquids inside the body begin to expand and are released.
If these gases contain a small amount of water vapor or other condensable gases, they may come into contact with the flame produced by combustion at high temperatures, producing an explosion sound. These sounds reflect and resonate in the space inside the furnace, eventually forming a sound similar to a cry. It is a physical phenomenon and has nothing to do with the supernatural.
When the human body burns in a crematorium, the gases in the body – including those in the intestines, the air in the lungs, and the new gases produced by pyrolysis – find an outlet to escape. These gases may produce a high-frequency sound as they pass through a narrow outlet.
People who are outdoors hear this sound coming from inside the furnace and are likely to mistake it for crying due to the psychological effects of fear or sadness.
There is always a sense of awe and inexplicable fear of death, and when this emotion is combined with the sounds heard during cremation, the effect of psychological suggestion is amplified.
At the cremation site, family members and participants are often in an emotional state, and people in this state are more susceptible to the influence of environmental sounds, processing and memorizing ordinary burning sounds as strange cries.
In the modern world, we should continue to respect and pass on this custom, but also take the opportunity to understand human emotions in the cycle of life and death, as well as our various psychological and behavioral reactions to the end of life. We can face the loss of life more peacefully and cherish every journey of life more.
What do you think? Feel free to leave your comments.