Tag Archives: Death ceremony

Qingming: A Chinese Death Tradition

Have Chinese traditions on death, family and the afterlife changed since the Tang dynasty?

Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping Day, occurs every spring in China. The sacred day has been a call to action for Chinese families since the Tang Dynasty, encouraging them to tend to their ancestors’ graves. Today, Qingming can be observed with … Continue reading

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A Glimpse into Contemporary Iranian Passing

Remembrance events in modern Iranian culture

As an Iranian-American, I spent the first five years of my life in Tehran before moving permanently to the US. I have experienced both the traditional Islamic Iranian funeral in Iran and the contemporary ceremony in America. Despite the fact … Continue reading

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An Interview with Stephanie Gaines: Part One

The Crestone End-of-Life Project director talks to us about her organization and its singular open-air cremation site

While funeral pyres are common in places like India, the practice of open-air cremation is still very rare in the United States. Yet there has been a shift towards non-traditional burial methods. In the small town of Crestone, CO, Stephanie … Continue reading

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